“Remarks on Engraving on Wood. 
-of ‘every one who has not time and abili- 
ties to ftudy and comprehend {fo hetero- 
geneous a jargon. 
Whilft the prefent rage for fyftematic 
reform through the regions of nature 
laits, I could with the numerous and in- 
telligent reformifts would direct their at- 
tention awhile from the claffification to 
the language of natural hiftory. Here 
an ample field is open for their exertions, 
and Iam confident. that their well-di- 
re€ted labours would be crowned with 
the happieft {uecefs, both in clearing the 
path to the ftudy of nature of its great-- 
eft incumbrance, and in enfuring: their 
fame by the gratitude of all who now 
groan under the weight of the barbarous 
phrafeology with which the fublime and 
important {cience of natural hiftory in 
all its departments is embarraffed. 

Yours, &c. 
Feb. 6, 1798. R.H.N. 
Yo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, ; 
EWICK’s Birds lately publifhed, 
fuggelted to my mind fome ideas on 
the fubjeét of engraving on wood, which 
I beg leave to fubmit to your confidera- 
tion. If you fhall think them deferving a 
place in your ufeful Magazine, they are 
entirely‘at your fervice. : 
The mode of engraving on wood, as 
practifed by the firft difcoverers of that 
art, was extremely different from that 
which is now followed by the Bewicks, 
and fome other artifts in Britain. The 
excellence of the old engravings confifted 
in the general correftnefs of the drawing, 
and the fpirited boldnefs of fome rough 
touches, which gave energy to the delign, - 
but the manner was hard and dry; nor 
does it feem to have been even fufpeéted 
. at that time, that it was poffible to pro- 
duce a full deep and mellow fhade on a 
wood-cut, though it is now found that 
~this can be better effected by an engrav- 
ing on wood than by any other mode of 
engraving that has hitherto been adopted. 
Whether it is equally capable of produc- 
ing that mellow foftnefs in the lighter 
tints, which can ealy be effected on 
copper, is ftill a matter of doubt, though, 
if I were to judge from fome fpecimens 
Thave feen, of the performance of a young 
-artift, whofe name is not yet known -to 
the public, I fhould be inclined to believe 
that it might, even in this refpect alfo, 
be brought to rival that on copper itfelf. 
But of this I with to fpeak at prefent with 
edifidence, being confcious that the pub- 
‘ie muft doubt in regard to thofe things 
they have never feen, ; 
Lit 
Hitherto the only {pecimens of moderna 
engravings on wood that have been of: 
fered to the public, have been ‘upon a 
final! feale; probably, becaufe of the dif= 
ficulty of finding woed of a large enough 
fize fit for the purpole, for T am informed, 
our modernartiifts ufe only box-wood. But 
from what I have feen of wood engravings 
of late, I fhould tuppofe, tat, confidered 
as a fine art, it was much better adapted 
for strap a grand effect in large works 
than in fmall things, becauie it admits of 
a rich fullnefs of fhade, a mellow foftnefs 
in their gradations, and a great ftrength 
of touch, which can be effe&ed in no other 
mode that hath ever yet been attempted. 
But, as I am no artift myfelf, I throw 
out this hint merely for the confideration 
of others, without pretending to decide. | 
It is, however, as an u/eful rather than 
a fine art, that I think the chief value of 
this invention confilts. It is well known, 
that where many copies of a book with 
prints are fold, the expence of taking off 
the impreffions on copper greatly enhances 
the price; and engravings on copper are 
fo quickly effaced, that the beauty of 
every delicate touch is fenfibly diminifhed 
almoft by every impreffion that is taken 
‘of it: and even the ftrongeft engravings 
that can be made upon copper, are foon 
worn down; fo as to require to be re- 
touched feveral times, before a numerous 
impreffion can be worked off. I need not 
add, that after every fuch retouching, the 
impreffions are much inferior to what they 
were before the form.cr engraving’ was 
worn down. In this way, the value of 
different copies of the fame impreffion of 
the books mutt be greatly altered, though 
all muit be fold at the fame price. In re- 
gard to engravings on wood, the cafe 3s 
very different. I have been affured, on 
the beft authority, that a wood-cut, 
ftrongly engraved, if it gets common juf- 
tice done to it, will not be fenfibly worfe 
after an hundred thoufand impreffions 
have been taken from it, aud perhaps ten 
times that quantity may be taken before 
it has received fuch injury as to bring it 
to the ftate of a common copper-plate, 
that requires to be retouched. Add to 
this, that the expenee of taking off the 
impreflions will not be, Ihave good rea- 
fon to believe, one Affseth part of that of 
copper-plate engravings of the fame fize ; 
and/itis obvicus, that the diminution ef 
expence, by-adopting this mode of engrav- 
ing, in regard to works of/extenfive fale, 
will be amazing, even if the original en- 
graving fhould have coft the fame tum ‘as 
if done upon copper. I have been affured, 
by 
