Engraving on wood is in all probability of a much earlier origin than either printing or copperplate engraving. According to Heinekin, it was first practised by the makers of playing cards, and subsequently applied to the purpose of representing figures of Saints, or subjects taken from Scripture history, which, at that early period, were in request among the pious who could not read. The cards seem to have consisted of only an outline printed from the wood, the proper colours being afterwards filled in by the hand. The figures of the saints, &c. of which the Poor Man's Bible is one of the most celebrated examples, were executed in a style little superior to the knave and the other figures on the modern cards, having a few lines of hatching, and commonly a verse of poetry illustrative of the subject also cut in the block. In these we find the origin of letter-press printing.

The historical compositions of Albert Durer and Lucas van Leyden form a new era in the art, and to the present time, their bold drawing, truth of expression, and painter-like feeling of their subject, stand unrivalled. The greater delicacy and smoothness of the works of modern artists in this department cannot be denied, but they must yield to Albert Durer in variety, richness, and freedom of touch. But however excellent were the works of those artists, they only consisted of imitations of hatched drawings in Indian ink, without any attempt at the representation of colouring. Engraving in chiaro was probably invented by Mair about 1490. His works consist of two distinct tints of shadow thrown off by two separate blocks, with the outline etched on copper; these were executed with great neatness and delicacy. Soon after, the early Italian artists, Ugo da Carpi, Andrea Andreani, &c. executed many works which possess great boldness of effect, but without the neatness and delicacy so remarkable in the works of Mair. They consist generally of the outline, and of three separate tints of shadow, each printed by a separate block of wood, shaped or engraved of the form required. Although this method has been occasionally practised, down to the present period, by Zanetti, Jackson, Pond, and others, it received no improvement till the discoveries of Mr

By

Savage have shown the very extensive uses to which it may be applied. increasing the number of blocks, he has been able to give representations, in colours, of the works of some of the best artists in London, in a manner so exquisitely beautiful and accurate, as to defy ordinary observation to discover the copy from the original. The exact similarity of one impression with another, is also a circumstance of the greatest consequence; for, by the ordinary methods of printing in colours from copperplates, the difficulty (it might be said impossibility) to attain this uniformity is well known.

The description of the process adopted by Mr Savage is very simple. Upon a piece of smooth boxwood, the first tint is sketched out. That part of the wood which is not marked with the tint, is then cut away with the common instruments used by engravers on wood; when that is done, only the part of the wood from which the tint is to be taken remains. A proof is then thrown off by a printing-press, and if the subject be a landscape, the first tint will be a light grey. The second tint is then drawn, and is carefully transferred to another block of wood, and the part of the wood not marked cut away as formerly. An impression from this block is made upon the same paper which had received the first tint. Two tints of the landscape are thus produced, and the remaining tints are supplied in the same manner successively by separate blocks, till the complete effect is obtained. Several excellent specimens of landscapes by Mr Savage, in colours, sepia, and Indian ink, are in the possession of Mr John Ruthven of this place, a gentleman well known for his new and improved printing-press. These afford examples of what may be expected from Mr Savage's publication of landscapes from the pictures of the best artists in London, which is now, I believe, nearly ready, and cannot fail to be a very interesting work.

The advantages resulting from this method of copying pictures or drawings must, upon a little consideration,

* We understand that no press is so well adapted for this purpose as that lately invented by Mr John Ruthven of this place, and which is the one used by Mr Savage.

The certain

be obvious to every one. ty with which it is done, the durability of the colours, (being mixed up with oil,) and the moderate expence compared with that incurred in any other means of colouring hitherto discovered, are among the most remarkable. When we consider the inadequacy of language to convey almost any idea of colours, more particularly of those employed in pictures, the value of this discovery must be duly appreciated. It is in vain to treat of the subject of colouring without the aid of examples to refer to; and artists who have it not in their power to examine the paintings of the great masters, feel the want of a work of the kind. It has also been adopted, with complete success, in works on Botany, Natural History, &c.

I shall conclude these observations, with expressing a hope that Mr Savage, as soon as his leisure permits, will give to the world a set of engravings from the works of the best colourists amongst the ancient masters, ample materials for which are to be found in London. The engravers on wood, of the present day, possess abilities capable of accomplishing the work in a style of excellence which would be completely satisfactory.

