hem, by rubbing with a piece of very
soft linen, and the paste obtained by grinding charcoal with oil on a
fine stone.

By the same process the whole plate is tidied. It is likely to need it,
as it has undoubtedly lost some of its freshness, owing to the abuse to
which it was subjected in passing through all these processes.

Our young pupil, having executed these several operations, and bitten
his retouched plate, submits a proof to my inspection, which I compare
with that of the first state (Pls. I^_a_ and I.). Now you see, I say to
him, how one state leads to another. You have come up to the harmony of
the original; your _second state_ is satisfactory, and so there is no
need of having recourse to varnishing the plate a third time.

[Illustration: Plate I.]

[Illustration: Plate II.]

CHAPTER V.

ACCIDENTS.

56. =Stopping-out Varnish dropped on a Plate while Biting.=--You are
just in time, I continued, to profit by an accident which has happened
to me. I dropped some stopping-out varnish on a plate while it was
biting; it has spread over some parts which are not yet sufficiently
bitten, and of course it is impossible to go on now. I took the ground
off the plate, and had this proof pulled. It is unequal in tone, and
does not give the modelling which I worked for.

"What are you going to do about it? Is the plate lost?"

57. =Revarnishing with the Roller for Rebiting.=--Oh, no, indeed, thanks
to the _roller for revarnishing_! My first precaution will be to clean
the plate very carefully, first with spirits of turpentine, until the
linen does not show the least sign of soiling, and then with bread. Or,
having used the turpentine, I might continue the cleaning process with a
solution of potash, after which the plate must be washed in pure water.
I then put a little ground, specially prepared for the purpose, on a
second plate, which must be scrupulously clean, and not heated; or,
better still, I apply the ground directly to the roller itself by means
of a palette-knife. I divide this second plate into three parts. By
passing the roller over the first part, I spread the ground roughly over
it; on the second part I equalize and distribute it more regularly; on
the third, finally, I finish the operation. By these repeated rollings a
very thin layer of ground is evenly spread over all parts of the surface
of the roller, and we may now apply it to the plate which is to be
rebitten.

To effect this purpos