BEING A SELECTION Of 
 
 MORE THAN THREE HCSDRED TAirABEE RECEIPTS, 
 
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 in 2017 with funding frorr^ 
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 https://archive.org/details/mechanicsassistaOOtuck 
 
THE 
 
 MECHANIC’S ASSISTANT; 
 
 BEING 
 
 A SELECTION OF VALUABLE RECEIPTS, 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 BEST AUTHORS, 
 
 AND 
 
 PRACTICAL ARTISTS IN EUROPE AND AMERICAj 
 
 AND CONTAINING MANY 
 
 PROCESSES NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED, 
 
 BY WALDO TUCKER. 
 
 WINDSOR, VERMONT 
 
 X837. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1337, by 
 WALDO TUCKER, 
 
 in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of Vermont. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The author of this work, has for a great 
 length of time, been diligent in searching 
 after a knowledge of the mechanic arts ; and 
 has therefore, carefully selected from a num- 
 ber orEuropean and American authors, the 
 most valuable receipts, whic h are adapted to 
 the various occupations that this work is inten- 
 ded for. The author has also been particular, 
 not to select any but such as could be relied 
 upon, to be genuine ; and as such, he feels 
 willing to present them to the public. Particu- 
 lar care has been taken, to make every direc- 
 tion, and every proportion, intelligible to every 
 person. The principal ingredients are to be 
 found in the shops of the druggists, and by 
 purchasing of them, and compounding after- 
 wards, much cost may be saved. 
 
Certificfiies* 
 
 Windsor, July 1, IS3t. 
 
 I hereby certify that the receipt, in this 
 book, is true ; and is the same way, I manu-^ 
 facture Patent Leather and cloth. 
 
 E. W. DAVIS. 
 
 Claremont, June 30j 1837. 
 
 This may certify that I have used Patent 
 Leather so called, manufactured by E. W. 
 Davis, and I think it as good as any I ever 
 used. 
 
 LUTHER S. PORTER, for 
 The Claremont Carriage Co. 
 
 Windsor, July I, 1837. 
 
 I certify that I have used E. W. Davis’ 
 Patent Leather and it is good as any. 
 
 WM. WHITE, Harness JMaker, 
 
 ' Windsor, July 4, 1837. 
 
 This may certify that I have examined Pa- 
 tent Leather, manufactured by Mr. E. Win- 
 chester Davis, and can recommend it to be 
 as good as any I have ever examined, of 
 American stock. 
 
 CHARLES INGALLS. 
 
A SPECIFICATION OF THE OVEN TO DRY PA- 
 TENT LEATHER AND CLOTH. 
 
 The oven 
 is seven-feet 
 long & five 
 feet wide, 
 on the in- 
 side. A re- 
 presents a 
 flue one foot 
 
 __ wide &> ten 
 
 inches high. B represents the narrow flues 
 which are ten inches high, and six inches 
 wide, that a brick will reach across. The 
 narrow flues are separated by bricks, set up 
 edgeways ; they can be laid two or three 
 high, then covered over with tile and made 
 level, — then plaistered in the best manner. 
 The foundation is laid with stone one foot high, 
 then made level. C represents the chimney 
 which is two feet eight inches, by one foot 
 eight inches. It must be laid ten feet above 
 
& 
 
 ihe roof. D represents the brick work winch 
 is carried up one foot and eight inches, after 
 the ovens are covered over : then there are 
 timbers put on, 3 by 3 ; then timbers to stand 
 upon those 2 by 3, and eight feet long, to board 
 on, except in the fronts there will be only one. 
 The ovens are boarded up with good smooth 
 boards over head, and all excepting the front 
 part, which will be, after one board at the bot- 
 tom, eight inches high ; narrow horizontal 
 doors. There are cleats nailed on the inside 
 of the ovens at each end, two inches wide, 
 leaving one inch and a half between, for the 
 frames to^slide on. There are twenty places for 
 those, so that you may dry twenty pieces sep- 
 arately, at each time. The leather is shaved, 
 scoured and set out smooth on the grane, with- 
 out any oil. Then, before the leather gets 
 quite dry, it is stretched on the frames by 
 means of straps and nails, so that it will be 
 completely level after it becomes dry. It is 
 the best finished on the flesh side. The tacks 
 Used for heavy sides of leather are No. 14 ; 
 light skins, No. 8. You will understand, the 
 oven after it is covered over, must be two feet 
 below the floor. The doors will swing down, 
 and not have but one door down at a time. 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR FINISHING JAPPAN OR PATENT 
 LEATHER. 
 
 After the leather is dried on the frames, give 
 it aeoat ofthe varnish, with a large brush. — 
 
The first coat of varnish must have one half 
 pound lampblack to one gallon of the varnish, 
 well stirred in, and it will do to put on, as soon 
 as cold ; or if it should be cold weather, it 
 ought to be put on, about milk warm. As fast 
 as one coat dries, draw your frames out of the 
 oven and put on another coat ; and so contin- 
 ue with the same varnish until you get a good 
 surface, which will take from two to five coats. 
 When the last coat is dry, scrape it down 
 smooth with a pretty sharp scouring iron, in 
 order to prepare it for the finishing varnish. 
 Then give it a coat lightly put on, of the finish- 
 ing varnish ; let it lie in the oven until perfectly 
 dry ; then take it out as before observed, and 
 there will small pimples arise, which must all 
 be cut off with your iron ; then give it a heavy 
 coat, so that it will float all over it ; then give 
 it as much heat as it will bear. You will raise 
 the heat to near 160 degrees, and continue it 
 so, from ten to twelve hours tlien let it be in 
 the sun from two to six days. When the fii> 
 ishing coats are applied, your room ought to 
 be perfectly clean so that not any dust may 
 stick to the coating when dryingo Cloth may 
 be finished in the same way, by confining on 
 the frames ; the cloth being stretched on the 
 frames, size it with the following size — one 
 quart flax seed boiled in a bag, for four hours, 
 in two gallons water ; then take out your flax 
 seed and add from one to two quarts soft soap, 
 stir it well together; put it on with a brush 
 and dry it ; then put on a coat of the first men- 
 
8 
 
 tioned varnish let it dry ; then coat it onco 
 more with the same varnish ; scrape it down 
 if necessary ; then give it one coat of the fin- 
 ishing varnish, that will float all over it ; then 
 dry it in the same way as the last coat on the 
 leather. Horse hide, Calfskins and all kinds 
 of skins may be finished in the same way. — 
 Any kind of cotton or linen cloth, may be fin- 
 ished in this way, and maybe painted or gilded 
 for table spreads,* and will stand against boil- 
 ing water and soap. Cloth may be dried on 
 a small scale without the expense of a large 
 oven, and may be afforded as cheap as the 
 common oil-spreads for tables. 
 
 VARNISH FOR PATENT LEATHER, AND CLOTH. 
 
 One gallon linseed oil, two ounces Sal amo- 
 niac, one pound Asphaltum, four ounces Tur- 
 key umber, ground fine ; boil it together, 
 beginning with a moderate heat, until it be- 
 comes united, stirring until you raise the heat 
 to that degree it is finished ; which will take 
 from five to six hours, it must be boiled until 
 it will adhere to your finger ; after being boiled 
 sufficient take it off and stir it until cold ; then 
 add two gallons of spirits turpentine ; then let 
 it stand until cold and settled. 
 
 The above has been used with good success 
 and considered to be the best for leather and 
 cloth ; likewise for varnishing all kinds of dark 
 painted ’work, such as carriages, chairs, &.c. 
 The following has been used — one gallon lin- 
 
9 
 
 seed oil, one pound Asplialtiim, lour ounces 
 resin, four ounces sugar of lead, four ounces 
 litharge, two ounces red lead ; put in your li- 
 tharge, red lead, and resin, then heat it until 
 it boils ; then add the Asphaltum ; boil it two 
 hours; raise the heat until it is thick enough 
 for use. If it is too thick, thin it with spirits 
 of turpentine. If leather or cloth is finished 
 by the last method, the cloth must be sized as 
 before mentioned, and in order to give it a 
 black colour, take one gallon of boiled oil, from 
 two to four ounces of red lead, two quarts of 
 soap, one ounce of lamp black, whiting suffi- 
 cient to make a body and give it two Goats.> 
 
 FAT OIL VARNISH. 
 
 Fixed, or fat oil will not evaporate; nor 
 will it become dry of itself. To make it dry it 
 must be boiled with metalic oxides. Litharge 
 is generally used forthis purpose. Oil so pre- 
 pared, is called drying oil. To accelerate the 
 drying of oil varnish, oil of turpentine is used. 
 Gum copal and amber are the substances prin- 
 cipally employed in oil varnishes, the copal 
 being whitest is used for varnishing light, the 
 amber for dark colours. It is best to dissolve 
 them before mixing tvith the oil, because by 
 this means, they are in less danger of being 
 scorched, and at the same time, the varnish is 
 more beautiful. They should be melted in an 
 iron pot, over the fire, and are in a proper 
 state for receiving the oil when they give no 
 
10 
 
 resistance to the iron spattula, and when they 
 run off from it, drop by drop. 
 
 TO MAKE OIL VARNISH. 
 
 Pour four, six, or eight ounces of drying oil 
 among sixteen ounces of melted copal or am- 
 ber, by little and little, constantly stirring the 
 ingredients, at the same time with spattula. — 
 When the oil is well mixed with the copal or 
 amber, take it off the fire, and when it is pretty 
 cool, pour, in sixteen ounces of the essence of 
 Venice turpentine. After the varnish is made, 
 it should be passed through a linen cloth. Oil 
 varnishes become thick by keeping, but when 
 they are to be used, it is only necessary to pour 
 in a little Venice turpentine, and to put them 
 a little on the fire. Less terpentine is neces- 
 sary in summer than in winter ; too much oil 
 hinders the varnish from drying, but when too 
 little is used, it cracks and does not spread 
 properly. 
 
 BLACK VARNISHES FOR COACHES AND IRON W’ORK. 
 
 This varnish is composed of asphaltum, re- 
 sin, and amber, melted separately, and after- 
 ward mixed ; the oil is then added, and after- 
 wards, the turpentine as directed above. The 
 usual proportions are twelve ounces of amber, 
 two of Asphaltum, six of oil, and twelve of tur- 
 pentine. 
 
11 
 
 A VARNISH FOR RENDERING BILK, WATER AND 
 AIR-TIGHT. 
 
 I To render the linseed oil drying, boil it with 
 I two ounces of sugar of lead, and three ounces 
 i of litharge, for every pint of oil, till the oil has 
 I dissolved them ; then put a pound of bird lime, 
 
 I and half a pint of the drying oil into a pot of 
 i iron or copper, holding about a gallon, and let 
 it boil gently over a slow charcoal fire till the 
 bird lime ceases to crackle : then pour upon it 
 two pints and a half of drying oil, and boil it 
 for about an hour longer ; stir it often with an 
 iron or wooden spattula. As the varnish in 
 boiling swells much, the pot should be removed 
 from the fire and replaced when the varnish 
 subsides. While it is boiling it should be oc- 
 casionally examined in order to determine 
 whether it is boiled enough. For this purpose, 
 take some of it upon the blade of a large knife, 
 and after rubbing the blade of another knife 
 upon it, separate the knives, and when on their 
 separation, the varnish begins to form threads 
 between the two knives, it has boiled enough, 
 and should be removed from the fire. When 
 it is almost cold, add about an equal quan- 
 tity of spirits of turpentine ; mix both well 
 together, and let the mass rest, till the next 
 day ; then having warmed it a little, strain and 
 bottle it. If it is too thick, add spirits turpen- 
 tine. This varnish should be laid upon the 
 stuff, when perfectly dry, in a lukewarm state, 
 a thin coat of it upon one side, and about 
 
u 
 
 tvyelve hours after, two other coats should be 
 laid on, one on each side ; and in twenty four 
 hours the silk may be used. 
 
 TO MAKE CLOTH^ WATER AND AIR TIGHT. 
 
 Dissolve India rubber, cut small, in five 
 times its weight of spirits turpentine, by keep- 
 ing some days together ; then boil one ounce 
 of this solution, in eight ounces of drying lin- 
 seed oil, for a few minutes, and strain it. Use 
 it warm. If you wish the cloth black, common 
 black paint will answer, or you may mix lamp 
 black with the above. 
 
 ESSENTIAL OIL VARNISH. 
 
 The essential oil varnish consists of a so- 
 lution of resin, in oil of turpentine, or other 
 essential oil. This varnish being applied, the 
 turpentine evaporates, leaving the resin be- 
 hind. It is commonly used for pictures. 
 
 WHITE ELASTIC VARNISH. 
 
 One quart of Dutch oil, two ounces of white 
 lead, one and a half ounces sugar lead, put it 
 into a tin pan, stir it well, let it stand in the sun, 
 until it becomes settled and as thick as tar ; 
 then add spirits of turpentine to thin it, fit for 
 use. This makes a beautiful varnish for maps 
 and charts, and will not fade. The paper must 
 be first sized with gum Tragencanth dissolved 
 
i8 
 
 in water, and the size put on with a clean 
 sponge. 
 
 VARNISH FOR TIN. 
 
 One gallon Dutch oil, four ounces Turkey 
 umber, four ounces gum shellac, one ounce 
 dragon’s blood, boiled well together ; let it get 
 nearly cold, then add two gallons spirits tur- 
 pentine. 
 
 VARNISH FOR LEATHER. 
 
 Dissolve one ounce of India rubber, cut 
 small, in one pint of neats feet oil, one half 
 pound gum shellac, dissolved in one pint alco- 
 hol ; mix them well together, add two ounces 
 Ivory black, and let them stand in a warm 
 heat, for two days, and it is fit for use — to be 
 I put on with a soft brush. 
 
 VARNISH FOR BOOTS* AND SHOES. 
 
 Take three ounces spermacitti, and melt it 
 in an earthern vessel, over a slow fire. Add 
 to it, six drachms of India rubber, cut into 
 ' thin slices, and it will presently dissolve, then 
 I add half a pound of tallow, two ounces hog’s 
 lard, and four ounces amber varnish ; put on 
 three coats with a common brush. This prep- 
 aration renders the leather impervious to wa- 
 ter, and leaves a fine polish. Add two ounces 
 of lampblack, and it makes the best composi- 
 tion for harness leather, 
 o 
 
Tv ATER PKOOr EODTS AND SHOES. 
 
 The following method of preparing water 
 proof leather, at a very small expense, will be 
 found invariably to succeed. Take one pint 
 of drying oil, two ounces yellow wax, two oun- 
 ces spirits turpentine, and one ounce burgundy 
 pitch, melted over a slow fire ; with this com- 
 position, new^ shoes and boots are to be rubbed, 
 at a small distance from the fire, with a sponge, 
 as often as they become dry, until they are ful- 
 ly saturated ; the leather then is impervious 
 to wet ; the shoes and boots last much longer* 
 acquire softness and pliability, and thus pre- 
 pared, are the most effectual preservation 
 against colds and chilblains. 
 
 FRESCO PAINTING. 
 
 Before you begin to paint, it is necessary to 
 apply two layers of stucco on the place where 
 your work is to be executed ; if you are to 
 paint on a wall of brick, the first layer is easily 
 applied; if of free stone closely joined, it is 
 necessary to make excavations in the stone and 
 to drive in nails or pegs of wood, in order to 
 hold the layers together. The first layer is 
 made of good lime and a cement of pounded 
 brick, or which is better, river sand, w’hich lat- 
 ter forms a layer more uneven and better fitted 
 to attach the second smooth layer to its sur- 
 face. Before applying the second layer on 
 which you are to paint ; the first should be 
 perfectly dry. When the first layer is per- 
 
15 
 
 fectly dry, wet it again with water in pro- 
 portion to its dryness, that the seeond layer 
 may more easily incorporate with it. The 
 second layer is composed of lime slacked in 
 the air, and exposed for a whole year, and of 
 river sand of an equal grain and moderately 
 line. The surface of thissecond, must be uni- 
 formly even. It is laid on with a trowel, and 
 the workman is provided with a small piece of 
 w ood to remove the large grains of sand. To 
 give a fine polish to this surface, a sheet of pa- 
 per should be applied on it, and the trowel 
 passed and repassed over the paper. The 
 workman must not extend the layer over a 
 greater space than the painter is able to finish 
 in a day ; as it is necessary the ground should 
 always be fresh and moist under his pencil. — 
 The ground being thus prepared, the painter 
 begins his work ; but as painting in fresco must 
 be executed rapidly, and as there is not time 
 to retouch any of the strokes of the brush with 
 good effect, he will first provide himself with 
 a large finished drawing in chalk, or paintings 
 in distemper, of the. same size as the W'ork 
 which he has to paint, so that he shall have 
 only to copy these drawings on the -wall. — 
 These drawings are generally made on large 
 sheets of paper pasted together, generally 
 termed cartoons. The painter traces the out- 
 lines of the figures on the plaster, by passing 
 a steel point over them, or pricking them close- 
 ly and passing very finely powdered charcoal 
 through the prickled holes. He then proceeds 
 
1(3 
 
 to the completion of his work, having his chief 
 tints ready prepared in separate earthern pots, 
 and generally first trying their effect on a dry 
 smooth tile, which quickly imbibes their moist- 
 ure and discovers the hue which they will have 
 on the wall. All natural earths are good for 
 painting in fresco. The colours are ground 
 and tempered in water. It is to be remarked 
 that all the colours used in this method of 
 painting, brighten as they grow dry, except 
 the red varnish, the brownish red ochre, ruth 
 ochre, and the blacks, particularly those that 
 are passed through the fire. The best colours 
 are white, made of old lime, and white marble 
 dust, (the proportional quantity of the latter 
 depends on the quality of the lime, and must 
 be found by tiial, as too great a quantity of 
 marble dust will turn the colour black) ultra 
 marine blue, the black of charcoal, yellow 
 ochre, burnt vitrol, red earth, green of Verona, 
 black and burnt ochre. Other colours which 
 require to be used with greater precaution, are 
 enamel blue, and cinnabar. Enamel blue must 
 be applied instantaneously and while the lime 
 is very moist, otherwise, it will not incorpo- 
 rate ; and if you retouch with it, you must do 
 it an hour or more after the first application 
 of it, in order to increase its lustre. Cinnabar 
 has a splendour, almost beyond all other col- 
 ours, but it loses it when mixed with lime. It 
 may however be employed in places not ex- 
 posed to the air, if proper care is used in pre- 
 paring it. For this purpose reduce a quantit v 
 
of the purest cinnabar to powder, put it into ail- 
 earthern vessel and pour lime water on it two 
 or three times. By this process, the cinnabar 
 receives some impression from the lime water, 
 and you may then use it with greater safety. 
 The Avhiteoflime is formed by mixing lime, 
 slaked a long time before, with good water. — 
 The lime deposites a sediment at the bottom 
 of the vessel. When the water is poured off 
 this sediment is the Avhite of lime. Another 
 kind of white may likeAAuse be made from egg 
 shells, pounded in quantities and boiled in Ava- 
 ter, together Avith quick lime, and afterwards 
 put into a strainer and Avashed repeatedly Avitli 
 spring Avater. The shells must be again poun- 
 ded until the Avatcr employed for that purpose 
 becomes pure and limpid ; and Avhen the shells 
 are completely reduced to powder, they are 
 ground in Avater, made up in small pieces and 
 dried in the sun. The effect of this colour 
 must be ascertained by experiment. Ochres of 
 all kinds, make good colours for fresco, being 
 previously burnt in iron boxes. Naples yelloAV 
 is dangerous to be used, when the painting is 
 much exposed to the air. Blacks, from char- 
 coal, peach stones, and vine tAvigs, are good. 
 There is another used — it is made of the lees 
 of burnt Avine. Roman vitrol gathered at the 
 furnaces, and called burnt vitrol, being after- 
 wards ground in s))irits of wine, resists the air 
 extremely Avell. There is also a red extract 
 from this preparation, somewhat like that ol 
 lac. This colour is a good preparation for the 
 
layers, where cinnabar is afterward to be used^ 
 Draperies, painted with these colours, are as 
 bright as fine lac used with oil. tFltra marine 
 never changes and seems to communicate its 
 permanent quality to the colours with which it 
 is mixed. Fresco painting is performed wfith 
 colours diluted in water, with which they in- 
 corporate, and are sometimes as dural:(le as the 
 stucco itself. 
 
 PRINCIPAL COLOURS FROM WHICH ALL THE TINTS 
 ARE MADE, AND THEIR QUALITIES IN PAINTING 
 WITH OIL. 
 
 Flake white is the best white known. This 
 colour should be ground with the whitest pop- 
 py oil that can be procrn ed ; it is often found 
 to turn yellow, on account of the oil generally 
 sold by that name not being really drawn from 
 poppies. It is the nature of all whites to sink 
 into whatever ground they are laid on, there- 
 fore, they should be laid on "white grounds. — ■ 
 Ivory black is the best black, tt is a colour 
 which mixes kindly with all the others. It is 
 the true shade for blue, and when mixed with 
 a little Indian red, it is the best shadow colour 
 that can be used ; it is generally ground with 
 linseed oil and used with drying oil. Ultra- 
 marine is the finest blue in the world ; it is a 
 tender, retiring colour, and never glares, and 
 is a beautiful glazing colour. It is used with 
 poppy oil. Prussian blue is a very fine blue, 
 and a kind working colour^ Tt is ground with 
 
rinsced oil, tbough nut oil is best. Ligiit ochre 
 is a good mixing colour; it is usually ground 
 with linseed oil. All yellows are strengthened 
 with red, and weakened with blues and greens. 
 Light red is nothing but fine light ochre burnt. 
 This and white, in mixing, produce almost 
 perfect flesh colour. It is a beautiful clean 
 colour, but too strong for the white, and there-’ 
 fore, will grow darker ; it should be ground 
 and used with nut oil. No vermilion but what 
 is made of the true native cinnabar, should be 
 used. It is ground with linseed oil, and should 
 be used with drying oil. Carmine is the most 
 beautiful crimson ; it is a middling colour be- 
 tween lake and vermilion, is a fine working 
 colour, and glazes well. It should be ground 
 with nut oil and used with drying oil. Lake is 
 a tender, deep red, but of no strong body, 
 therefore, it should be strengthened with In- 
 dian red. It is the best glazing colour that 
 can be used ; it is ground with linseed oil, and 
 used with drying oil. 
 
 Indian red is a strong, pleasant working 
 colour, but will not glaze well and when mixed 
 with white, fafls a little into lead ; it is ground 
 and used as the lake. Brown pink is a fine, 
 glazing colour, but of no strong body. In gla- 
 zing the shadows, it should be laid before the 
 other colours that are to enrich it ; it is one of 
 the finishing colours, and therefore, should 
 never be used in the first painting. It is 
 strengthened with burnt umber, and weakened 
 with terrevente, ground with linseed oil and 
 
li'sed with drying oil. Buriit uuibcr is a line, 
 warm brown and a good working colour, and 
 mixes linely with the warm shade. 
 
 WHITE SATIN. 
 
 All whites should be painted on white 
 grounds laid with a good body of colour, be- 
 cause this colour sinks more into the ground 
 than any other. There are four degrees of 
 colours in the first lay, to white satin. The 
 first, is the fine white for the lights. The sec- 
 ond, is the first tint, which is made of a fine 
 white, and a little ivory black, mixed to an ex- 
 act middle degr^, between the white and mid- 
 dle tint. This colour follows the white and it 
 is with this, you should shape the lights into 
 character, before you laymen any other; and 
 take care that this first tint appears distinctly 
 between the white and middle tint; otherwise, 
 the beauty and the character of the satin, will 
 be spoiled. — -The middle tint should be made 
 of white, black, and a little Indian red. These 
 three colours are very friendl3^ and mix to a 
 beautiful, clear colour of a pearly hue, which 
 has the true brightness and warmth of the gen- 
 eral hue of the satin. Remember to allow for 
 the red hue, changing a little to the lead. If 
 there is occasion to make any part in the mid- 
 dle tint lighter, do with the first tint only. — 
 This colour should also be laid sparingly, be- 
 fore the white, in all the little lights that hap- 
 pen in the middle tints and shadows, on which 
 
2t 
 
 i you should lay the white with one little touch, 
 and be sure not to cover all the parts that were 
 made with the first tint ; if you do, it will spoil 
 1 the character and look like a spot, for want of 
 1 the softening edge or border which must be 
 I between the white and middle tint. The shade 
 tint should be made of the same colour as the 
 ; middle tint, but with less w4iite, so that it is 
 I dark enough for the shadows in general, v/ith 
 ! which, make out all the parts of the shadows 
 ' nicely to character, which is the work of the 
 first lay. Next follow the reflects and finish- 
 ing tints. Brown ochre, mixed with the colour 
 of the light, is the most useful colour, in gene- 
 ral, for all reflects in draperies that are pro- 
 ! duced from their own colours.* All accidental 
 reflexes are made with the colour of the parts 
 from which they are produced, and the local 
 j colours that receive them. There are but two 
 reflecting tints wanted in draperies in general ; 
 
 I one should be lighter than the middle tint, tin 
 other, darker. These colours may be a lit 
 ; tie changed on the pallet with the first an 
 middle tints, as occasion requires, or lightl 
 broken on the part that receives them ; b' 
 this last method is not so safe as the other.- 
 Tbe tint sufficient for blending the dark sb 
 dows to the mellow, tender hue, is made wi _ 
 the shade tint and a little brown ochre, whi 
 should be laid on very sparingly, with S( 
 light touches, for fear of making them dull : 
 
 ! heavy ; if it is overdone, recover it with 
 ‘ Qoloiir that it is laid upon. Wc often sc 
 
little blue used in the lirst lint of white satin. 
 
 BLUE SATIN. 
 
 Blue satin is made of Prussian blue and fine 
 white. The best ground for blue is white, for 
 the lights, and black and white, for the shad- 
 ows. The first l5?y of colours for blue, is di- 
 vided into three degrees or tints. First, make 
 the miadie tint of a beautiful azure. Tfien 
 mix the colour for the light, about a middle 
 degree between that and white. Make the 
 shade tint dark enough for the shadows in gen- 
 eral. All the broad lights should be laid with 
 plenty of colour and shaped to character with 
 the middle tint, bejpre you lay on any other 
 colours. Remember, the less colours are mix- 
 ed, the better they will appear, for the lights 
 of blue should be managed with as much care 
 as those of white satin. Next, follow with the 
 €cast of the middle tint, and then make out all 
 the shadows. The more you derive the shade 
 tint, the' better it will receive the reflects and 
 finishing tints. The shadows should be 
 strengthened and blended with ivory black, 
 and some of their own colour, w^hich will mix 
 with them in a tender, mellow hue. The re- 
 flects are made as those of white satin ; that 
 is, with ochre and some of the lights, which 
 should be perfectly done as you intend them, at 
 one painting. The shadows wlieii dry, may 
 be a little improved, if there is occasion to 
 alter them witli the colouis they are made with> 
 
M’he Prussian, proper to he used, is that which 
 looks of the most beautiful azure ; before it is 
 ground the better it will work and appear. 
 
 ' VELVET. 
 
 I « 
 
 The method is to make out the first lay with 
 i the middle tint, and shade tint, on which lay 
 the high lights with light touches, and finish 
 the shadows in the same manner as those of 
 satin; but the nearest imitation of velvet is 
 ! done by glazing ; the method of which is, to 
 j prepare a ground or dead colour, with such 
 I colours as will, when dry, bear out and support 
 j the glazing colour in its highest perfection. — 
 
 ! The nature of the glazing aolour is to be of a 
 I fine transparent quality, and used simply with 
 
 ■ oil, only so that, whatever ground it is laid on, 
 j the whole may appear distinctly through it. — 
 
 ! The best ground for blue, is made with white, 
 f and ivory black. The white is for the high 
 ! lights, w'bich, with the middle tint, and shade 
 
 ■ tint, makes out the first lay, like mezzotinto. — 
 
 I Remember to make the middle tint lighter in 
 j proportion to the glazing, because that will 
 I make it darker. It is often necessary to cov- 
 j er all but the high lights with a thin glazing, 
 
 laid in less quantity, than if it was to be done 
 once only. If any of it touches the lights, 
 
 ' wipe it off with a rag. The very high lights 
 ‘ should be improved, and made of a fine white, 
 
 : and left to dry. The glazing colour is Prussian, 
 
 I ground very fine with nut oil, and should be 
 
'U 
 
 laid with a large stiffish tool. It is on the last 
 glazing, we should strengthen and finish the 
 shadows. When glazing blue, the lights may 
 be glazed with ultramarine ; though all the 
 other parts are done with Prussian. If the 
 lights and middle tint mix to a beautiful, clear 
 colour of a middle hue between both, there 
 will be no occasion for a colour to go between 
 them, as in blue satin. 
 
 PINK COLOUR. 
 
 There are two different methods of painting 
 a pink colour ; one is by glazing, the other is 
 done by a body of colours at one painting. — 
 The same grounds4ido for both ; which should 
 be a whitish colour inclining to yellow, for the 
 lights, and Indian red, lake and white, for the 
 shadows. The second painting for the glazing 
 method, is done with the same colours, and a 
 very little vermilion, and white for the lights. 
 AVhenitis dry, glaze it with fine lake, and 
 then break and soften the colours into harmo- 
 ny directly. The other method is to make the 
 high lights with carmine and white, the middle 
 tint, with lake white, and a little carmine, and 
 the shadows, with lake and India red, with a 
 little vermilion for the reflection. But re-* 
 member, the shadows will require to be broken 
 with some tender obscure tint. 
 
