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676 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEW?. [OcTOBER 23, 1885. tones, tints, and transparent depths of shadow, which, by their composition and relative values, give a photograph that which colour gives a painting, blending contrast and harmony, softness and brilliancy, in a mellow richness and unity of general effect, such as we see in some of the fine old Dutch cottage interiors. We have here none of those dry, hard, uniformly relieved outlines, giving a cut-out, harsh effect, which exist in certain portrait photographs hanging not far from it; but, instead, high lights rendered brilliantly luminous by contrast and gradation, and deep shadows dexterously combined to aid in giving force and relief only to the most important centres of interest, and breadth to the whole. I fancy Mr. Robinson seldom aims at a story requiring strong dramatic expression, but is content with well-posed models, conveying their meaning suggestively, rather than forcibly; but he is certainly a master in his compositions of lights and darks. “ Dawn and Sunset,” by virtue thereof, catches the eye and attracts attention directly you approach it, and does so long before you are near enough to under stand its meaning, or be interested in its story. There is, however, a danger in the power Mr. Robinson has, which is hardly escaped in the two fine pictures hanging one on either side of the above. In these, the effect of subordinating and toning down, for the sake of brilliancy and concentration, is carried rather too far, giving a forced and somewhat artificial effect. A picture must have a principal light, but there should be no viola tion of the truth in securing it. Mr. Robinson’s composi tion puts the principal light always where it ought to be, but sometimes where it could not be, truthfully. That’s a mistake. “ Many critics,” said Ruskin in his pamphlet on " Pre-Raphaelitism," ‘‘especially the archi tects, have found fault with me for not ‘ teaching people how to arrange masses,’ for ‘ not attributing sufficient im portance to composition.’ Alas! I attribute far more im portance to it than they do ; so much importance, that I should as soon think of sitting down to teach a man how to write a Divina Commedia, or King Lear, as how to 1 compose,’ in the true sense, a single building or pic ture. The marvellous stupidity of this age of lecturers is, that they do not see that what they call ‘ principles of composition’ are mere principles of common sense in everything, as well as in pictures and buildings. A pic ture is to have a principal light. Yes ; and so a dinner is to have a principal dish, and an ornamentation a principal point, and an air of music a principal note, and every man a principal object. A picture is to have harmony of rela tion amongst its parts'? Yes; and so is a speech well uttered, and an action well ordered, and a company well chosen, and a ragout well mixed. Composition of this lower or common kind is of exactly the same importance in a picture that it is in everything else—no more. It is well that a man should say what he has to say in good order and sequence, but the main thing is to say it truly.” (To be continued). A GOOD SODA DEVELOPER, AND OTHER GOOD THINGS. BY W. T. WILKINSON. I have been using for the last four months a developer that I have never seen in print, and as the more 1 use it the better I like it, I should be glad if some one else would try it, and report upon it. It is remarkably quick in its operation, and gives fine plucky negatives free from stain or yellowness iu the shadows. It is co nposed of three constituents, eack kept separate until the moment of using:— No. 1. Pyrogallic acid ± ounce Water 80 ounces Citric acid 30 grains No. 2. Saturated solution of Howard’s carbonate of soda 1 ounce Water 5 ounces No. 3. Liquor ammonia 1 ounce Water 10 ounces To develop, take 1 dram of No. 2 and 1 dram of No. 3, and 2 ounces of No. 1. This is sufficient for two -plates deve loped together, or a -plate. I find that five or six plates can be developed in 2 ounces of the above mixture, provid ing no more than half an-hour elapses between the first and last, and even then the addition of another dram of No. 3 will re-start the action, and that without any risk of staining. I have tried sulphite of soda with the above, but do not find the slightest advantage, negative or positive. For portrait work, where the exposures are under con trol, the above developer is the best I have ever tried; but for views where each plate requires more or less restrainer than its fellow, I prefer to use a few drops of saturated solution of NH,Br to commence with. I can corroborate your statement in a recent News, that the formula usually given by plate makers is not the best, as I have been trying four different makers’ plates, in each case exposing a +-plate, cutting the same in two, then developing one half by the given formula on the box, and the other half by the above, and have got some curious and interesting results, al way s in favour of my own method; but in one plate the maker’s formula gave an image much under-exposed, and veiled with green fog ; but the other half, developed as above, gave a beautifully clear negative. Verb. sap. Alpha Paper.—I have been using a great deal lately of this new paper, and after wasting a deal of paper and time and temper, following the maker’s instructions, I have, by forgetting all about the original instructions, finally got the process into giving certain results, and herewith give the modus operandi. First of all, do not over-expose, because if you do you can get no vigour. Secondly, always soak the prints in cold water before developing, and then the process of development proceeds evenly from beginning to end, instead of being a long time starting, and then finishing with a jump, as it does when the prints are put into the developer dry. Again, when sufficiently developed, placing under the tap and letting the water run upon the developed print, at once stops the action of the developer if the print was wet before beginning development; but if put into the developer dry, a solution of salt or of bromide must be used to stop the action of the developer, and these retard and sometimes stop the action of the toning bath. Therefore, after exposure, place the prints in cold water, and develop in :— Saturated solution of oxalate of potash 4 ounces Saturated solution of common sulphate of iron (copperas) 1 ounce Water ... ... ... ... 5 ounces Saturated solution NHi Br A dram Saturated solution of citrate of potash ... ... j » The citrate of potash prevents the ferrous oxalate from getting muddy, and keeps the solution in working order for a day or two. When the print is sufficiently developed, wash under a rose, and keep the water running until all are developed, taking care to see that all traces of oxalate are removed from the dish, which can be seen by the water having a milky appearance when oxalate is present in a dilute state. When all the prints are developed, give two or three changes of water, and immerse in— Hydrochloric acid ... 1 ounce Water 1 gallon Keep the prints moving in this for a mipute or two, then