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45

Originals, furnishes the lover of Art with many inestimable productions, independently of the Consideration that the Original may be lost or destroyed, whilst the Copy is preserved. It is by no means to be lamented that [[strikethrough]] some men [[/strikethrough]] a few persons consume their whole lives in thus repeating the works of others. We are assured that the Copies [[strikethruogh]] of [[/strikethrough]] by Stella from the Pictures by Raphael were more valued than the originals - and instances are numerous where a Copy, dignified with the title of a repetition from an admired picture, made by the artist himself, has been found more perfect than the picture from which it was copied. *

Fly-dirt.  Copied
Fly dirt is easily removed from the surface of Pictures or Frames by a slight application of moisture, with a sponge or rag and tepid water, but when suffered to remain for many years it corrodes & penetrates the paint, so as never to be erased. It should be washed off every Season when the flies disappear. These impurities (which are prominences) should be removed from a Canvass before commencing a picture.

Dry Brushes.
It sometimes happens that a pencil or Brush, taken up to make some important touch, does not come to a sufficient point _ the hairs being disposed to scatter: this is remedied by first moistening the pencil with oil or Megelp, by which the hairs are made to cohere, so that a small quantity of paint may be taken up at the point.

Painting on Fresh Varnish.
I have been tempted to retouch a Portrait immediately after it was varnished with Mastic Varnish [[strikethrough]] & before it was dry [[/strikethrough]]. After the lapse of a few months the Picture manifested the great disadvantage of this treatment; every touch remaining pure & brilliant where it had mingled with the wet varnish, whilst every other part of the Carnations had become yellow - thus showing that if a Picture be painted entirely with Varnish in the Colours, they will continue brighter & less  liable to change; but subject to