PRINCIPAL TINTS NECESSARY FOR PAINTING. 
 
 Light red tint is made of light red, and white* 
 Vermillion tint is only Vermillion and white, 
 mixed to a middle tint. It is the most brilliant 
 l^ght red that can be. Carmine tint is carmine 
 and white only, mixed to a middle tint ; it is 
 one of the most beautiful, red colours; it is one 
 of the finishing colours, and laid on the finish-^ 
 ing colour without mixing. Rose tint is made 
 of the red shade, and white, mixed to a middle 
 degree, or lighter. Yellow tint is often made 
 of Naples yellow, and white; but it is as well 
 I to use light ochre, and white. It follows the 
 light red tints, and yellow should always be laid 
 before the blues. Blue tint is made of ultrama- 
 rine and white, mixed to a light azure. Lead 
 tint is made of ivory black, and fine white, 
 mixed to a middle degree. Green tint is made 
 of Prussian blue, light ochre, and white to be 
 laid sparingly in the middle tints. Shade tint 
 is made of lake, and Indian red, black and 
 white, mixed to a beautiful murry colour of a 
 middle tint. This is the best mixture for the 
 i general ground of shadows. It mixes well 
 with the lights, and produces a clear colour, a 
 little inclined to the reddish pearl. Red shade 
 is nothing but lake, and a very little Indian 
 red. Warm shade is made of lake, and brown 
 pink, mixed to a middle degree. Dark shade 
 is made of ivory black and a little India red 
 only. The colours and tints necessary for the 
 first and second stages of painting, are first, 
 ‘d 
 
flake or fine whites; second, light ochre and 
 its tints ; third, light red and its two tints ; 
 fourth, Vermillion and its tint ; fifth, a tint 
 composed of lake Vermillion and white; sixth, 
 rose tint ; seventh, blue tint ; eighth, lead 
 tint; ninth, green tint ; tenth, half shade tint;^ 
 eleventh, shade tint; twelfth, red shade; thir- 
 teenth, warm shade. The first lay of colours 
 consists of two parts; the one is the work of the 
 shadows only, and the other, that of the lights. 
 The work of the shadow's, is to make out all 
 the drawing, very correctly, with the shade 
 tint, in the same manner, as if it was to be 
 done with this colour only ; and remember to 
 lay the colour sparingly. The lights should 
 all be laid in with the light red tint. These 
 two colours united, produce a clear, middle 
 tint. In uniting the lights and shades, you 
 should use a long softener, about the size of a 
 large swan quill, w'hich will help to bring the 
 work into character; then go over the darkest 
 shadows with the warm shade, wdiicli w ill fin- 
 ish the first lay. Next, in order to finish 
 the first painting, improve the reds and yel- 
 lows, to the complexion, and after them, the 
 blues, observing, the blues on the reds, make 
 the purple ; and on the yellow, produce the 
 green. When the cloth is of a dark or bad 
 colour, there must be a strong body of colour 
 laid all over the shadows. The light red, 
 and white improved, is superior to all other 
 colours for the first lay, which should be al- 
 ways done with a full pencil of a stiff colour 
 
•27 
 
 made brighter than the light. The second 
 painting begins with laying on the least quan- 
 tity of poppy oil that can be, then wipe it al- 
 most all off with a piece of dry silk handker- 
 chief. The second painting is divided into two 
 [■ parts, one the first laying of the second paint- 
 * ®ing which is scumbling the lights and glazing 
 the shadows, the other finishing the complex- 
 j ion. First, scumbling is going over the lights 
 I where they are to be changed with the light 
 and red tints. Second, go over the complexion 
 with the virgin tints; this should be done in the 
 same manner as you laid them in the second 
 ; part of the first painting, that is, with the reds 
 yellow and blues, blending them with delicate 
 touches of the tender middle tints. Third, 
 
 ; painting or finishing. Begin with correcting 
 all the glazing first where the glazing serves 
 as a ground. If any of the colours of the pal- 
 j let want to be a little changed when you are 
 painting, it is much better to do it with the 
 . knife on the pallet, than with the pencil, be- 
 cause the knife will mix and leave it in good 
 order for the pencil. 
 
 METHOD OF PREPARING GREEN WOOD SO THAT IT 
 WILL NOT SPLIT IN TURNING. 
 
 Having cut your wood into pieces of a prop- 
 er size, put it into a vessel full of ley made of 
 wood ashes. Boil it there one hour ; then ta- 
 king the cauldron off the fire, allow the ley to 
 cool, then take out the wood and dry it in the 
 shade. 
 
31ETH0I) OF GIVING TO PLUMB TREE THE COLOUR 
 OF BRAZIL WOOD. 
 
 Slack lime with urine and bedaub the wood 
 over with it, while it is hot ; allow it to dry ; 
 then take olF the coat of lime and rub it with, 
 chamois skin, well oiled ; or steep your wood 
 in water having a quantity of alum dissolved 
 in it, five or six hours, kept luke warm during 
 a night, and when it is dry, rub it as before di- 
 rected with chamois skin well oiled. 
 
 A FINE BLACK COLOUR FOR WOOD. ' 
 
 Steep your wood for two or three days in 
 lukewarm water, in which a little alum has 
 been dissolved; then put a handful of logwood 
 cut small, into a pint of water and boil it down 
 to less than half a pint. If you then add a 
 little indigo the colour will be more beautiful. 
 Spread a layer of this liquor quite hot on your 
 wood with a pencil, which will give it a violet 
 colour. When it is dry, spread on another 
 layer, dry it again and give it a third. Then 
 boil verdigris at discretion, in its own vinegar 
 and spread a layer of it on your w'ood; when 
 it is dry, rub it with a brush and then with 
 oiled chamois skins. This gives a fine black, 
 and imitates perfectly, the colour of ebony. 
 
 DYEING WOOD, MAHOGANY COLOUR. 
 
 Take five pounds of logwood in the chips 
 
2 ?) 
 
 to three pails of soft water, boil in a brass ket- 
 tle till the strength is out; then take the chips 
 from the liquor and boil down to about two 
 quarts, then strain this liquor through white 
 flannel into another brass kettle and make it 
 about blood warm and add half an ounce gal- 
 lingill root cut in chips and boil down to one 
 quart and when the liquor is reduced below 
 scalding heat, add half an ounce of the best 
 dragon’s blood finely pulverized, let the gentle 
 heat continue for a considerable length oftiino 
 or till (the dragon’s blood is dissolved, then 
 I strain the second time and bottle for use. The 
 stain must be made warm when you make use 
 of it; after the work has had two or three coats, 
 and when dry, rub it.with fine paper and var- 
 5 nish. This stain is used on gun stocks and 
 musical instruments, and on various kinds of 
 cabinet work. It is an unfading colour. 
 
 ROSE WOOD STAIN. 
 
 To one gallon whiskey add one pound cam- 
 wood in a glass bottle, shake the mixture fre- 
 quently for two or three days; give the timber 
 one or two coats of this, stain then have ready 
 prepared one ounce of green vitrol dissolved 
 in a pint of vinegar. With a graining brush, 
 grain it according to fancy, then varnish one 
 coat with some good rose pink finely ground; 
 afterw’ards varnish with two or three coats of 
 clear varnish. 
 
30 
 
 .^NaTlIER VERY BEAUTIFUL MAHOGANY STAIN. 
 
 Take any white hard wood (soft maple is 
 the best,) and take nitric acid diluted with wa- 
 ter in proportion, one part of water to three of * 
 the acid; when dry, take a sponge and shade 
 with the- following composition — take one 
 ounce of super carbonate of soda, and one 
 ounce of dragon’s blood, made fine and dis- 
 solved in one pint alcohol. The soda is then 
 to be added with this composition. Shade 
 according to fancy ; and when dry, polish the 
 surface with a prece of deer skin and chalk, 
 made perfectly fine, or rub it hard with a piece 
 of felt hat without the chalk and varnish. 
 
 TO MAKE A BEAUTIFUIi- SOFT GLASS FOR JEWEL- 
 - RY. 
 
 Take six ounces of clean white sand, three 
 ounces of red lead, three ounces of pure pearl 
 ashes, one ounce of salt petre, half an ounce of 
 borax, and two drachms of arsenic; mix and 
 pound them all together. Put the compound in 
 a crucible and set it on a common fire, often 
 stirring it with an iron rod till it is well melted 
 and becomes transparent. This compound 
 will liquify very easily, without any great heat, 
 if the sand is fine ; it sometimes requires to be 
 ground in a flint or glass mortar, and if it be 
 kept melted awhile, will become beautifully 
 transparent, and may be cast or blown in the 
 manner of other glass. This glass may be 
 
31 
 
 changed to a red or ruby colour, by adding and 
 fusing together with it, a small qufintity of 
 finely pow dered precipitate of gold, fgold pre- 
 cipitated from a solution in nitro muriatic 
 acid by the addition of tin.) A green colour 
 may be given by a precipitate of copper, and 
 yellow, by calcined green vitrol. * 
 
 SOLDER FOR TIN. 
 
 Take four parts of pewter, one of tin," and 
 one of bismeth, melt them together and cast 
 them into narrow lengths. 
 
 ANOTHER SOLDER FOR TIN. 
 
 Sixteen parts of tin, eight of lead, and four 
 of bismeth, melted together. 
 
 TO STAIN WOOD YELLOW. 
 
 Take any white wood and brush it over sev- 
 eral times with the tincture of turmuric, 
 ground to powder, to a pint of spirits ; and af- 
 ter they have stood some days, strain off the 
 tincture. If the yellow colour is desired to 
 have a reddish cast, a little dragon’s blood 
 must be added. 
 
 TO STAIN WOOD RED. 
 
 For a bright red stain for wood, make a 
 strong infusion of Brazil wood in a stale urine, 
 
32 
 
 or water impregnated with pearl ashes, in the 
 proportion of an ounce to a gallon ; to a gal- 
 lon of either of which, the proportion of the 
 Brazil wood must be a pound, which, being 
 put to them, they must stand together for two 
 or three days, often stirring the mixture. — 
 With this infusion, strained and made boiling 
 hot, brush over the wood to be stained, till it 
 appears strongly coloured : then while yet wet, 
 brush it over with alum water, made in the 
 proportion of two ounces of alum to a quart 
 of water. — For a less bright red, dissolve an 
 ounce of dragon's blood in a pint of spirits of 
 wine, and brush over the wood with the tinc- 
 ture, till the stain appears to be as strong as is^ 
 desired ; but this is in fact, rather lacquering 
 than staining. 
 
 TO STAIN WOOD BLUE. 
 
 Wood may be stained by means, either of 
 copper or indigo. The method of staining 
 blue with copper, is as follows ; — Make a so- 
 lution of copper in aqua fortis, and brush while 
 hot, several times over the wood ; then make 
 a solution of pearl ashes in the proportion of 
 two ounces to a pint of water, and brush it 
 hot over the wood, stained with the solution of 
 coppei*} till it is of a perfectly blue colour. 
 
 TO STAIN WOOD PURPLE. 
 
 Brush tlie wood to be stained, several times 
 
33 
 
 with a strong decoction of logwood and Bra- 
 zil wood, made in the proportion of one pound 
 of logwood and a quarter of a pound of the 
 Brazil to a gallon of water, and boiled for an 
 hour or more. When the wood has been 
 brushed over, till there is a sufficient body of 
 colour, let it dry, and then be slightly passed 
 over by a solution of one drachm of pearl ash- 
 es, in a quart of water. This solution must 
 be carefully used as it will gradually change 
 the colour from a brown red, which it will be 
 originally found to be, to a dark blue purple, 
 and therefore, its effect must be restrained to 
 the due paint for producing the colour desired. 
 
 VANEERING. 
 
 Vaneering, or Fineering, a kind of marquet- 
 ry, or inlaying, whereby several thin slices or 
 leaves of fine woods of different kinds are ap- 
 plied and fastened on a ground of some com- 
 mon wood. There are two kinds of inlaying, 
 the one which is the most common, and more 
 ordinary, goes no farther than the making of 
 compartments of different woods ; the other, 
 requires much more art in representing flow- 
 ers, birds, and similar figures. The first kind 
 is properly called Vaneering ; the latter is 
 more properly called Marquetry. The wood 
 used in vaneering is first sawed out into slices 
 or leaves about a line in thickness ; i. e. the 
 twelfth part of an inch. Tn order to saw them, 
 the blocks or planks are placed upright, in a 
 
M 
 
 kind of a sawing press. These slices are af- 
 terwards cut into narrow slips and fashioned 
 divers ways, according to the design pro- 
 posed ; then the joints, having been exactly 
 and nicely adjusted, and the pieces brought 
 down to tlieir proper thickness, with several 
 planes for the purpose, they are glued down on 
 a ground or block with good strong English 
 glue. The pieces being thus jointed and glued, 
 the work if small, is put in a press, if large, it 
 is laid on a bench, covered with a board and 
 pressed down with poles or pieces of wood, 
 one end of which, reaches to the ceiling of the 
 -room, and the other bears on the board. When 
 the glue is thoroughly dry, it is taken out of 
 the press and finished, first with little planes, 
 then with scrapers, some of which resemble 
 rasps, which take off the dents, &c. left by the 
 planes. After it has been sufficiently scraped^ 
 they polish it with the skin of a dog fish, wax 
 and a brush, or polisher of shave grass, whick 
 is the last operation.. 
 
 LITMUS BLUE. 
 
 This is a beautiful blue, and will run in a 
 pen as free as ink. It is made of lacmus, and 
 prepared thus : — take an ounce of lacmus and 
 boil it in a pint of small beer wort, till the col- 
 oring is as strong as yon would have it — then 
 pour off the liquor into a gallipot and let it 
 cool for use. This affords a beautiful colour, 
 has extraordinary effects, and is a holding 
 
35 
 
 colour ; if it is touched with aqua fortis, it im- 
 mediately changes to a fine crimson, little in- 
 ferior to carmine. 
 
 A VARNISH FOR BRASS TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE 
 OF GOLD. 
 
 Dissolve two ounces of pure gum, in forty 
 eight ounces of alcohol, and place the solution 
 in a bottle, in a pot filled with sand, which 
 place over a strong coal fire, until you perceive 
 the sand become hot ; then slacken your fire 
 to a gentle heat, to prevent the evaporation of 
 the spirit, and avoid bursting the vessel; cover 
 the neck of your bottle, with a piece of bladder, 
 in which, make a number of holes, with a 
 pin, to admit the air. In another vessel, and 
 in the same quantity of spirits of wine, dis- 
 solve one ounce of gum tragacanth, in grains. 
 When completed, mix the two solutions to- 
 gether, and put into the mixture, three grains 
 of Sanders wood, and let the whole stand for 
 twelve hours, in a gentle heat. Strain it 
 through paper, and keep it for use in a perfect- 
 ly clean phial. Sanders wood is preferable to 
 any other substance, for giving a golden color 
 to the varnish, made with lac. If you .wish it 
 of a pale color, omit one half of the sanders 
 wood ; and if you wish it of a darker color, 
 add as much more of the above mentioned 
 quantity. It may be laid on with a brush or 
 pencil. An article thus varnished, will pre- 
 serve its brilliancy, as long as the varnish lasts ; 
 
36 
 
 but they must not be rubbed with chalk, nor 
 with a hard brush but only washed with soft 
 linen rags. 
 
 \ 
 
 A GOOD WHITE VARNISH. 
 
 Take ten ounces spirits wine, gum sanda- 
 rak in powder, and Venetian turpentine, of 
 each two ounces ; put them into a bottle that 
 will contain twice the quantity, and place the 
 bottle in an iron pot, filled with sand ; make 
 a gentle fire under the pot, so as to heat the 
 sand; frequently shake the bottle, until the 
 gum and turpentine are dissolved. This is a 
 useful varnish for ornamental purposes, or 
 bright colours. 
 
 ANOTHER WHITE VARNISH. 
 
 Take eight ounces of gum mastick ; two 
 ounces of gum sandarack, and one quart of 
 spirits wine ; add one ounce of Venetian tur- 
 pentine, dissolve as above directed, and it is 
 fit for use. 
 
 SPIRIT VARNISHES. 
 
 When resins are dissolved in alcohol, com- 
 monly called spirits of wine, the varnish dries 
 very speedily, but is subject to crack. This 
 fault is corrected by adding a small quantity of 
 oil turpentine, which renders it brighter and 
 less brittle when dry. 
 
37 
 
 TO DISSOLVE GUM COPAL IN SPIRITS OF WINE^ 
 
 Dissolve half an ounce of camphor, in one 
 pint spirits of wine ; put it into a circulating 
 glass, and add four ounces copal, in small pie- 
 ces, set it in a sand heat, so regulated, that the 
 bubbles may be counted as they rise from the 
 bottom : and continue the same heat till the 
 solution is completed. Camphor acts more 
 powerfully upon copal than any other sub- 
 stance. If copal is finely powdered, and a 
 small quantity of dry camphor, rubbed with it 
 in a mortar, the whole becomes in a few min- 
 utes a tough coherent 'mass. The process 
 above described will dissolve more copaj, than 
 the menstreum will retain, when cold. The 
 most economical method will therefore be, to 
 set the vessel, which contains the solution, by 
 for a few days, and when it is perfectly settled, 
 pour off the clear varnish and leave the resi- 
 due for a future operation. This is a very 
 bright solution of copal ; it is an excellent 
 varnish for pictures, and may perhaps be 
 found to be an improvement in fine Jappan 
 works, as the stoves used in drying those arti- 
 cles, may drive off the camphor entirely, and 
 leave the copal pure and colourless upon the 
 work. 
 
 A VARNISH FOR WAINSCOT, CANE CHAIRS, ScC, 
 
 Dissolve in a quart of spirits of wine, eight 
 ounces of gum sandarack, two ounces of see4 
 4 
 
38 
 
 lac, and four ounces of resin ; then add six 
 ounces of Venice turpentine. If the varnish 
 is to produce a red colour, more of the lac, 
 and less of the sandarack should be used ; and 
 a little dragon’s blood should housed. This 
 varnish is very strong. 
 
 A VARNISH FOR TOILET BOXES, CASES, FANS, &C. 
 
 Dissolve two ounces of gum mastick, and 
 eight ounces of gum sandarack, in a quart of 
 alcohol; then add four ounces Venice turpen- 
 tine. 
 
 TO STAIN WOOD GREEN. 
 
 Dissolve verdigris in vinegar, or chrystals 
 of verdigris in water, and with the hot solu- 
 tion, brush over tjie wood till it is duly stained. 
 
 A VARNISH FOR VIOLINS AND OTHER MUSICAL 
 INSTRUMENTS. 
 
 Put four ounces of gum sandarack, two oun- 
 ces of lac, two ounces gum mastick, and one 
 ounce of gum elemi, into one quart of alcohol, 
 and hang them over a slow fire, till they are 
 dissolved, then add two ounces of turpentine, 
 
 A VARNISH FOR EMPLOYING VERMILION FOg, 
 PAINTING EQUIPAGES. 
 
 Dissolve in a quart of alcohol, six ounces of 
 sandarack, three ounces gum lac, and four 
 
39 
 
 ounces resin ; afterwards, add six ounces of 
 the cheapest kind of turpentine, mix it with 
 a proper kind of vermilion, when it is to be 
 used. 
 
 SEED LAC VARNISH. 
 
 Take spirits of wine one quart, put it in a 
 wide mouthed bottle ; add to it eiglit ounces 
 seed lac, that is large grained, bright and 
 clear, and free from sticks ; let it stand two 
 days or longer, in a warm place, often shaking 
 it, strain it through a flannel, into another bot- 
 tle and it is fit for use. 
 
 SHELLAC VARNISH. 
 
 Take one quart spirits of vvine, eight ounces 
 of tlie thinnest and most transparent shellac, 
 which if melted in the flame of a candle, will 
 draw out in the longest and finest hair, mix 
 and shake tliese together, and let them stand 
 in a warm place, for two days, and it is ready 
 for use. This varnish is softer than that 
 which is made of seed lac; and therefore, is 
 not so useful, but may be mixed with it for 
 varnishing wood, &c. 
 
 WHITE VARNISH FOR CLOCK FACES <^C. 
 
 Take of spirits of wine highly rectified, one 
 pint, which divide into four parts, then mix 
 one part, with half an ounce of gum mastick, 
 
io 
 
 in a phial ; one part of spirit, and half an 
 ounce of gum sandarack, in another pUial ; 
 One part of spirit and half an ounce of the 
 whitest parts of gum benjamin. Then mix and 
 temper them to your mind. It would not be 
 amiss to add a little bit of white resin, or clear 
 Venice turpentine, in the mastick bottle ; it 
 will assist in giving a gloss. If your varnish 
 proves too strong and thick, add spirit of wine 
 only ; if too hard, some dissolved mastick ; if 
 too soft, some sandrack or benjamin. No oth- 
 er rule can be given, unless the quantity of the 
 gums, and the spirit could be ascertained. — 
 When you liave brought it to a proper temper, 
 warm the silvered plate, before the fire, and 
 with a flat camel’s hair pencil, stroke it all 
 over, until no white streaks appear. 
 
 A CEMENT FOR GLASS GRINDERS. 
 
 Take pitch and boil it, — add thereto and 
 keep stirring it all the while, fine sifted wood 
 ashes, until you have it of a proper temper. A 
 little tallow may be added as you find neces- 
 sary. For small work, to four ounces of resin, 
 add one fourth of an ounce of bees wax melt- 
 ed together, and four ounces of whitening 
 made previously red hot. The whitening 
 should be put in while hot that it may not have 
 time to imbibe moisture from the atmosphere. 
 
4i 
 
 TO SOLDER OR CEMENT BROKEN GLASS. 
 
 Broken g4ass may be soldered or cemented 
 in such a manner as to be as strong as ever, by 
 interposing between the parts, glass ground up 
 like a pegment, but of easier fusion than the 
 pieces to be joined, and then exposing them to 
 such a heat as will fuse the cementing ingre- 
 dient and make the pieces aglutenate without 
 being themselves fused. A glass for the pur- 
 pose of cementing broken pieces of flint glass 
 may be made by fusing some of the same kind 
 of glass previously reduced to powder along 
 with a little red lead and borax. 
 
 CEMENT rOR SPAR, AND OTHER STONES. 
 
 A cement for this purpose may be made 
 with about seven or eight parts of resin, and 
 one of bees wax, melted together, with a small 
 quantity of plaster of Paris. If it is wished 
 to make the cement fill up the place of any 
 small chips that may have been lost, the quan- 
 tity of plaster must be increased a little. — 
 When the ingredients are well mixed and the 
 whole is nearly cold, the mass should be well 
 kneaded together. The pieces of spar that 
 are to be joined, must be heated until they will 
 melt the cement and then pressed together ; 
 some of the cement being previously inter- 
 posed. Melted sulphur applied to fragments 
 of stones previously heated by placing them 
 before a fire, to at least the melting heat of 
 4 * 
 
sulphur, and then joined with the sulphur be- 
 tween makes a pretty firm and durable join- 
 ing. Little deficiences in the stone, as chips 
 out of corners, &:c. may also be filled up with 
 melted sulphur in which some of the powder 
 of the stone has been melted. 
 
 BLOOD CEMENT. 
 
 A cement often used by copper smiths td- 
 lay over the rivets arid edges of the sheets of 
 copper in large boilers to serve as an addi- 
 tional security to joinings, and to secure cocks 
 &c. from leaking, is made by mixing pounded 
 quick lime with ox’s blood. It must be applied 
 fresh, as it soon gets hard. If the properties 
 of this cement were duly investigated it would 
 probably be found useful for many purposes 
 to which it has never yet been applied. 
 
 FLOUR PASTE. 
 
 Flour paste for cementing is formed princi- 
 pally of wheaten flour, boiled in water till it is 
 of a glutinous or viscid consistence. It may 
 be prepared of these ingredients simply, for 
 common purposes, but when it is used by book 
 binders, or for paper hangings, it is usual to 
 mix with the flour a fifth or sixth of its weight 
 of powdered resin, or alum, and where it is 
 wanted still more tenacious, gum arabic or any 
 kind of size may be added. 
 
43 
 
 jeweller’s CE3IENT, FOR SETTING PRECIOUS 
 STONES WHEN PIECES ARE BROKEN OFF BY ACCI- 
 DENT. 
 
 In such cases the artist can frequently join 
 the broken pieces so correctly, that an inex- 
 perienced eye cannot discover the stone to 
 have been broken ; for this purpose a small 
 piece of gum mastick is applied between the 
 fragments which are previously heated suffi- 
 ciently to melt the interposed gum. They are 
 then pressed together to force out the redun- 
 dant gum, 
 
 TURKEY CEMENT FOR JOINING GLASS, ME- 
 TALS, 6&C.- 
 
 Dissolve five or six bits of mastick as large 
 as peas in as much spirit of wine as will suffice 
 to render it liquid ; in another vessel dissolve 
 as much isinglass which has been previously 
 soaked in water till it is swollen and soft, in 
 brandy or rum as will make two ounces by 
 measure ; of strong glue and add two small 
 bits of gum galbanum or amoniacum, which 
 must be rubbed or ground till they ^re dis- 
 solved, then mix the vvhole with a sufficient 
 heat, keep it in a phial stopped and when it 
 is to be used, set it in hot water. 
 
 TO CEMENT BROKEN CHINA, GLASS, &C. 
 
 Take quick lime and white of eggs, grind 
 
aud temper them well together audit is ht for 
 use. Drying oil and white lead are also fre- 
 quently used for cementing china and earthern 
 ware, but this cement requires a long time to 
 dry. Where it is not necessary the vessel 
 should endure heat or moisture, isinglass glue 
 with a little trippoli or chalk is better. 
 
 CEMENT, USEFUL FOR TURNERS. 
 
 Take resin one pound, pitch four ounces, 
 melt these together and while boiling hot add 
 brick dust until by dropping a little upon a 
 stone you perceive it hard enough, then pour 
 it into- water and immediately make it up into 
 rolls and it is fit for use : or take resin one 
 ounce, pitch two ounces, add red ochre finely 
 powdered, until you perceive it strong enough. 
 Sometimes a small quantity of tallow is used, 
 according to the heat of the weather, more 
 being necessary in winter, than summer. — 
 Either of these cements, are of excellent use 
 for turners. By applying it to the side of the 
 chuck and making it warm before the fire 
 you may fasten any thin piece of wood which 
 will hold while you turn it, when you want it 
 off again strike in on the top with your tool, 
 and it will drop off immediately. 
 
 A STRONG CEMENT. 
 
 Melt one pound of resin in a pot or pan 
 over a slow fire, add thereto as much plaster 
 
45 
 
 of Paris in fine powder as will make it hard 
 enough, which you will soon know by trial, 
 then add a spoonful of linseed oil, stirring it 
 all the while, and try if it he hard enough for 
 your purpose : if it is not sufficiently hard 
 enough, add more plaster of Paris, and if not 
 tough enough, add more linseed oil. This is 
 as good cement as possible for fixing the necks 
 of cylinders or any thing else that requires to 
 be strongly fixed, for it is not easily melted 
 again when cold. Or take resin one pound, 
 beeswax one ounce, add thereto as much red 
 ochre as wfill make it of sufficient stiffness, 
 pour it into water, and make it into rolls and 
 it is fit for use. This cement is useful for ce- 
 menting hoops on glasses, or any other moun- 
 tMig of electrical apparatus. 
 
 SHELLAC CEMteNT. 
 
 This is a very strong cement for holding 
 metals, glass or precious stones, while cutting, 
 grinding, or turning them. The metal &c. 
 should be warmed to melt it. For fastening 
 ruby cylinders in watches and similar delicate 
 purposes shel lac is excellent. 
 
 A CEMENT THAT AVILL STAND AGAINST BOILING 
 WATER AND THE PRESSURE OF STEAM. 
 
 Ih joining tlie flaiiches of iron, cylinders, 
 and other parts of hydraulic and steam en- 
 gines, great inconvenience is often experi-' 
 
46 
 
 enced from the want of a durable cement. — 
 Boiled linseed oil, litharge, and red and white 
 lead mixed together to a proper consistence, 
 and applied on each side of a piece of flannel, 
 previously shaped to fit the joint, and then in- 
 terposed between the pieces, before they are 
 brought home as the workmen term it, to their 
 place by the screw or other fastenings em- 
 ployed, make a close and durable joint. The 
 quantities of the ingredients may be varied 
 without inconvenience, only taking care not 
 to make the mass too thin with oil. It is dif- 
 ficult in many cases instantly to make a good 
 fitting of large pieces of iron work, which 
 renders it necessary sometimes to join and 
 separate the pieces repeatedly before a proper 
 adjustment is made. When this is expected 
 the white lead ought to predominate in the 
 mixture, as it dri^ much slower than the red. 
 A workman knowing this fact can be at little 
 loss in exercising his own discretion in regu- 
 lating tiie quantities. It is safest to err on the 
 side of the white lead as the durability of the 
 cement is no way injured by it, only a longer 
 time is required fer it to dry and harden.^ — 
 When the fittings will not admit easily of so 
 thick a substance as flannel being interposed, 
 Jinen may be substituted, or even paper or 
 thin pasteboard. This cement answ'ers well 
 for joining broken stones, howev'er large. — 
 Cisterns built of square stones put togetiier 
 with this cement will never leak or want any 
 repairs. In this case, the stones need not be 
 
4 / 
 
 entirely bedded in it; — m\ inch or two or even 
 less, of the edges that are to lie next the water, 
 need only to be so treated, the rest maybe 
 filled with good lime mortar, 
 
 ANOTHER CEMENT THAT WILL STAND THE AC- 
 TION OF BOILING WATER AND STEAM. 
 
