William James Linton (1812–1897) was a wood-engraver, poet, prose writer and political activist, who first worked in London but emigrated to the United States in 1866. He began his wood-engraving apprenticeship at the age of sixteen under the well-known London engraver G. W. Bonner. Linton's mature work, championing the use of 'white lining' and favouring the use of horizontal engraved lines and creating tone by differing line thickness, continued in the tradition of Thomas Bewick (1753–1828), the founding figure of wood-engraving. The publication of this book in 1884 marked the culmination of Linton's career, though he continued to research and write on the subject. The manual, originally published in only five hundred copies, is beautifully illustrated with Linton's own engravings and is a rich source for anyone interested in the technical details as well as the historical development of this specialist craft.