2 show one of these boxes as fit for use, while
fig. 3 exhibits the box without its top-show-
ing the two V shaped cutters, which are held
in their proper position by the bolts shown in
fig. 5 passing through the box. Fig. 4 exhibits
the top of the box-the side shown to go next
to the box-therefore exposing the aperture
for the passage of the wood cut out by the first
cutting V, which is so placed as to cut only
half the depth of the required thread-leaving
the second cutter, which is placed on the oppo-
site side of the box, and half a thread lower, to
finish the screw. It will be perceived that as
soon as the first cutter has cut its share, the
thread in the box conducts the wood to
form the screw to the next cutter, and
the remaining thread in the box con-
ducts the wood so that a perfect screw
is formed. The "tap
is generally
made of cast-iron, a section of which
would appear as shown in fig. 7; and
on the screw-box is generally given a
circle showing the size of the centre-bit
required to bore the hole for the nut.
One cutter only is requisite in the box
when the size of the screw is under two
inches.

Beech is the wood generally employed for the purpose of screw-making-especially for joiners' and cabinet-makers' bench-screws, hand-screws, &c.

(To be continued.)

Correspondence.

IMPROVED EASEL.

To the Editor of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT.

SIR,-A great improvement might, I think, be
made in easels by the adoption of the fol-
lowing plan :-
ladder, thus-
The ordinary easel is shaped like a step-

Λ
but if the left leg were to be attached in this
way, by means of a hinge-

and the long leg made in two pieces and
joined in front by another hinge, the artist
would be enabled to gain more space in his
studio, by packing up the whole, when not in
When packed,
use, into a portable compass.
the pieces would fall thus-

III
like the leaves of a book, and occupy no more
room than an ordinary frame.
Yours truly,

Wilsden, March 4, 1848.

PENCILENSIS.

PRESERVING AND COLOURING WOOD.-M. Renard, of the Rue de Rocher, Paris, has lately taken out a patent in England for improvements in preserving and colouring wood. His process is thus described in the specificaA WORD WITH OUR READERS.-Last week tion:-A strong cylinder is placed in close we commenced the publication of a series of contact with the large piece of timber intended designs in a separate form suitable for binding to be stained by means of leather washers, and with this work. The first specimen having held in its place with a screw jack and chains. met with the unqualified approbation of all This cylinder is exhausted by any suitable who have seen it, and we having been re- means, and to the other end of the piece of quested to continue them as frequently as pos- timber is fixed a bag made of some impersible, we will endeavour to issue them monthly; meable cloth. The other end of this bag is as this has been the first great step made to- tied on to a stop-cock, fixed in a vessel conwards the art education of the people, the pro-taining the colouring matter. When the cylinprietors of this work earnestly trust that their exertions may not be unsupported by those who have the power (and who has not?) to do so by their patronage. Recommendations of our work by our readers to their friends and acquaintances is of the utmost importance to us; and we rely upon their kindness and generosity to further our interests where they are so intimately connected with their own. The desigu given last week was for a panel. Its composition partakes both of the Eliza-sury to test an important improvement in the bethian and Arabesque styles.

CHLOROFORM IN MANUFACTURES.-The powerful solvent capabilities of chloroform are now by experiment fully establised. Caoutchouc, resin, copal, and gum-lac, bromine, iodine, the essential oils, &c., yield to its solvent powers. This property may, it is believed, prove extensively of advantage in many of the fine and useful arts.

In Ipswich, machines are now at work knitting stockings by steam. The work is done with beautiful accuracy. One young person can attend to three machines, and each machine will knit one stocking in three hours.

der is exhausted, the pressure of the atmosphere on the colouring fluid forces it into the pores of the wood. In this manner wood may be stained of any required colour, or impregnated with any substance intended to preserve it from decay.

NEW ERA IN STEAM NAVIGATION.-In the Washington Union is a report from a board of engineers and others, appointed by the Trea

construction of naval steam-engines, the inbe an apparatus called an evaporator, and vention of Captain Ericsson. There appears to another a condenser, conveniently arranged amidst the machinery so as to occupy very little space. By this, the steam, after performing its work, is converted into water, and forced back into the boiler-again and again taking the same routine. As some of the steam will always be lost by loose joints, the evaporator supplies the deficiency from the element in which the vessel floats, and from this increased supply of steam the condenser affords any desired amount of fresh water. The whole is said to be complete and perfect..

Royal Academy.

nomy of the character. The Magdalene was well conceived; wholly absorbed, unmindful of all about her, and of what was said-her heart went with her action. The expression and interest with which a young man, probably

PROFESSOR LESLIE'S FIRST LECTURE intended for Saint John, regarded her devo

ON PAINTING.

