. Ward, who is my under
drawing-master at the Working Men's College (45 Great Ormond Street),
and who will give any required assistance, on the lowest terms that can
remunerate him for the occupation of his time. I have not leisure myself
in general to answer letters of inquiry, however much I may desire to do
so; but Mr. Ward has always the power of referring any question to me
when he thinks it necessary. I have good hope, however, that enough
guidance is given in this work to prevent the occurrence of any serious
embarrassment; and I believe that the student who obeys its directions
will find, on the whole, that the best answerer of questions is
perseverance; and the best drawing-masters are the woods and hills.

[1857.]

FOOTNOTES:

[A] Or, more accurately, appears to be so, because any one can see
an error in a circle.

[B] If the student is fond of architecture, and wishes to know more
of perspective than he can learn in this rough way, Mr. Runciman (of
49 Acacia Road, St. John's Wood), who was my first drawing-master,
and to whom I owe many happy hours, can teach it him quickly,
easily, and rightly. [Mr. Runciman has died since this was written:
Mr. Ward's present address is Bedford Chambers, 28 Southampton
Street, Strand, London, W.C.]

THE

ELEMENTS OF DRAWING.

LETTER I.

ON FIRST PRACTICE.

1. MY DEAR READER,--Whether this book is to be of use to you or not,
depends wholly on your reason for wishing to learn to draw. If you
desire only to possess a graceful accomplishment, to be able to converse
in a fluent manner about drawing, or to amuse yourself listlessly in
listless hours, I cannot help you: but if you wish to learn drawing that
you may be able to set down clearly, and usefully, records of such
things as cannot be described in words, either to assist your own memory
of them, or to convey distinct ideas of them to other people; if you
wish to obtain quicker perceptions of the beauty of the natural world,
and to preserve something like a true image of beautiful things that
pass away, or which you must yourself leave; if, also, you wish to
understand the minds of great painters, and to be able to appreciate
their work sincerely, seeing it for yourself, and loving it, not merely
taking up the thoughts of other people about it; then I _can_ help you,
or, which is better, show you how to help yourself.

2. Only you must understand, first of all,