ENGRAVING. 103

deepest parts of his work; whence he obtained an impres-sion on paper.

The reason why we give the preference to Schoeffer is,because some of the books printed by him are ornamentedwith head and tail pieces, with other rude attempts at en-graving. Schoeffer was a man of much ingenuity; he firstreformed the types used by printers; and in the stead ofthe wooden types, or blocks, with which they first printed,he invented cut metallic types, and afterwards introducedthe fusil types now employed.

Of engraving there are various species; that kindcalled by connoisseurs the legitimate mode of engraving, iswhat is termed the line or stroke mode ; of this species themost valuable engravings are made. Numerous have beenthe British artists who have excelled in this style, in afford-ing the means of multiplying our graphical productions. Inhistorical compositions, which stand at the summit of the art,the first, in point of time, and most eminent in his dayin this walk of art, we must ever regard Sir R. Strange ;and notice a print which will establish his fame, and perhapsour own judgment with the public; it is an engraving from adesign of Rubens, representing the fraud of Laomedonupon Apollo and Neptune detected, after those deities hadbuilt the walls of his city, Troy.

In portraits, the greatest and first improvers were Hou-braken and Vertue. In landscape, Woollet has scarcely inthe present day a coinpeer.

The value the public place upon the works of the pre-viously named artists is the best criterion of their worth;believing, with Butler, that, generally,

“ The sterling worth of any thing“ Is just as much as it will bring."

The next species of engraving which we shall notice, isthat department called the stipple, or chalk style,—imita-tive of chalk drawings. Portraits and historical pieces areexecuted in this style, which the famous Bartolozzi broughtto perfection; Vandermini and Cardan also excelled in itscharacter.

The third species we shall notice cannot properly becalled engraving; the effect is produced by scraping andrubbing ; this kind is called chiaro obscuro, or mezzotinto ;producing prints which have the effect of Indian ink draw-ings. In this species of execution the late Valentine Green was deservedly eminent.

A fourth species of engraving is what is commonly used