THE USEFUL ARTS. For the following interesting memoir, we are indebted to the seventy-second volume of the Annals of Chemistry, a very scientific work which deservedly enjoys a very high reputation among the scavans of Paris. Every man of letters by profession, and almost every reader finds ample aliment for his curiosity in researches concerning the art of printing; and we rejoice to discover in the progress of this art so many valuable improvements by which it is at once accelerated and simplified. EDITOR. On chemical printing, and particularly on the progress of this art in Germany : by Mr. MARCEL DE SERRES, Inspector of Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures.* VIENNA, October 17th, 1809.. THE art of printing from stone, known in Germany by the name of chemische druckerey, " chemical printing," originated in Germany; whence it spread first into England then into Italy, and lately into France. It was invented by Aloys Senefelter, who was born at Prague, in Bohemia. Nine years ago he obtained of the' king, formerly elector of Bavaria, an exclusive patent for its use for thirteen years; but he afterwards sold the right to his brothers. Some time after Senefelter sold his right also to Mr. Andrew von Offenbach, who at present exercises the art in England. In 1802 he came to Vienna, to solicit a patent, and in 1803 he obtained one from the Emperor of Austria for ten years. Changing his mind, he parted with this patent to Messrs. Steiner and Krasnitzki, returned to Bavaria, and set up a chemical printing office at Munich in partnership with some other persons. Messrs. Steiner and Krasnitzki still continue the business at Vienna, under the patronage of the counsellor of regency Startl von Luchsenstein, who is a zealous promoter of every useful undertaking. At the chemical printing office at Munich the art has attained the greatest perfection, that of Stutgard apparently being of much less importance. Mr. Chauvron was the first who obtained a patent in France for printing or engraving on stone, and Mr. Guyot-Desmarets did not attempt it till after him. Abridged from the Annales de Chim. vol. LXXII, p. 202: The processes employed are simple, but as only a brief account of them has yet been given, it may be of use at least to make known those followed in Germany. In the chemical printing office at Vienna three different methods are employed; but that termed in relief is most frequently used. This is the general mode of printing music. The second method is the sunk. This is preferred for prints. The third method is the flat, or neither raised nor sunk. This is useful for imitating drawings, particularly where the impression is intended to resemble crayons. For printing or engraving in this method a block of marble is employed, or any other calcareous stone, that is easily corroded, and will take a good polish. It should be two inches, or two inches and half thick, and of a size proportioned to the purpose for which it is intended. A close texture is considered as advantageous. When the stone is well polished and dry, the first step is to trace the drawing, notes, or letters, to be printed with a pencil. The design is not very conspicuous, but it is rendered so by passing over the strokes of the pencil a particular ink, of which a great secret is made. This ink is made of a solution of lac in potash, which is coloured with the soot from burning wax. This appears to be the most suitable black for the purpose. When the design has been gone over with this ink, it is left to dry, which commonly takes about two hours; but this depends much on the temperature and dryness of the air. After the ink is dry, nitric acid, more or less diluted according to the degree of relief desired, is poured on the stone; and corrodes every part of it, except where defended by the resinous ink. The block being washed with water, an ink similar to that commonly used for printing is distributed over it by means of printers' bails, a sheet of paper disposed on a frame is laid on it, and this is pressed down by means of a copper roller, or copper press. The beauty of the impression will necessarily depend on that of the design. These copper presses are very ingeniously constructed in Germany, and easily worked. Their weight is proportional to the method of printing used When the desired number of impressions is taken off, and the work is not intended to be used any more, the stone is polished 4 anew; and thus it may be made to serve for thirty or forty different works. The sunk, or chalk method differs from that termed in relief only in having the stone much more corroded by the nitric acid. This is chiefly employed for prints, and has the advantage of remedying that uniformity of tint, which is common to prints from the chemical press. It is natural, that the higher parts should take less of the ink, and the lower parts more, so that the impression has less montony; a defect hitherto seemingly inherent in this mode of printing. For this method too the rollers must be stronger and heavier. As this method is more expensive, it is given up: yet for prints, where some degree of effect is required, and more clearness, it is to be preferred. In this method nearly pure nitric acid is employed. Indeed when the art was first