Edinburgh, 4th Sept. 1817.

L.

SINGULAR CASE OF INVOLUNTARY DANCING.

MR EDITOR, IN the seventh volume of the Transactions of the Medico-Chirurgical Society of London, there is a communication by Mr Kinder Wood, Surgeon, respecting a malady of so peculiar a nature, that a short abstract of its symptoms may be as interesting to the common as to the medical reader. It is considered as a very peculiar form of the malady called Chorea Sancti Viti, or St Vitus's Dance. It appears to me that it may more properly be considered as a form of Tarantism, or of that peculiar disease supposed to be produced by the bite of the Tarantula. To the same class probably belongs the louping (leaping) disease, to which the inhabitants of the county of Forfar are liable. The phenomena of that malady are very curious, and would deserve more elucidation than they have yet obtain ed from medical observers.

Alice Whitworth, a married woman, aged 22, residing near Oldham, on the 21st February 1815, consulted Mr Wood, on a case of severe pains shooting through the right side of her head. She was relieved by an opiate liniment; but on the 24th was affected by a violent agitation of the muscles, which was succeeded by involuntary motions of the right leg and arm, accompanied by beating with her feet. These movements continued for three hours, after which she became easier, and passed a quiet night. On the 26th, the affection returned, and continued through the day for two hours at a time, with intervals of an hour. On the 26th, the symptoms became more violent; she flew into every corner of the room, striking violently with her hand the furniture and doors, the sound of which appeared to afford her great satisfaction. On the 27th, the violence of the symptoms still increased, and we shall now describe them in Mr Wood's own words.

"She now struck the furniture more violently and more repeatedly. Kneeling on one knee, with the hands upon the back, she often sprung up suddenly and struck the top of the room with the palm of the hand. To do this, she rose fifteen inches from the floor, so that the family were under the necessity of drawing all the nails and hooks from the ceiling. She frequently danced upon one leg, holding the other with the hand, and occasionally changing the legs. In the evening, the family observed the blows upon the furniture to be more continuous, and to assume the regular time and measure of a musical air. As a strain or series of strokes was concluded, she ended with a more violent stroke or a more violent spring or jump. Several of her friends also at this time noticed the regular measure of the strokes, and the greater regularity the disease was assuming; the motions being evidently affected, or in some measure mcdified, by the strokes upon the surrounding bodies. She chiefly struck a small slender door; the top of a chest of drawers; the clock'; a table; or a wooden skreen placed near the door. The affection ceased about nine o'clock, when the patient went to bed.

"February 28. She arose very well at eight. At half-past nine the motions recommenced; they were

now of a more pleasant nature; the involuntary actions, instead of possessing their former irregularity and violence, being changed into a measured step over the room, connected with an air, or series of strokes ; and she beat upon the adjacent bodies as she passed them. In the commencement of the attack, the lips moved as if words were articulated, but no sound could be distinguished at this period. It was curious, indeed, to observe the patient at this time, moving around the room with all the vivacity of the country dance, or the graver step of the minuet; the arms frequently carried, not merely with ease, but with elegance. Occasionally, all the steps were so directed, as to place the foot constantly where the stone flags joined to form the floor, particularly when she looked downwards. When she looked upwards, there was an irresistible impulse to spring up to touch little spots or holes in the top of the ceiling; when she looked around, she had a similar propensity to dart the forefinger into little holes in the furniture, &c. One hole in the wooden skreen received the point of the forefinger many hundred times, which was suddenly and involuntarily darted into it with an amazing rapidity and precision. There was one particular part of the wall to which she frequently danced, and there placing herself with the back to it, stood two or three minutes. This by the family was called the measuring place.'

