20 Mornington Road
N.W.
March 25. 1859.
Dear Sir
I am afraid I have not been very successful with my attempt at etching the two plates which you were kind enough to send me. One of them the view of Paris is completely spoiled being covered with marks and stains which I am quite at a loss to account for. The other is much better, but from inexperience in biting in I have allowed the action to go too far and thus destroyed the grain on the plate. I have however, no doubt now that with a little practise I shall soon overcome that difficulty.
I still cannot succeed with the laying the aquatint ground, as however fine I powder the copal I find the grains far too coarse. Do you employ any particular plan in doing this, or must I endeavour to powder it finer still. I cannot ever get a plate to look as those did which you sent me. Another point which I wish to ask is: – can the perchloride of iron which has been once used, be returned to the stock bottle and be used over & over again, or must it be thrown away and fresh used each time. I think I have succeeded in getting the strength quite right at last. also <sic> – should a steel plate take as long as 20 minutes to etch, as that was the time which the view of the Hall of Congress Madrid, took. What difference is there in the result between a quick action and a slow one.
I enclose the best proofs from my <humble?> attempts which Mr Brooker could pull and I hope before long to be in a position to send you proofs of plates which I have taken entirely myself. I will try how I can succeed without the copal first.
You will see in this weeks “News” that I have extracted the part touching on Celestial photography, from the report of the council of the R. Astronomical Society – wherein is mentioned what I alluded to about the Moon.
I have no large Glass pictures of the Moon, but I have a few transmitted positives on Glass about 2 inches diameter which if not too small I shall be very pleased to send you. I think they will be too small for circulation with the “News”, but perhaps you might like to try how they will come out.
Believe me truly yours
William Crookes.
H. F. Talbot Esqre