 This cement which is preferable even to the 
 former for steam engines, is prepared as fol- 
 lows : take two ounces of Salaraoniac, one 
 ounce of flour of sulphur, and sixteen ounces 
 of cast iron filings or borings. Mix all well 
 together by rubbing them in a mortar and 
 keep the powder dry. When the cement is 
 wanted for use, take one part of the above 
 powder and twenty parts of clean iron borings 
 or filings and blend them intimately by grind- 
 ing them in a mortar. Wet the compound 
 with water, and when brought to a convenient 
 consistence apply it to the joints with a blunt 
 or wooden spattula. By a play of affinities 
 which those who are at all acquainted with 
 chemistry, will be at no loss to compre- 
 hend, a degree of action and reaction takes 
 place among the ingredients, and between 
 them and the iron surfaces, which, at least 
 causes the whole to unite as one mass. In fact, 
 after a time, the mixture and the surfaces of 
 the flanches become a species of pyrites hold- 
 ing a very large proportion of iron, all the 
 parts of which cohere strongly together. 
 
JAPANESE CEMENT. 
 
 This elegant cement is made bf mixing rice 
 flour intimately with cold water and then gen- 
 tly boiling it. It is beautifully white and dries 
 almost transparent. Papers pasted together 
 by means of this cement will sooner separate 
 in their own substance than at the joining, 
 which makes it useful in the preparation of 
 curious paper articles that require layers of 
 paper to be cemented together. 
 
 CEMENT EOn STOPPING HOLES OR CRACKS IN 
 IRON. 
 
 Take six quarts of potter’s clay, one part 
 steel filings, and of linseed oil sufficient quan- 
 tity to render the mixture of a substance like 
 glazier’s putty. 
 
 CEMENT. 
 
 Take two parts common wood ashes sifted 
 fine, three parts of clay powdered fine, one 
 part of sand sifted fine, and all mixed well to- 
 gether with linseed oil, resists the inclemencies 
 of the weather when dried, better than mar- 
 ble. 
 
 CEMENT. 
 
 Isinglass boiled in spirits of wine will pro- 
 duce a fine transparent cement, which will 
 
unite broken glass so as to render the fraeture 
 almost imperceptible and perfectly secure. 
 
 JAPPANNING. 
 
 "Wben a priming is used, tlie work should 
 first be prepared, by being well smoothed with 
 fish skin or glass paper, and being thoroughly 
 clean, should be brushed over once or twice 
 with hot size, diluted with two thirds water if 
 it is of the common strength. The priming 
 should then be laid on as soon as possible, and 
 should be formed of a^izQ of a consistency be- 
 tween the common kind and glue mixed with 
 as much whiting as will give it a sufficient 
 body of colour to hide the surface of whatever 
 it is laid upon, but no more. This must be 
 repeated till the inecpialities are completely 
 filled up, and then the work must be cleaned 
 off with Dutch rushes, and polished with a wet 
 rag. When wood or leather is to be jappan-’ 
 ned and no priming is used, the best prepara- 
 tion is to lay two or three coats of coarse var- 
 nish composed in the following manner. Take 
 rectified spirits of wine one pint, and of coarse 
 seed lac and resin, each two ounces, dissolve 
 the seed lac and resin in spirit, and then strain 
 off the varnish. This varnish, as well as all 
 others formed of spirits of wine, must be laid 
 on in a warm place ; and if it can be com- 
 pletely managed, the piece of work to be var- 
 nished, should be made warm likewise, and 
 for the same reason, all dampness should be 
 
66 j 
 
 ^voided, for ekiier cold ov moisture eliills this; 
 kind of varnish, and prevents its taking proper 
 hold of the substance on which it is laid. — 
 When the work is so prepared or by the 
 priming with the coaiposition of size, and 'whit- 
 ing above described, the proper jappan ground 
 must be laid on, which is much the best 
 formed of shellac varnish and the colour de- 
 ^ sired except white, which requires peculiar ^ 
 treatment, and if brightness is wanted, then 
 also, other means must be pursued. The I 
 colours used with the shellac varnish, maj’ ! 
 be any pegments whatever, wdiich give the ) 
 tint of the ground desired. As metals never ^ 
 
 require to be undercoated v.ith whiting the}' : 
 
 may be treated in the same manner as wood 
 or leather. 
 
 METHOD OF PAINTING JAPPAN WORK. 
 
 Jappan work ought properly to be painted 
 v/ith colours in varnish, though for the greater 
 despatch, and in some very nice work too 
 small for the use of the pencil, the colours arc 
 sometimes tempered in oil which should previ- 
 ously have a fourth part of its weight of gum 
 ammi dissolved in it, or in default of that gum, 
 sandarack or gum mastick. W'hen the oil is 
 thus used, it should be well diluted with 
 oil turpentine that the colours may lie more 
 evenly and thin, by ivhich means fewer of the 
 polishing or upper coats of varnish become ne- 
 cessary. In some instances water colours are 
 
I 
 
 laid oil grounds of gold in the manner of other 
 paintings ; and are best when so used in their 
 proper appearance without any varnish over 
 them ; and they are also sometimes so man- 
 aged as to have the effect of bossed work. — 
 The colours employed in this way for painting 
 are best prepared by means of isinglass size, 
 corrected by honey or sugar candy. The 
 body of wliich the embossed work is raised, 
 need not how'ever be tinged with the exterior 
 colour, but may be best formed of a very 
 strong gum water thickened to a proper con- 
 sistence by bole Armenian and whiting in. 
 equal parts wliich being laid on the proper fig- 
 ilre, and repaired when dry, may be then 
 painted with the proper colours tempered with 
 fh'e isinglass size, or in the usual manner, with' 
 shellac varnish. 
 
 MANNER OF VARNISHING JAPPAN WORK," 
 
 The finishing of jappan work depends oh 
 file laying on and polishing the outer coats of 
 varnish which arc necessary as Well in the 
 pieces that have only one simple ground of 
 colour, as with those that are painted. This 
 in general, is done best with common seed 
 lac varnish except in the instances and on 
 those occasions wh^re particular methods are 
 deemed to be more expedient, and the same 
 reasons which decide as to the fitness or im- 
 propriety of the varnishes with respect to the 
 colours of the ground, hold equally with re- 
 
gard to those of the painting. For where 
 brightness is the most material point and a 
 tinge of yellow will injure it, seed lac must 
 give way to the whiter gums ; but where 
 hardness and a great tenacity are most essen- 
 tial, it must be adhered to, and when both are 
 necessary, it is proper one should give way 
 to the other in a certain degree reciprocally, 
 a mixed varnish must be adopted. This mixed 
 varnish as we have already observed should 
 be made of the pricked seed lac. The com- 
 mon seed lac varnish which is the most useful 
 preparation of the kind hitherto invented may 
 be thus made. Take of seed lac three ounces 
 and put it into w'ater to free it from the sticks 
 and filth that are frequently intermixed with 
 it, and which must be done by stirring it al)out 
 and then pouring off the w'atcr, and adding 
 fresh quantities in order to repeat the opera- 
 tion till it is freed from all impurities, (as is 
 very eftectually done by this means.) Dry it 
 then and powder it grossly and put it with vc 
 pint of rectified s|)irits of wine into a bottle of 
 which it will not fill above twm thu'ds, shake 
 the mixture w'ell together and place tlie bottle 
 in a gentle heat till the seed lac appears to be 
 dissolv^ed the shaking in the mean time repeat- 
 ed as often as may be convenient, then pour 
 oflf all that can be obtained clear by this meth- 
 od, and strain the remainder through a coarse 
 cloth. The varnish thus prepared, must be 
 kept for use in a bottle w^ell stopped. ^Vlien 
 the spirit of wine is very strong it will dissolve 
 
a greater ])roportioii oi’ the seed Jac, but thii 
 quantity will saturate the common which is 
 seldom of a strength sudicieiit to make var- 
 nishes in perfection. As the chilling which is 
 tiie most inconvenient accident attending var- 
 nishes of this kind, is prevented or produced 
 more frequently according to the strength of 
 the spirit; we shall therefore take this oppor- 
 tunity of showing a method by which weaker 
 rectified spirits may with great ease at any 
 time be freed from the phlegm, and rendered 
 of the first degree of strength. Take a pint 
 of the common rectified spirits of wine and 
 put it into a bottle of which it will not fill 
 above three parts, add to it half an ounce of 
 pearl ashes, salt of tartar, or any other kind of 
 alkaline salt, heated red hot and powdered a5 
 well as it can be without much loss of its heat. 
 Shake the mixture frequently for the space of 
 half an hour before which time a great part of 
 the phlegm will be separated from the spirit 
 and will appertain together with the undis- 
 solved part of the salts in the bottom of the 
 bottle. Let the spirit be poured olF, freed from 
 the phlegm and the salts by means of a trito- 
 reum or separating funnel, and let half an 
 ounce of the pearl ashes, heated and powdered 
 as before be added to it, and the same treat- 
 ment repeated. This may be done a third 
 time if the quantity of phlegm separated by 
 the addition of the pearl ashes appears con- 
 siderable. An ounce of allum reduced to 
 powder and made hot, but not burnt, must 
 
64 
 
 then be put into tiie spirit and su tiered to re- 
 main some hours, the bottle being frequently 
 shaken after which the spirit being poured off 
 from it, will be fit for use. The addition of 
 the alum, is necessary to neutralize the re- 
 mains of the alkaline salt which would other- 
 wise greatly deprave the spirit with respect to 
 varnishes and lacquer where vegetable col- 
 ours are concerned, and must consequently 
 t'ender another distillation necessary. The 
 manner of using the seed lac or white varnish 
 is the same, except with regard to the sub- 
 stance used in polishing, which where a ])ufe 
 white of a great clearness of other colours is 
 in question, should be itself white, whereas the 
 brown sorts of polishing dust as being cheap- 
 er and doing their business with greater de- 
 spatch may be used in other cases. The piece 
 of work to be varnished should be placed near 
 a fire or in a room where there is a stove, and 
 made perfectly dry, and then the varnish may 
 be rubbed over them by the proper brushes 
 made for that purpose, beginning in the mid- 
 dle and passing the brush to one end, and 
 then with another stroke from the middle 
 passing it to the other. But no part should 
 be crossed, or twice passed over in forming 
 one coat when it can be possibly avoided. — 
 When one coat is dry another must be laid over 
 it, and this must be continued at least five or 
 six times or more, if on trial there is not suffi- 
 cient thickness of varnish to bear the polish 
 \vithout laying bare the painting or ground 
 
oo 
 
 colour uudenieath. ben a sufficient num- 
 ber of coats is thus laid on, the work is fit to 
 ■ be polished, which must be done in common 
 cases by rubbing it with a rag dipped in tripoli 
 or rotten stone linely powdered, but towards 
 the end of the rubbing, a little oil of any kind 
 should he used along with^ the powder, and 
 when the work appears sufficiently bright and 
 glossy, it should be rubbed with the oil alone, 
 to clean it from the powder and give it a still 
 brighter lustre. 
 
 jappaner’s gilding. 
 
 The gilding of jappanned work consists iif 
 drawing with a hair pencil in gold size, the 
 intended ornaments and afterward applying 
 gold leaf or gold powder. The gold size may^ 
 be prepared in the following manner. Take ot 
 linseed oil and of gum animi tour ounces, set 
 the oil to boil in a proper vessel and then add 
 the gum animi gradually, in powder, stirring 
 each quantity about il^the oil till it appears to 
 be dissolved, and then putting in another, till 
 the whole is mixed with the oil. Let the mix- 
 ture continue to boil, till on taking a small 
 quantity out, it appears of a thicker consist- 
 ence than tar, and then strain the whole 
 through a coarse cloth and keep it for use 
 but it must, when applied, be mixed with ver- 
 milion and oil turpentuie. Having laid on 
 the gold size and suffered it to dry, the gold 
 leaf is applied in the usual way; or if it is 
 
not wanted to shine so much, gold powder 
 is applied wliicli is made by grinding gold 
 leaf with honey, and afterwards washing the 
 honey away with water. If the gilding is to 
 be varnished over, Dutch gold may be used or 
 aruinrausivium may be used instead of real 
 gold powder. 
 
 TO WRITE ON PAPER WITH LETTERS OF GOLD. 
 
 Put some gum arable into common writing 
 ink and write with it in the usual w^ay. When 
 the writing is diy, breathe on it; the wmrmth 
 and moisture will soften the gum and cause it 
 to fasten on the gold leaf which may be laid 
 on in the usual way and the superfluous part 
 brushed off; or instead of this, any Jajipan- 
 er’s size may be used. 
 
 OIL GILDING. 
 
 First prime your work with boiled linseed 
 oil and white lead, and when that is dry cover 
 it over with a thin coat of gold size made of 
 stone ochre ground in fat oil. When that is 
 so dry as to feel clammy to the fingers, or to 
 be what the gilders call tacky, it is fit for gild- 
 ing. Having spread your leaves upon the 
 cushion, cut them into slips of the proper 
 wddth for covering your work. Then breathe 
 upon your tip which by moistening, it w ill 
 cause it to take up the leaves from the cush- 
 ion. Having applied them by the tip, on the 
 
proper parts of your work, press them dowu 
 with the ball of cotton. When all your work is 
 sufficiently covered let it dry and clean it off 
 with the brush. This sort of gilding’ is the 
 easiest and least expensive, and stands the 
 weather best, and may be cleaned with a little 
 water any time, but wants in the lustre of bur- 
 nished gilding. 
 
 nURNISHED GILDING. 
 
 The wood intended to be gilded in this 
 manner, should first be well sized and then 
 covered with seven or eight coats of size and 
 whiting so as to form a body of considerable 
 thickness. Having got a sufficient cjuantity of 
 uhiting upon the work, it must be carefully 
 cleaned taking care to free all the cavities and 
 hollows from the whiting that may have 
 choked them up and by proper moulds and 
 tools restoring the sharpness of the mouldings 
 intended to be shown. It is then to receive a 
 coat of size which is made by boiling Armenian 
 bole with parchment size. This must also 
 remain till it is sufficiently dry for gold. It 
 must not be quite dry, therefore it would not be 
 prudent to lay on more at a time than can be 
 gilded before it becomes too dry. The work 
 being thus prepared, place it a little declining 
 from you, and having ready a cup of clean 
 water, and some hair pencils, moisten a part 
 of the work and then apply the gold by the tip 
 to the moistened part. The gold will imme^ 
 
diateiy eidhere close to the work, proceed to 
 wet the next part and apply the gold as be- 
 fore, repeating this operation till the whole is 
 completed, taking care not to let any drops of 
 water come upon any part of the gold already 
 laid on. Care should therefore be taken that 
 no part be missed in going over it at first. — 
 The work being thus gilt let it remain twenty 
 four hours, when the ])arts that are designed 
 to be burnished are polished with a dogs tooth 
 or what is better with an agate burnisher. — 
 The gilding must not be quite dry when bur- 
 nished. 
 
 AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GILDIxXG IRON OR 
 STEEL. 
 
 This process which is less known than it 
 ought to be among artists, may prove useful to 
 those who have occasion to gild iron or steel. 
 The first part of the process consists in pour- 
 ing a solution of gold in nitro muriatic acid, 
 about twice as much ether, which must be 
 done with caution, and in a large vessel. — 
 These liquids must then be shaken together, 
 as soon as the mixture is then at rest, the ether 
 will be seen to separate itself from the 
 aqua regia, and to float on the surface. The 
 aqua regia becomes more transparent and the 
 ether darker than they were before, for the 
 reason that the ether has taken the gold from 
 the acid. The whole mixture is then to be 
 poured into a glass funnel, the lower aperture 
 
i>f which slioiikl be small, hut this aperture 
 must not be opened till the fluids have com- 
 pletely separated theinseives from each other. 
 It is then to be opened ; bj which means, the 
 liquid which has taken the lowest place by its 
 greater gravity (viz.) the nitro muriatic acid, 
 will run off, after which the aperture is to be 
 shut, and the funnel will then be found to con- 
 tain nothing' but ether mixed with the gold 
 which is to be put into well closed bottles and 
 preserved for use. In order to gild iron or 
 steel the metal must be first well polished with 
 the finest emery, or rather with the finest cro- 
 cus martes or colcothar of vitrol and common 
 brandy. The auriferous ether is then to be 
 applied ^yith a small brush ; the ether soon 
 evaporates and the gold remains on the sur- 
 face of the metal. The metal may be then 
 put into the fire and afterwards polished. By 
 means of this auriferous ether, all kinds of 
 . figures may be delineated, on iron by employ- 
 ing a pen or brush. Instead of ether, the es- 
 sential oils may he used, such as oil of tor-* 
 yjentine, or oil of lavender, which will also 
 take gold from its solution. 
 
 GRECIAN GILDING. 
 
 Dissolve some mercury in muriatic acid 
 which will give a muriate of mercury, mix 
 equal parts of this andsalamoniac and dissolve 
 them in aquafortis. Put some gold into this 
 and it will dissolve. When this is applied to 
 
silver, it becomes black, but by heating, it as- 
 sumes the appearance of gilding. 
 
 TO MAKE SHELL GOLD. 
 
 Grind up gold leaf with honey in a mortar, 
 then wash away the honey with water and mix 
 the gold powder with gum water. This may 
 be applied to any article with a camel hair 
 pencil in the same way as any other colour. 
 
 OP THE INSTPvUMENTS NECESSARY FOR GILDING, 
 
 The first instrument is the cushion for re- 
 ceiving the leaves of gold, from the books in 
 which they are bought. It is made by cover- 
 ing a board of about eight inches square with 
 a double thickness of flannel, and over that a 
 piece of buff leather and fastening light round 
 the edges. The knife for cutting the leaves 
 should be made like a pallet knife and should 
 not have its edge too sharp. The tip is a 
 tool made by fastening the long hairs of a 
 squirrel tail between two cords and is used for 
 taking up the gold leaf after it is cut. A ball 
 of cotton is necessary for pressing down the 
 leaf after it is laid on. A large camel hair 
 brush is used for dusting the work and clearing 
 away the superfluous gold. 
 
 MORDANTS FOR COLOURING. 
 
 The most important part of dyeing is un- 
 
01 
 
 doubted!}' the proper choice, and the proper 
 application of mordants ; as upon them the 
 permanency depends. They must previously 
 be dissolved in some liquid which has a weaker 
 affinity for them, than the cloth has to whieh 
 they are to be applied, and the cloth must be 
 dipped or steeped in this solution in order to 
 saturate itself with the mordant. Almost the 
 only substances used as mordants are earths, 
 metalic oxides, tan and oil. Of earthy mor-. 
 dants the most important and most generally 
 used is alumina. Alum when used is dissolved 
 in water and very frequently a quantity of 
 tartar is dissolved along with it. Into this so- 
 lution the cloth is put and kept in it until it 
 has absorbed as much alumina as is necessary, 
 it is then taken out and for the most part 
 washed and dried. Acetite of alumina has 
 been but lately introduced into dyeing. This 
 mordant is now prepared by pouring acetite of 
 lead into a solution of alum ; a double deconn 
 position takes place, the sulphureous acid 
 combines with the lead, and the compound 
 precipitates in the form of an insoluble pow- 
 der, while the alumina combines with the ace- 
 teous acid, and remains dissolved in the liquid. 
 This mordant is employed for cotton and linen 
 which have a weaker affinity than wool for alu- 
 mina. It answers much better than alum ; 
 the cloth is more easily saturated with alumi- 
 na, and takes in consequence, both a richer 
 and more permanent colour. Lime is some- 
 times used as a mordant, but in general it does 
 6 
 
not answer so well as alumina. When usefl, 
 it is either in a state of lime water or of sul- 
 phate of lime dissolved in water. Almost all 
 the raetalic oxides have an affinity for cloth, 
 but only two of them are extensively used as 
 mordants ; namely the oxides of tin and iron. 
 Tin is used as a mordant in three states : dis- 
 solved in nitro muriatic acid, in aceteous acid, 
 and in a mixture of sulphuric and muriatic 
 acid. Nitro muriatic of tin is the common 
 mordant employed by dyers. They prepare 4 
 it by dissolving tin and diluted nitric acid to 
 which a certain proportion of muriate of soda, 
 or of amonia is added. When the nitro mu- 
 riate of tin is to be used as a mordant, it is 
 dissolved in a large quantity of water, and the 
 cloth is dipped in the solution and allowed to 
 remain till sufficiently saturated. It is then 
 taken out and washed and dried. Tartar is 
 usually dissolved along with nitro muriate. — 
 The consequence of this is a double decompo- 
 sition. The nitro muriatic acid combines with 
 the potass of the tartar while the tartareous 
 acid dissolves the oxide of tin. When tartar 
 is therefore used in any considerable quantity, 
 the mordant is not a nitro muriate but a tar- 
 trite of tin. Iron may be used as a mordant 
 in two states, in that of sulphate of iron, and 
 ' acetate of iron. The, lirst is commonly used 
 for wool. The salt is dissolved in water and 
 the cloth dipped in. It may be used also for 
 cotton, but in most cases acetite of iron is pre- 
 ferred. It is prepared by dissolving iron or 
 
Its oxide in vinegar or sour beer, and the 
 longer it is kept tlie better. The reason is that 
 this mordant succeeds best, when the iron is 
 in a state ol red oxide. It would be better 
 than to oxidate the iron or convert it into rust 
 before using it. Tan has a verj strong affinity 
 for cloth, and for several colouring matters, it 
 is therefore very frequently employed as a 
 mordant. An intusion of nutgalls or sumach 
 or any other substance containing tan is made 
 in v. ater, and the clotli is dipped in this infu- 
 sion mid allowed to remain till it has absorbed 
 a sufficient quantity of tan. Silk is capable 
 ol absorbing a very great proportion of tan, 
 and by that means requires a great increase 
 of weight. Manufacturers somcnimes eniplov 
 this method of increasing the weight of silk.— 
 Tan is often employed also, along with other 
 mordants in order to produce a compound 
 mordant. Oil is also used for the same pur- 
 pose in the dyeing of cotton and linen. The 
 mordants with which tan most frequently is 
 
 corahined are alumina and oxide of iron. 
 
 Besides these mordants there are several other 
 substances frequently used as auxiliaries eh 
 ther to facilitate the combination of the mor- 
 dant with the cloth, or to alter the shade of 
 colour. The chief of these are tartar acetitc 
 ollead, common salt, salamoiiiac, sulphate of 
 copper. Mordants not only render the dye 
 peimanent, but have also considerable influ- 
 ence Oil the colour produced. The same col- 
 ouring matter produces very (iiUcrcut dyes 
 
Hi 
 
 according’ as the mordant is changed. Sup- 
 pose lor instance, that the colouring matter is 
 cocliinca!, if we use the aluminous mordant, 
 the cloth will acquire a crimson colour ; but 
 the oxide of iron produces Avith it a black. — 
 Indigo has a very strong affinity for wool, 
 silk, cotton, and linen. . Every kind of cloth 
 therefore may be dyed with it without the as- 
 sistance of any mordant whatever. 
 
 MURIO sulphate of TIN. 
 
 This preparation differs somewhat from the 
 muriate of tin or nitro muriate of tin. It is 
 prepared as follows. Take six ounces of mu- 
 riatic acid and pour it upon the same Aveight 
 of tin granulated in a glass A^essel. Then pour 
 slowly upon the same, four ounces of sulphuric 
 acid, and let it stand in a warm place till the 
 acids saturate themselves Aidth tin ; that is, 
 till they Avill dissolve no more, Avhich Avill soon 
 be effected if heat be applied, and gradually, 
 witiioLit being heated. 
 
 NlTRO MURIATE OF TIN MORE PARTICULARLY 
 DESCRIBED.' 
 
 It is prepared in the folloAving manner. — • 
 Melt block tin and pour it into Avater, briskly 
 agitated with a bundle of small rods, take of 
 this granulated tin two ounces, nitric acid 
 one pound, one half pound common salt, or 
 salamoniac two ounces, mix them well togeth- 
 
er in a glass vessel and the tin will be slowly 
 dissolved, \yhen comraon salt which is com- 
 posed of muriatic acid, and soda or salamoniac 
 composed of the same acid^ and amonia, is 
 mixed with diluted nitric acid, a part of the 
 nitric acid seizes on the soda or amonia and 
 setting at liberty a part of the muriatic acid, 
 Forms nitro muriatic acid (aqua regia) which 
 will dissolve tin or gold. 
 
 A TURKISH BLUE. 
 
 • 
 
 Take two and a half ounces cochineal, ten 
 ounces aquafortis, one and a half of English 
 t\n, and a quarter of a pound of alum. The 
 silk must be coloured in a keep to a medium 
 blue. This being done, take a kettle contain- 
 ing ten buckets of water ; put into it two and 
 a half ounces of cochineal, and boil it well for 
 the space of ten minutes. During the above 
 process, dissolve the tin in the aquafortis ac- 
 cording to art. This being done, ^pour the 
 solution, together with a quarter of a pound 
 of alum, into the above mentioned kettle with 
 ten buckets of water. Stir this liquor well, 
 and immerse the silk in the liquor; work it 
 well therein, for about three quarters of an 
 hour — during which time it must be kept 'at a 
 steady, slow, continued boil ; then take it out, 
 rinse it, wring it, fix it on the wringing post, 
 wring and beat it well, which will restore it to 
 its natural gloss again. 
 
 Note. If you do not like to use tbe aqua- 
 
fortis in the above process, you may substitute 
 a quarter of a pound of cream of tartar, and 
 increase the quantity of alum from a quarter 
 to half a pound. 
 
 A HANDSOME GREEN. 
 
 Take two pounds of alum, and four pounds 
 of quercitron bark. Take for this purpose, a 
 kettle with eight buckets of water, and dis- 
 solve in it, two pounds of alum, then pour it 
 into the tiTb and set it by, until it is wanted. 
 While you are engaged in preparing this so- 
 lution, Ihe silk must be coloured in a cold 
 keep to a handsome light blue ; and after be- 
 ing rinsed in a stream, wring and steep it in 
 the above mentioned alum liquor ; Avork well 
 therein, for tvvo hours; then take it out, 
 Avring it, and lay it by, for further use. Last- 
 ly, put four pounds quereitron bark into a 
 kettle containing eight buckets of water ; boil 
 it well for the space of three quarters of an 
 hour, and pour the liquor through a sieve into 
 a tub. At the same time, and Avhile this is 
 doing, prepare an incorporation of indigo and 
 oil vitrol, (the proportions are nine or ten 
 parts of vitrol to one of indigo, at a tempera- 
 ture of 100 degrees,) and pour the same into 
 the quercitron liquor in thed;ub, and stir the 
 Avhole well. Into this compounded liquor, 
 steep the silk, and Avork well therein for the 
 space of half an hour, then take it out, wu'ing 
 and dry it. In case the silk has not attained 
 
67 
 
 as handsome a green as desired, add a small 
 quantity of tumerick to the yellow liquor, 
 which will have the desired effect* 
 
 MIXTURE OF BLUE AND YELLOW, 
 
 This forms green which is distinguished by 
 dyers into a variety of shades, according to 
 the depth of the shade, or the prevalence of 
 either of the component parts. Thus, we 
 have pea green, grass green, sea green, &:c. 
 Wool and linen are usually dyed green, by 
 first giving them a blue colour, and afterwards 
 dying them yellow; because, when the yellow 
 is first given, several inconveniences follow — 
 the yellow partly separates again in the blue 
 vat, and communicates a green colour, and 
 thus renders it useless for every other purpose 
 except dyeing green. Any of the usual pro- 
 cesses for dyeing blue and yellow, may be 
 used, taking care to proportion the depth of 
 the shades to that of the green required. — ■ 
 When sulphate of indigo is employed, it is 
 usual to mix all the ingredients together, and 
 to dye the cloth at once. This produces what 
 is known by the name of Saxon or English 
 green. 
 
 MIXTURE OF BLUE AND RED. 
 
 These form different shades of violet, pur- 
 ple, and lilac. Wool is generally dyed blue, 
 and afterwards, scarlet in the usual manner. 
 
By means of cochineal, mixed with sulphate 
 of indigo, the process may be performed at 
 once. Silk is first dyed crimson by means of 
 cochineal ; and then dipped into the indigo 
 vat. Cotton and linen are first dyed blue, 
 then galled and soaked in a decoction of log- 
 wood. 
 
 MIXTURES OF YELLOW AND RED. 
 
 These produce orange. When blue is com= 
 bined with red and yellow on cloth, the result- 
 ing colour is olive. Wool may be dyed 
 orange by first dyeing it scarlet and then yel- 
 low. When it is first dyed with madder, the 
 result is cinnamon colour. Silk may be dyed 
 orange, by means of cavthamus, a cinnamon 
 colour, by logwood, brazil wood, and fustick, 
 mixed together. Cotton and linen receive a 
 cinnamon colour, by means of weld and mad- 
 der, and an olive colour, by being passed 
 through a blue, yellow, and then a madder 
 bath. 
 
 MIXTURES OF BLACK WITH OTHER COLOURS. 
 
 These constitute greys, drabs, and browns. 
 If cloth is previously combined with brown 
 oxide of iron, and afterwards dyed yellow with 
 quercitron bark, the result will be a drab of 
 different shades according to the proportion of 
 mordant employed. When the proportion is 
 small, the colour inclines to olive, or yellow ; 
 bn the contrary, the drab may be deepened 
 or saddened, by mixing sumach with the bark. 
 
