THE STEREOSCOPIC MAGAZINE,*
The taste for stereoscopic pictures has become almost a rage by this time ; a healthy rage in itself, though continually confusing the delight in nature and art with the delight in a toy, and not seldom perverted to vulgar purposes, and even worse. The precedent of an instrument adapted to be used with stereoscopic photographs published in the book- form, was recently produced : the magazine of which the opening num- ber lies before us is one of the first to follow that precedent. Nicely got up, it is both a good and a cheap number at its price of half-a-crown. The three subjects which it contains are Falaise Castle, (the birthplace of William the Conqueror,) the Hardinge Statue at Burlington Houser and the Greenwich Observatory ; all fair photographs, suited by 04 subjects for such a work, although Mr. Foley's chef d'ceuvre, the Hard- inge statue, is exhibited on too small a scale to do it justice. In future numbers, other forms of fine art—" carving, ceramic ware, illumination, and painting,"—are all to find a place, as well as "landscape -B(20219f and objects of science and natural history." We hope the omission of fancy-groups from this list is intentional. As for "illumination and painting," it is inaccurate to assert that "photography is equally appli- cable" to these as to other forms of art, the colouring being a most Se- rious difficulty ; and with stereoscopy they have nothing at all to do, as • The Stereoscopic Magazine: a Gallery of Landscape Scenery, Architecture, Antiquities, and Natural History. Accompanied with Descriptive Articles by Writers of Eminence. No. I. Published by Reeve. presenting only flat surfaces. The literary notices, announced to be by it eminent writers," are, as far as this first number shows, of at least fair
average quality.
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