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FEBRUARY 6, 1885.] THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS 89 be a very artistic one." “ What’s it got to do with you, if 1 like it ? ” remarked the uppish one. The photographer said it had to do with him, since the result concerned his reputation. This view of the matter had not occurred to the sitter, and, with a very ill-grace, he consented to con form to something like the laws of pictorial art; but what with his ill temper, and the photographer’s wounded dignity, a very sorry production resulted. The worst of the business was, that, in showing the photograph, the young gentleman said not a word about his own behaviour, but threw all the blame on the unfortunate photographer. Really, side by side with the request, “ Payment at the time of sitting,” which, of course, every prudent photo grapher has inscribed in letters of gold somewhere on his premises, should be the request, “ Sitters who wish to look pleasant are respectfully desired to conciliate the operator ”1 In these days no one can tell who will not turn out to be a celebrity, and as a celebrity is nobody unless his photo graph can be purchased, it behoves every photographer to take especial care of portrait negatives, no matter how apparently worthless. A case in point happened immedi ately after the battle of Abu Klea. General Stewart’s photograph was at once in demand, but was unprocurable. It so happened, however, that a lady who knew the general, went to photographer at the West End, and said she was sure she had seen among his specimens the much- desired portrait. This set the photographer to work, and, sure enough he found four spoiled prints, the negative having been destroyed. Copies were immediately made of the prints, the result being au immediate order from the trade of 10,000. Experts may sometimes be deceived. “ Yes,” said one the other day, looking at the portrait of a well-known M.P., “ it’s a good photograph, but see how tremen dously it has been retouched, and clumsily retouched, too. Why, you can see every mark of the pencil.” “ In deed,” said a friend of the M.P.; “ it’s a pity, then, they havn't succeeded in touching out the small-pox marks.” “What?” replied the expert, examining the photograph again; “ why they are small pox-marks, after all.” And so they were. The gentleman in question is pitted to an unusual degree, and the spots really look like retouching marks. But, as a matter of fact, the photograph had not been touched at all. Mr. Blackburn’s lecture on Monday at the London Institution on “ Some pictures of the year,” suggests the beginning of a new era in the popularization of art. Mr. Blackburn illustrated his remarks with photographs of some of the works from last year’s Salon and Royal Academy Exhibitions, thrown upon a screen by the oxy hydrogen light. There is material in our National Gallery for a multitude of lectures to be illustrated in this way ; but the policy pursued by the authorities renders this im possible at present. It is to be hoped that at some time common sense will prevail at their councils. The request of a private in a regiment stationed at King William’s Town, in South Africa, who wrote to the Kingston Board of Guardians recently, enclosing his photograph and asking to be supplied with a wife from the Workhouse, suggests an idea which a speculator with brains and capital might turn to account. In England we are over-burdened with women. They would like to get married, but husbands are few and far between. In the Colonies the contrary is the case. White women are at a premium, and the male colonist who desires to enter into matrimony finds it very difficult to do so. Why not, then, establish a matrimonial agency in England, and, by means of photographs, open up introductions between those in the Colonies and at home who wish to many ? We fancy there would be no lack of business. To facilitate matters, the agency might have its own photographer on the premises, and, of course, give a guarantee that the photo graph in each case is a truth-telling likeness. If a staid daily contemporary is to be believed, pet-dogs which wish to be in the fashion, now go in for mutual observance of the social amenities, and actually leave cards on one another, and mark the recurrence of birthdays and other interesting anniversaries by the giving useful or orna mental presents. These latter consist of fancy collars, anklets, and bangles—for dogs now wear such ornaments, and there is a canine jewellery shop in Paris—prettily trimmed summer and winter coats, and (as photographers will be especially glad to note) photographic likenesses of their doggie friends. This custom of exchanging dogs photographs is indeed already general in Paris, and photo' graphy will doubtless therefore come to the dogs in this city also ere long, with undoubtedly happy results. And surely there is no more fitting vehicle for the conveyance of canine good wishes than a dog-carte. A firm advertising a certain cure for toothache adopts a very effective plan. On the cards setting forth the cura tive powers of the remedy, are pasted two photographs side by side, one representing a person with his face tied up in all the agonies of pain, and the other smiling and contented, after the application of the cure. There is nothing remarkable in this; but what is worthy of note is, the extremely realistic look of the martyr to toothache. The print in this case has not been freed from hypo, and looks yellow, faded, and altogether ghastly. The other photograph, on the contrary, is a good print, of a pleasant tone, and fine whites. The contrast is highly suggestive. Patent ntelligence. Applications for Letters Patent. 1175. Arthur Henry Lobing and NELE Loring, 47, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, for “Improvements in the production of photographic pictures.”—Dated 27th January, 1885. 1343. James Thomas Payne, 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C., for “ An improved combination mount for photographs and other like articles.”—Dated 30th January, 1105. John UNIE, 33, Chancery Lane, Loudon, for “Improve-