09 
 
 TURKEY RED. 
 
 First impregnate the stuff with murio sul- 
 phate of tin, and afterwards dyeing it in a bath 
 composed of four parts of cochineal, and four 
 parts quercitron bark. To give the colour, 
 more body, both the mordant and the dye may 
 be repeated. A colour approaching scarlet 
 may also be given, by first dyeing in crimson^ 
 then dyeing it with carthamus, and lastly, 
 yellow, without heat. Cotton and linen are 
 dyed red with madder. The cloth is first im- 
 pregnated with oilj then with galls, and lastly, 
 with alum ; it is then boiled for one hour in a 
 decoction of madder, which is commonly 
 mixed with a quantity ofblood ; after the cloth 
 i« dyed, it is plunged into a soda ley in order 
 to brighten the colour. The red given by this 
 process is very permanent and beautiful. The 
 best colouring matters, employed for dyeing 
 red, are kermesj cochineal, archil madder, 
 carthamus and Brazil wood. None of the red 
 colouring matters have so strong affinity for 
 cloth as to produce a permanent red, without 
 the assistance of mordants. The mordants 
 employed, are alumina and oxide of tin ; oil 
 and tan in certain processes^ are also used, and 
 tartar and muriate of soda are frequently called 
 in as auxiliaries. 
 
 DYEING BLUE. 
 
 Take of indigo well powdered one ounce, 
 quick lime one ounce, potash two ounces, mo- 
 
lasses half a pint, warm water one gallon. — 
 Mix and stir occasionally, keeping the vessel 
 of copper, iron, or earthern, well covered in a 
 warm place. The liquor will soon become 
 green, covered with a copper coloured, or blue 
 scum ; in twenty four hours, it will be fit for 
 use. Immerse the stuff to be coloured, for a 
 longer or shorter time, according to the shade 
 required. The strength of the colour may also 
 be varied, by using a greater or less quantity of 
 water. A very little practice will enable any 
 one to give wool, silk, or cotton, properly pre- 
 pared, with this dye, a beautiful and permanent 
 blue of any shade they may choose. 
 
 saxOn blue. 
 
 In this method, the indigo is dissolved by the 
 aid of sulphuric acid without losing its blue col- 
 our, but it undergoes a cliange, which renders 
 it less permanent, and is therefore, not used 
 except for articles not very durable, or when 
 a deep unfading tint is not considered of much 
 importance* This preparation is kept in the 
 shops, under the name of liquid blue, or chem- 
 ical blue, and is much used for blueing white 
 cotton, and linen garments, for which it is 
 readily washed out even in cold water. It is 
 also extensively used in colouring greens, giv- 
 ing with yellow a more brilliant colour, than 
 the blue obtained by the first method. On 
 wool and silk it is much more durable than on 
 cotton ; and on articles which do not retpiiie 
 
71 
 
 frequent wasliiiig’, may be often used advanta^ 
 ffeoLisly as a blue dye. It is prepared as fol- 
 lows. Take indigo one ounce, well pow- 
 dered, sulphuric acid four ounces, mix it in a 
 glass or stone ware vessel, and let it stand 
 twenty four hours, stirring it occasionally ; 
 then add one ounce dried potash. Let it stand 
 twenty four hours longer, add half a pint of 
 water, and bottle it up for use. Mix a wine 
 glass full of this liquid in a pail full of boiling 
 water, and dip the stuffs till they acquire the 
 colour desired. More of the liquor must be 
 added when the water becomes nearly clear, 
 before the stuffs have acquired a colour suffi- 
 ciently deep. 
 
 BLUE FOR COLOURING SILK. 
 
 The quantity of the necessary ingredients 
 for this colour, must be regulated according 
 to the quantity of the silk to be coloured.— 
 Take filings of copper free from all alloy of 
 other metals ; it is best, therefore, to rasp or 
 file them, yourself, in order to obtain them 
 pure. Put these into a glass vessel, pour spi- 
 rits of salt, sufficient to cover them twice as 
 deep, as the space they occupy ; let them 
 stand twenty four hours, or as long as neces- 
 sary for the spirits of salt to obtain a blue or 
 green colour. Then pour off the clear part 
 of the coloured spirits of salt into another glass 
 vessel and add fresh spirits of salt to the cop- 
 per filings, and continue this process until the 
 
wliole of the copper filings have been dissolved, 
 when nothing but the earthy and impure part# 
 will remain. Mix all these several blue, or 
 deep green coloured solutions of copper, and 
 add thereto as much spirits of amonia as will 
 be necessary to saturate the mixture. Then 
 moisten the silk in warm water, but be care-r 
 ful to do this in such a manner, that all parts 
 will be completely soaked in the water, then 
 wring it, and steep in the blue tincture, pre- 
 pared as above directed, work therein until it 
 has attained a handsome ultramarine colour, 
 then take it out, wring well, rinse it in a 
 stream, and dry it in the shade. By minutely 
 observing the above process, you will obtain 
 a very handsome blue colour. 
 
 DARK BLUE FOR SILK. 
 
 Take one and a half ounces of indigo, 
 twelve ounces of oil vitrol, one pound and a 
 quarter of alum, four pounds of logwood. — 
 The greatest attention and accuracy in the 
 process of dyeing this colour, is necessary. — 
 Before you proceed to the dyeing, prepare a 
 solution of indigo, in oil vitrol, in the follow- 
 ing manner. Powder very finely and sift one 
 and a half ounces of indigo, and put three 
 quarters of a pound of oil of vitrol in a stone 
 jar; add the pulverized indigo to it ; stir the 
 whole well, with an earthern pipe stem, or 
 some similar earthern article, and continue 
 fhe stirring until the oil of vitrol ceases to fer- 
 
73 
 
 i ment ; the mixture having become quiet, set it 
 \ by for the space of twenty four hours ; at the 
 expiration of this time, a little water must be 
 added, and the wdiole matter stirred again, by 
 which it will receive new life and vigour ; af- 
 ter which, it must be set away undisturbed 
 until it is to be" applied to the dyeing of the 
 silk. After this, prepare a kettle, with eight 
 buckets of water, put into it one and a quarter 
 pounds of alum, and dissolve it completely 
 therein. This being done, pour the solution 
 into a pail, steep the silk in the solution, and 
 w’ork it vrell therein for an hour. After which, 
 take it out, wring it, and lay it by in its wet 
 state for further use. This being done, put 
 eight buckets of water in a kettle, pour the 
 solution of indigo into it, and mix it well by 
 stirring : work the silk w^ell in this blue liquor, 
 for the space of half an hour, then take it out 
 and rinse it in running ^wa.ter, wring it, and 
 lay it by, in its wet state for further use. By 
 this process, the silk will receive a handsome 
 light blue colour. To deepen this blue, or to 
 change it to a dark blue, take a kettle with 
 sixteen buckets of water and bring it to a boil- 
 ing heat, then put into it four pounds logwood 
 and boil it well for abbut three quarters of an 
 hour ; then take out one half of the liquor and 
 run it through a sieve into a tub ; let the other 
 half remain in the kettle for further use ; put 
 into the, liquor, in the tub, a quarter of a pound 
 of alum, which has previously been dissolved 
 in some vessel ; stir the whole well ; steep the , 
 7 
 
74 
 
 light blue silk in it, and work it well, in the 
 liquor, a quarter of an hour, then take it out, 
 wring it, and keep it in its wet state, for fur- 
 ther use, and throw out the liquor as useless. 
 Lastly, pour into another vat, the remaining 
 eight buckets of the logwood liquor, left in the 
 kettle, after first having run it flirough a sieve; 
 steep the silk in the liquor and work it well, 
 for the space of half an hour; then take it out, 
 rinse it in running water, wring and dry it. — 
 By the above process, you will obtain a dark 
 blue, equal to any of the blues which have 
 been coloured by means of the keep. The 
 above blue is likewise applicable to the dyeing 
 of any other goods. 
 
 VIOLET BLUE. 
 
 Take one ounce indigo, twelve ounces oil 
 vitrol, one quarter pound of alum, four pounds 
 logwood, one pound red wood. The indigo 
 must be dissolved in the oil vitrol, as directed 
 in the foregoing receipt, and kept ready for 
 use. Dissolve in a kettle with eight buckets 
 of water, a pound and one quarter of alum; 
 then pour the solution into a tub and w'ork the 
 silk well therein, for the space of one hour ; 
 take it out, wring and keep it in its wet state, 
 for further use. Fill a vat with eight buckets 
 of water ; put the above solution of indigo into 
 it ; stir the whole well, work the alum dressed 
 silk therein, for the space of half an hour ; 
 then take it out, rinse it in running water, 
 
75 
 
 ( 
 
 V. l ing it, and set it by for further use. Lastly, 
 take a kettle with eight buckets of water, put 
 into it four pounds logwood, and one pound 
 red wc^d, and boil the whole, three quarters 
 of an hour ; then run the decoction, through a 
 sieve into a vat ; steep the blue coloured silk 
 in it, and work it well, for half an hour ; take 
 it out, and rinse it in running water, — wring 
 and dry it. 
 
 A HANDSOME BLUE. 
 
 One part of indigo is to be dissolved in four 
 parts of concentrated sulphuric acid ; to the 
 solution, one part carbonate of potash is to be 
 added, and then it is to be diluted with eight 
 times its weight of water. The cloth must be 
 boiled for one hour in a solution, containing 
 five parts alum, and three of tartar, for every 
 thirty two parts cloth. It is then to be thrown 
 into a water bath, containing a greater or 
 smaller proportion of the diluted sulphate of 
 indigo, according to the shade which the cloth 
 is intended to receive. -In this bath, it must 
 be boiled till it has acquired the wished for 
 colour. The alum and tartar are not intended 
 to act as mordants, but to facilitate the decom- 
 position of the sulphate of indigo. The alkali, 
 added to the sulphate, answers the same pur- 
 pose. These substances also, by saturating 
 part of the sulphuric acid, serve in some 
 measure to prevent the texture of the cloth 
 from being injured, by the action of the acid, 
 
76 
 
 which is very apt to happen in this process. — 
 But sulphate of indigo is by no means the only 
 solution of that pigment, employed in dyeing. 
 By far the most common method is to deprive 
 indigo of the oxygen, to which it owes its blue 
 colour, and thus reduce it to the state of green 
 pollen, and then, to dissolve in water, by 
 means of alkalies, or alkaline earths, which in 
 that state, act upon it very readily. Two dif- 
 ferent methods are employed for this purpose. 
 The first of these methods, is to mix with in- 
 digo, a solution of some substance, which has 
 a stronger affinity for oxygen, than the green 
 basis of indigo, — green oxide for instance, and 
 different metalic sulphurates. If therefore, 
 indigo, lime, and green sulphate of iron, are 
 mixed together in water, the indigo gradually 
 loses its blue colour, becomes green and is dis- 
 solved ; while the green oxide of iron is con- 
 verted into the red oxide. The manner in 
 which these changes take place, is obvious ; 
 part of the lime decomposes the sulphate of 
 iron ; the green oxide, the instant that it is set 
 at liberty, attracts oxygen from the indigo, 
 decomposes it, and reduces it to a state of 
 green pollen. This green pollen is immedi- 
 ately dissolved by the action of the rest of the 
 lime. The second method is to mix the indi- 
 go in water, with certain vegetable substances 
 which readily undergo fermentation. During 
 this fermentation, the indigo is deprived of its 
 oxygen and dissolves by means of quick lime, 
 or alkali, which is added to the solution. — 
 
T7 
 
 The first of these methods, is usually followed 
 in dyeing cotton and linen — the second, in 
 dyeing wool and silk. In the dyeing of wool, 
 woad\indbran are commonly employed, as 
 vegetable ferments, and lime, as the solvent 
 of the green base of the indigo. Woad itself, 
 contains a colouring matter precisely similar 
 to indigo, and by following the common pro- 
 cess, indigo may be extracted from it. When 
 the cloth is first taken out of the vat, it is of a 
 green colour ; but it soon becomes blue, by 
 attracting oxygen from the air. It ought to 
 '^be carefully washed to carry off the uncom- 
 bined particles. 
 
 LIGHT BLUE FOR SILK. 
 
 Silk is dyed light blue, by a ferment of six 
 quarts of bran, six of indigo, six of potass, and 
 one of madder. To dye it of a dark blue, it 
 must previously receive what is called, a 
 ground colour ; a red dye stuff, called archil, 
 is used for this purpose. 
 
 BLACK. 
 
 The substances employed to give a black 
 colour to cloth, are red oxide of iron and tan. 
 These two substances have a strong affinity 
 for each other, and when combined, assume a 
 deep black colour, not liable to be destroyed, 
 by the action of air or light. Logwood is 
 usually used as an auxiliary, because it com- 
 
78 
 
 inunicates lustre, and adds to the fulness of the 
 black. Cloth before it veceives a black colour 
 is usually dyed blue ; this renders the colour 
 much fuller and finer. If the cloth is coarse j 
 the blue dye may be too expensive ; in that 
 case, a brown colour is given, by means of 
 walnut peels. Wool is dyed black by the fol- 
 lowing process. It is boiled for two hours in 
 a decoction of nutgalls, and afterwards kept 
 for two hours more, in a bath composed of 
 logwood and sulphate of iron, kept the whole 
 time at a scalding heat, but not boiled ; during 
 the operation it must be frequently exposed to 
 the air. The common proportions are five 
 parts of galls, five of sulphate of iron, and thirty 
 of logwood, for every hundred of cloth. A 
 little acetate of copper is added to the sulphate 
 of iron ; it is thought to improve the colour 
 continued on cloth, previously coloured blue 
 with indigo, take dried maple bark twelve oun- 
 ces, or one pound if green, logv/ood six ounces^ 
 elm bark eight ounces, and boil them in two 
 gallons of water for one hour. Take out the 
 bark, immerse the cloth, and boil another 
 hour. Then take five ounces of copperas, 
 dissolve in two quarts of water, and add it 
 slowly to the liquor in the boiler. The cloth 
 should be kept continually turning in the boil- 
 ing liquor, for tv/o hours. Take it ouf,' cool 
 it, and again soak it in boiling w'ater, to which 
 a small quantity of ox gall has been added, 
 another hour. Rinse it out, and scour it well, 
 with hot water and hard soap. Cloths not 
 
79 
 
 coJoured with indigo will take a good black, if 
 the quantity of logwood be increased, and the 
 decoction of the bark, &-c. be many times re- 
 peated. 
 
 BLACK ON SILK. 
 
 The fibres of silk, do not so readily receive 
 the black dye as those of wool. What the wool 
 dyer effects by three or four dippings, the silk 
 dyer scarcely obtains from twenty. As the af- 
 finity of the silk, for the soluble part of the 
 galls or maple bark, is greater than with iron, 
 it is thought most advantageous to begin by 
 boiling about one half as much in weight of the 
 galls, or bark, as of the silk to be dried, in a 
 suitable quantity of water, for three hours. — 
 Let it settle, pour oft’ the clear liquor, and 
 macerate the silk in the same for twenty four 
 hours. Being dried and slightly rinsed, the 
 silk, if afterwards immersed in solution of the 
 sulphate of copperas moderately warmed, and 
 kept therein, twelve hours ; after which, it 
 should be rinsed and immersed in a warm de- 
 coction of logwood, for several hours; again 
 immersed in the solution ofiron, rinsed again, 
 transferred to the decoction of bark, &:.c. — re- 
 peating these alternate immersions till the de- 
 sired colour shall have been produced. Iron 
 dissolved in vinegar is still better than copper- 
 as. A black vat may be easily prepared for 
 colouring silk, by immersing in vinegar, old 
 iron hoops, turnings of iron, to which may be 
 
added maple bark, sLimach, oak, alder bark, 
 ^c. and left to undergo a gradual solution. — 
 The longer the liquor is kept, the better. By 
 repeated dippings in black dyes, silk may be 
 made to acquire nearly a fourth part more in 
 weight, than it possessed before its natural gum 
 had been separated by the boiling with soap ; 
 a process to which all new silk should be sub- 
 jected before it is coloured. But the colour 
 produced by this excess of black, is not so 
 good as it is, when no such excess has been 
 employed. As soon therefore, as the silk be- 
 comes sufficiently coloured, judging by the 
 eye, it should be'rinsed out and passed through 
 a bath, containing at the rate of one pound 
 starch, and half a pound linseed oil, well 
 mixed with six quarts warm water. 
 
 YELLOW. 
 
 To dye ten pounds of cloth or woollen stuffs, 
 of the highest and most beautiful orange col- 
 our, one pound of quercitron bark, and the 
 same weight of miirio sulphate of tin, will be 
 required. (This preparation differs somewhat 
 from the muriate of tin,) the method of pre- 
 paring, is as follows. Take six ounces of 
 muriatic acid, and pour it upon the same 
 weight of tin, granulated as above directed in 
 a glass vessel. Then pour slowly upon the 
 same, four ounces of sulphuric acid, and let it 
 stand in a warm place, till the acids saturate 
 themselves with tin ; that is, till they will dis- 
 
solve no more. The bark, powdered and tied 
 up in a bag of thin cotton or linen cloth, may 
 be first put into the dyeing vessel, which of 
 course, must be brass or copper, glass or earth- 
 ern, with hot water, for the space of six or 
 eight minutes ; then the murio sulphate of tin 
 may be added, and the mixture well stirred 
 two or three minutes. The cloth previously 
 wet with warm water may be put in, and 
 turned briskly a few minutes ; the colour ap- 
 plies itself in this way, so equally to the cloth, 
 and so quickly, that after the liquor begins to 
 boil, the highest yellow may be produced in 
 less than fifteen minutes, without any danger 
 of its proving uneven. Should a deeper orange 
 tint be desirable, add to the quercitron bark, 
 a little madder, perhaps an ounce to the pound 
 of bark, according to the colour desired. — 
 When a bright golden yellow approaching less 
 to the orange, is wanted, four ounces of the 
 murio sulphate of tin, and two ounces of alum, 
 and one pound of bark, managed in the same 
 manner as above directed. A good yellow 
 may also be produced, by boiling the cloth for 
 one hour, in one seventh of its weight in alum, 
 dissolved in a suitable quantity of water, and 
 then, without being rinsed, put into a dyeing' 
 vessel, with clean, hot water, and about as 
 much quercitron bark, tied up in a bag, as was 
 used of alum. Boil and turn it as usual, until 
 it takes sufficient colour; then dip in warm 
 lime water, for ten minutes, and rinse it well, 
 immediately afterwards. Tin however, dis- 
 
solved when used in colouring wool or silk^ 
 renders the fibres a little harsh, but this may be 
 in a great measure obviated by employing the 
 murio sulphate of tin, with a mixture of alum, 
 or alum and tartar, and combining these with 
 the colouring particles orthe bark, before they 
 are applied to the stuffs. In dyeing silks, 
 more alum and less tin, should be used, than 
 is directed for woollens. To produce a lively 
 yellow on silks, it will be sufficient to boil after 
 the rate of four ounces of bark, three ounces 
 of alum, and two ounces of the murio sulphate 
 of tin, with a suitable quantity of water, for 
 ten or fifteen minutes, and the heat of the 
 liquor being reduced, so that the hand can 
 bear it, — the silk is to be put in, and dyed as 
 usual, taking care to agitate the liquor contin- 
 ually, that the colouring matter may not sub- 
 side until it ha's acquired the proper shade. — 
 By adding very small proportions of cochineal 
 to the iTark, the colour may be raised to a 
 beautiful orange. A similar effecti though less 
 brilliant, is produced by adding madder to the 
 quercitron. 
 
 A HANDSOME YELLOW'. 
 
 Take one pound and a quarter of alum, 
 tw'enty pounds of common lady’s (St. Mary’s) 
 thistle, one half pound of woad ashes. Dissolve 
 the alum in a kettle containing ten buckets of 
 water, pour the solution into a vat, fix your 
 silk upon rods, in the usual way; steep it in 
 
83 
 
 die soliitioiij work it well therein, for one iiourj 
 take it, wring it, and lay it aside wet for fur- 
 ther use. This being done, put ten buckets of 
 water in a kettle, add the St. Mary’s thistle, 
 and boil well for an hour, run the decoction 
 thivough a sieve, into a pail to separate the 
 coarse from it ; let it cool until you will be 
 able to bear your hands in it ; steep the silk in 
 the liquor, work well therein, for half an hour ; 
 then take it out, tvringit, and lay it aside for 
 further use. The pails or vessels, in which 
 you dress the silk with alum, and in which the 
 liquor is, must be filled, and kept full during 
 the process of working it, to within a few inch- 
 es of the top, and should there be occasion to 
 fill them up, care must be taken not to make 
 it too cool ; but preserve it all times, with a 
 degree of heat, in which the hand can barely 
 beheld. While this is doing, the St. Mary’s 
 thistle must be put into the kettle a second 
 time, with fresh water, and be boiled again. 
 Then take out the silk, dip out some of the 
 liquor in which you had previously worked the 
 silk, and add as much of the liquor of the sec- 
 ond boiling to it, as was taken therefrom ; so 
 that the first quantity will be preserved. The 
 liquor must now, as well as each time, before 
 you steep, the silk in it, be stirred well ; then 
 steep the silk in the liquor again, and work it 
 well therein, for half an hour. The liquor 
 may, in this latter process, be made a little 
 hotter than it was imthe first, but be cautious, 
 not to make it too hot. During this second 
 
8'4 
 
 process, the woad ashes are to be dissolved in 
 a kettle into which yon have poured some of 
 the liquor of the second colouring, boiling hot ; 
 stir the liquor and woad ashes, well, and then 
 let it settle. This being done, pour some of 
 the clear part of the solution into the yellow 
 liquor, after having first taken out the silk; 
 stir the whole of it well, steep the silk in it 
 again, and work it well therein, fifteen min- 
 utes. At the expiration of this time, or sooner 
 as you^may deem it necessary, take out a small 
 quantity of the silk, wring, and examine it, 
 whether it has attained the required colour ; 
 should this not be the case, a small quantity 
 of the solution of the woad ashes must be add- 
 ed to the liquor ; the silk steeped in it again, 
 and well worked in the same, until the re- 
 quired colour be obtained. 
 
 A CITRON YELLOW. 
 
 Take one pound and a quarter of alum, 
 eight pounds of safflower. Dissolve the alum 
 in a kettle containing ten buckets of water ; 
 then pour the solution into a vat, steep the 
 silk in it, work it well therein, half an hour, 
 wring, and lay it by, in its wet state for farther 
 use, and throw away the solution as useless. 
 Put again, ten buckets of fresh water in the 
 kettle, add eight pounds of safflower, and a 
 quarter of a pound of alum ; let if boil for half 
 an hour, run the decoction through a sieve, 
 into a vat, steep the silk in the liquor, work it 
 
well therein, a quarter of an hour, wring, anti 
 dry it. With the rest of tlie above liquor, a 
 pale yellow may yet be dyed. 
 
 A CITRON YELLOW WHICH MAY BE HEIGHTENED 
 TO A HANDSOME GOLD TINT. 
 
 Take one pound and a quarter of alum, 
 fourteen pounds safflower. Put ten buckets of 
 water in a kettle, add one pound and a quarter 
 of alum ; dissolve it therein, pour the solution 
 into a vat, and Avork the silk in the solution for 
 about half an hour, wring, and lay it by in its 
 wet state for further use. This being done, 
 pour ten buckets of fresh M'ater into the kettle, 
 add seven pounds of safflower, and boil it half 
 an hour, pour the liquor through a sieve, into 
 a vat, and work it well therein, for the space 
 of fifteen minutes ; then wring and dry it. The 
 yellow liquor is now to be poured back into the 
 kettle, the remaining seven pounds of the saf- 
 flower to be put into it, together with one quar- 
 ter of a pound of alum, and the whole to be 
 boiled half an hour ; then pour the liquor 
 through a sieve, into a pail, work the silk in 
 the liquor for half an hour, wring, and dry it, 
 and then beat it well. By the above process, 
 a handsome citron colour will be obtained. 
 
 A HIGH COLOURED CRIMSON. 
 
 Take one pound and a quarter of cochineal, 
 one pound of galls, four ounces of cream of 
 8 
 
tartar, and two pounds and a half of Roman 
 ahira. Dissolve two and a half pounds of alum 
 in a kettle, with ten buckets of water ; pour 
 the clear part of this solution into a vat, im- 
 merse the silk in it, and work it well therein, 
 for the space of four hours; then take it out 
 and rinse, in running water, wring it, and lay 
 it bj, for further use in its wet state ; then put 
 in a kettle containing eight buckets of boil- 
 ing water, the following articles : — One and a 
 quarter pounds of finely powdered cochineal, 
 one pound of finely powdered gall nuts, and 
 four ounces of cream of tartar. Let the whole 
 boil slowly, for the space of fifteen minutes ; 
 cool it with two buckets of water, work it Well 
 in the liquor, which must be kept in a contin- 
 ual boil, for the space of one hour and a half ; 
 then take it out, rinse it, and let it dry, wdien 
 the dyeing will be completed. 
 
 For a cheaper colour than the foregoing, 
 reduce the quantity of cochineal from one and 
 a quarter pounds to ten ounces, and substitute 
 for the remainder, three pounds of persio ; 
 and proceed with these materials, in the same 
 manner as above directed. This colour will 
 differ from that of the first described processj 
 in no other respect, than that it receives some- 
 what more of a blueish cast. 
 
 A HANDSOME CRIMSON. 
 
 Take three pounds of Roman alum, half an 
 ounce of argoi, half a pound of East India 
 
galls, twenty five ounces of cochineal. Heat 
 eight buckets of rain water in a kettle luke- 
 warm ; put it into three pounds of Roman al- 
 um, dissolve it therein, take out the solution, 
 and put it into a pail ; immerse the silk in the 
 solution, and work it well therein, for the 
 space of eight hours. Take it out at the expi- 
 ration of this time, wring lightly, and lay it by 
 for further use in its wet state. To complete 
 this colour, heat eight buckets of well or spring 
 water, until it begins to boil; put into it the 
 following articles : — half an ounce of argol, 
 and half a pound of finely powdered East In- 
 dia galls; let the whole of these articles boil 
 well for about ten minutes, and run the liquor 
 through a sieve into a pail ; then pour the li- 
 quor back into the kettle, and put into it twen- 
 ty five ounces of pulverized cochineal ; let it 
 boil ten minules more, cool the liquor with 
 half a bucket of water ; immerse the silk in 
 this liquor, and work it well therein for the 
 space of two hours ; during which time, the 
 liquor must be kept at a continual boil. This 
 being done, take it out, rinse it well, wring it 
 strongly, and dry it. Then take a kettle with 
 ten buckets of spring or well water, and heat 
 it so that you may bear your hand in it : work 
 the silk well in this water, for half an hour, 
 then take it out and wring it and dry it. By 
 this process we obtain a very handsome crim- 
 son. 
 
 Note. An ounce, instead of half an ounce 
 of argol may be used ; but this is left entirely 
 
88 
 
 to the Judgment of the djer, Avhether found 
 necessary or not. If this crimson be desired 
 less of a red, and not so handsome, proceed 
 with the cochineal ; and the quantity pre- 
 scribed above maybe reduced to eighteen oun- 
 ces. The process must be, in this case, the 
 same as above directed. 
 
 A DEEP RED. 
 
 Take one pound of fine galls, two jiounds 
 and a half of alum, half pound of composition, 
 and five pounds of madder. Put into a kettle 
 eight buckets of water, and one pound of fine 
 galls ; let it boil about fifteen minutes, or until 
 the strength is extracted ; take it out, run it 
 through a sieve into a vat, steep the silk in this 
 decoction, and work it well therein, for about 
 two hours ; after which, take out, rinse, and 
 dry it. Then put into a kettle eight buckets 
 of water, with two and a half pounds of alum, 
 and half a pound of the composition ; let these 
 be properly united with the water ; pour the 
 liquor into a vat, steep the silk in the solution, 
 and work it well therein, for the space of four 
 hours ; take it out, rinse it, and lay it by in its 
 wet state, for further use. Lastly, to complete 
 this colour, put in a kettle ten buckets of 
 water, add five pounds of madder, and work 
 the silk well in this liquor, until it begins to 
 hoil ; then take it out, rinse it and dry it^ 
 
89 
 
 A REAL BROWN. 
 
 . six o'jiices of anuotto, one pound of 
 
 potasli, tiiree pounds of alum, five ounces of 
 fine galls, half an ounce of cream tartar, two 
 ounces of turmeric, and ten ounces of coclii» 
 neal. Boil a kettle with ten buckets of water;, 
 powder six ounces of annotto and put it toge- 
 ther, with a pound of potash, into the kettlcj 
 boil for a quarter of an hour, pour the liquor 
 through a sieve into a tub, immerse tlte silk 
 and work it well in the liquor, for the space of 
 two hours ; then take it out, rinse, wring, and 
 dry it. After this, pour eight buckets of fresh 
 w'aterinto a kettle, add three pounds of alum, 
 and dissolve it therein, then put the solution 
 in a vat, steep the dried yellow silk, and work 
 it well therein, for the space of three hours, 
 then take it out, wu-ing it and lay it by wet, for 
 further use. This being done, prepare a kettle 
 wuth eight buckets of water, and bring it to 
 boil; put into it ten ounces of cochineal, and 
 let it boil for about ten minutes ; then cool the 
 liquor with a bucket of water, and put into it 
 a quarter of a pound of cream of tartar, and 
 two ounces of turmeric, and stir the whole 
 well; then steep the silk, previously aiumed, 
 in the liquor, work it well therein, for the 
 space of two hours ; during which time, it 
 must be kept in a continual boil. This being 
 done, take it out, rinse it in running water, 
 wring it and lay it by in its wet state for fur- 
 ther use. This being done, dye it in a keepj 
 8 * 
 
(dye tub) light or dark, as your taste may suit, 
 or according to the pattern which is laid before 
 you. If you do not wish to make use of the 
 keep, or, as is often the case in small establish- 
 ments, should you not possess one, you may 
 apply the indigo colouring. You may likewise 
 colour it in the liquor of logwood, which will 
 render it equally handsome, but not of so last- 
 ing a colour. 
 
