THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 17, 1857. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
93 
| D 
M 
D 
W 
NOVEMBER 17—23, 
1857. 
Weather ni 
Barometer. 
(AR London in 1856. 
Thermo. Wind. 
Sun 
R.ises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.& S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
17 
Tu 
Sin trie Anemones. 
30.156—30.108 
46—26 N. j 02 
21 a. 7 
6 a. 4 
3 a 53 
1 
14 
49 
321 
18 
W 
Polyanthus Narcissus. 
30.160—30.042 
53—33 j N. j 08 
26 
5 
4 
26 
2 
14 
36 
322 
19 
Th 
Purple Ragwort. 
30.075—30,025 
51-38 N.W. | 02 
27 
4 
5 
11 
3 
14 
23 
323 
20 
F 
Eupatoriums. 
30.082—29.989 
53—36 N.W. 01 
29 
3 
6 
12 
4 
14 
8 
324 
21 
S 
Princess Roy'al born. 
1840. 
30.246—30.172 
52—43 N. | — 
31 
2 
7 
23 
5 
13 
53 
325 
22 
Sun 
24 Sunday after Trinity. 
30.211 -30.167 
55—44 W. I — 
32 
0 
8 
39 
6 
13 
37 
326 
23 
M 
Cliriopodiums. 
30.116-29-986 
57—49 w. — 
31 
III 
9 
57 
j 
13 
21 
327 
Meteorology of the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during: the last twenty-eight years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 48.5°, and 35./°, respectively. The greatest heat, 62°, occurred on the 18th, in 1840 ; and the lowestcold, 15° 
I on the 16 th, in 1841, During the period 84 days were fine, and on 112 rain fell. 
I 
PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE MANY. 
[We have received so many applications requesting 
that the papers which have appeared upon photography 
in our columns may be published in a collected form 
that we yield to the pressure, and in about five suc¬ 
cessive numbers and in large type will carry out, with 
some additions, our readers’ 'wishes. We use a large 
type because we are told by Mr. Copland that this will 
enable the manipulator to read the directions while at 
work in the subdued light of the operating room.] 
PREFATORY. 
The thanks of all photographers are due to 
Sir David Brewster. He has exploded the old 
theory of expensive lenses with broad diaphragms. 
He has proved that a more correct portrait may 
be produced by a lens costing but two shillings 
than by a double achromatic, value fifty pounds. 
The researches of Professor Hitchcock impart 
a new character to photographic study. He shows 
that “ there is a literal sense in which the material 
creation receives an impression from all our actions 
that can never be effaced, and that nature through 
all time is ever ready to bear testimony of what we 
have said and done. Men fancy that the wave 
of oblivion passes over the greater part of their 
actions; but physical science shows us that those 
actions have been transferred into the very texture 
of the universe, so that no waters’ can wash them 
out, and no erosions, comminution, or metamor¬ 
phoses can obliterate them. - ” 
“ What if wicked men, as they open their 
eyes from the sleep of death in another world, 
should find the universe hung round with faithful 
pictures of their earthly enormities which they had 
supposed for ever lost in the oblivion of night! 
What scenes for them to gaze at for ever ! They 
may now, indeed, smile incredulously at such a 
suggestion ; but the disclosures of chemistry may 
well make them tremble. Analogy does make it a 
scientific probability that every action of man, how¬ 
ever deep the darkness in which it was performed, 
has imprinted its image upon nature, and that 
there may be tests which shall draw it into day¬ 
light, and make it permanent so long as materialism 
endures.” 
We have done with theory; those who desire it 
will not find any in the following pages, from 
which everything unnecessary and imaginative has 
! been excluded. This manual professes only to 
be & practical guide to photography. 
“ Mark how complete the image—every line 
And feature pictured with unerring truth. 
No blending colours, no prismatic hues, 
To foil the sense, and lead the judgment wrong: 
All is correct e’en to the slightest shade— 
No artist could to such perfection reach, 
Though gifted with a Raphael’s matchless skill. 
How small the cause ! how mighty the effect! 
And yet with what facility produced! 
The ductile light, through the transparent lens 
Passing without restriction, finds, behind, 
The polish’d surface of the crystal glass 
Solid and smooth, impervious to its force: 
Repulsed, it back recoils, but underanged, 
And the reflected image stands reveal’d.” , 
The first photographic experience of the writer 
began at school. Having heard of the properties 
of bichromate of potash he bought some of a 
chemist, and was supplied with pale yellow crystals. 
A piece of paper being prepared with a solution 
of this chemical it was pinned in juxtaposition 
with an engraving to a window, where it remained 
a fortnight, the experimenter being rewarded with 
a very faint impression of the engraving. lie had 
been supplied with chromate instead of bichromate 
of potash. From that time photography was all the 
rage among his schoolfellows. The sunny side of 
the playground wall was studded with nails, 
picture frames were at a premium, and, being con¬ 
verted into photographic presses, were attached to j 
the wall. The forms of all the leaves in the ; 
garden adjoining were transferred to “ nitrate of 
silver paper.” Mysterious, unwashable spots ap¬ 
peared on towels and shirt fronts. Bedroom 
pillows, formerly used in bolstering matches, were 
now ransacked for specimens of feathers, and a : 
stray peacock butterfly was esteemed a treasure, 
and was borrowed of the fortunate possessor until 
its markings were fairly worn off. 
At last subjects failed, solutions became opaque, 
and photography died a natural death at Ho. —, 
Montpelier Terrace, Brighton, after an existence 
of eight months. Since that time the writer has 
taken up the study at odd times, and now lays , 
before the reader the result of his experience. 
If we take a Greek Lexicon and search for 
the words graphein and photos we shall find j 
No. CCCCLXXVri. Vol. XIX 
