_Professor Hunt's Photographic Studies._--My attention has just been
directed to a "Practical Photographic Query" in your Journal, Vol. ix., p.
41., which appears to require a reply from me. It is quite evident that
your correspondent, notwithstanding the personal respect which he professes
to entertain, cannot have any intimate knowledge of either my works or my
studies. Allow me to make my position clear to him and other of your
readers. My first photographic experiment dates from January 28, 1839, and
since that period the investigation of the _chemical phenomena of the solar
rays_ has been the constant employment of all the leisure which a busy life
has afforded me. The production of photographic pictures has never been the
ultimate object at which I have aimed, although my researches have caused
me to obtain thousands. My object has been, and is, to endeavour to obtain
some light into the mysteries of the radiant force with which the
photographic artist works, being quite content to leave the production of
beautiful images to other manipulators.
As I write on the subject, it appears, of course, necessary that I should
be familiar with all the details of manipulation in each process which I
may describe. Whenever I have mentioned, in either of my works, a process
with which I have not been entirely familiar, I have given the name of the
authority upon whom I have depended. But there will not be found in either
my _Photography_, or my _Researches on Light_ (of which a greatly enlarged
edition will soon be submitted to the public), any one process upon which I
have not made such experiments as appeared to me necessary to my
understanding the _rationale_ of the chemical changes involved, and of the
physical phenomena which arise.
Now, since it is not necessary to select a picturesque object to instruct
me in these points, the same buildings, trees, and plaster casts have been
copied times beyond number; and when the problem under examination has been
solved, these pictures have been destroyed.
There are twenty exhibitors of pictures in the Photographic Gallery who
would certainly leave my productions far behind, as it concerns their
pictorial character; but I am confident there is not one who has made the
philosophy of Photography so entirely his study as I have done.
I have been engaged for the last two years in studying the chemical action
of the prismatic spectrum. I inclose you my report on this subject to the
British Association for 1852 (that for 1853 is now in the hands of the
printer), from which you will perceive that I am employing myself to
greater advantage to photography, as science under art, than I should be
did I enter the lists with those who catch the beauties of external nature
on their sensitive tablets, and secure for themselves and others pictures
drawn by the solar pencil, in which no one can more deeply delight than
your humble servant.