 A REAL CRIMSON IN ANOTHER WAY. 
 
 Take two pounds and a half of Roman alum, 
 two pounds of fine galls, one pound and four 
 ounces of cochineal, one fourth of a pound of 
 argol, and eight ounces of spirits of ammonia. 
 Take a kettle with eight buckets of water, put 
 into it two pounds of fine galls, and let it boil 
 for a quarter of an hour; run the liquor 
 through a fine sieve into a pail, steep the silk 
 in the liquor, and work it well therein, for the 
 space of four hours ; then take ikout, rinse it, 
 wring it, and dry it. After this take a kettle 
 with eight buckets of water, and dissolve in it 
 two pounds of Roman alum ; pour it into a 
 vat, steep the silk in the solution of alum, and 
 work it well for the space of four hours, in the 
 same ; then take it out, wring it and lay it by 
 in a wet state for further use. After this, to 
 complete the colour, take six buckets of water, 
 pour it into a kettle ; add one pound and four 
 ounces of fine cochineal, a quarter of a pound 
 of argol, and eight ounces of spirits of ammo- 
 
ilia ; let all boil well together for about teif 
 iniiuites, then cool the liquor with two buckets 
 of water; work the silk in it for about two 
 ^ hours, during which time it must be kept boil- 
 ing continually ; then take it out, suspend it 
 on the rods, over a vat, pour the liquor from 
 the kettle into it, and continue to work the 
 silk in the liquor, until it has become cool : 
 then take it out, rinse it, and dry it in the 
 shade. By following the above directions you 
 will obtain a very handsome crimson. 
 
 To turn this expensive cochineal liquor to 
 all possible advantage, (for it will still have 
 retained some good colouring matter,) pour 
 the above used alum liquor into it, and heat it 
 again ; which will enable you to colour many 
 lighter shades, from the rich peach blossom, 
 down to the lightest lilac colour. Having used 
 it for this purpose, you may take more or less 
 of silk of a yellow ground and colour it in ity 
 which will receive a reddish yellow from it. 
 
 A HANDSOME RED. 
 
 Take eight ounces of annotto, one pound 
 and a half of potash, two pounds and a half of 
 alum, six pounds of Brazil wood, five buckets 
 of sharp vinegar, and six ounces of composi- 
 tion. Take for this purpose, a kettle with 
 eight buckets of water, and let it boil. While 
 this is doing, powder eight ounces of annotto 
 as fine as possible ; then put it, together with 
 one pound and a half of potash, into the above 
 
heated water, let the whole hoi! well for a 
 quarter of an hour, and pour the liquor through 
 a sieve into a pail. Steep the silk in this pot- 
 ash and annot.to liquor, and work it well, for 
 two hours in the same; after which, take it 
 out, rinse it, Avring and dry it. Then dissolve 
 one pound and a half of alum in a kettle Avith 
 eight buckets of water ; pour this solution into 
 a pail, fix your silk upon rods, and Avork well 
 therein for two hours, then take it out, Avring 
 and dry it. When the silk is completely dry, 
 steep it in Avarm water, until it has become 
 properly soaked. Then take it out, wring it, 
 and lay it by in its Avet state for further use. — 
 This being done, pour into a vat five buckets 
 of sharp vinegar, anfl six pounds of Brazil 
 wood, and let it stand for the space of forty 
 eight hours : then take the liquor out of the 
 vat, and pour it into a kettle ; let it boil for the 
 space of ten minutes ; then take it out, pour it 
 through a sieve into a vat, and throw the parts 
 remaining in the sieve into the kettle again ; 
 pour three buckets of water upon it, let it boi,l 
 Avell for a quarter of an hour, and pour the 
 liquor thereof to the other Brazil Avood liquor 
 in the vat. This being done, pour six ounces 
 of the composition into this liquor of Brazil 
 wood, and stir it well; steep the silk previously 
 soaked in warm Avater, in the liquor, and Avork 
 it Avell for the space of two hours. Examine, 
 at the expiration of this time, Avhether the li- 
 quor still contains any colouring matter : if so, 
 take it out, pour it into the kettle again, Avork 
 
93 
 
 the silk another time therein, during which, it 
 must be kept moderately warm ; then take it 
 out, rinse it in running water, wring it and 
 hang it up to dry. By using eight buckets of 
 vinegar instead of five, the color will be con- 
 siderably improved, and by dispensing with 
 the composition altogether, the color will be- 
 come darker. Lastly, if you desire to have 
 this color of a darker and fiery hue, add two 
 pounds of Brazil wood, and one pound of com- 
 position, to the above quantity, and proceed 
 in the same way as above directed. 
 
 TO COLOUR SILK WITH QUERCITRON, IN ANO- 
 THER WAY. A CITRON YELLOW. 
 
 Take two pounds and a half of alum, one 
 fourth of a pound of sugar of lead,* two 
 ounces of chalk, and three pounds of quercit- 
 ron. Take a kettle with eight buckets of wa- 
 ter, put into it two and a half pounds of alum, 
 and dissolve it therein ; then take out the alum 
 liquor, and pour it into a pail, and let it be- 
 come cold ; add to it a quarter of a pound of 
 sugar of lead, and stir it well until united with 
 the solution of alum; then put into it two 
 ounces of chalk, stir it well, and continue the 
 stirring at proper intervals, for the space of 
 twelve hours, and set it by to settle. Pour off 
 the liquor into a pail, but be careful not to dis- 
 turb the sediment at the bottom ; steep the 
 
 ^Acetate of lead. 
 
91 
 
 silk in tbe liquor and work it well therein, fcn^ 
 the space of six hours ; then take it out, wring 
 and lay it by wet, for further use. After this, 
 take a kettle with eight buckets of water, put 
 into it three pounds of quercitron bark, and 
 let it boil for the space of three quarters of an 
 hour ; pour it through a sieve into a vat, steep 
 the silk which has been saturated in the fore- 
 going liquor, composed of alum, sugar of lead, 
 and chalk, in the quercitron liquor, and work 
 it well for the space of an hour ; then take it 
 out, rinse it, wring and dry it. 
 
 If you desire a higher coloured citron yel- 
 low than the above, add another pound of 
 quercitron, to the above quantity, and proceed 
 in the following manner. Saturate the silk, 
 as above directed in a liquor of alum, sugar of 
 lead, and chalk ; then take a kettle with eight 
 buckets of water, boil two pounds of quercit- 
 ron therein, three quarters of an hour, and 
 pour the liquor, through a sieve into a vat; 
 steep the silk, and work it well therein, for 
 the space of two hours ; after which, take it 
 out, wring and dry it. This will have given 
 the silk the best of grounds for a good yellow 
 colour. After this, take another kettle with 
 eight buckets of water, put into it two pounds 
 more of quercitron bark, and boil it for the 
 space of three quarters of an hour ; then pour 
 it through a sieve into a vat, and work the 
 previously coloured and dried silk in the same, 
 for the space of two hours ; then take it, rinse 
 and dry it. 
 
95 
 
 COT.OUPwS WHICH ARE USED EITHER IN WATER 
 
 OR OIL, FOR DRAWING OR PAINTING. RED 
 
 LAKES. 
 
 This terra is used to denote a sjiecies of 
 colours formed bj the combination of alumnia, 
 or the oxide of tin, with the colouring mat- 
 ters of vegetables. The lakes chiefly used 
 are red colours ; and these are of different 
 qualities, according to the basis and colouring 
 matter employed, such as carmine, Florence 
 lake, and madder lake, &c. 
 
 CARMINE 
 
 Is a very rich, bright crimson colour, and 
 stands well in water. For the preparation of 
 carmine, four ounces of finely pulverized 
 cochineal are to be poured into four, or six 
 quarts of rain, or distilled water, that has been 
 previously boiled in a pewter kettle, and boil- 
 ed with it for the space of six minutes longer. 
 Eight scruples of Roman alum, in powder, 
 are to be then added, and the whole kept upon 
 the fire one minute longer. As soon as the 
 gross powder has subsided, and the decoction 
 has become clear, it is to be carefully decant- 
 ed into large cylindrical glasses, covered over 
 and kept undisturbed till a fine powder is ob- 
 served to have settled at the bottom. The li- 
 quor is then to be poured off from this pow- 
 der, which is to be gradually dried. From the 
 liquor, which is still much coloured, tlie rest 
 
of tlic colouring matter may be separated, by 
 means of the solution of tin, when it yields a 
 carmine little inferior to the former. 
 
 FLORENTINE LAKE 
 
 Is the kind in general use, known by the 
 name of lake. It is used in water, and also in 
 oil, but does not stand, which is much to be 
 lamented, as it is a very beautiful colour, and 
 there is no substitute that will completely an- 
 swer all the purposes of lake. The best sort 
 may be prepared from the sediment of cochi- 
 neal that remains in the kettle, after making 
 carmine, adding to it a small quantity of 
 cochineal, or Brazil wood, and precipitating 
 the colouring matter with a solution of tin. 
 
 MADDER LAKE 
 
 Is very little known as a colour. It is not 
 so bright and rich a colour as the last men- 
 tioned lake, but has this valuable advantage, 
 that it stands much better, and may answer 
 many of the purposes of Florence lake. It is 
 ])repared nearly in the same manner as the 
 foregoing. 
 
 ROSE LAKE. 
 
 This is generally called rose pink. It is a 
 lake, made by a basis of clialk, coloured by 
 Brazil, or Campeachy wood. It does not 
 
97 
 
 stand, and is only used for iionse-painting and 
 paper hanging. 
 
 VERMILION 
 
 Is a bright scarlet pigment, formed from 
 sulphur and quicksilver; when of a coarse 
 kind, it is called cinnabar. Its goodness is 
 known by its brightness, audits inclining to a 
 crimson hue. It is a very useful colour in oil 
 where it stands very well ; but in water, it is 
 apt to turn black. 
 
 RED LEAD, 
 
 Or minium, is lead calcined till it acquires 
 a red colour by exposing it with a large sur- 
 face to the fire. It is also made from litharge, 
 which is a calx, or oxide of lead ; but is not 
 so good as when made directly from metalic 
 lead. This colour is very apt to turn black, 
 both in water and oil, and is therefore seldom 
 used, but for very coarse purposes. 
 
 INDIA RED 
 
 Is a very useful colour, answering some of 
 the purposes of lake : it stands well, both in 
 water and oil. It is difficult to procure the 
 genuine kind, whicb^comes from the East In- 
 dies. What is sold for Indian red, is said to 
 be chiefly made in England. 
 
98 
 
 VENETIAN REP 
 
 Is a native red ochre, rather inclining to the 
 scarlet, than the crimson hue ; it is not far dif- 
 ferent from the common Indian red, but foul- 
 er, and is chiefly used by house-painters. 
 
 * SPANISH BROWN 
 
 Is also an earthly substance, found in the 
 same state in which it is used ; it is nearly of 
 the same colour as Venetian red, but coarser. 
 It is used only for the commonest purposes. — ^ 
 It does not change. 
 
 LIGHT RED, OR BURNT OCHRE. 
 
 This is common yellow ochre, heated red- 
 hot in the fire, till the colour changes from 
 yellow to a red. It is a very excellent colour, 
 both in water and oil; having the quality, in 
 common with all the ochres, of standing per- 
 fectly well. 
 
 RED CHALK. 
 
 This is the same substance as is used for 
 drawing on paper, in the manner of a crayon. 
 It is very much like light red, and is used in- 
 stead of it for some purposes. It stands per- 
 fectly well, and may be used both in water 
 and oil. 
 
BURNT TERRA DI SIENNA. 
 
 This colour is made by calcining* raw terra 
 di Sienna till it acquires a red colour. It is of 
 a very rich tint, and is much used both in wa- 
 ter and oil. It stands well in both. 
 
 BLUE. 
 
 Ultramarine is prepared from lapis lazuli ; 
 by calcining and washing it very clean. When 
 genuine, it is an extremely bright blue colour, 
 somewhat transparent, both in oil and water, 
 and stands perfectly well. On these accounts 
 it is of the utmost value, being excellent in 
 every kind of painting, even in enamel: but 
 its great price prevents the general use of it, 
 
 ULTRAMARINE ASHES. 
 
 This is the residuum, after washing the lapis 
 lazuli, in which a portion of the ultramarine 
 still remains. It is very subject to be adulter- 
 ated. It is not so bright as ultramarine ; be- 
 ing, like that colour, with a tint of red and 
 white in it. When genuine it stands well. 
 
 PRUSSIAN BLUE, 
 
 This colour is iron combined with a peculiar 
 acid, called the Prussic acid. It is made in 
 the following manner. Two parts of purified 
 potass are most intimately blended with three 
 
100 
 
 parts of dried and finely pulverized bullock’s 
 blood. The mass is first calcined in a covered 
 crucible and on a moderate fire, until no more 
 smoke or fiame appears ; and it is after this, 
 brought to a complete yet moderate ignition ; 
 or equal parts bf potass and finely powdered 
 coals from bones, horns, claws, &:.c. are min- 
 gled, and heated in a covered crucible to a 
 moderate redness. This done, either of these 
 two calcined masses is, after cooling, lixivated 
 with boiling water, and the lixivium filtered. 
 Nothing remains now but to make a solution 
 of one part of green vitrol and t-^vo parts of al- 
 um ; and to add to it, while yet hot, the above 
 lixivium, little by little however, and to separ- 
 ate the greenish blue precipitate, which there 
 forms, by means of a filter. If afterward, a 
 slight quantity of diluted muriatic acid is af- 
 fused upon this precipitate, it assumes a beau- 
 tiful dark blue colour." The operation is ter- 
 minated by edulcorating and drying pigment 
 thus prepared. Prussian-blue is an extremely 
 beautiful colour, when properly prepared, 
 and stands well. Common Prussian blue is 
 apt to contain some iron, which causes it to 
 turn greenish or olive. 
 
 VERDITER 
 
 Is a blue pigment obtained by adding chalk 
 or whitening to the solution of copper in aqua- 
 fortis. The best sort is prepared by refiners ; 
 who employ for this purpose the solution of 
 
ioi 
 
 copper, which they obtain in the process of 
 parting, by precipitating silver, from aquafor- 
 tis by plates of copper. Common verditer is 
 made ft'om the sulphate of copper, or blue, by 
 the manufacturers in Sheffield and Birraing- 
 ham. Verditer is only used for coarse pur- 
 poses chiefly by the paper stainers. It has 
 been sometimes called sanders-blue, from ig- 
 norance of the meaning of the term cindres 
 blues, or blue ashes, which the French call it. 
 
 INDIGO. 
 
 This colour is extracted from a plant that 
 grows in the East and West Indies. It is not 
 so bright as Prussian blue, but it is cooler, and 
 has the advantage of being very durable. It 
 cannot be dissolved by water, but may, by the 
 sulphuric acid, and it then forms Scott’s liquid 
 blue, so much used for colouring silk stock- 
 ings, &c. 
 
 SMALT. 
 
 This is glass, coloured with cobalt, and 
 ground to a fine powder. Its coarseness pre- 
 vents its being used much for painting in oil or 
 water. It is employed sometimes by strewing 
 it upon a ground of oil paint. It is also used 
 in enamel painting. It stands well. 
 
 Bice is only smalt more finely levigated, 
 y* 
 
10 ^ 
 
 YELLOVyS INDIAN YELLOW. 
 
 This is the brightest of all yellow for water, 
 colours, and is perfectly durable. It is said to 
 be procured from the urine of the buffalo. In 
 the East Indies it is a very common and cheap 
 colour : the natives there use it commonly for 
 colouring their calicoes, which they do with- 
 out mordants : so that the colour is washed 
 out again when the cloth is dirty. 
 
 king’s yellow. 
 
 This colour is orpiment refined ; which is 
 a substance dug out of the earth, and consists 
 of sulphur joined to arsenic; or it maybe pre- 
 pared by subliming sulphur with arsenic. It 
 is of a' very bright yellow, but does not stand, 
 and great caution should be used in employing 
 it, as it is a strong poison. 
 
 NAPLES yellow. 
 
 This is a very durable and bright yellow ; it 
 comes from Naples, and is supposed to be 
 prepared from lead and antimony. 
 
 YELLOW OCHRE. 
 
 This is an earth coloured by oxide of iron, 
 it is a cheap colour, and not very bright, but 
 is valuable on account of its standing well. — 
 Roman ochre is a superior kind of yellow 
 ochre. 
 
103 
 
 - DUTCH PINK. 
 
 This pi^ment-is formed of chalk, coloured 
 with the juice of French berries, pp vegetables 
 aftbrding a yellow colour. It does riot stand 
 and is chiefly used for coarse purposes. 
 
 GAMBOGE 
 
 Is a gum brought from the East Indies. It 
 readily dissolves In water, and. is'a.fine bright 
 yellow. It is used only in water, and is very 
 serviceable. 
 
 MASSICOT 
 
 Is an oxide of lead, prepared by calcining 
 white lead. It is very little used, the colour 
 not being very bright. 
 
 gallstones. 
 
 This is a concretion, or hard substance, 
 formed in the gall-bladders of beasts ; or it 
 may be obtained from the gall of animals. It 
 is a very rich colour, but does not stand. 
 
 PvAW terra DI sienna 
 
 Is a native ocherous earth, brought from 
 Italy. It is a fine warm colour, and stands 
 well. 
 
104 
 
 ORANGE LAKE 
 
 Is the tinging part of annatto, precipitated 
 together with the earth of alum. It does not 
 stand. 
 
 BROWN PINK 
 
 Is the tinging part of some vegetable sub- 
 stance, precipitated upon the earth of alum. 
 It is of a fine rich greenish yellow, but does 
 not stand. 
 
 GREEN. 
 
 There are few colours that are so useful as 
 greens ; accordingly, it is the practice with 
 artists to form their greens by the mixture of 
 blue and yellow colours. By varying these, 
 a vast variety of green tints may be obtained. 
 
 SAP GREEN 
 
 Is the concreted juice of the buckthorn ber- 
 ries. It is never used in oil. It is employed 
 chiefly in flower painting, colouring prints, 
 &c. 
 
 VERDIGRIS. 
 
 If plates of copper, moistened from time to 
 time with vinegar, are left exposed to the air, 
 they will be converted into green oxide, called 
 verdigris ; this is an imperfect oxide of copper, 
 
105 
 
 conibined with a small portion of acetic acid, 
 carbonic acid, and water. It is prepared in 
 large quantities, chiefly in France, near Mont- 
 pelier, by stratifying copper plates with the 
 husks of grapes yet under vinous fermenta- 
 tion, which soon grow" acid and corrode the 
 copper. After the plates have stood in this 
 situation for a suflicient time, they are moist- 
 ened with water, and exposed in heaps to the 
 air. The verdigris is scraped oif from their 
 surfaces as it forms. 
 
 Verdigris is of a blueish green colour, but 
 has no body, and does not stand. It is only 
 used for coarse purposes. It answers best 
 when used in varnishes. Distilled verdigris, 
 sometimes called crystals of verdigris is pre- 
 pared from common verdigris, by dissolving 
 it ill vinegar. It is of a very bright green ; 
 and is used chiefly for varnishes, and in col- 
 ouring maps, <fee. 
 
 BROWN COLOURS. 
 
 Bistre is the finer parts, extracted from the 
 soot of burnt wood. It is much used alone for 
 sketches in water colours, being a transpa- 
 rent, warm colour-. There is an excellent sort 
 prepared in Ireland. 
 
 COLONGE EARTH 
 
 Is a mineral substance of a blackish brown 
 colour. It is a very useful colour; though 
 
106 
 
 ivliat is generally sold in the shops for Colonge 
 earth, is an artificial mixture of several co- 
 lours. 
 
 RAW UMBRE 
 
 Is a native ocherous earth, of a light brown 
 It stands well. 
 
 BURNT UMBRE 
 
 Is only the last mentioned colour, calcined 
 in the fire. It then acquires a rich deep 
 brown, and is of great use, being a fine co- 
 lour, and standing perfectly well. 
 
 ASPHALTUM 
 
 Is used in oil, and is a very rich deep brown. 
 It is a transparent or glaring colour. It will 
 not work in water ; but when dissolved in tur- 
 pentine, it becomes a useful substance for giv- 
 ing deep and spirited touches to drawings. 
 
 WHITE. 
 
 Flake white is an oxide of lead, formed by 
 corroding lead with vegetables, acids or vine- 
 gar. 
 
 W’HITE LEAD 
 
 Is the same colour as flake white, only of 
 an inferior quality. It is the only white used 
 in oil painting, and is a very useful colour ; 
 
I 
 
 107 
 
 I but ill water it always turns black, and should, 
 never be used. 
 
 PURE CARBONATE OF LIME 
 
 Is very useful as a white in water colours, 
 as it stands perfectly well. Egg shell white, 
 and oyster shell white, are only egg shells or 
 oyster shells calcined, by which the animal 
 g-lutenis destroyed, leaving the lime behind, 
 which soon attracts the carbonic acid again 
 from the atmosphere. Well washed Spanish 
 white, or common whitening, answers the 
 same purpose. 
 
 BLACK. 
 
 Lamp black is the soot of oil, collected after 
 it is formed by burning. It is very generally 
 used, both in oil and water, and stands per- 
 fectly well. 
 
 IVORY BLACK 
 
 Is the coal of ivory or bone, formed by giv- 
 ing them a great heat, while they are deprived 
 of all access of air. It is of more intense black, 
 than lamp-black. Blue black is the coal from 
 burning vine stalks in a close vessel. It is 
 like ivory black, with a tint of blue. 
 
108 * 
 
 TO MAKE COPAL VARNISH. 
 
 Take three pounds of the best West India 
 copal ; scrape it as clear from dust, and other 
 impurities as possible, then pound it in a clean 
 iron mortar, till it is as fine as Indian corn ; 
 then take half a pound of flint glass, as coarse- 
 ly pulverized, add the coarsest to the gum, and 
 the fine may be thrown aside. Put these into 
 a copper kettle with a narrow top, place the 
 kettle over a charcoal fire in a patent furnace ; 
 continue the heat without intermission till the 
 gum is dissolved ; keep the kettle on constant- 
 ly in motion«during the operation of dissolv- 
 ing, which you will perceive by the ebullition 
 subsiding, and the whole has settled down to 
 a liquid (the ebullition will continue till the 
 last particle of gum is dissolved;) previous to 
 the above operation you will have one pint of 
 bleached oil made warm, or a little more than 
 blood warm, and the gum being taken from the 
 fire, the warm oil must be added with a small 
 stream, with constant stirring with a clean 
 iron rod made warm before it is put into the 
 composition. When the oil is thoroughly in- 
 corporated with the gum, it must stand a few 
 minutes to cool ; when it begins to stifien you 
 must add gradually two quarts of spirits of tur- 
 pentine made warm, with constant stirring, 
 then strain the whole through a flannel whilst 
 ■warm, and bottle it tight for use. After stand- 
 ing a few days to settle, it is fit for use ; if too 
 thick for spreading, reduce it with spirits of 
 
109 
 
 ♦ 
 
 iirpeiitine as you make use of it. The above 
 vaniish may ba made uso offer all common 
 workj where it is wanted to dry quick, and is 
 not exposed to the weather : but such as is 
 exposed to the weather, when there is danger 
 of cracking, add one quart of the bleached oil 
 instead of a pint, and spirits the same quantity 
 as above mentioned. If a colorless varnish is 
 wanted to varnish over white, bronzed, or sil- 
 vered work, you may use the best kind of 
 South American gum, instead of West India 
 gum; and proceed in the same mannqji' as 
 above directed. The white varnish made f'rom 
 the American giipi, cannot be applied to the 
 preparation of paints, but ought to be used 
 only where varnish alone is required; it may 
 be used to varnish maps, charts, &lc. Varnish 
 made from India gum, though of an amber 
 colour, may be used in all colours, and will 
 run free under the coarse brush, or the fine 
 pencil. 
 
 TO MARE CHINESE VARNISH. 
 
 Take of amber coarsely pulverized, one 
 pound, and melt it in a clean iron pot, with a 
 cover closely fitted to -the top, with a small 
 hole in the centre with a clean iron rod one 
 end bent in the form of a curve, for the use of 
 stirring the composition ; then add two ounces 
 of melted shellac, previously melted in a sep- 
 arate vessel, and ten ounces of drying oil, 
 boiling hot. Incorporate th^whole accurately, 
 10 ‘ 
 
110 
 
 by stirring; then remove it from the fire, and 
 let it cool till out of danger of taking fire by 
 the addition of spirits of turpentine ; then add 
 a pint of spirits turpentine made warm. This 
 varnish is made use of on furniture of all 
 kinds, where brilliancy and durability are re- 
 quired. It is capable of receiving a high pol- 
 ish. 
 
 TO CRYSTALIZE TIN. 
 
 Cleanse the tin by washing it with warm 
 water, tinctured with pearl ashes or common 
 soap ; then heat the tin •to the temperature of 
 bare sufferance to the hand, and pour on it or 
 apply with a brush or sponge a mixture of one 
 ounce of muriatic acid, with one fourth of an 
 ounce of sulphuric acid, and two ounces of 
 water, then immediately wash the tin in clear 
 water. Another method is, to apply in the 
 same manner, a solution of two ounces of mu- 
 riate of soda, in four ounces of water, with 
 one ounce of nitric acid. In either case, if 
 the crystaline figures are not bold enough, the 
 operation may be repeated ; if a very small 
 figure is required, the tin may be heated near- 
 ly to flowing and plunged into cold water, 
 slightly acidulated with nitric acid, muriatic 
 acid. If a little solder is drawn over the tin 
 with a hot soldering iron in such a manner as 
 to form a cross or circle, and the opposite of 
 the tin be afterwards crystalized, it will have a 
 beautiful effect. ,*Crystalized tin ought not to 
 
ill 
 
 [ 
 
 be worked into such vessels as are required to 
 [ be water tight ; the effect that the acids pro- 
 i duce on the tin, prevents in some degree, the 
 solder from running free and adhering to the 
 tin ; for that reason, crjstalized tin is more 
 commonly manufactured into such articles 
 where water tightness is not essential. The 
 tin being ready for jappanning, we will pro- 
 ceed to that business. 
 
 TO JAPPAN CRYSTALIZED TIN. 
 
