The stereoscope : $b its history, theory, and construction, with its application to the fine and useful arts and to educationBrewster, David
History
The stereoscope : $b its history, theory, and construction, with its application to the fine and useful arts and to education
Brewster, David
Stereoscope
The works of human hands,—the structures of civilisation, will stand
before the historian and the antiquary, as well as the student, in
their pristine solidity, or in their ruined grandeur,—the monuments by
which sovereigns and nations have sought to perpetuate their names,—the
gorgeous palaces of kings,—the garish temples of superstition,—the
humbler edifices of Christian faith,—the bastions and strongholds of
war, will display themselves in the stereoscope as if the observer were
placed at their base, and warmed by the very sun which shone upon their
walls.
Although few of our village youth may become sculptors, yet the
exhibition of ancient statues in their actual relief, and real apparent
magnitude, cannot fail to give them salutary instruction and rational
pleasure. To gaze upon the Apollo Belvidere,—the Venus de Medici,—the
Laocoon, and the other masterpieces of ancient art, standing in the
very halls which they now occupy; or to see the _chef d’œuvres_ of
Canova, Thorvaldsen, and Chantrey, or the productions of living artists
in their own studio, with the sculptor himself standing by their side,
will excite an interest of no ordinary kind.
From the works of the architect, the engineer, and the mechanist,
as exhibited in full relief, the student, whether at our schools or
colleges, will derive the most valuable instruction. The gigantic
aqueducts of ancient and modern times,—the viaducts and bridges which
span our valleys and our rivers, and the machinery in our arsenals,
factories, and workshops, will be objects of deep interest to the
general as well as the professional inquirer.
There is yet another application of the stereoscope to educational
purposes, not less important than those which have been mentioned.
In the production of diagram representing instruments and apparatus,
which cannot be understood from drawings of them on a plane, it will
be of incalculable use to the teacher to have stereoscopic pictures
of them. In every branch of physical science, diagrams of this kind
are required. When they are intended to represent apparatus and
instruments, either for illustrating known truths, or carrying on
physical researches, binocular pictures can be easily obtained; but
when the diagrams have not been taken from apparatus, but are merely
combinations of lines, we can obtain binocular photographs of them only
from models constructed on purpose. These models will give binocular
representations in various azimuths, so that the true position of
planes at different inclinations, and lines at various angles with
each other, and at different distances from the eye, will be readily
apprehended. Astronomical diagrams, in which orbits, &c., may be
represented by wires, and optical figures, in which the rays may be
formed by threads or wires, would be thus easily executed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account