Of Graving. It is possible for one to be a good Painter, and yet not to be able to draw well with the pen, because there is not required in a Painter such a curious and exact carriage of the hand: but it is impossible for one ever to Grave or Etch well, except he can draw well with the pen. First therefore presupposing you can doe the first before you attempt the second, you must provide divers graving tooles, both long and short: some for hard worke, some for sweet worke, some for smaller worke, and some for greater: also a peece of a Beaver hat, and a good oyle stone, smoothed on one side, and free from pin holes, and plates of Copper or Brasse exactly polished. _Of Gravers._ There are two principall sorts of Gravers, the long and the short: the long are straight, and for to engrave Plates withall, especially the greater, and these are to be held as the figure following doth expresse: where you may note that the pummell of the Graver resteth against the ball of the thumb, and the point is guided with the forefinger. And there ought to bee a little bagge of sand under your Plate, to the end that you might turne your plate upon it as your worke doth require. [Illustration] The second sort is a short Graver, and turneth up somewhat at the end, and that is to engrave Letters and Scutchions in plate seales, and smaller plates, being fastened in some convenient instrument: this must be held likewise according unto the expression of the figure following: where it is to be noted, that the pummell of the Graver is stayed against the further part of the hand, and is guided by the inward side of the thumbe. It were needfull that there were a piece of leather like a Taylors thimble, about the end of the thumbe, waxed or glued, whereby to guide the Graver more steadily, and stay it upon occasion. [Illustration] _How to make Gravers._ Provide some good crosse-bow steele, and cause it to be beaten out into small rods, and softned: then with a good file you may shape them at your pleasure: when you have done, heat them red hot, and dip them straight downe into sope, and by so doing, they will bee hard indeed. Note that if in the dipping of them into the sope, you turne your hand never so little awry, the Graver will be crooked. These Gravers made and hardened after this manner, doe farre exceed all the other Gravers. If your gravers be too hard, heate them a little, and thrust them into tallow, and they will be tougher. The oyle stone is to whet your gravers on; drop one or two drops of sallet oyle upon it, and whet your graver thereon, and it will have an edge presently. _How to smooth and pollish Copper Plates._ Because that in the printing with Copper Plates, the least scratch, though it be scarce visible, receiveth its impression, and so many times disgraceth the worke: I have set downe a way to smooth plates for impression.