The Excellency of the pen and pencil exemplifying the uses of them in the most exquisite and mysterious arts of drawing, etching, engraving, limning, painting in oyl, washing of maps & pictures, also the way to cleanse any old painting, and preserve the colours : collected from the writings of the ablest masters both ancient and modern, as Albert Durer, P. Lomantius, and divers others ; furnished with divers cuts in copper, being copied from the best masters ...

SECT. V. The manner of holding your hand in Graving.

HAving described the way of holding your Graver, the next thing is to shew you how to guide your Graver upon the plate in making of your

strokes, which are straight or crooked; that you may work with the more ease and convenience, you must have a strong round leather Cushion fill'd with sand or fine dust; let it be made about half a foot broad in the diameter, and three or four inches deep; lay this upon a table which standeth fast and firm: then lay your plate upon the cushion, as is described in the 6. figure.

When you are to make any straight strokes, hold your Graver as is directed in the former Section; and if you will have your strokes deeper or broader in one place than in another, in that place where you would have them deepest you must press your hand hardest; but especially in making of a straight stroke, be carefull to hold your plate firm and sted∣fast upon the cushion.

And if you make any crooked or winding strokes, then hold your hand and Graver stedfast; and as you work turn your plate against your Graver; for otherwise it is impossible for you to make any crooked or winding stroke with that neatness and command, which by this means you may, if you do not move your plate, and keep your arm and elbow fixed or rested upon the table.

If as you are working your Graver happen to break often on the point, it is a sign it is tempered too hard; to help this take a red hot charcoal, and lay the end of your Graver upon it, and when you perceive your Graver to wax yellowish, dip it in the water: If your Graver become blunt without breaking, it is a sign it is nothing worth.

After you have graved part of your work, it will

be necessary to scrape it with the sharp edge of a Burnisher, carrying it along even with the plate, to take off the roughness of the strokes; but in so doing take heed of making any scratches in your work.

To the end you may better see that which is gra∣ven, they commonly roll up close a piece of a black Felt or Castor, liquored over with a little Oyl, and therewith rub the places graven: And if you per∣ceive any scratches in your plate, rub them out with your Burnisher: and if you have graved any of your strokes too deep, you make them appear fainter with rubbing them with your Burnisher.