Engravings of the bones, muscles, and joints, illustrating the first volume of the Anatomy of the human body / By John Bell.

  • Bell, John, 1763-1820.
Date:
1804
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Engravings of the bones, muscles, and joints, illustrating the first volume of the Anatomy of the human body / By John Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    V R E F A G E. \J 7 HILE I have ventured to fpeak fo fully concerning the general V deftgn of thefe plates, it is very natural for me to fay al-fo a few words concerning the mechanical labour. I have drawn my plates with my own hand. I have engraved fome of thefe plates, and etched almoft the whole of them : Which I mention only to fliow, that they have their chance of being con-eft in the anatomy, and that whatever, by my interference, they may have loft in elegance, they have gained, I hope, in truth and accuracy.—And while I mention this, I muft not be ungrateful to Mr Beugo, whofe (kill will, I hope, be lliown on fome higher occafton, and whofe charafter muft not be hurt by any thing that may be feen here ; for wherever in thefe plates all is fair and clean, it is owing to his care ; and thofe blots of execution which are not fairly co- vered, have not come through his correcting hand.—Whatever he has done alone has been hurried, allowing no time for artful or laborious engraving, though ftill all that is here, I hope, is eorreft and true. I ted was to receive, in paffing through a greater mind, a grander form.—The expedient was tried again, and the fecond anatomift refolving to outdo at one ftroke all his rivals, and knowing of no furer way than this, had an engraving made of a moft gigantic fize ! An Afkapart! A figure of full fix feet in height; which (bating the clumfinefs of conception) has turned out to be a drawing - of fuch Angular beauty, that it will not be rivalled; and as there can be no reprefentation of the human body of more than 6 feet high, it pofitively cannot be excelled.—All tbofc who underftand the intention and effeft of engraving, or who have any idea of the bold and free manner which clafs drawings require, muft wonder even at the report of fuch a thing; but not as our poet Young wonders, “ for wonder is involuntary praife if the emotion be involuntary, it will moft lively be of another kind.