To begin with the smaller points, the “Gillott Crow-quill” is an excellent instrument.  The normal thickness of its line is extremely small, but so beautifully is the nib made that it will respond vigorously to a big sweeping stroke.  I say a “sweeping stroke,” as its capacity is not to be taxed for uniformly big lines.  An equally delicate point, which surpasses the crow-quill in range, is “Gillott’s Mapping-pen.”  It is astonishing how large a line may be made with this instrument.  It responds most nimbly to the demands made upon it, and in some respects reminds one of a brush.  It has a short life, but it may be a merry one.  Mr. Pennell makes mention of a pen, “Perry’s Auto-Stylo,” which seems to possess an even more wonderful capacity, but of this I cannot speak from experience.  A coarser, but still a small point, is the “Gillott 192”—­a good pen with a fairly large range; and, for any others than the smooth papers, a pen smaller than this will probably be found undesirable for general use.  A shade bigger than this is the “Gillott 303,” a very good average size.  Neither of these two possesses the sensitiveness of those previously mentioned, but for work demanding more or less uniformity of line they will be found more satisfactory.  The smaller points are liable to lead one into the quagmire of finicalness.  When we get beyond the next in size, the “Gillott 404,” there is nothing about the coarse steel points to especially commend them for artistic use.  They are usually stupid, unreliable affairs, whose really valuable existence is about fifteen working minutes.  For decorative drawing the ordinary commercial “stub” will be found a very satisfactory instrument.  Of course one may use several sizes of pens in the same drawing, and it is often necessary to do so.

Before leaving the steel pens, the “double-line pen” may be mentioned, though it has only a limited sphere.  It is a two-pointed arrangement, practically two pens in one, by means of which parallel lines may be made with one stroke.  Rather interesting effects can be obtained with it, but on the whole it is most valuable as a curiosity.  Though somewhat out of fashion for general use, the quill of our fathers is favored by many illustrators.  It is splendidly adapted for broad, vigorous rendering of foreground effects, and is almost dangerously easy to handle.  Reed pens, which have somewhat similar virtues, are now little employed, and cannot be bought.  They have to be cut from the natural reed, and used while fresh.  For many uses in decorative drawing one of the most satisfactory instruments is the glass pen, which gives an absolutely uniform line.  The point being really the end of a thin tube, the stroke may be made in any direction, a most unique characteristic in a pen.  It has, however, the disadvantages of being friable and expensive; and, as it needs to be kept clean, the patent water-proof ink should not be used with it unless absolutely necessary.  A flat piece of cork or rubber should be placed inside the ink-bottle when this pen is used, otherwise it is liable to be smashed by striking the bottom of the bottle.  The faculty possessed by the Japanese brush of retaining its point renders it also available for use as a pen, and it is often so employed.