Photography.

EDEN GEORGE'S ENTERPRISE.

Mr Eden George's photographic establishment, in Colombo street, over which occasionally waves the " star-spangled banner,", as a reminder of the clever proprietor s origin, is well worth visiting, as a member of our staff can testify from personal observation. Just now, at the approach of the "festive season," everything haa been renovated and " brushedU P> and the whole has been improved and added to, so as to present a moat interesting, and even striking appearance. Accepting an invitation, the visitor Bpends an hour, very pleasantly, even profitably, looking over the establishment, which is certainly very much more extensive and full of conveniences than anyone would suppose who merely looked at the building from the street. The entrance hall is a familiar resort, and needs no descripturn, but a novelty is to be added this evening in the shape of four transparencies, being photographs on glass, lighted up by . gas. The carpeted stairs will for the occasion be free to visitors, who may ascend j and look round. 1

The reception-room, where customers give their names and state their requirements, is an exquisitely arranged apartment—so well arranged, indeed, as to have won from his Excellency the Governor a very emphatic expression of approval and surprise. Here on every side, skilfully arranged and not the least obtruded, are photographs of every kind, lhe prominent object just now is a lifesized portrait of Mrs Manifold, whose marriage a few months ago at Papanni was recorded in theEe columns. This has been quite an object of interest of lato ; and it is certainly one of the finest specimens of photography ever seen in this Colony— the lady in her bridal dress. Out of the reception room opens a boudoir, or retiring room for ladies, fitted in the most charming style. At another end is a door which opens into Mr George's special den which serves him as office and warehouse. Here the visitor stands quite amazed; the ingenuity brought to bear upon the packing of this room must have phenomenal. In a crib some seven feet by five, are a safe, rows and rows of tightlypacked shelves, boxes, bottles, chemicals of every kind — except antimony ; and even a couple of chairs are squeezed in. When one gets in one finds it not such a cell after all. (The writer would not suggest a pun — not for worlds.) Prom the reception room again, one pappes to the studio. Here is a lofty, airy, spacious room, well lighted, and having its light regulated by a most complicated system of blinds, and full of instruments and accessories. Here one may be taken with all sorts of surroundings. One may sit on a plain chair, or lean against a fence; stand under foliage or in ancestral halls. One may assume any iK>sition— heroic, par.hotic, or imposing, in front of that masked battery with its sombre ehroud— a cross between a ghoul and a sphinx. This is the instrument for taking large- si zed pictures, and it is of interest aa having cost 150 guineas, and being the last production of the famous mechanician Dallmeyer before his death.

From this abode of light one pas3es into a gallery where the pictures are prepared ; further on, along a queer passage, one gets into a darkened room, the wooden wall of which at one end looks out into the open. Here, seated before gaps in the wall, working intently, are two operators "touching up " portraits. The picture is fixed into the gap between the operator and the light, and the operator touches them up with hia fine stylus. Ah ! how much some of us owe to the" toucher-up." Long live the "toucherup!" Bless him.

Finally, one descends by an interminable stairway to the "bowels of the earth." Here, in a cellar, are collected all the negativep ever taken by Mr George, or the old firm of George and Walton, ready at a moment's notice if required, no matter how many years may have passed away. Reascending, one bids Mr George goodbye with a 6ense of having seen something "out of the common." Those who are curious about the photographic art could not do better than visit the establishment and make the same tour of it as did your representative.