(Concluded from page 170.)

tion, was inimitably natural; and the conception of the whole picture had great dramatic truth-the main incident entirely absorbing the attention of all who, from their situation, were aware of it; while the personages near the right and left extremities of the canvas, ignorant of what was going on, were otherwise engaged. He (the professor) had described this picture with no intention whatever of ranking it with, or even near, the conceptions of Raffaelle; but merely to show that the merits of Paul Veronese were very far beyond the mere verbiage of art.

Ir was no unfair mode of rating the qualities of art (continued the professor) to estimate them by the difficulty of their attainment, and the rarity with which we found them in any tolerable degree of perfection. A poet might in a word or two convey an idea of the complexion of a beautiful woman, and those words often very vaguely used. In the hands of Shakspeare, "Nature's pure red and white" were sufficient; but the painter to do this, was to be engaged in an actual rivalry with Nature Some critics had gone farther than Reynolds, herself-a contest in which a distant approach and in a sweeping way had denounced all the to her was allowed to constitute success;-and varied excellencies of the Dutch and Flemish even such success in the colour of flesh, had schools as the language, only, of art. To this, not, perhaps, been accomplished by twenty however, he would not waste a word in answer; artists with whose works we were acquainted-for he could not think that it needed a reply Paul Veronese being one. before such an audience as he was addressing. It was to be acknowledged, however, that no Writers who had no practical knowledge of painter had less of sentiment or strong expres-painting, might thus condemn what they did sion; but, at the same time, he had never any- not understand; but should any artist be disthing of affected sentiment, of which there posed to listen to them, he would advise him to was so much in art, and which was infinitely try to paint the commonest object as the best worse than none at all; and the expression we Dutch painters would have painted it; and did find in his works was always true to he (the professor) was much mistaken if he (the artist) would not soon acknowledge their transcendent excellence.

nature.

In the picture of "Esther before Ahasuerus," in the Louvre, the whole figure and the face of the fainting queen were admirable. The death-like paleness was exquisitely given, the half-open eyes that saw nothing, and the slightly-parted lips. She had not fallen; but remained a lifeless weight in the arms of her attendants. But as Paul Veronese was to be seen to great advantage in the Louvre, he (the professor) was to be allowed to offer a few words on his (Veronese's) two immense works, "The Marriage at Cana," and "The Magdelene washing the feet of our Saviour,"-two of the most impressive pictures he (the professor) had

ever seen.

But to return to Reynolds: he (the professor) should not omit to say that the same "Discourse" was highly valuable for the judgment with which he (Sir Joshua) pointed out the real deficiencies of the Venetian school, and the praise he awarded to Titian; though he (the professor) was forced again to dissent from him, when he found him considering colour as a merely sensual element of art. It was certainly no more so, in the common and gross meaning of the word, than form, or light, or shade. All these might be equally employed to render subjects that appealed to our lowest passions attractive; and for this end Correggio "The Marriage at Cana," it was true, was had availed himself more of light and shade anything but a relation of the story; but its than of colour. Errors of this description great merit consisted in its exceeding all other arose from confounding the art with the subpictures of its size in noon-day splendour of ject; and it was one of the first things necescolour and breadth of effect; and he need sary; that the student should keep those scarcely remark that it was in such pictures, con- entirely distinct in his mind. If he (the stutaining an infinite variety of minute parts, that dent) hoped to benefit substantially by the breadth was most difficult of attainment. But study of art, he should learn to see that qualiin the opposite picture, though it had suffered ties had often no necessary connection whatmuch from time and reparation, the same ex-ever, which were, nevertheless, inseparably cellencies were united with mueh propriety of united in particular styles,-as, for instance, treatment and of expression. Paulo had the grossness of form in Rubens with his manimagined the incident to have taken place, as related by St. Luke, in the house of a Pharisee; and the magnificent architecture might not, therefore, be inappropriate; nor was the violation of the costume so flagrant as in many other of his works. He (Paulo) had given to Judas, who might be known by the purse at his girdle, the meanest head in the picture, but with nothing of the aspect of a downright villian; and this was, perhaps, the truest physiog

ner of composition or with the hues of his flesh; or the chiaroscuro of Rembrandt, the simplicity and truth of his expression, with the deformity and meanness so often found among his groups.

But colour had been considered sensual, according to another meaning of the word, as addressing itself to the eye only, and not to the mind. This however, like the first objection, applied no more to colour exclusively