mental labour which is usually demanded (often unnecessarily) in the study of this branch of Art.

The following extract from the Journal Officiel de l'Empire Français, and the copy of official letter signed by Monsieur Arago, will give some idea of the flattering reception accorded to the French edition of this work by the highest authorities in France.

London, March 15th, 1873.

G. D.

Extract from the Journal Officiel de l'Empire Français of the 2nd and 3rd of November, 1869. "Académie des Sciences,

"Sitting of the 2nd November.

*

*

"The Perpetual Secretary in terminating the abstract of the correspondence mentions several works, and among others a little book which, under a modest form, contains ideas of which the popularisation would be of great use: The Practical Theory of Perspective, a study for the use of artists, &c., by Monsieur V. Pellegrin, late Pro

* Monsieur Dumas, late Minister of Public Works.

fessor of Topography at the Military School of St. Cyr. The author, himself a painter and accustomed to the manipulation of geometrical methods, was particularly qualified for writing this treatise; and he has been able, by dint of research and ability, to condense into a small number of pages the laws of perspective; and to extract from a confused mass, rules which are very simple and easily applicable to every possible case; thus placing a sure and clear guide within the reach of all, students, artists, and amateurs. Monsieur Pellegrin's excellent treatise will become a standard work."

"MINISTÈRE DES BEAUX ARTS,

"(Cabinet du Directeur)

"Paris, Feb. 10th, 1870.

6

"SIR,-By a decision of His Excellency the Minister for the Fine Arts, it has been granted to subscribe for 500 copies of your treatise, Théorie pratique de la Perspective,' &c., to be distributed to the public libraries and schools of France.

"Accept, Sir, &c.,

"Le Chef de Division des Beaux Arts,

" (Signed)

"To Monsieur Pellegrin, &c., &c."

ARAGO.

THE THEORY AND PRACTICE

OF

LINEAR PERSPECTIVE.

IN a treatise on perspective, for the use of painters, there should be but one object in view:

To make known, in the most concise manner, the theoretical rules which are indispensable for correcting, in the composition of a picture, the appreciations of the eye, which are generally inexact.

To arrive at this result, it will suffice to explain to the artist the mathematical problems to be solved (which are often complicated and always difficult to apply) in a manner and in a language which shall be familiar to him. We find that anatomy is not taught to popular audiences in the same language as is used for the medical profession; and, by the same rule, we should not attempt to demonstrate perspective to artists and others in the technical terms used for engineers, architects, surveyors, &c.

It is, above all, by appearing to appeal to good sense alone, and by seeming to follow up the natural order of ideas, that we can be able to make ourselves better understood in such special instruction.

Such is the object of this study. It will be divided into two parts:

PART I.-On the Size of the Figures in a Picture. PART II.-Perspective of Backgrounds and accessory objects.