ustrations admirably reproduced from proofs of early wood engravings,
by "photo-engraving."

This is noteworthy, as showing that the knowledge of styles is
disseminated everywhere in America; and also, how easy it is to
reproduce engravings by "process," and how _important to have a clear
copyright law on this subject_.

Of the English wood engravers, and of the present state of the
profession in England much has been written. I believe the fact remains
that commercial wood engraving is still relied on by many editors and
publishers, as it prints with more ease and certainty than any of the
process blocks.

That there are those in England (like Mr. Biscombe Gardner and others,
whose work I am unable to reproduce here), that believe in wood
engraving still as a vital art, capable of the highest results, I am
also well aware. But at the moment of writing it is difficult to get
many publishers to expend capital upon it for ordinary illustrations.

On the next page is an example of good wood engraving.

[Illustration: "DRIVING HOME THE PIGS." (JOHN PEDDER.)

(_Academy Notes, 1891._)]

[Illustration: No. XXXVI.

_Joan of Arc's House at Rouen_, by the late SAMUEL PROUT.

Engraved on wood by Mr. J. D. Cooper, from a water-colour drawing by
Samuel Prout.

The original drawing, made with a reed pen and flat washes of colour,
was photographed on to the wood block, and the engraver interpreted
the various tints into line. The method is interesting, and the tones
obtained in line show the resources of the engraver's art, an art
rather carelessly set aside in these days.

This engraving is from _Normandy Picturesque_. (London: Sampson Low &
Co.)]

FOOTNOTE:

[21] In _The Life and Works of Thomas Bewick_, by D. C. Thomson; in
_The Portfolio_, _The Art Journal_, _The Magazine of Art_, and in
_Good Words_, Bewick's merits as artist and engraver have been
exhaustively discussed.

[Illustration: DESIGN BY WALTER CRANE.]

CHAPTER VI.

THE DECORATIVE PAGE.

To turn next to the more decorative side of modern illustration, where
design and the _ensemble_ of a printed page are more considered, it is
pleasant to be able to draw attention to the work of an art school,
where an educated and intelligent mind seems to have been the presiding
genius; where the illustrators, whilst they are fully imbued with the
spirit of the past, have taken pains to adapt their methods to m