ut by the
printer being obstructed in wiping it off by the raised edge which the
dry point has forced up; for when these lines run through deep shadows,
we often see that they print white, from the ink being wiped off the
top of the ridge.

[Illustration: THE NATIVITY]

This is the foundation of what is called mezzotint engraving, which
I shall notice in another place. By keeping these remarks in mind,
we shall easily perceive how it is that so many variations occur in
impressions from his plates, depending entirely on the direction in
which the printer wiped off the ink--whether across the ridges, or in
the same direction as the lines. Varieties have also arisen from these
ridges wearing away by the friction of the hand; and as Rembrandt's
copper plates, judging from those I have examined, were soft, they soon
wore down. We also find this dark effect given in many of his varieties
by merely leaving the surface partially wiped, and touching out the high
lights with his finger, or a piece of leather. These impressions must
have been taken by himself, or, at least, under his superintendence.
Several of his plates are worked on with the graver, such as his "Taking
down from the Cross;" but that evidently is by the hand of an engraver.
We see the same in several of the etchings of Vandyke, but their value
decreases as the finishing extends.

While we are upon the subject of his etchings, it will, perhaps, be of
use to confine the conduct of his chiaro-scuro to his etchings alone, as
his treatment is very different to what he adopted when he had colour
to deal with; and in this respect he must have been influenced by the
example of Rubens and Vandyke, proofs of all the engravings after whose
pictures we perceive he had in his possession. In order that we may
more clearly understand the reason of many of his etchings remaining
unfinished in parts, while other portions are worked up with the
greatest care, I shall give an extract from the Journal of Sir Joshua
Reynolds, when in Flanders. In describing a picture in the Church of the
Recollets, at Antwerp, he says:--"Over the altar of the choir is the
famous 'Crucifixion of Christ between two Thieves,' by Rubens. To give
animation to this subject, he has chosen the point of time when an
executioner is piercing the side of Christ, whilst another, with a bar
of iron, is breaking the limbs of one of the malefactors, who, in his
convulsive agony, which his body admirably expresse