Excerpt from Metal-Work and Its Artistic Design: Dedicated, by Express Permission, to the Right Hon. Henry LabouchereIn carrying out this object grave di¿iculties have presented themselves. Imper fect literary preparation, the necessity of preventing the study of one object from encroaching on that of others of at least equal importance, and continued ocen pation of an exciting and laborious kind, have all combined to render the task an arduous one, and the performance of it far from what it might have been in abler hands and under more favourable circumstances. In one particular, however, he feels himself to have been especially favoured. From many learned and artistic friends, by whom he was surrounded, he received the kindliest sympathy, and much valuable assistance. To his pupil, Mr. William Burges, whose deep study of the mediaeval arts rendered his services peculiarly valuable, the Author is indebted for many literary and pictorial contributions. To Mr. Edward Falkener, whose profound researches into classical antiquity have not prevented his accumulating inestimable material for the illustration of Christian art, the work is indebted for subjects introduced into no less than six plates, viz. Nos. XV., XXVII., XXIX., XXX., XXXII., XLII. From the portfolios of Messrs. F. C. Penrose, E. Willson, J. Gibson, C. Barry, jun., E. Barry, J. Johnson, E. A. Spurr, and Roberts Gowan, many valuable subjects have been most liberally contributed, and the Author takes the present occasion to express his thanks and acknowledge his obligations to those gentlemen. From Mr. Albert Way, the extent of whose researches into the technicalities of the manipulative processes of metal-working in the middle ages, has been testified by numerous admirable essays, printed in the Archaeologia and in the Journal of the Archaeological Institute, much information and sympathy were derived, and it is probable that but for the kind encouragement of that gentleman the present work would never have been laid before the public.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.