"In the afternoon the motions returned, and proceeded much as in the morning. At this time a person present, surprised with the manner in which she beat upon the doors, &c. and thinking he recognised the air, without further ceremony began to sing the tune; the moment this struck her ears, she turned suddenly to the man, and dancing directly up to him, continued doing so till he was out of breath. The man now ceased a short time, when, commencing again, he continued till the attack stopped. The night before this, her father had mentioned his wish to procure a drum, associating this dance of his daughter with some ideas of music. The avidity with which she danced to the tune when sung as above stated, confirmed this wish, and accordingly a drum and fife were procured in the evening. After two hours of rest, the

motions again reappeared, when the drum and fife began to play the air, to which she had danced before, viz. the • Protestant Boys,' a favourite popular air in this neighbourhood. In whatever part of the room she happened to be, she immediately turned and danced up to the drum, and as close as possible to it, and there she danced till she missed the step, when the involuntary motions instantly ceased. The first time, she missed the step in five minutes; but again rose, and danced to the drum two minutes and a half by her father's watch, when, missing the step, the motions instantly ceased. She rose a third time, and missing the step in half a minute, the motions instantly ceased. After this, the drum and fife commenced as the involuntary actions were coming on, and before she rose from her seat; and four times they completely checked the progress of the attack, so that she did not rise upon the floor to dance. At this period, the affection ceased for the evening.

"March 1. She arose very well at half-past seven. Upon my visit this morning, the circumstances of the preceding afternoon being stated, it appeared clear to me that the attacks had been shortened.

"As I wished to see the effect of the instrument over the disease, I was sent for at noon, when I found her dancing to the drum, which she continued to do for half an hour without missing the step, owing to the slowness of the movement. As I sat counting the pulse, which I found to be 120, in the short interval of an attack, I noticed motions of the lips, previous to the commencement of the dance, and, placing my ear near the mouth, I distinguished a tune. After the attack, of which this was the beginning, she informed me, in answer to my inquiry, that there always was a tune dwelling upon her mind, which at times becoming more pressing, irresistibly impelled her to commence the involuntary motions. The motion ceased at four o'clock.

"At half-past seven the motions commenced again, when I was sent for. There were two drummers present, and an unbraced drum was beaten till the other was braced. She danced regularly to the unbraced drum, but the moment the other commenced she instantly ceased. As missing the time stopped the affections, I wished

the measure to be changed during the dance, which stopped the attack. It also ceased upon increasing the rapidity of the beat, till she could no longer keep time; and it was truly surprising to see the rapidity and violence of the muscular exertion, in order to keep time with the increasing movement of the instrument. Five times I saw her sit down the same evening, at the instant that she was unable to keep the measure; and in consequence of this, I desired the drummers to beat one continued roll, instead of a regular movement. She arose and danced five minutes, when both drums beat a continued roll; the motons instantly stopped, and the patient sat down. In a few minutes the motions commencing again, she was suffered to dance five minutes, when the drums again began to roll, the effect of which was instantaneous; the motions ceased, and the patient sat down. In a few minutes the same was repeated with the same effect. It appeared certain that the attacks could now be stopped in an instant, and I was desirous of arresting them entirely, and breaking the chain of irregular associations which constituted the disease. As the motions at this period always commenced in the fingers, and propagated themselves along the upper extremities to the trunk, I desired the drummers, when the patient arose to dance, to watch the commencement of the attack, and roll the drums before she arose from the chair. Six times successively the patient was hindered from rising, by attending to the commencement of the affection; and before leaving the house, I desired the family to attend to the commencement of the attacks, and use the drum early.

"March 2, She arose at seven o'clock, and the motions commenced at ten; she danced twice before the drummer was prepared, after which she attempted to dance again four several times; but one roll of a wellbraced drum hindered the patient from leaving her seat; after which the attacks did not recur. She was left weakly and fatigued by the disease, but with a good appetite. In the evening of this day, an eruption appeared, particularly about the elbows, in diffused patches of a bright red colour, which went off on the

third day.

"This woman, previously to her complaint, could never dance, even a country dance; and yet I saw her execute steps which could not be taught without difficulty. At times she would rise upon the toes, and move forward, alternately advancing each heel into the hollow of the opposite foot; at other times, poising the body upon one foot, with the heel raised, she would beat time with the toe and heel of the other.

"In this case there was no wandering of the intellect, either during the paroxysm, or in its absence. The perception and judgment were accurate and just, and all questions were answered correctly. During the intermission, she did many household affairs, nursed her child, &c. &c. although the troublesome curiosity of her numberless visitors undoubtedly disturbed her ease. There was a constant wish to recover, a just knowledge of her situation, and of the advantage she received from the agency of the instrument, with an anxious desire to continue its use.

