itself need hardly shrink from the outlay required for a family portrait-gallery.  The “tin-types,” as the small miniatures are called,—­stanno-types would be the proper name,—­are furnished at the rate of two cents each!  A portrait such as Isabey could not paint for a Marshal of France,—­a likeness such as Malbone could not make of a President’s Lady, to be had for two coppers,—­a dozen chefs d’oeuvre for a quarter of a dollar!

* * * * *

We had been for a long time meditating a devotion of a part of what is left of our more or less youthful energies to acquiring practical knowledge of the photographic art.  The auspicious moment came at last, and we entered ourselves as the temporary apprentice of Mr. J.W.  Black of this city, well known as a most skilful photographer and a friendly assistant of beginners in the art.

We consider ourselves at this present time competent to set up a photographic ambulance or to hang out a sign in any modest country town.  We should, no doubt, over-time and under-tone, and otherwise wrong the countenances of some of our sitters; but we should get the knack in a week or two, and if Baron Wenzel owned to having spoiled a hat-full of eyes before he had fairly learned how to operate for cataract, we need not think too much of libelling a few village physiognomies before considering ourselves fit to take the minister and his deacons.  After years of practice there is always something to learn, but every one is surprised to find how little time is required for the acquisition of skill enough to make a passable negative and print a tolerable picture.  We could not help learning, with the aid that was afforded us by Mr. Black and his assistants, who were all so very courteous and pleasant, that, as a token of gratitude, we offered to take photographs of any of them who would sit to us for that purpose.  Every stage of the process, from preparing a plate to mounting a finished sun-print, we have taught our hands to perform, and can therefore speak with a certain authority to those who wish to learn the way of working with the sunbeam.

Notwithstanding the fact that the process of making a photographic picture is detailed in a great many books,—­nay, although we have given a brief account of the principal stages of it in one of our former articles, we are going to take the reader into the sanctuary of the art with us, and ask him to assist, in the French sense of the word, while we make a photograph,—­say, rather, while the mysterious forces which we place in condition to act work that miracle for us.