 If a transparent yellow is required, make 
 use of one ounce of pulverized turmeric, and 
 half a drachm of the best dragon’s blood; infuse 
 them at a moderate temperature, for a week 
 or more, in a pint of rectified alcohol ; separ- 
 ate the yellow tincture thus obtained by strain- 
 ing through a piece of clean linen, and add to 
 the clean liquor, three ounces of good gum 
 shellac. Let the materials digest together for 
 several days, in a bottle with frequent shaking ; 
 the bottle must be kept warm during the op- 
 eration ; when dissolved, strain off the clear 
 part, which is the lacquer. This lacquer or 
 varnish must be put on warm, and with a soft 
 brush one or two coats, according to fancy. — 
 The lacquer will very soon dry, and ought to 
 be secured with one or two coats of copal var- 
 nish, (silver leaf thus treated, will have the 
 appearance of gold,) and dry it in the shade ; 
 then let the ornaments be drawn, and when 
 dry, give the work one or two coats of copaj 
 
varnish, made from India gum. If a green 
 varnish is wanted, take crystals of verdigris 
 and grind with copal varnish, diluted with 
 spirits of turpentine, on a marble paint stone : 
 that it may flow freely over the tin, lay on two 
 or three coats and dry it in the sun ; ornament 
 and varnish with clear copal varnish and dry 
 again, as before. We will now proceed to 
 that kind pf jappanning, that requires baRing. 
 The tin, that is intended for jappanning, must 
 be entirely free from resin, that is melted on 
 by means of soldering, therefore, sweet oil is 
 commonly used instead of resin. First, lay 
 one coat of varnish, of the fpliowing : to one 
 gallon of linseed oil, add half a pound of li- 
 tharge, and one pound red lead ; put all these 
 together, in a five pail iron kettle, over a char- 
 coal fire ; give it a steady and strong heat, for 
 three hours, then add gradually, piece by 
 ‘piece, half a pound of gum shellac, and half a 
 pound of asphaltura ; keep stirring during the 
 operation, with an iron rod, drop in occasion- 
 ally, sugar of lead ; when the , varnish swells 
 and is in danger of boiling over, when the last 
 mentioned gum is dissolved, it may be taken 
 from the fire, and must stand until cold enough 
 to add spirits of turpentine, which may take 
 two or three gallons ; and when this is firmly 
 set, lay on a second coat, and when dry, it is 
 ready for baking. If a shaded ground is \vant- 
 ed, strike on very thinly, lampblack, tempered 
 with boiled linseed oil, and spirits turpentine, 
 and when dry, give two coats of varnish of the 
 
113 
 
 last above mentioned, and when dry it is ready 
 for baking. If a tortoise sliell is required, 
 take of good linseed oil, one gallon, and of 
 umber half a pound ; boil them together, in a 
 clean iron kettle, till the oil becomes very 
 brown and thick ; strain it through a coarse 
 eloth, and set it again to boil, in which state, 
 it must be continued till it acquires a pithy con- 
 sistence, diluted with spirits turpentine. Hav- 
 ing thus prepared the varnish, clear well the 
 tin that is to be jappanned, and then lay ver- 
 milion, tempered and prepared with drying 
 oil and spirits of turpentine, very thinly on the 
 places, intended to imitate the more transpa- 
 rent parts of the tortoise shell ; when suffi- 
 ciently baked, it changes to a beautiful dark 
 brown, and shows at the same time, the lively 
 shadows of the under ground. I will now give 
 a description of the oven, and afterwards, the 
 manner of baking. The form of the oven is 
 as follows. It may be built of brick, about 
 seven or eight feet square on the inside, and 
 the height about the same ; the under floor 
 may be laid with brick or flat stones ; tbe top, 
 Ji^upper floor, may be laid with flat stones, 
 ■supported by iron bars, laid across from one 
 side of the wall to the other, and all the open 
 spaces made perfectly tight with lime mortar, 
 and over the top of this floor, must be a roof to 
 shed off the rain ; at one end, a door must be 
 made, large enough for a person to enter. — ^ 
 
 This door may be made of plank, and lined 
 with sheet iron, on the inside; at one end, a 
 10 * 
 
ii4 
 
 Small hole must be made, about twelve inches 
 square, and be made in the same end, the door 
 is made in ; and a good and lengthy stove 
 must be placed in this oven, and the door of 
 the stove be placed, so as to match with this 
 square hole, that the wood may be thrown into 
 the stove, from the outside of the oven, as the 
 heat will be too great for any person to enter 
 the inside, when once heated. The pipe of the 
 stove, must be turned out at the opposite side 
 from the door, by means of an elbow, that the 
 heat may be more even in the oven. The in- 
 side of this oven must be strung with wires in 
 such a position, as to form shelves, about 
 eight or ten inches, one above the other. On 
 these wires or shelves, the tin may be placed 
 for baking, and as the heat of the stove natu- 
 rally ascends, the tin ought to be placed as 
 high as it is convenient to be placed, if there 
 is not occasion to fill the oven. Having now 
 described the oven, we will now give the pro- 
 cess of baking. Take the tin v/are in its situ- 
 ation above mentioned, and place it on the 
 wires, one article beside the other, at such a ^ 
 distance apart, as to let the heat betw||Jfi^M 
 them. Then, begin the lire gradually, atttT" 
 increase it moderately, and after the heat has 
 been continued for the space of one hour, the 
 door may be opened ; and after the first flash 
 of heat has subsided, you may walk in and 
 view the work; if any of the tin appears to be 
 placed too near the stove, which may be known 
 by its melting the tin or solder, such articles 
 
jiiutft be removed further from the stove. If 
 the jappan shoidd not be dark enough, increase 
 the tire and close the door, and give it another 
 heat, and when the oven cools, take out the 
 tin ; if any particular articles should appear to 
 be slack baked, such articles may be put into 
 the next oven of ware that is to be baked. The 
 work then may be ornamented, and dried by 
 the heat of the sun : when dry, varnish with 
 copal varnish. 
 
 Note. The whole process of varnishing 
 must be done with a very soft brush, and in a 
 warm room, and clear from dust. 
 
 A TRANSPARENT GREEN PAINT INVENTED BY 
 SCHEELE OP SWEDEN. 
 
 It is prepared in the following manner. — - 
 Dissolve two pounds of blue vitrol in about 
 three gallons of boiling water, in a vessel ca- 
 pable of holding, at least four gallons more. — 
 In another vessel, boil together two poulids 
 of pearlash, and three quarters of a pound of 
 white arsenic, in about two and ahalfgallons 
 of water ; boil it till the arsenic is dissolved, 
 then pour this last hot solution into the first, 
 while hot. A precipitate will form, which, 
 when collected, washed and dryed, will be the 
 Scheele’s green, and will amount to about one 
 fourth of the ingredients, in colour. The 
 above colour may be used in gum water, or 
 oil, and is very beautiful. 
 
116 
 
 TO BLEACH LINSEED OIL. 
 
 Take any quantity of linseed oil, put it into' 
 a tin vessel that will hold double the quantity 
 of oil that is intended to be bleached ; add to 
 the oil clean soft water, till the vessel is filled 
 within one or two inches of the top ; set the 
 vessel on the south side of a building, and near 
 the roof that it may be oat of the reach qf 
 flies, as much as possible, and over the top 
 may be placed a board to serve as a temporary 
 roof ; giving a space of three or four inches 
 betwixt the top of the vessel and temporary 
 roof, for the air to circulate free over the oil, 
 and in that situation it must remain undis- 
 turbed for three or four \Veeks ; remove it gen- 
 tly from its place, and turn the oil (which will 
 remain upon the top of the water) carefully 
 from the water ; at the bottom of the vessel 
 will be found a precipitate that has decended 
 from the oil, which is of no use, and the oil 
 that has been decanted off, will be found to be 
 almost as white, and as limpid as spirits of 
 turpentine, and is the only oil that ought to be 
 used in light coloured varnishes. The oil thus 
 prepared is rendered something of a drying 
 quality, and- by adding two ounces of sugar of 
 lead, ground fine in the oil, and shaking it fre- 
 quently for the space of one week, it will be 
 fit for any kind of painting, and runs much ea-- 
 sier under the brush than boiled linseed 
 oil, &c. 
 
 Note. For the making of copal varnishes, 
 
rir ♦ 
 
 acetate of lead may be left out, as it will ren- 
 der the varnish too drying. 
 
 TO BOIL OIL yOR PAINTING AND THE PREPAK- 
 ATIOn OF GOLD SIZE. 
 
 To one gallon of linseed oil, in an iron ket- 
 tle, add four ounces of red lead, and two oun- 
 ces of litharge ; let the heat be gradually in- 
 creased, till a thick scum arises on the top of 
 the oil ; then throw in a few crusts of bread, 
 that are perfectly dry, or a dry cracker ; then 
 increase the heat till the oil has become entire- 
 ly clear, &c. 
 
 The preparation of gold size is similar to? 
 the above, so far as htting the oil for painting ; 
 the extra process is follows : Increase the 
 heat to that degree, that the oil will take fire 
 by applying a lighted torch to it, or by throw- 
 ing a piece of cloth into it, and the cloth then 
 being set on fire, the flame will spread over 
 the surface of the oil. After burning for the 
 space of one minute, the blaze must be extin- 
 guished, by covering the pot or vessel tight 
 with a board ; then uncover the pot, and apply 
 the fire again, and extinguish as before ; re- 
 peat the operation till the oil has become 
 thick, and of the consistence of varnish, which 
 may be known by dropping a few drops on 
 some glass or earthern, when it immediately 
 becomes hard and pithy, it is done. 
 
118 
 
 SHAMMY, OR CHAMOIS LEATHER, 
 
 A kind of leather, dressed either in oil or 
 tanned, and much esteemed for its softness, 
 pliancj, and being capable of bearing soap 
 Avithout hurt. The real shammy is prepared 
 of the skin of the chamois goat. The. true cha- 
 mois leather is counterfeited Avith common 
 goat, kid, and even sheep-skin ; the practice of 
 AA^hich makes a particular profession, called by 
 the French chamoisure. The last is the least 
 esteemed, yet so popular and such vast quan- 
 tities are prepared, especially about Orleans, 
 Marseilles, and Thoulouse, that it may not be 
 amiss to give the method of preparation. 
 
 The manner of chamoising, or of preparing 
 sheep, goat, or kid skins in oil, in imitation of 
 chamois is this : — The skins being Avashed, 
 drained and smeared over Avith quick lime, on 
 the fleshy side, are folded in two, lengthwise, 
 the wool outwards, and laid on heaps, and so 
 left to ferment eight days ; or if they had been 
 left to dry after flaying, for fifteen days. Then 
 they are washed out, drained, and half dried, 
 laid on a wooden leg or horse, the wool strip- 
 ped off with a round staff for the purpose, and 
 laid in a weak pit, the lime Avhereof had been 
 used before, and had lost the greatest part of 
 its force. After twenty-four hours, they are 
 taken out, and left to drain tAventy four more ; 
 ihen put into another strong pit. Tliis done, 
 they are taken out, drained and put in again 
 by turns ; Avhich begins then to dispose to take 
 
119 
 
 oil, and this practice they continue ' for six 
 weeks in summer, or three months in winter; 
 at the end whereof they are washed out, laid 
 on the wooden leg, and the surface of the skin 
 on the wool side pulled off, to render them the 
 softer ; when made into parcels, steeped a 
 night ill the river, in winter more ; stretch six 
 or seven over one another on the wooden leg ; 
 and the knife passed strongly on the fleshy 
 side to take off any thing superfluous, and 
 render the skin smooth. Then they are 
 stretched as before, in the river, and the same 
 operation repeated on the wool side ; then 
 thrown into a tub of water with bran in it, 
 which is brewed among the skins till the great- 
 est part sticks to them ; and then separated 
 into distinct tubs, till they swell and rise them- 
 selves above the water. By this means, the 
 remains of the lime are cleared out ; they are 
 then wrung out, hung up to dry on ropes, and 
 sent to the mill, with the quantity of oil neces- 
 sary to fill them ; the best oil is that of the 
 stock fish. Here they are first thrown in 
 bundles into the river for twelve hours, then 
 laid in the mill trough, and fulled without oil, 
 till they are well softened : then oiled by the 
 hand, one by one, and thus formed into parcels 
 of four skins each, which are milled and dried 
 on cords a second time, then a third ; then 
 oiled again and dried. This process is repeat- 
 ed as often as necessity requires ; when done, 
 if there is any moisture remaining, they arc 
 dried in a stove, and made up in parcels wrap- 
 
120 
 
 ped up in wool ; after sometime, they are 
 opened to the air, but wrapped up again as 
 before, till such time as the oil seems to have 
 lost all its force, which it ordinarily does in 
 twenty four hours. The skins are then re- 
 turned from the mill to the chamoiser to be 
 scoured : which is done by putting them into 
 a lixivium of wood ashes, working and beating 
 them in it with poles, and leaving them to 
 steep till the lye has had its effect ; then 
 wrung out, steeped in another lixivium, wrung 
 again, and this repeated till all the grease and 
 oil is purged out. They are then half dried, 
 and passed over a sharp edged iron instrument, ^ 
 placed perpendicularly in a block, which 
 opens, softens, and makes them gentle : lastly 
 they are thoroughly dried and passed over the 
 same instrument again, which finishes the prep- 
 aration, and leaves them in the form of cha- 
 mois. 
 
 Kid and goat skins are chamoised in 
 the same manner as those of sheep, excepting 
 that the hair is taken off without tlie use of 
 lime, and that when brought from the mill 
 they undergo a particular preparation called 
 ramalling, the most delicate and difficult of all 
 the others. It consists in this, that as soon as 
 brought from the mill they are steeped in a fit 
 lixivium ; taken out, stretched on a round 
 wooden leg, and the hair scraped off with the 
 knife ; this makes them smooth, and in work- 
 ing casts a fine nap. The difficulty is in scra- 
 ping them evenly. 
 
V2l 
 
 INK» 
 
 Take eight ounces of Aleppo galls in coarse 
 powder, four ounces of logwood in thin chips, 
 four ounces green copperas, three ounces of 
 gum arabic in powder, one ounce of blue vit- 
 rol, and one ounce of sugar candy. Boil the 
 galls and logwood together, in twelve pounds 
 of water, for one hour, or till half the liquid 
 has been evaporated, strain the decoction 
 through a hair sieve, or linen cloth, and then 
 add the other ingredients. Stir the mixture 
 till the whole is dissolved, more especially 
 the gum, after which, leave it to subside for 
 twenty four hours. The following will also 
 make good ink. To one quart soft water, add 
 four ounces of galls, one ounce of copperas, 
 roughly bruised, and tAvo ounces gum arabic. 
 
 RED INK. 
 
 Take of the raspings of Brazil Avood, a quar- 
 ter of a pound, and infuse them two or three 
 days in vinegar. Boil the infusion for an 
 hour over a gentle fire, and afterwards filter it 
 Avhile hot. Put it again over the fire, and dis- 
 solve in it, first half an ounce of gum arabic, 
 and afterwards, of alum and Avhite sugar, 
 each half an ounce. 
 
 SYMPATHETIC INK. 
 
 Dissolve some sugar of lead in Avater, and 
 11 
 
•sprite with the solution. When dry, no writing 
 will be visible ; when you wish it to appear, 
 wet the paper with a solution of alkaline sul- 
 phuret. 
 
 TO MAKE A FINE LIQUID BLUE FOR PAINTING 
 ON VELVET AND PAPER. 
 
 Put into a large common phial or some oth- 
 er glass vessel, one ounce of Prussian blue, 
 reduced to powder, and pour over it an ounce 
 of concentrated muriatic acid, the mixture 
 jiroduces an effervescence, and soon assumes 
 the consistence of thin paste. Leave it in this 
 state for twenty four hours, then dilute with 
 eight or nine ounces of water, and preserve the 
 colour in a bottle well stopped for use, and 
 gum water made from gum tragacanth may be 
 added to reduce it. ,This colour, applied to 
 wood as a stain, and secured with varnish, 
 would form a beautiful foil, &c. 
 
 MURIATE OF GOLD 
 
 Is formed by dissolving gold in nitro muriat- 
 ic acid. Gold or silver powder or bronze, is 
 prepared in different ways. The first and 
 simplest is to put into a glass or wedge wood 
 mortar, or a clean marble stone, some gold or 
 silver leaves with a little honey or molasses, 
 and grind the mixture for a considerable time, 
 till the gold is reduced to extremely minute 
 particles. When this is done, add to it some 
 
m 
 
 warm water that is soft, in a bowi or glass 
 tumbler, and wash out the glutinous substance, 
 leaving the gold or silver powder behind ; 
 decant off the water ahd'repeat the operation, 
 till the water remains clear; then gradually 
 dry the gold or silver powder in the same ves- 
 sel on a warm stove or in the hot sun clear 
 from dust. 
 
 TEETH AND AGE OF THE HORSE. 
 
 The horse has forty teeth ; twenty four 
 double teeth or grinders, four tushes or single 
 teeth, and twelve front teeth or gatherers. — 
 Mares in general have no tushes. The black 
 marks or cavities, which denote the age, are 
 to be found in the corner front teeth, adjoining 
 the tushes. Horned cattle have similar marks 
 in the tush. At four years and a half old, the 
 mark teeth are just visible, above the gums, 
 and the cavity is very conspicuous. At five 
 the horse sheds his remaining colt’s teeth, and 
 his tushes appear. At six, his tushes are up 
 and appear white, small, and sharp; near 
 which is observable, a, small circle of young 
 growing flesh : the horse’s mouth is then com- 
 plete, and the corner teeth filled up. At seven 
 years old the two middle teeth fill up. At eight 
 the black marks vanish, and the horse’s moutlv 
 is said to be full and himself aged. 
 
TO STAIN PAPER OF ANY COLOUR. 
 
 Paper or parchment may be stained in the 
 following manner. Yellow, by means of a 
 \vash made of French berries, boiled with a lit- 
 tle alum ; but a more beautiful may be made 
 from a tincture of turmeric, obtained by infus- 
 ing an ounce or more of the powdered root of 
 turmeric, in a pint of spirits of wine, which 
 may be made so as to give any tint of yellow, 
 from the palest straw colour to the deep and 
 full colour, called French yellow, and will he 
 equal in brightness to the finest dyed silk. If 
 the color be wished of a redder or warmer 
 east, approaching orange colour, annatto or 
 dragon’s blood must be added to the wash, in 
 such proportion as to give the shade required. 
 The best method of using this, or any colour 
 for staining paper or parchment, is to spread* 
 them evenly over the surface, by means of a 
 broad brush, or sponge in the manner of var- 
 nishing. A green colour is made by a solution 
 of verdigris in vinegar, or chrystals of verdi- 
 gris, dissolved in water; also, by a solution of 
 the filings of copper, in aquafortis, or spirit of 
 salt being gradually added to either. Blues 
 are made by first staining the paper green, ac- 
 cording to any of the above methods, and then 
 using a solution of pearlashes ; or by preparing 
 indigo with soap lyes, in the manner com- 
 monly used by dyers ; brushing it over hot, 
 and afterwards using a solution of an ounce 
 and a half of white tartar, in a pint of water. 
 
before it is quite dry. Orange colour is made 
 by means of the turmeric root, as above di~ 
 rected for the yellow, and afterwards brushing 
 it over with a solution of fixed alkaline salt, 
 made by dissolving half an ounce of pearlash- 
 es or salt of tartar, in a quart of water, andfil- 
 teringthe solution. 
 
 LACQUERS, 
 
 Are varnishes ap}3lied upon tin, brass, and 
 other metals. The basis of lacquer is a solu- 
 tion of the resinous substance called seed lac, 
 in spirits of wine. The spirit aught to be very 
 much concentrated in order to dissolve much 
 of the lac. For this purpose some authors di- 
 rect dry potass to be thrown into the spirit. — 
 This alkali attracts the water with which it 
 forms a liquid, that subsides distinctly from 
 the spirit at the bottom of the vessel. From 
 this liquid the spirit may be separated by de^ 
 cantation. By this method, the spirit is much 
 concentrated ; but at the same time it be- 
 comes impregnated with part of the alkali, 
 which depraves its colour, and communicates 
 a property to the lacquer, of imbibing moisture 
 from the air. These inconveniences may be 
 prevented by cleansing the spirit from the al- 
 kali, by adding to it some calcined alum ; the 
 acid of which uniting with the alkali remain- 
 ing in the spirit, forms with it a vitriolated 
 tartar, which not being soluble in spirits of 
 wine, falls to the bottom, together with the 
 11 * 
 
1^6 
 
 earth of the decomposed alum. To a pint of 
 the purified spirit, about three ounces of the 
 powdered slieliac are to be added, and the 
 mixture to be digested during the same day 
 with a moderate heat. The liquor ought then 
 to be poured off, strained and cleared by set- 
 tling. This clear liquor is now fit to receive 
 the required colour from certain resinous col- 
 ouring substances, the principal of which are 
 gamboge and annotto ; 'the former giving a 
 yellow colour, and the latter an orange. In 
 order to give a golden colour, two parts of 
 gamboge are added to one of annotto ; but 
 these colouring substances may be separately 
 dissolved in the tincture oflac, and the colour 
 required may be adjusted by mixing the two 
 solutions in different proportions. When silver 
 leaf or tin is to be lacquered, a larger quantity 
 of the colouring materials is requisite, than 
 when the lacquer is intended to be laid on 
 brass. 
 
 LACQ.UER VARNISH. 
 
 Take one quart of the strongest brandy and 
 mix it in one pound of calcined tartar ; let the 
 brandy stand upon the tartar, for one day, in 
 a gentle beat ; then strain it through paper. — 
 Or thus, take one pint of brandy, six ounces 
 of anqber, six ounces of gum sandarack, two 
 ounces of shellac. Mix these together, and 
 place the vessel in an iron pot filled with sand, 
 which may be gradually heated. On putting 
 
the vessel into the sand, add another pint of 
 brandy, and frequently shake the vessel until 
 the gums are dissolved ; then bottle for use. 
 
 ANOTHER LACQUER VARNISH. , 
 
 Take one ounce and a half of clear Cyprus'^ 
 turpentine, two ounces gum niastick, and one 
 ounce gum sandarack ; powder the gums and 
 add two ounces of oil spikenard, one ounce 
 oil turpentine, and set them in a kettle of hot 
 sand ; when dissolved, filter for use. 
 
 Note. This is proper for laying over all 
 ground, where transparency is required. 
 
 A VARNISH FOR PLASTER OF PARIS, TO GIVE 
 THE APPEARANCE OF MARBLE. 
 
 Take fine white Alicant or shaving soap, 
 and scrape it fine ; put it into a glazed earth- 
 ern pot, with a little v/arm water, and stir it 
 until it becomes milky ; cover it from the dust, 
 and let it stand eight days, and it will acquire 
 the consistence of fine varnish. Your varnish 
 thus made, take a soft brush, rather short in 
 the hand, and brush the plaster over with it 
 gently, and set the plaster in a place to dry, 
 free from dust ; then gently rub it over with a 
 piece of soft linen, placing yourself between it 
 and the light, that you may see how it takes 
 the polish. SVhen this is done, let it dry, and 
 it will liave the appearance of marble. 
 
ENAMELLING. 
 
 The art of laying enamel upon metals, such 
 as gold, silver, copper, &oc. and of melting it 
 at the fire, or of making divers curious works 
 in it, at a lamp. Enamel is a kind of coloured 
 glass, used in enamelling and painting in en- 
 amel. Enamels have^ for their basis, a pure 
 chrystal glass, or frit ground up with a fine 
 calx of lead and tin, prepared for the purpose 
 with the addition usually, of white salt of tar- 
 tar. These ingredients, baked together, are 
 the matter of all enamels, which are made by 
 adding colours of diiferent kinds in powder, 
 to this matter, and melting or incorporating 
 them together, in a furnace. For white enam- 
 el, managenese is to be added to the matter, 
 which constitutes the basis ; for azure, zaffer 
 mixed with calx of brass ; for green, calx of 
 brass with scales of iron ; for black, zaffer 
 with managenese and tartar ; for red, mana- 
 genese or calx of copper and red tartar ; for 
 purple, managenese with calx of brass ; for 
 yellow, tartar and managenese. In making 
 these enamels, the following general cautions 
 are necessary. First, that the pots must be 
 glazed with white glass, and must be such as 
 will bear the fire ; secondly, that the matter of 
 enamels must be very nicely mixed with the 
 colours ; thirdly, when the enamel is good and 
 the colour w^ell incorporated, it must be taken 
 from the fire, with a pair of tongs ; fourthly, 
 the general way of making the coloured enam- 
 
els, is this : powder, sift and gTirid, all the coh 
 ours very nicely, and first mix them with one 
 another, and then, with the common matter of 
 enamels, then set them in pots, in a furnace, 
 and when they are well mixed, cast them into 
 w'ater ; and when dry, set them into the fur- 
 nace again, and when melted, take a proof of 
 it. If^of too deep a colour, add more of the 
 common matter of enamels, and if too pale, 
 add more of the colours'. Enamels are used 
 either in counterfeiting or imitating precious 
 stones; in painting in enamel, or by enamel- 
 lers, jewellers, and goldsmiths, in gold, sil- 
 ver, and other metals. 
 
 THE METHOD OE PAINTING IN ENAMEL. 
 
 This is performed on plates of gold, or sil- 
 ver, or most commonly, of copper, enamelled 
 with the white enamel, which they paint with 
 colours melted in the fire, where they take a 
 brightness and lustre like that of glass. This 
 painting is the most prized of all, for its pecu- 
 liar brightness and vivacity, which is very per- 
 manent ; the force of its colours not being ef- 
 faced or sullied with time, as in other painting, 
 and continuing always as fresh as when it 
 came out of the workman’s hands. 
 
 Very fine enamelling should only be prac- 
 tised on plates of gold ; nor must the plate be 
 made flat, for in such case, the enamel cracks ; 
 to avoid which, they usually forge them a little 
 round, or oval and not too thick. The plate 
 
ISO 
 
 bt3iiig well and evenly forged, they usually be- 
 gin the operation by laying on a couch of 
 white enamel, on both sides, to prevent the 
 metal from swelling and blistering ; and this 
 first Jay serves for the ground for all the otlier 
 colours. The plate being thus prepared, they 
 begin at first, by drawing out exactly, tl^ sub- 
 ject to be painted, with red vitrol, mixed with 
 oil of spike, marking all parts of the design 
 very lightly, with a small pencil. After this, 
 the colours (which are to be previously ground 
 with water in a mortar of agate, extremely 
 fine, mixed with oil of spike somewhat thick,) 
 are to be laid on, observing the mixtures and 
 colours that agree to the different parts of the 
 subject. When the colours are all laid, the 
 painting must be gently dried, over a slow fire, 
 to evaporate the oil, and the colours afterward 
 melted, to incorporate them with the enamel, 
 making the plate red hot in a fire, such as the 
 enamellers use. Afterwards, that part of the 
 painting must be passed over again, which the 
 fire has any way effaced, strengthening the 
 shades and colours, and committing it again 
 to the fire, observing the same method as be- 
 fore, which is to be repeated till the work is. 
 finished. 
 
 ENCHASING, INCHASING, OR CHASING, 
 
 Is the art of enriching and beautifying gold, 
 silver, and other metal work by some design, 
 or figures,, represented thereon, in low releivo- 
 
131 
 
 Enchasing is practised only on hollow thin 
 works, as watch cases, cane heads, tweezer 
 casesj <fcc. It is performed by punching-, or 
 driving- out, the metal to form the figure from 
 the inside, so as to stand out prominent from 
 the plane or surface of the metal. In order 
 to do this, they provide a number of fine steel 
 blocks, or puncheons of difibrent sizes ; and 
 the design being drawn on the surface of the 
 metal, they apply the inside upon the heads or 
 tops of these blocks, directly under the lines 
 or parts of the figures; then with a fine ham- 
 mer, striking on the metal, sustained by the 
 block, the metal yields and the block makes an 
 indenture or cavity on the inside, correspond- 
 ing to which, there is a prominence on the 
 outside, which is to stand for that part of the 
 figure. Thus the workman proceeds to chase 
 and finish all the parts by successive applica- 
 tion of the block and hammer to the several 
 parts of the design. And it is wonderful to 
 observe with w^hat beauty and justness, by this 
 simple piece of mechanism, the artists in this 
 line, will represent foliages, grotesques, ani- 
 mals, histories, &:c. 
 
 MEZZOTINTO ENGRAVING, OR SCRAPING. 
 
 Mezzotinto prints are those which have no 
 patching, or strokes of the graver, but Avhose 
 lights and shades are blended together, and 
 appear like a drawing in Indian ink. They 
 are different from aquatinta ; but as both re- 
 
132 
 
 f;eiiible Indian ink, the difference is not easily 
 described. Mezzotinto is applied to portraits 
 and historical subjects. The tools necessary 
 for mezzotinto scraping, are the grounding 
 tool, burnishers and scrapers. To lay the 
 mezzotinto ground, lay your plate with a piece 
 of flannel under it, upon your table ; hold the 
 grounding tool in your hand, perpendicularly ; 
 lean upon it moderately hard, Continually rock- 
 ing your hand in a right line, from end to end, 
 till you have wholly covered the plate in one 
 direction ; next, cross the stroke from side to 
 side ; afterwards, from corner to corner, work- 
 ing the tool each time, all over the plate, in 
 ^very direction, almost like the points of a 
 compass, taking all possible care not to let the 
 tool cut, (in one direction,) twice in a place. 
 This done, the plate will be full, or in other 
 words, all over rough alike, and would, if it 
 w’'as printed, appear completely black. Hav- 
 ing laid the ground, take the scrapings of 
 black chalk, and wdth a piece of rag, rub it 
 over the plate. Now take your drawing, and 
 having rubbed the back with red chalk dust, 
 mixed with flake white, proceed to trace it on 
 the plate. To form the lights and shadows, 
 take a blunt needle and mark out the outlines 
 only ; then, with a scraper, scrape offthe lights 
 in every part of the plate, as clean and smooth 
 as possible, in proportion to the strength of 
 the lights in your drawing, taking care not to 
 hurt your outlines. When your plate is ready 
 for taking a proof, or impression, send it to 
 
the copper-plate printer, and get it proved. — ■ 
 When the proof is dry, touch it with white 
 chalk, where it should be lighter, and v/ith 
 black chalk where it should be darker ; and 
 vrhen the print isretouched, proceed as before, 
 for the lights, and for the shades, use a small 
 grounding tool, as much as you judge necessa- 
 ry to bring it to a proper colour ; and when 
 you have done as much as you think expe- 
 dient, prove it again ; and so proceed, to im- 
 prove and touch, till it is entirely to your 
 mind. 
 
 ETCHING ON GLASS. 
 
 Glass resists all the acids except the fluoric 
 acid. By this, however, it is corroded in the 
 same manner as copper is by aquafortis, and 
 plates of glass may be engraven in the same 
 manner as copper. There are several meth- 
 ods of performing this. We shall first describe 
 the mode of etching with fluoric acid. Having 
 covered over the glass, to be etched, with a 
 thin coat of white bleached beeswax, draw the 
 design upon it, in the same manner as in etch- 
 ing on copper. Then take some fluorspar, 
 commonly called Derbyshire spar ; pound it 
 fine, and put it into a leaden vessel, pouring 
 some sulphuric acid* over it. Place the glass 
 with the etched side lowermost, over this ves- 
 sel, two or three inches above it. Apply a 
 gentle heat to the leaden vessel ; this will 
 cause the acid to act upon the fluor spar, and 
 
134 
 
 disengage the gas, which will corrode the 
 glass. AVhen it is sufficiently corroded remove 
 the wax by oil of turpentine. 
 
 ANOTHER WAY. 
 
 The etching may be also performed, by 
 raising a margin of bordering-wax all around 
 the glass, in the same manner as on copper, 
 and pouring on the liquid fluoric acid, which 
 acts upon the glass. A third method of etching 
 on glass, is as follows : — Having put the wax 
 on the glass, draw your design and raise a 
 margin all round it. Then put pounded flu or 
 spar with some sulphuric acid, diluted with 
 water upon the glass. The sulphuric acid will 
 disengage the fluoric, which will be absorbed 
 by the water and corrode the glass. 
 
 BLANCHING. 
 