invented, pure nitric acid was always used; but soon after, to save expense, it was diluted with water; and since that it has been employed more or less diluted, according to the effect wished to be produced on the stone. For the method in relief as it is called, nitric acid with half water is used. In the flat method less nitric acid is used. It is not to be supposed, that the surface is quite plain in this way; but the lines are very little raised, so that they can scarcely be perceived to stand above the ground but by the finger. The works executed in stone are; 1, imitations of wood cuts: 2, imitations of engravings in the dotted manner: 3, drawings: 4, music: 5, all kinds of writing: 6, maps: 7, copperplates. The advantages of this method are, that it has a peculiar character, which cannot be represented by any other mode, while it gives a tolerable imitation of other methods; and still more the celerity, with which it can be execued. A subject, that an artist could not finish in five or six days on copper, may be engraved on stone in one or two. While a copperplate printer is taking off six or seven hundred impressions, two thousand may be printed in this way. A copperplate will scarcely give a thousand good impressions, while in this way several thousands may be taken off, and the last be as perfect as the first. Thirty thou gand have been taken off one design at Vienna, and the last was as beautiful as the first. This is intended to be carried still farther, for the purpose of printing bank notes. The most expert music engraver can scarcely execute four pages of music. on pewter in a day, but the engraver on stone can finish twice as much in that time. To enter into the particulars would take up too much room, but experience has shown, that this mode saves two-thirds of the expense of engraving on copper or pewter. After having mentioned the advantages of printing from stone, it is just to point out its disadvantages. These are, the difficulty of giving that diversity of tone, which is admired in engravings. Thus for instance, the finest prints that this art has yet produced are unquestionably those, that have been executed at Munich* from those celebrated drawings, which from a whim, in which painters are apt enough to indulge, Albert Durer made in a prayer-book. These prints are executed with spirit, and the stroke is frequently clean; but it is uniform, so that the print is somewhat gray and monotonous. The difference is still better perceived, on comparing these prints with those etched by the different masters themselves. 'The same inconvenience is found in music, the uniformity that prevails rendering the music less easy to read. We must not too hastily conclude however, that this new art is not important: we should endeavour to find means of remedying the inconveniences, that appear to arise from the mode employed. If such means be discovered, which we may hope from experience, showing that the manner of applying the acid and of drawing upon the stone are the points most important to improve, this mode of printing will combine a saving both of time and expense. The great number of copies too, that may be taken off, is not one of its least advantages. It remains now to notice the differences, that appear to exist in the chemical printing offices of different cities. At Milan a little nitric acid is poured over the stone, as at Vienna: but it is Albrecht Durer's Christlich mythologische Handzeichnungen, Strixner, Munich, 1808. Different inks have been used for prints, as black, red, violet, and green. said, that they cannot take off above five hundred impressions. This must be owing to the nature of the stone employed, which is procured from Verona. Chauvren, the first who set up a chemical printing office at Paris, after having traced the design on stone with a resinous ink, merely wets it with water, and wipes off the water from the design. Printing ink is then applied by beating in the common way with balls; and, as this does not adhere to the wet stone, the resinous strokes only produce an impression. Chauvron is said to have printed a great deal of music in this way. We must observe, that, where nitric acid is not used, the prints will never be so fine, and so many impressions cannot be taken off. The use of nitric acid therefore cannot be too strongly recommended. FOR THE PORT FOLIO. LETTER ON PULPIT ELOQUENCE. What the Editor of the Port Folio has thought proper to say of Letters on the Eloquence of the Bar, has induced the Author to transmit the following letter upon Pulpit Eloquence. It is hoped that the personal feelings, expressed in the ensuing essay, will 'form no objection to its publication. The object of it is gone, where no earthly praise can reach him. But the Author may exclaim with one of the heroes of a Grecian poet Still in short intervals of pleasing wo, Baltimore, Sunday evening, 1810. I HAVE been this morning to church, and never was I more strongly impressed with the importance of manner to give its full influence and effect to the best matter. The subject was well chosen, the topics judiciously selected, and sensibly, and in some parts eloquently treated; but they lost half their force from the want of a manner pathetic and impressive. I will endeavour to |