"This disease appears to have consisted in an highly irritable state of the mind, with which the organs of voluntary motion became associated; and the cure was effected by interrupting this irregular association. It is probable, that the noise of the instrument in a room scarcely six yards square, was very advantageous, by interrupting the chain of musical ideas, impressed upon the highly excited mind, and re-establishing the ordinary relation of the mental operations with external things. The voluntary muscles also early associated themselves with the instrument, as was shown by the instant cessation of their unnatural actions, when the time could no longer be kept."

She continued free from any attack for six weeks, but, in April, began to be affected with agitations in the muscles of the face, particularly the eyes and eyelids. She recovered, however; but in May was repeatedly seized with affections similar to those which occurred in the first attack. They were always removed by the drum, which she at length began to beat herself. After some repetition of attacks, she, on the 2d of August, recovered entirely, and has continued perfectly well ever since. MEDICUS.

Edinburgh, Sept. 2, 1817.

France. By LADY MORGAN. 2d edit.

2 vols. 8vo. London, 1817.

THIS book appears to us to hold a sort of intermediate rank between works of truth and fiction, and to be distinguished by the more common faults of both, without possessing the attractions of either. It is made up, for the most part, of incidents that are quite trivial and uninteresting,-of anecdotes often improbable, sometimes incredible, and which never gratify the expectation which the mention of the names to which they relate is calculated to excite,-of common-place remarks, to which the author attempts in vain to give some interest, by an affected loftiness of language; and hasty generalizations founded on a few insulated facts, viewed through the medium of the most wilful and inexcusable prejudice. The ennui with which we have been oppressed, in the perusal of these volumes, has sometimes, indeed, been relieved by pages of lively narrative, observations more just than original, and interesting notices of a few celebrated characters; but it has far oftener been broken in upon by sentiments of disgust and indignation at the language which this learned lady employs, when speaking of the most important concerns of mankind,—their interests and duties, religious, moral, and political; and, notwithstanding a clumsy apology, at the utter want of nationality, and disregard of truth, which could dictate such sentences as the following. She is speaking of the French peasantry.

"But that long-enduring race have now passed away; their children are proprietors, where they were vassals. The torture no longer exists, to feed a spirit of brutal ferocity by its horrible exhibitions. Bigotry no longer presents them with idle forms for real principles; they have nothing to fear from the droit de chasse,' the corvée, the taille, the 'gabelle.' They have tasted a practical freedom, not less perhaps than that enjoyed by the people of England; they are moral as the people of Scotland; and, notwithstanding the recent ravages, they are more prosperous perhaps than either. Oh! may they long continue so; and in spite of that scourge of fire,

VOL. I.

with which an English minister is said lately to have threatened them, may they boldly resent and timely oppose every effort made by domestic oppression or foreign inVasion, which may tend to bring them back to that state in which they were declared, by the law of the land, to be, un peuple serf, corvéable et taillable, à merci et à miséricorde !""

But it will be necessary, in the first place, to notice the contents of this work generally, and then to submit a few more extracts to justify the opinion we have given of it. It is divided into eight books, of which the first has the title of "Peasantry;" the two next that of Society;" the fourth, fifth, and sixth, treat of "Paris;" the seventh of the "French Theatre ;" and the eighth of "Eminent and Literary Characters." To these are subjoined an appendix by Sir Charles Morgan, "On the State of Law,-Finance,Medicine,-and Political Opinion in France."

After a preface, in which nothing is so remarkable as the author's irritability-and some just remarks on the oppressed state of the peasantry under the old regime, we are introduced to one of the most Utopian scenes which the imagination of the novelist has ever attempted to pourtray. By means of the Revolution, the French peasantry have been rendered happy, and independent, and enlightened;-relieved from the oppression of their superiors, and from the terrors of superstition, their minds and manners have become highly refined; their domestic comforts approach to the elegant enjoyments of rank and fortune;-and no other painful emotions disturb their hours of peaceful and contented industry, or of gaiety and repose, save a universal sentiment of aversion to the Bourbons,

of regret for the fall of Napoleon,of contempt for the established religion, and its ministers, and ceremoof their conquerors. Yet with all this nies, with a deep-rooted abhorrence to recommend the condition of a peasant, this sensitive lady cannot refrain from commiserating the fate of those whom peace has withdrawn from plunder and bloodshed, and restored to

T