 Blanching is performed by beating the pie- 
 ces on a kind of peel, with a wood fire in the 
 manner of a reverbatory ; so that the flame 
 passes over the peel. The pieces being suffi- 
 ciently heated and cooled again, are put suc- 
 cessively to boil in two pans, which are of 
 copper ; in these they put water, common salt, 
 and tartar. When they have been well drained 
 of this water, in a copper sieve, they throw 
 sand and fresh water over them, and when dry, 
 they are well rubbed with towels. 
 
135 
 
 MARBLING, 
 
 Is the painting any thing with veins and 
 clouds, so as to represent those of marble. — 
 Marbling of books, or paper, is performed 
 thus. Dissolve four ounces of gum arabic, in 
 two quarts fair water, then provide several 
 colours, mixed with water in pots or shells, 
 and with pencils, peculiar to each colour, 
 sprinkle them by way of intermixture, upon 
 the gum water, which must be put into a 
 trough, or some broad vessel; then with a 
 stick, curl them or draw them out in streaks 
 to as much variety as may be done. Having 
 done this, hold your book or books close to- 
 gether, and only dip the edges in, on the top 
 of the water, and colours very lightly ; which 
 done, take them olf, and the plain impression 
 of the colour in mixture, will be upon the 
 leaves; doing as well, the ends as the front of 
 the book in like manner. Marbling books on 
 the cover, is performed by forming clouds with 
 aquafortis, or spirit of vitrol, mixed with ink, 
 and afterwards glazing the covers. 
 
 TO STOP CRACKS IN STOVES. 
 
 Ashes, salt, plaster of Paris, a small quan- 
 tity of iron filings, made into a paste with wa- 
 ter, about as thick as tar, and applied to the 
 crack, when the stove is cool, and when dried, 
 will be sound and durable. 
 
loO 
 
 TAX TAXNJ XC;. 
 
 Tail is 6ark ground fine, to be used in llic 
 tanning of jeather. Tan exists in a great 
 number of vegetable substances, particularly, 
 in the bark of the old white oak, and in the 
 young white oak, and in almost all kinds of 
 oak, hemlock, birch, beech, sumach leaves, 
 and sticks of one year’s growth, &c. It is“ 
 from the skin of animals, that leather is form- 
 ed, and the goodness of the leather, and its 
 strength, depend in some measure, on the 
 toughness of the hides. The process by which 
 the skins-of animals are converted into leathci j 
 is called t:inning. It seems to have been 
 known, and practised in the earliest ages, it 
 IS to the tan, that leather owes its insolubility, 
 and its power of resisting putrefaction; Wheti 
 hides are to be tanned, the first step, (if dry,) 
 is to make them perfectly soft, by v/orking 
 them on a beam, or otherwise, until they arc 
 as soft as when taken from tlie creature, in or- 
 der to free them from hair ; there arc various 
 ways, such as smoking, or sweating, or steep- 
 ing them in water, until they begin to putrefy — 
 all the above ways are used in England. But 
 I should think the surest process to be, to lay 
 them down in lime, or handle them in lime, 
 until the hair will easily come off. When they 
 are deprived of the hair, and well soaked and 
 worked on the hair and flesh side, there are 
 three ways in which they prepare these liides 
 Ml England, for tanniiig, called lime corci, 
 
sledj^ bend, and vitrol bend ; all orvvhicli are 
 for sole leather. 
 
 LIME CORD. 
 
 After the hides are deprived of their hair, 
 they are put into a strong lime with about half 
 a bushel of salt, to about forty sides, and han- 
 dled about twelve days ; at which time, the 
 hides will become considerably increased in 
 thickness. They are then taken out and 
 rinsed in elear water, and well worked on the 
 hair and flesh side, and then laid away in bark 
 liquor, and thus tanned. 
 
 SLEDGE BEND. 
 
 This kind of leather is made, by first pre- 
 paring a vat sufficiently large to contain the 
 hides, you intend to work therein ; having 
 filled your vat about half full of clear water, 
 put in as much rye meal as will make a good 
 ferment ; put in your bides and handle them 
 in this liquor, until they are raised to such 
 thickness as you choose ; they are then taken 
 out, rinsed and worked on the flesh and grain, 
 and laid away in bark liquor, with good fine 
 bark. 
 
 VITROL BEND. 
 
 After your hides are well sdaked and 
 worked on the flesh and hair sides, proceed to 
 12 ^ 
 
bkndle' tiieiii in a weak suiution of bark, three' 
 days or until they are well coloured on the 
 grain side ; then prepare a vat sufficient to 
 contain the hides you intend to put in, fill it 
 about half full of clear water, put into the vat 
 two ounces of sulphuric acid to each side ; 
 then stir it well, and plunge your hides into the 
 lixivium and keep continually stirring them for 
 two hours, then draw them out, and if you 
 wish your hides more raised, or made thicker, 
 you may add two ounces more of the acid ; 
 stir them as before mentioned, until they are 
 of a thickness that best suits. When done, 
 have ready a vat to lay them away*, and a 
 .liquor made as follows ; — fill five vats of bark, 
 containing sixty bushels each ; begin by letting 
 water on the first, and with a pump, take it 
 from that and so on, until ymu get the fifth 
 Yat filled ; then purnp this liquor into your 
 vat, prepared for your hides ; then lay your 
 hides in, and put'a small quantity of bark be- 
 tween each hide, and they may lie in this liquor 
 two w'eeks, when they are to be taken out and 
 the same process of barking continued ; let 
 them lay one month, and proceed as before ; 
 observe at this time of laying, to put into your 
 liquor, eight quarts of salt, and ten pounds of 
 alum, powdered fine. 
 
 UPPER LEATHER. 
 
 N 
 
 upper leather, and skins, after being limed 
 and well worked down in a grainer, made of 
 
1^9 
 
 hen or pigeon dung, and once worked on the 
 grain and flesh side, in clear water, will be in 
 a fit state to receive the tan. The sides or 
 skins ought then to be handled in a weak so- 
 lution of bark, until they are well coloured on 
 the grain, which will take perhaps, six days. 
 Then, if the leather is intended to be sold af- 
 ter it is tanned, the best inetbod will be to make 
 ready a vat about half full of clear water, and 
 put into this water one ounce of sulphuric acid 
 to each side, and handle them in this liquor, 
 ten hours ; if skins, one ounce to eight skins ; 
 after being thus handled, have ready a good 
 strong liquor from leached bark, with the ad- 
 dition of four pounds of common salt, and two 
 pounds of alum, to thirty sides or sixty skins. 
 And if continued in a good strong liquor, and 
 handled sixty days, (remembering always to 
 continue the alum and salt as aforesaid,) the 
 sides will be quite tanned ; but it is recom- 
 mended to lay them avvay for about one month, 
 in bark, in the following manner : — ‘put the 
 grain of ttvo sides together, without any bark, 
 and put the bark upon the flesh side, and so 
 continue until your vat is full. Upper leather, 
 tanned in this way, will weigh when dried, 
 fifteen per cent more than the common way 
 of tanning ; and much more bright on the 
 grain side. The author has tanned Calcutta 
 hides by the above process, in twenty six days, 
 without laying them away in bark, and they 
 proved by wear, to be of the first quality. — 
 Skins tanned by the above process, ar^e hand- 
 
ilo 
 
 somer and will weigh considerably more than 
 by the usual process. 
 
 TO SOFTEN DRY HIDES. 
 
 Put twenty pounds of potash into a vat, and 
 fill up the vat with clear water sufficiently to 
 contain thirty hides ; and after the potash is 
 dissolved, stir up the liquor well, and put in 
 your hides, and they will be fit to work in a 
 few days ; and by once working them on the 
 beam, will be as soft as if fulled or ground ; 
 and by adding five pounds more of potash, you 
 may soften forty hides more, and so on for a 
 greater number. 
 
 WHITE LEATHER* 
 
 Take three times the quantity of common 
 salt, made fine, to one of sulphuric acid, put 
 into such quantity of water as will contain the 
 number of skins you intend to dress ; your 
 skins being first prepared as for bark, and in 
 two days time, will be fit to hang up and dry. 
 Finished, the same as alum dressed. 
 
 TO SOFTEN STEEL FOR ENGRAVING. 
 
 Steel immersed in lye ten days, made of 
 white oak ashes, becomes soft and fit for en- 
 graving. 
 
141 
 
 ^FIUIT OF SOAP FOR SHA^ INO. 
 
 Pound an ounce of Castile soap, with about 
 a quarter of an ounce of salt of tartar, in a 
 marble mortar, to which add gradually, half a 
 pint of lavender water. Incorporate the whole 
 together, strain it, and keep the whole in phi- 
 als, closely stopped. When wanted for use, 
 let a few drops fall into a spoonful of water, 
 and rub the mixture into a lather. This will 
 be found far superior to any common soap. 
 
 PRUSSIAN BLUE A^S RECOMMENDED BY PR. JOHN 
 PRNNINGTON. 
 
 - Mix six pounds of pounded burnt black 
 hones, with one pound of potash ; press these 
 ingredients closely into an iron pot, and cover 
 It well with an iron cover, well plrJstered with 
 moistened clay ; expose the pot to a bright 
 red heat for three or four hours; then cool 
 gradually, and take out the ingredients ; dis- 
 solve the soluble parts in hot water, and strain 
 through flannel. If the blue he desired T)f the 
 very first quality, pour into the liquor, either 
 spirits of salt, or oil vitrol, until the efferves- 
 cence ceases on the fresh addition of the spir- 
 it of oil ; — pour the whole into a solution of 
 green vitrol, made by dissolving half a pound 
 of copperas, in tsvo gallons of water. If a 
 light kind of blue is wished, add a Icss quantitj' 
 of spirit of salt, or oil of vitrol to the liquor 
 from ihe hones ; -in which case, add a quarter 
 
of a pound of alum to the solution of green vit- 
 rol ; then mix a little of the two liquors togeth- 
 er, as before, — at the instant of mixing the two 
 liquors, which before were colourless and 
 transparent, the mixture becomes of a deep 
 blue. In a few hours, the fecula subsides and 
 bears a transparent liquid on the top, which 
 must be gently poured off and thrown away. 
 The sediment must be stirred up with clean 
 hot water and suffered again to subside ; this 
 must be repeated ; then strained through pa- 
 per, and what remains on the paper, must be 
 dried on a cake of chalk. 
 
 GOLD LACQUER. 
 
 Take of Spanish annatto two ounces, two 
 ounces of shellac, one ounce of gumniiastick, 
 one pint of rectified spirits of wine. Mix them 
 and let them stand, until all are dissolved. 
 
 SILVER LACQUER. 
 
 Take of cream of tartar two ounces, of cal- 
 amine stone prepared two ounces, gum San- 
 ders one ounce. Dissolve them in half a pint 
 of spirits of wine. 
 
 smith’s best black ink. 
 
 Take of copperas half a pound, gum arabic 
 half a pound, powdered galls one and a half 
 pounds, alum two ounces, rain v/ater six 
 quarts, vinegar half a pound. 
 
143 
 
 TO MAKE MAIIOGONY. 
 
 It has been contrived to render any species 
 of wood, of a close grain, so nearly to resem- 
 ble mahogony in the texture, density, and po- 
 lish, that the most accurate judges are inca- 
 pable of distinguishing between this happy 
 imitation, and tlie native produce. The first 
 operation as now practised, in France, is to 
 plane the surface, so as to render it perfectly 
 smooth ; the wood is to be rubbed with a solu- 
 tion of nitrous acid, which prepares it for the 
 materials subsequently to be applied. After- 
 wards, one ounce and a half of dragon’s blood, 
 dissolved in a pint of spirits of wine, and one 
 third of that quantity of carbonate of soda, 
 are to be mixed together, and filtered, and the 
 liquid in this thin state, is to be rubbed, or 
 rather laid on the wood, with a soft brush. — 
 This process is repeated with very little alter- 
 ation, and in a short interval afterwards, the 
 wood possesses the external appearance we 
 have described. When this application lhas 
 been properly made, the surface will resemble 
 an artificial mirror ; but if the polish becomes 
 less brilliant, by the use of a little cold drawn 
 linseed oil, the wood will be restored to its 
 former brilliancy. 
 
 STAINING IVORY, BONE, HORN, 6lC. RED. 
 
 Take one gallon of lime water, made by 
 pouring on a quantity of quick lime, so much 
 
water as when ])ourecl off, the clear lic[uor will 
 be oue gallon; add to this, half a pound of 
 Brazil wood, cut fine ; boil them together, for 
 one hour, and let them stand twenty four 
 hours. Then put in your ivory, bone or horn, 
 prepared first by boiling in alum water, and 
 continue boiling, until sufficiently coloured. — 
 If intended for crimson, it may be rendered 
 -more red, by dipping it again in alum water- 
 
 STAINING IVORY, BONE, OR HORN, BLACK. 
 
 Take of litharge and quick lime, each an 
 equal quantity ; put them into a pan over a 
 hot fire, and pour so much rain water, as will 
 not boil over ; when the liquor boils, put in 
 your ivory, bone, or horn, and stir it well 
 with a clean stick. When you see it take the 
 colour, take your pan from the fire, and stir it 
 constantly until the liquor is cold. 
 
 BROWN WATER COLOUR, 
 
 Take the smooth ripe shells of the buck 
 eye, or horse chesnut ; reduce them to a coarse 
 powdeiv and boil them several hours, in water ; 
 next, filter the liquor through flannel, and let 
 it stand until the colouring particles subside. 
 Then carefully pour off the clear fluid and dry 
 the sediment. Even in this simple manner, 
 the decoction affords a beautiful brown col- 
 our, but is considerably improved, on adding a 
 small portion of gum arabic. 
 
145 
 
 cermax wax for polishing mahogany. 
 
 Cut into small pieces, a quarter of a pound 
 of yellow wax, and melting it in a pipkin, add 
 one ounce of well pounded black resin, boiled 
 in water, and afterwards dried ; these being' 
 both melted, pour in by degrees while yet 
 warm, two ounces spirits turpentine ; when 
 the oil is thoroughly mixed, pour it off into a 
 tin or earthern pot, and keep it covered for 
 use. The method of applying it, after well 
 cleaning and dusting the furniture is by spread- 
 ing a little piece of it on a woollen cloth, and 
 rubbing the wood well with it ; in a few days 
 the gloss will be as firm and as fast as varnish. 
 
 A VARNISH FOR COLOURED PRTJ^TS OR DRAWINGS 
 TO GIVE THEM THE APPEARANCE OP OIL 
 PAINTINGS. 
 
 Take balsam of fir, one ounce, and two 
 ounces of spirits of turpentine ; mix them well 
 together. Before applying this composition, 
 the print or drawing should be well sized with 
 a solution of fish glue, and suffered to remain 
 until perfectly dry ; the varnish should then 
 be laid on carefully wdth a soft brush. 
 
 A FINE GREEN PAINT, FOR OIL OR WATER. 
 
 A durable green pigment was, for a long 
 time, a desideratum among painters. M. Kin- 
 man, a member of the Swedish Aeademy, at 
 13 
 
146 
 
 length, discovered and published the following 
 process. Dissolve in separate vessels, a por- 
 tion of zinc in aquafortis, and a portion of co- 
 balt, strongly calcined in aqua regia, until the 
 liquors are completely saturated. When both 
 solutions are prepared, mix two parts of the 
 latter with one part of the former ; then pro- 
 cure a hot and clarified solution of potash, 
 three parts of which, will be required to pre- 
 cipitate the mixture above described. After it 
 has subsided, the fluid part should be gently 
 poured off, and the sediment evaporated to 
 dryness, over a slow fire until it assumes a 
 green colour ; before this pigment can be used, 
 it ought to be repeatedly washed with filtered 
 water. Thus it will become fit, both for oil, 
 and water colours, as it is sufficiently fixed to 
 stand the effects of the air and sun, and the 
 inventor has ascertained its superior durability 
 by more than ten year’s experience. He adds, 
 that painters may, by this composition, com- 
 bine their yellow and ultramarine, so as to 
 form a very beautiful and permanent green 
 colour. 
 
 OINTMENT FOR THE SCAB, &C. IN SHEEP. 
 
 Rub together in a mortar, one pound of 
 quicksilver, and half a pound of Venice tur- 
 pentine, till the globules of the quicksilver 
 disappear; then add half a pint of oil turpen- 
 tine, and four pounds hog’s lard, mixing the 
 whole into an ointment. The process of ap- 
 
147 
 
 plying it, is as follows : — Begin at tlie head of 
 the sheep, and divide the wool with the fingers, 
 from between the ears, along the back, to the 
 end of the tail, in a furrow, until you can touch 
 the skin. In the meanwhile, this furrow is 
 making, a finger slightly dipped in the oint- 
 ment, is to be drawn along the skin until it 
 bears a blue stain on the skin, and the adjoin- 
 ing wool. From this furrow, similar ones 
 must be drawn down the shoulder and thigb_s, 
 to the legs, as far as they are woolly, and if 
 the animal be much infected, two more should 
 be drawn along each side, parallel to that on 
 the back, and one down each side, between 
 the fore and hind legs, and this will make a 
 permanent cure. We should recommend on 
 using this ointment, that the animal be housed 
 a few days, from the weather, if it should 
 prove stormy or damp. 
 
 SUPERIOR RED INK. 
 
 On four ounces of best carmine, pour two 
 ounces of caustic amonia, adding twenty grains 
 of the whitest and clearest gum arabic ; let 
 these remain until the gum is entirely dis- 
 solved. This ink, more expensive than the 
 common one, will continue its bright red col- 
 our, for forty or fifty years. 
 
 MOSAIC SILVER. 
 
 This is a inetallic alloy, in the form of silver 
 
148 
 
 flakes, used as a pigment for giving a white 
 metallic lustre in imitation of silver bronzing. 
 It is prepared in the following manner. Take 
 an ounce and a half a grain of tin, and the 
 same quantity of bismuth, melt them together, 
 in a clean crusible, and stir the mass repeat- 
 edly, with a clean iron rod till the two metals 
 are accurately mixed ; then remove the cruci- 
 ble from the fire, and when its contents are 
 upon the point of becoming cold, or solid, pour 
 in one ounce and a half of quicksilver, previ- 
 ouslj' made warm, stirringit as before,tiii it is 
 cold, and becomes a flaky powder. It may be 
 used dry, similar to copper or gold bronze ; 
 or ground with gum water, on a clean marble 
 paint stone, and laid on with a pencil ; either 
 way, it must be well secured with white copal 
 varnish; or may be ground with the white of 
 an egg, and alcohol varnish that is white, and 
 in this state, applied to the intended work ; 
 when dried it may be burnished in the usual 
 manner. It has very much the appearance of 
 silver. 
 
 THE METHOD OP LAYING THE BRONZE GILDING^ 
 
 The ground work for ornamental bronzing 
 is a greenish black, made of lamp black and 
 verdigris, ground in varnish ; and when a suffi- 
 cient body of this is laid on, and thoroughly 
 dried and polished, the sizing must be laid on 
 with a fine and soft brush, and dried in the 
 shade, sufficiently. Having thus prepared the 
 
149 
 
 work ready to receive the ligures, which must 
 be formed by cutting holes through pieces of 
 liaper, lay these patterns on the work, when 
 the varnish is adhesive as above described, but 
 not press them down any more than isl*equi- 
 site to keep the paper in its place ; then take 
 a small piece of deer skin, made fast to a 
 wooden handle, in such a manner, that the 
 leather will spring a little when used for 
 bronzing ; several of these tools will be neces- 
 sary of ditFerent sizes, and some small and 
 short camel’s hair pencils will be necessary 
 with these tools. The bronze must be applied 
 by first breathing on the deer skin or pencil, 
 and then dipped in the dry bronze and applied 
 to the pattern or figures, beginning at the 
 edges ; the camel’s hair pencil may be used 
 for the light shades, different kinds of bronze 
 may be used, as different shades are required, 
 thus any figure may be produced in a variety 
 of shades, by ayiplyingthe bronze more freely 
 to some parts than others. If some internal 
 parts of the figures, require to be more dis- 
 tinct than others, they may be edged with dark 
 coloured paint. In some work, it may be well 
 to extend the varnish no farther than the in- 
 tended figures, in which case any projecting 
 or branching parts of the figures may be drawn 
 with a camel’s hair pencil, and the patterns 
 may, in some measure be dispensed with ; in 
 either case, the work must afterwards have 
 one or more coats of copal varnish. 
 
 13 =^ 
 
TO WASH BRASS OR COPPER WITH SILVER. 
 
 To half an ounce of the strongest nitric 
 acid, in a phial, add one ounce of water, and 
 one fourth of an ounce of good silver, rolled 
 thin and cut into fine chips ; it will soon be 
 dissolved. This is called nitrate of silver, and 
 is transparent and colourless. Add to this, a 
 solution of nearly two drachms of common 
 salt, in any quantity of water that will precip- 
 itate the silver to the bottom of the phial, in a 
 mass. Pour otf the water with the acid, and 
 add to the silver, an equal quantity of cream 
 tartar ; thus'^orming a soft paste, dip a piece 
 of soft leather in this paste, and rub it on the 
 metal to be silvered; continue rubbing it till it 
 is nearly dry ; then wash it with water, and 
 polish, by rubbing it hard with a piece of dry 
 leather. Another way is, to add pearlash to 
 the nitrate of silver, as long as ebullition en- 
 sued; then the acid is poured off, and the 
 precipitate, which is white, at first, but be- 
 comes green, when dry, is mixed wfith double 
 its quantity of common salt, and cream of 
 tartar ; with this composition, being moistened, 
 the metal is rubbed over, &c. 
 
 TO VARNISH MAPS, CHARTS, PICTURES, &:C. 
 
 Take a piece of fine linen or cotton cambric, 
 rather larger than the map or picture to be 
 varnished, and draw it straight upon a frame 
 of convenieHt size, and confine it at the edges j 
 
iol 
 
 by small tacks ; lay a thin coat of fine rye 
 flour paste on this, and on the back of the pa- 
 per that is to be varnished ; lay the paper on 
 the cambric, and press them together till the 
 paper adheres firmly in every part. When 
 this is dry, give the face of the print two or 
 three coats of a strong solution of gum arabic 
 in water. This sizing must be spread over 
 the work very quickly, and with as little brush- 
 ing as possible ; afterwards, give the work two 
 or three coats of varnish, made from South 
 Amei'ican copal, as it is a colourless varnish.’ 
 
 TO MAKE BRUNSWICK VARNISH. 
 
 Take one pound gum asphaltum, and melt 
 it over a slow fire ; then take it from the fire, 
 and add spirits of turpentine in small quanti- 
 ties, stirring it briskly till it is of the consis- 
 tence of other varnishes ; as there is some dan- 
 ger of its taking fire when the spirits of turpen- 
 tine is added, it would be necessary to be pro- 
 vided with a piece of wet flannel to throw over 
 it, if that should happen; when it is nearly 
 cold, strain it through flannel and bottle it for 
 use. The black varnish is used for borderfng 
 picture glasses, and is the most perfect black 
 in nature, for that use; it is water proof, and 
 dries quick. 
 
 TO MAKE SILVER SOLDER. 
 
 Melt fine silver two parts, brass one part ^ 
 
152 
 
 do not keep them long in fusion, lest the brass 
 fly off in fumes. 
 
 A SOLDER FOR GOLD. 
 
 Melt copper one part, fine silver one part, 
 and gold two parts; add a little borax, when 
 it is just melted ; then pour it out immedi- 
 ate'ly. 
 
 MOSAIC GOLD. 
 
 Melt tw-^o ounces of tin, and mix with it one 
 ounce of quicksilver ; when this is cold, pul- 
 verize it, and add one ounce of salamoniac 
 and one of sulphur, and grind them all togeth- 
 er ; put the compound in a flask, »and heat it in 
 a clear fire, (carefully avoiding the fumes,) 
 till the mercury subsides and rises in vapour; 
 when the vapour ceases to rise, take the flask 
 from the fire, a flaky gold coloured powder 
 will remain in the flask, which may be applied 
 to ornamental work in the manner of gold 
 bronze, of which it is a good imitation. 
 
 TO PAINT IN VARIOUS SHADES ON WOOD OR CLOTH. 
 
 Paint the ground work white, or yellow', 
 with oil paint ; when dry, grind any of the fol- 
 lowing colours, Prussian blue, burnt terra di 
 sienna, rose pink, burnt ochre, in strong vin- 
 egar, or whiskey, perfectly fine. Lay on a 
 coat of any of the above colours, upon the 
 
153 
 
 or yellow ground; then take a bladder 
 that has been previously soaked in the same 
 kind of liquor, that the above colours are 
 ground in, and shade with the bladder, by ta-- 
 king it in one hand and patting or stamping 
 ' on the paint ; and wherever the folds of the 
 bladder strike into tlie paint, the different 
 shades are made. When dry, give the work 
 one coat of boiled oil; and when dry, polish 
 lightly with fine sand paper,^ and then varnish.. 
 This kind of painting is made use of, on car- 
 pets for stairs, and floors of rooms, and the 
 inside of wagon and sleigh boxes, and various 
 other uses. 
 
 TO M.VKE CRAYONS OF VARIOUS COLOURS. 
 
 Crayons consist of various coloured pig- 
 ments, or paints formed into sticks or rolls, for 
 the purpose of drawing and shading with them, 
 in the manner of lead pencils ; but that they 
 may be of a uniform texture, or hardness, 
 different ingredients and materials require 
 some variation, in the management. To make 
 white crayons, nothing more is requisite, than 
 to mix superfine or refined whiting with alco- 
 hol, to the consistence of soft putty ; form it 
 into rolls of a convenient length and size, and 
 let them dry ; or the whiting may be mixed 
 with water, and a sufificient quantity of burnt 
 or calcined sulphate of lime, to give the cray- 
 ons a sufficient degree of hardness, when dry. 
 A great \ariety of elegant light colours may 
 
be formed by adding to the whiting, prepared 
 as above, any of the coloured pigments. The 
 most proper colours for crayons are lamp 
 black, Prussian biue,-burnt amber, burnt terra 
 di sienna, red ocJire, vermilion, lake, rose pink , 
 chrome yellow, yellow ochre, and mineral 
 green. Many other handsome g'reens are 
 formed by mixing chrome yellow with Prussian 
 blue, vaiying the proportions ; and purples 
 are produced by mixing rose pink or Jake, 
 with blue, Prussian blue, and lake, being each 
 naturally of a binding nature, require only to 
 be ground in water; but red ochre and ver- 
 milion should be ground in alcohol or may 
 have some quantity of sulphate of lime mixed 
 with them. Any of these colours may be 
 mixed in any })roportion with whiting,' or eacli 
 other; each compound having a sufficient 
 proportion of sulphate of lime to give it a prop- 
 er degree of hardness and strength when dry. 
 The proper length for crayons is from two to 
 three inches, and the size as that of a tobacco 
 pipe stem. It, is customary in making crayons, 
 to have at hand a large piece of chalk with a 
 plain surface, on which to lay the crayons as 
 soon as they are rolled ; the chalk absorbs a 
 part of the moisture which makes them dry 
 quicker, and without cracking. 
 
 TO PAINT IN FIGURES FOR CARPETS, OR BORDERS. 
 
 Take a sheet of paste board or strong pa[»er, 
 and }»aint or draw thereon, with a pencil, any 
 
J55 
 
 flower or figure that would be elegant for a bor- 
 der, or carpet figure; then with small gouges 
 and chisels, or a sharp penknife, cut out the fig- 
 ure completely, that it be represented by aper- 
 tures, cut through the paper. Lay this paper 
 or pattern, on tlie ground, intended to receive 
 the figure, whether a floor or painted cloth ; 
 and with a stiff smooth brush, paint with a 
 quick vibrative motion, over the whole figure ; 
 then take up the paper and you will have an 
 entire figure, on the ground. 
 
 Note. If a floor is to be thus painted, in 
 imitation of a carpet, the pattern must be per- 
 fectly square, and the figure so designed, that 
 when several of them come together, they may 
 Completely match each other; and when dif- 
 ferent colours are used in the same figure, they 
 must be kept a little separate from each other, 
 and wrought with different brushes. 
 
 CASE HARDENING IRON. 
 
 Take the salt, called prusiate of pO|tash, 
 which may be had of all the chemists. Pow- 
 der the salt, and sprinkle upon the iron, when 
 in a state of redness ; it will be found to run 
 like oil, and when plunged into cold water, 
 will be found to be as hard, and harder than 
 iron, case hardened in the usual way. The 
 preparation is easy, and serves a great length 
 of time. 
 
cleanse «;ilver or gold, after it is 
 
 SOLDERED. 
 
 Make it just red hot, and let it cool ; then 
 boil it in alum water, in an earthern vessel, 
 and it will be as clean as when new. If gold, 
 boil it in chamber lye and salanioniac. 
 
 THE METHOD OP SOLDERING GOLD AND SILVER. 
 
 After the solder is cast into an ingot, it would 
 be more ready for use, if you were to draw it 
 into small wire, or flat it between two rollers ; 
 Lifter that, cut it into small bits, then join your 
 work together, v/ith soft iron wire, and with a 
 camel’s hair pencil, dipped in borax finely 
 powdered, and well moistened with water, 
 touch the joint, intended to be soldered, placing 
 a little solder upon the joint, apply it upon a 
 large piece of charcoal, and with a blow pipe 
 and lamp, blow upon the flame, until it melts 
 the solder and it is done. 
 
 TO PAINT MAHOGANY. 
 
