DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19571#0231
THE ARTIST'S ASSISTANT. 217
lift it through cambrick, and lay it, if you do not
ufe it prefently, in a dry place, to keep it from duft.
Then take one pound of fine parchment glue, the
fineil gum-dragant and gum-arabick, of each four
ounces ; let it boil in clean clear pump water, and
filter it through a clean rag ; then put into it of the
faid powder of wood, as much as will make it of the
fubftance of a thick pafte, and fet it in a glazed pan in
a hot land, ftir it well together, and let the reft of
the moifture evaporate till it be fit for cafting. Then
pour or mix your colours with the pafte, and put in
oil of cloves, of rofes, or the like, to give it a fcent;
you may mix it, if you will, with a little beaten
amber ; for a red colour ufe brafil ink. Your mould
will be better of pewter, or brafs, than of plaifter
of Paris ; anoint it over with oil of almonds, and
put your pafte into it ; let it ftand three or four days
to dry and harden, then take off your mould, and it
will be as hard as ivory ; you may cut, turn, carve,
and plane it like other wood ; it will be of a fweet
fcent; you may, if your mould will allow it, ufe fe-
veral colours in one piece, leaving only in fomepart
the natural colour of the wood, in order to convince
the beholder what it is. It is a fine and curious ex-
periment.
Of the mixture for cafting mirrors, and other
things for opticks :—We find the method for pre-
paring thefe mixtures prefcribed by feveral authors,
but after different ways ; wherefore I fhall fet down
only a few, which, for the generality, are beft ap-
proved of; and firft,
Take three pounds of the beft refined pewter,
and one pound of refined copper*, firft melt the cop-
E e per,
lift it through cambrick, and lay it, if you do not
ufe it prefently, in a dry place, to keep it from duft.
Then take one pound of fine parchment glue, the
fineil gum-dragant and gum-arabick, of each four
ounces ; let it boil in clean clear pump water, and
filter it through a clean rag ; then put into it of the
faid powder of wood, as much as will make it of the
fubftance of a thick pafte, and fet it in a glazed pan in
a hot land, ftir it well together, and let the reft of
the moifture evaporate till it be fit for cafting. Then
pour or mix your colours with the pafte, and put in
oil of cloves, of rofes, or the like, to give it a fcent;
you may mix it, if you will, with a little beaten
amber ; for a red colour ufe brafil ink. Your mould
will be better of pewter, or brafs, than of plaifter
of Paris ; anoint it over with oil of almonds, and
put your pafte into it ; let it ftand three or four days
to dry and harden, then take off your mould, and it
will be as hard as ivory ; you may cut, turn, carve,
and plane it like other wood ; it will be of a fweet
fcent; you may, if your mould will allow it, ufe fe-
veral colours in one piece, leaving only in fomepart
the natural colour of the wood, in order to convince
the beholder what it is. It is a fine and curious ex-
periment.
Of the mixture for cafting mirrors, and other
things for opticks :—We find the method for pre-
paring thefe mixtures prefcribed by feveral authors,
but after different ways ; wherefore I fhall fet down
only a few, which, for the generality, are beft ap-
proved of; and firft,
Take three pounds of the beft refined pewter,
and one pound of refined copper*, firft melt the cop-
E e per,