 Paint the ground work a flesh colour, by 
 grinding white and red lead together, in oil ; 
 when this ground is dry, grind on a stone, 
 some burnt English terra disienna, wdth strong 
 beer; lay on a coat of this with a clean brush, 
 then having ready provided a number of pie- 
 ces of linen or cotton cloth, take of these 
 cloths and shade, through tliis last colour, ac- 
 
cording to fancy, having a piece of mahogaii/ 
 lying before you at the same time. When one 
 piece of cloth is much absorbed yv^ith paint, 
 throw it aside, and take a clean piece, and so 
 on, until the shades are finished according to 
 fancy. If the second coat dries too fast for the 
 shading’, the cloths must be moistened with 
 beer. When the shades are thus finished, and 
 nearly dry, take a soft brush, and brush it lightly 
 over the work, till it is smooth ; then with a 
 flat graining tool, dipped in some beer, col- 
 oured with terra di sienna, grain the work over 
 the light shades. When the work is dry, 
 which will be the case in a few minutes, lay 
 over the work, a coat of copal varnish, and 
 when dry, repeat the operation till an even 
 varnish is given over the whole work. The 
 operation of shading must be done quick, on 
 account of the great dryness of the terra di 
 sienna and beer. 
 
 TO WHITEN BRASS OR COPPER, BY BOILING. 
 
 Put the brass or copper into an earthern 
 boiler, with some white tartar, alum and grain 
 tin, and boil them together. The articles will 
 soon become covered with a coating of tin, 
 which when well polished, will look like silver. 
 It is in this manner that buttons are whitened. 
 
 TO MAKE A COPY OF A PRINT OR PICTURE. 
 
 Take a sheet of the finest white paper, wet 
 14 
 
158 
 
 it over with bleached linseed oil, or unprepared 
 linseed oil, and spirits of turpentine in equal 
 quantities. When the oil is soaked throuoh 
 the paper, wipe it off clean ; then let it stand 
 and dry ; otherwise, it would spoil the printed 
 picture, by the soaking through of the oil. — 
 Having thus prepared the paper, lay it on any 
 printed or painted picture, audit may be seen 
 perfectly through ; then, with a black lead 
 pencil, copy with ease any picture on the oiled 
 paper, then put it upon a sheet of clean white 
 paper, and with a little pointed tracer or bur- 
 nisher, go over the strokes, drawn upon the 
 oiled paper, and the same will be very neatly 
 and exactly drawn upon the white paper. 
 
 TO TAKE OFF A COPY FROM A PRINT OR PICTURE. 
 
 Make a water of soap and alum, with which 
 wet a cloth or paper ; lay it either on a print 
 or picture, and pass it once under a^ rolling 
 press ; you will have a very fine copy of what- 
 ever you have laid it upon. When a rolling 
 press is not easily obtained, a pressure in a 
 large wooden vice will answer. - 
 
 BEST METHOD OF COPYING A PICTURE. 
 
 The usual manner of copying in landscape, 
 and which will answer for pictures of any size 
 is to rub over the back of the picture with 
 plumbago, or red ochre ; then lay the picture 
 on the ground that is to receive the copy, and 
 
159 
 
 irace%ie lines with a smooth pointed steel, or 
 piece of hard wood. The ground will thus be 
 very accurately and distinctly marked, by the 
 plumbago or ochre, adhering to the lines that 
 are traced. When several copies are to be 
 taken from the same pattern, which frequently 
 occurs ill ornamental painting, the outlines of 
 the first may be perforated with a needle, set 
 in a handle, so that being laid on the other 
 grounds, that are to receive the copies, arid 
 brushed over with a little fine dry whiting or 
 red ochre, as the case may require, the whit- 
 ing or ochre will penetrate the perforated lines 
 of the pattern, jfnd thus mark the ground on 
 which it is laid. 
 
 TO MAKE LIQUID JAPPAN BLACKING. 
 
 Take three ounces of ivory black, two oun- 
 ces of coarse sugar, one ounce of sulphuric 
 acid, one ounce of muriatic acid, one table 
 spoonful of sweet oil, and lemon acid, and one 
 pint common vinegar. First mix the ivory 
 black and sweet oil together ; then the lemon 
 and sugar, with a little vinegar to qualify the 
 blacking ; then add the sulphuric and muriatic 
 acid, and mix them all together. The sugar, 
 oil, and vinegar prevent the acids from injur- 
 ing the leather, and add to the texture of the 
 blacking. 
 
160 
 
 TO DYE SKINS BLUE. 
 
 Boil elder berries or dwarf elder, then 
 smear the skins and wash them therewith, 
 and wring them out ; then boil the berries as 
 before, in a solution of alum water, and wet 
 the skins in the same manner, once or twice, 
 dry them, and they will be very blue. 
 
 TO DYE HATS GREEN OR ANY OTHER COLOUR.- 
 
 A patent was granted in 1830, to Robert 
 Goulding of London, hat dyer, for his method 
 of dyeing, staining, and colouring beaver hats, 
 green or any other colour. The inventor di- 
 rects the nap of the hat to be raised by means 
 of a card, on the side intended to be dyed, and 
 then boiled in alum argol. A thin paste should 
 be made of flour or clay, which is spread over 
 every part that is not to be dyed, and then 
 closed ; or the hat may be previously pasted, 
 and instead of being boiled, it should only be 
 simmered in the same liquor. As soon as the 
 paste is spread, plates of copper or other met- 
 al, shaped like a common funnel are fixed over 
 the paste to prevent the dye from penetrating 
 through. In this state, the hat is immersed in 
 the dye, till the colour is sufficiently fixed, 
 when it is taken out, opened and cleansed from 
 the paste; but if any colouring particles have 
 penetrated through the felt, they may be re- 
 moved by rubbing them with a small quantity 
 of spirit of salt, aquafortis, &c. The com- 
 
161 
 
 pounds employed in dyeing, are fustic, turnie-* 
 ric, ebony, saifron, alum, argol, indigo, and 
 vitroi, witli urine or pefirlash, at the option of 
 the dyer ; all which are used separately, or 
 together, according to the colour required. 
 
 GOLD SHELL. 
 
 It is made of the parings of leaf gold, and 
 even of the leaves themselves, reduced into an 
 impalpable powder, by grinding on a marble, 
 with honey. After leaving it to infuse some 
 time’ in aquafortis, they put it in shells, when 
 it sticks. To use, they dilute it with gum wa- 
 ter or soap water. It is used by the illumina- 
 tors and with which, they write letters of gold. 
 
 TINNING OF IRON. 
 
 When iron plates are to be tinned, they are 
 first scoured, and then put into -what is called 
 a pickle, which is sulphuric acid, diluted with 
 water. This dissolves the rust or oxide, that 
 was left after scouring, and renders the sur- 
 face perfectly clean. They are then again 
 washed and Scoured. They are no’fv dipped 
 into a vessel full of melted tin, the surface of 
 which is Qovered with fat or oil to defend it 
 from the action of the air. By this means, the 
 iron coming in contact with the melted tin in 
 a perfectly metalic state, it comes out com- 
 pletely coated. When a small quantity of iron 
 only, is to be tinned, it is heated and the tin 
 14 ^ 
 
rubbed on with a piece of ciotli — having first 
 sprinkled the iron with some powdered resin, 
 the use of which is to reduce the tin that may 
 be oxidated. Any inflammable substance, as 
 oil, for instance, will have in some degree, the 
 same effect, which is owing to their attraction 
 for oxygen, 
 
 METHOD OF TAKING A CAST IN PLASTER FROM A 
 
 person’s face. 
 
 The person whose likeness is required in 
 plaster, must iie on his back, and the hair 
 must be tied back, so that none of it covers 
 the face. Into each nostril, convey a conical 
 piece of stiff paper, open at both ends, to allow 
 of breathing. The face is then lightly oiled 
 over in every part with sallad oil, to prevent 
 the plaster from sticking to the skin. Procure 
 some fresh burnt plaster, and mix it with wa- 
 ter to a proper consistence for pouring; then 
 pour it by spoonfuls, quickly all oyer the face, 
 taking care that the eyes are shut, till it is en- 
 tirely covered, to the thickness of a quarter of 
 an inch. This substance will grow sensibly 
 hot, and in a few minutes it will be hard, and 
 form a mould, in which a head of clay may be 
 moulded ; and therein the eyes may be opened, 
 and such other additions and corrections may 
 be made as are necessary. Then this second 
 face being anointed with oil, another mould of 
 plaster must be made upon it, consisting of 
 two parts, joined lengthwise, along the ridge 
 
of the nose, and in this a cast in plaster njay 
 be 'taken, which will be exactly like the 
 original. 
 
 TO TAKE CASTS FROM MEDALS. 
 
 In order to take copies of medals, a mould 
 must first be made. This is generally, either 
 of plaster of Paris, or of melted sulphur. Af- 
 ter having oiled the surface of the medal, with 
 a little cotton, or camel hair pencil, dipped in 
 oil of olives put a hoop of paper around it, 
 standing up above the surface of the thickness 
 you wish the mould to be. Then take some 
 plaster of Paris, mix it with water, to the con- 
 sistence of cream, and with a brush, rub it 
 over the surface of the medal, to prevent air 
 holes from appearing; then immediately after- 
 ward, make it of a sufiicient thickness, by 
 pouring on more plaster. Let it stand about 
 half an hour, and it will in that time, grow so 
 hard, that you may safely take it off ; then 
 pare it smooth on the back and round the edge 
 neatly. It should ‘be dried, if in cold or damp 
 weather, before a brisk fire. If you cover the 
 face of the mould, with fine plaster, a coarser 
 sort will do for the back, but no more plaster 
 should be mixed at one time, than can be used, 
 as it will soon get hard, and cannot be softened 
 without burning over again. Sulphur must not 
 be poured upon silver, as this will tarnish it. 
 
 To prepare this mould for casting sulphur 
 or plaster of Paris in; take half a pint of 
 
boiled linseed oil, and oil of turpentine one 
 ounce, and mix them together in a bottle ; 
 when wanted, pour the mixture into a plate or 
 saucer, and dip the surface of the mould into 
 it ; take the mould out again, and when it has 
 sucked in the oil, dip it again. Repeat this, 
 till the oil begins to stagnate upon it, then take 
 a little cotton wool, rolled up to prevent the 
 oil from sticking to it, and wipe it carefully 
 otF. Lay it in a dry place, for a day or two, 
 if longer, the better, and the mould will ac- 
 quire a very hard surface from the effect of 
 the oil. 
 
 To cast piaster of Paris in this mould ; pro- 
 ceed with it in the same manner as above di- 
 rected, for obtaining the mould itself; first, 
 oiling the mould with olive oil. If sulphur 
 casts are required, it must be melted in an iron 
 ladle. 
 
 anotheh method with isinglass. 
 
 Dissolve isinglass in wqter, over the fire; 
 then with a hair pencil, lay the melted isinglass 
 over the medal ; and when you have covered 
 it properly, let it dry. When it is hard, raise 
 the isinglass up with the point of a penknife 
 and it will fly off, like horn, having a sharp 
 impression of the medal. The isinglass may 
 be made of any colour by mixing the colour 
 with it, or you may breathe on the concave 
 side, and lay gold leaf on it, which, by shining 
 through, will mSike it appear like a gold med- 
 
165 
 
 ai. But if you wish to imitate a copper medaf, 
 mix a little carmine with the isinglass, and lay 
 gold leaf on as before. 
 
 TO MAKE CARMINE. 
 
 For the preparation of carmine, four ounces 
 of finely pulverized cochineal are poured into 
 four, or six quarts of rain water, that has been 
 previously boiled in a pewter kettle, and boif 
 it for the space of six minutes longer, (some 
 advise to add during the boiling two drachms 
 of pulverized crystals of tartar,) eight scruples 
 of Roman alum, in powder, are then to be 
 added, and the whole kept upon the fire one 
 minute longer ; as soon as the gross powder 
 has subsided to the bottom, and the decoction 
 becomes clear, the latter is to be carefully de- 
 canted into large cylindrical glasses, covered 
 over and kept undisturbed, till a fine powder 
 is observed to have settled at the bottom. — 
 The superincumbent liquor is then to be 
 poured off from this powder, and the powder 
 gradually dried. From the decanted liquor, 
 which is still much coloured, the rest of the 
 colouring matter may be separated by means 
 of the solution of tin, when it yields a carmine 
 little inferior to the other. 
 
 TO MAKE WHITE VITROL. 
 
 Mix five parts of sulphuric acid with twenty- 
 parts pure water; then add gradually, three 
 
i66 
 
 parts of zinc ; the zinc should be cut or broken 
 into small_ pieces, not exceeding the size of a 
 Ivazle nut. When the ebullition or foamy ap- 
 pearance ceases, the liquor must be strained, 
 and after being evaporated over a gentle fire, j 
 
 and then placed in the cool air, white chrystals | 
 
 will be formed, which are the white vitrol. — | 
 
 The vitrol obtained in this way is far superior 1 
 
 to the native vitrol. 
 
 GOLD COLOUR COPAL VARNISH. ,j 
 
 Take copal in powder one ounce, essential i 
 oil of lavender two ounces, essence of turpen- 1 
 pentine six ounces. Put the essential oil of 
 lavender into a matrass of a proper size, , 
 
 placed on a sand bath, heated by an Araunds 
 lamp, or over a moderate coal fire. Add to 
 the oil, while warm, and at several times, the a 
 
 copal powder, and stir the mixture wdth a il 
 
 stick of white wood, rounded at the end. — I 
 
 When the copal has entirely disappeared, add | 
 
 at three different times, the essence almost in 
 a state of ebullition, and keep constantly stir- i 
 ring the mixture. When the solution is com- h 
 pleted, the result will be a varnish of a gold n 
 colour. 
 
 TO RENDER PAPER FIRE PROOF. 
 
 P 
 
 Whether the paper be plain, w'ritten, print- 
 ed on, or even marbled, stained or painted for 
 hangings. Dip it in a strong solution of alum 
 
water, and then thoroughly dry it. In this 
 state, it will be fire proof. Some paper requires 
 to imbibe more of the solution, than by a sin- 
 gle immersion, in which case, the dipping and 
 drying must be repeated till it becomes fully 
 saturated. Neither the colour nor quality of 
 the paper, will be in the least affected by this 
 process. 
 
 puller’s purifier for woollen cloth. 
 
 Dry, pulverize, and sift the following ingre- 
 dients. Six pounds of fuller’s earth, one 
 pound of pipe clay, four ounces of French 
 chalk. Make- a paste of the above, w ith the 
 following: — one ounce of rectified oil of tur- 
 pentine, two ounces of spirits of wine, one and 
 a half pounds of melted soap. Make up the 
 compound, into six penny or shilling cakes, 
 for sale. These cakes are to be kept in w'ater, 
 or in small wood boxes 
 
 TO OBTAIN A DYEING MATTER FROM POTATOE 
 TOPS. 
 
 Cut off the tops when they are in flow6r, 
 and extract the juice, by bruising and pressing 
 it. Linen or woollen, imbibed in this liquor, 
 forty eight hours, will take a brilliant colour. 
 If the cloth be afterwards plunged in a blue 
 dye, it will acquire a permanent green coluur. 
 

 MORDANT VARNISH FOR GILDHNG. 
 
 Take of gum mastick one ounce, of gum 
 saridarack one ounce, of gum guttae half an 
 ounce, of turpentine a quarter of an ounce, of 
 essence of turpentine six ounces. Some ar- 
 tists, who make use of mordants, substitute for 
 the use of turpentine, an ounce of the essence 
 of lavender. The application of them, how- 
 ever, is confined chiefly to gold. When it is 
 required to fill up a design with gold leaf, on 
 any ground whatever, the composition, which 
 is to serve as the means of union between the 
 metal and ground, ought neither to be too 
 thick, nor too fluid ; it will be requisite that 
 the composition should not dry till the artist 
 has completed his design. 
 
 JAPPAN BLUE. 
 
 Take gum water what quantity you please, 
 and white lead, a sufficient quantity, grind 
 these well on a porphory ; then take isinglass 
 size, what quantity you please, of the finest 
 and best smalt, a sufficient quantity ; mix 
 them well ; to which add of your white lead 
 before ground, so much as may give it a suffi- 
 cient body ; mix all these together to the con- 
 sistence of a paiiit. 
 
i69 
 
 TO REMOVE FRECKLES FROM THE FACE. 
 
 Put into a phial any desired quantity of lem- 
 on juice, and mix with the juice a small quan- 
 tity of powdered borax, and a little refined 
 sugar. Let it stand for eight days, and then 
 apply it frequently, to the freckled part, by 
 means of a sponge or soft rag ; by this appli- 
 cation, the freckles will all be removed in a 
 short time. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 
 
 36, in the 8ili and 9th lines from the bottom, for “ it is fit for 
 use”, Ye■A(^, filter for use. 
 
 49, ’.n the 10th line from the lop, for soon,” read, even. 
 
 52, in the 1 1 th line from top, for '' pricked”, read, picked. 
 
 53, in the 12lh line from the bottom, for “ appertain,” read, 
 appear. 
 
 63, in the 15ih line from the top, for “requires, read, ac- 
 quires. 
 
 15 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Patent leather, - - - ' - 5 
 
 Directions for finishing patent leather, - 6 
 
 Varnish for finishing patent leather and cloth, 8 
 Fat oil varnish, - _ _ - 9 
 
 Oil varnish, - - - - 10 
 
 Black varnishes for coaches and iron, - 10 
 
 Varnish for rendering silk, water and air-tight, J 1 
 To make cloth water and air tight, - 12 
 
 Essential oil varnish, - - - 12 
 
 White elastic varnish, - - - 12 
 
 Varnish for tin, - - - - 13 
 
 Varnish for leather, - - - 13 
 
 Varnish for boots and shoes, - - 13 
 
 Water proof boots and shoes, - - 14 
 
 Fresco painting, - - - 14 
 
 Principal colours from which all the tints are 
 made, and their qualities in painting with 
 oil, - - - - - 18 
 
 White satin, _ _ _ - 20 
 
 Blue satin, _ - _ . 22 
 
 Velvet, . - - _ 23 
 
 Pink colour, - - - - 24 
 
 Principal tints necessary for painting, - 25 
 
 Method of prepaiing green wood so that it Avill 
 
 not split in turning*, _ _ - 27 
 
 Method of giving to plumb tree the colour of 
 
 Brazil wood, - - - 28 
 
 A fine black colour for Avood, - - 28 
 
 Dyeing AAmod Mahogany colour, - - 2S 
 
17 J 
 
 Hose wood stain, - _ . - 29 
 
 Another very beautiful Mahogany stain, - 30 
 
 To make a beautiful soft glass for jewelry, 30 
 
 Solder for tin, - - - - 31 
 
 Another solder for tin, - - - 31 
 
 To stain wood yellow, _ - - 31 
 
 To stain wood red, - - - 31 
 
 To stain wood blue, - - - 32 
 
 To stain wood purple, - - - 32 
 
 Vaneering, _ ^ ^ 33 
 
 Litmus blue, - - _ _ 34 
 
 A varnish for brass, to give the appearance of 
 
 gold, - - - - 35 
 
 A good white varnish, - - - 36 
 
 Another white varnish, - - - 36 
 
 Spirit varnishes, - - - 33 
 
 To dissolve gum copal in spirits of wine, - 37 
 
 Varnish for wainscot, cane chairs, &c. - 37 
 
 A varnish for toilet boxes, cases, fans, &c, 38 
 
 To stain w'ood green, - - - 38- 
 
 Varnish for violins and other musical instru- 
 ments, - - - - 33 
 
 A varnish for employing vermillion for- 
 
 painting equipages, &c. - - 38 
 
 Seed lac varnish, - - - - 39 
 
 Shellac varnish, - - - - 39 
 
 White varnish for clock faces, - - 39 
 
 Cement for glass grinders, - - 40 
 
 To solder or cement broken glass, • - 41 
 
 Cement for spar and other stones, - 41 
 
 Blood cement, - - - - 42 
 
 Flour paste, - - - - 42 
 
 Jeweller’s cement, for setting precious stones 
 
 when pieces are broken off by accident, 43 
 Turkey cement for joining glass, metals, &c. 43 
 
 To cement broken china, glass, &c., - 43 
 
 Cement useful for turners, - - 44 
 
 A strong cemci.t. - - - 44 
 
17'J 
 
 Shellac cement, . - - - 43 
 
 Cement that will stand against boiling water 
 
 and the pressure of steam, - - 45 
 
 Another ■ cement that will stand the action of 
 
 boiling water and steam, - - 47 
 
 Japanese cement, - - - 48 
 
 Cement for stopping holes or cracks in iron, 48 
 Cement,^ _ 48 
 
 Jappanning, - - - - 49 
 
 Method of painting jappan work, - - 59 
 
 Manner of varnishing jappan work, - 51 
 
 Jappanner’s gilding, - - - 55 
 
 To write on paper with letters of gold, - 56 
 
 Oil gilding, - - _ _ 56. 
 
 Burnished gilding, . _ . 57 
 
 An improved process for gilding iron or steel, 58 
 Grecian Gilding, - - - - 59 
 
 To make shell gold, - - - 69 
 
 Instruments necessary for gilding, - 69 
 
 Mordants for colouring, - - - 69 
 
 Murio sulphate of tin, - - -< 64 
 
 Nitro muriate of tin more particularly 
 
 described, - - - - 64 
 
 A Turkish blue, - - - - 65 
 
 A handsome green, - - - 66 
 
 Mixture of blue and yellow. - - 67 
 
 Mixture of blue and red, - - - 67 
 
 Mixtures of yellow and red, - - 68 
 
 Mixtures of black witli other colours, - 68 
 
 Turkey red, - - - - 69 
 
 Dyeing blue, _ - _ - 69 
 
 Saxon blue, _ _ - - 70 
 
 Blue for colouring silk, - - - 71 
 
 Dark blue for silk, . - - - 72 
 
 Violet blue, - - - - 74 
 
 A handsome blue, - - - 75 
 
 Light blue for silk, - - _ 77 
 
 Black, . -■ _ _ - - 77 
 
Black on silk, - - - 7B 
 
 Yellow, 80 
 
 A handsome yellow, - - - 82 
 
 A citron yellow, - - - - 84 
 
 A citron yellow which may be heightened to 
 
 a handsome gold tint, - - 85 
 
 A high coloured crimson, - - 85 
 
 A handsome crimson, - - - 86 
 
 A deep red, _ _ _ _ 88 
 
 A real brown, _ _ _ _ 89 
 
 A real crimson in another way, - - 90 
 
 A handsome red, - - - - 91 
 
 To colour silk with quercitron, in another 
 
 way. — A citron yellow, - - 93 
 
 Colours used either in water or oil for 
 
 drawing or painting — red lakes, - 95 
 
 Carmine, ----- 95 
 
 Florentine lake, - - - - 96 
 
 Madder lake, - - - - 96 ' 
 
 Rose lake, _ _ - - 96 
 
 Vermillion, _ - - - 97 
 
 Red lead, - . - - 97 
 
 India red, _ - _ _ 97 
 
 Venetian red, - ^ - - 98 
 
 Spanish browoj - _ - - 98 
 
 Light red, or burnt ochre, - - 98 
 
 Red chalk, - - - ' - 98 
 
 Burnt terra di sienna, - ^ - 99 
 
 Blue, . - 99 
 
 Ultramarine ashes, ^ ^ - 99 
 
 Prussian blue, - - - - 99 
 
 Verditer, - . - . ^ 100 
 
 Indigo, ----- 101 
 
 Smalt, , - - - - 101 
 
 Yellows — Indian yellow, - - - 102 
 
 King’s yellow, - - - - 102 
 
 Naples yellow, - - - . 102 
 
 Yellow ochre, - - - - 102 
 
 15* 
 
f74 
 
 J/utch pink, _ - . 
 
 - 
 
 103 
 
 Gamboge, 
 
 
 103 
 
 Massicot, _ _ - 
 
 - 
 
 103 
 
 Gallstones, _ . . 
 
 - 
 
 103 
 
 Raw terra di sienna, 
 
 . 
 
 103 
 
 Orange lake, - - - 
 
 Brown pink, _ - _ 
 
 - 
 
 104 
 
 - 
 
 104 
 
 Green, _ _ . 
 
 _ 
 
 104 
 
 Sap green, _ _ _ 
 
 - 
 
 104 
 
 Verdigris, _ . _ 
 
 - 
 
 104 
 
 Brown colours. 
 
 -• 
 
 105 
 
 Cologne earth, - - - 
 
 - 
 
 105 
 
 Raw umbre. 
 
 - 
 
 106 
 
 Burnt umbre, - - - 
 
 - 
 
 106 
 
 Asphaltum, - _ - 
 
 - 
 
 106 
 
 White, - - - - 
 
 - 
 
 106 
 
 White lead, - _ . 
 
 - 
 
 106- 
 
 Pure carbonate of lime, 
 
 _ 
 
 107 
 
 Black, - - - - 
 
 _ 
 
 107 
 
 Ivory black. 
 
 - 
 
 107 
 
 To make copal varnish, 
 
 -- 
 
 108 
 
 To make Chinese varnish, . 
 
 - 
 
 109 
 
 To crystalize tin, 
 
 Tojappan crystalized tin 
 
 - 
 
 110 
 
 - 
 
 111 
 
 A transparent green paint invented by 
 Scheele of Sweden, 
 
 115 
 
 To bleach linseed oil, 
 
 - 
 
 116 
 
 To boil oil for painting, and the preparation of 
 gold size, - - « _ 
 
 117 
 
 Shammy, or chamois leather, 
 
 - - 
 
 118 
 
 Black ink, 
 
 - 
 
 121 
 
 Red ink, _ _ _ 
 
 - 
 
 121 
 
 Sympathetic ink, 
 
 
 121 
 
 To make a fine liquid blue for painting on vel- 
 vet and paper _ _ _ 
 
 122 
 
 Muriate of gold, 
 
 - 
 
 122 
 
 Teeth and age of the horse, 
 
 - 
 
 123 
 
 To stain paper of any colour. 
 
 - ' 
 
 124 
 
116 
 
 Lftcquers, - - - - 125 
 
 Lacquer varnish, - - . 120 
 
 Another lacquer varnish - - 127 
 
 V arnish for plaster of Paris to give the ap- 
 pearance of marble, - - 127 
 
 Enamelling’, - - - - 128 
 
 Method of painting- in enamel, - 129 
 
 Enchasing, inchasing, or chasing, - 130 
 
 Mezzotinto engraving, or scraping, - 131 
 
 Etching on glass, - . - 133 
 
 Another way, - - - 134 
 
 Blanching, _ _ - - 134 
 
 Marbling, - _ . > 135 
 
 To stop cracks in stoves, - - 135 
 
 Tan— Tanning, - - - 13G 
 
 To soften dry hides, - - - 140 
 
 White leather, > - - _ 140 
 
 To sotten steel for engraving, - - 140 
 
 Spirit of soap for shaving, - - 141 
 
 Prussian blue as recommended by Dr. John 
 
 Pennington, - - _ 141 
 
 Gold lacquer, . - - - 142 
 
 Silver lacquer, - - - - 142 
 
 Smith’s best black ink, - - - 142 
 
 To make mahogany, - - - 143 
 
 Staining ivory, bone, horn, &c. red, - 143 
 
 Staining ivory, bone, horn, &c. black, - 144 
 
 Brown water colour, ... £44 
 
 German wax fcr ptdishing mahogany, - 145 
 
 Varnish for coloured prints or drawings, to 
 
 give them the appearance of oil paintings, 145 
 Fine green paint, for oil or water, . 145 
 
 Ointment for the scab, &c. in sheep, - 146 
 
 Superior red ink, - - - 147 
 
 Mosaic silver, . - - - £47 
 
 Method of laying bronze guilding, - 148 
 
 To wash brass or copper with silver, - 150 
 
 To varnish maps, charts, and pictures, - liO 
 
i 
 
 make Brunswick varnish, . - - 151 i 
 
 To make silver solder, - - 151 
 
 Solder for gold, - - - 152 : 
 
 Mosaic gold, - - - - 152 
 
 To paint in various shades on wood and cloth, 152 j 
 To make crayons of various colours, - 153 
 
 To paint in figures for carpets, or borders, 154 , 
 
 Case hardening iron, - _ _ 1^5 
 
 To cleanse silver or gold after it is solciered, 156 
 The method of soldering gold and silver, 156 ‘ 
 
 To paint mahogany, - - - 156 ; 
 
 To whiten brass or copper by boiling, - 157 
 
 To make a copy of a print or picture, - 157 
 
 To take off a copy from a print or picture, 158 
 
 Best method of copying a picture, - 158 
 
 To make liquid jappan blacking, - 159 
 
 To dye skins blue, _ _ _ 2(50 
 
 To dye hats green or any other Colour, - 160 ' 
 
 Gold shell, - - - - 161 
 
 Tinning of iron - - - - 161 
 
 Method of taking a cast in plaster from a per- 
 son’s face, - - - ■ - 162 
 
 To take casts from medals, - - 163 
 
 Another method with isinglass, - 164 
 
 To make carmine, - - - 165 
 
 To make white vitrol, - - - 165 
 
 Gold colour copal varnish, - - 166 
 
 To render paper fire proof, - - 166 
 
 Fuller’s purifier for woollen cloth, - 167 
 
 To obtain a dyeing matter from potato tops, 1 67 
 Mordant varnish for gilding, - « 168 
 
 Jappan blue, - - - - 168 
 
 To remove freckles from the face - 169 
 
 THE END. 
 
•r 
 
 
 

 
 IHE GETTY CENTER 
 LIBRARY