Experiments ivith Voltas Galvanic Pile. ai^ ^ 



9. Lotos medicago arhorea. The rind was ufed for dyeiDg 

 fkins, but the root for dyeing wool *. 



10. The bark of the walnut-tree and the green hufks of 

 walnuts. The dyeing quality of thcfe would foon be dif- , 

 covered from the effedl they | roducecl on the hand's f. 



11. Madder, ruhia erythrodanus. The antients were early 

 acquainted with this fubftance J ; but whether it was the 

 fame with the root known at prefent by thatTi'a,riieis doubtful. 



13. \Voa.i], gl(7jhi?n, called alfo vitrum froni its glafiy-like 

 colour. Among the Gauls, according to Pliny^ the ladies, 

 on days of feftivity, dyed their whole bodies with, it;,, w^ich" 

 gave them the appearance of Moors. The Britons' alfo, 

 before they engaged in battle, painted themfelves with it, 

 that they might have a more terrible appearance §. That 

 the plant was then known is certain ; but whether the an- 

 tients were acquainted with the art of preparing it as we do 

 at prefent feems dubious. I fhall have occafion hereafter to 

 give a more complete dercription of it. 



This {hort account of the art of dyeing among the antients 

 is, in my opinion, worthy of notice, as it is neceflary for 

 illullrating various pafTages both in the facred and profane 

 writers which have puzzled many, of the commentators 

 becaufe they were unacquainted with the art. It muft afford 

 fome fatisfaftion alfo to modern dyers to read an account of 

 the ftate of their art among the antients, and may perhaps 

 induce fome of them to make further refearches on the fub- 

 jc6t, and to enrich dyeing vvitli fome new difcovery. 



[ i o be coiuinucd.] 



XXVI. Letter from Dr. Moves to Dr. Garth shore, 

 containing, an Account of fome httcrcfling Lxperiments 

 iL'ith M. Volta's Galvanic File, Communicated', by 

 Dr. Garth SHORE. i''V 



H 



Dear Sir, 



AVING lately improved my galvanic apparatus, and 

 having, with Mr. Nicol's afliftance, tried by its means fome 



* Pliny, lib. xvi. 30. f 't)id. xv. 72. + Ibid xix.4- xxiy m., 



§ Ibid.xix 3.xxi. iCjCsefarde BeiloGailico, 5i PomponiusMcla, iii. 6. 



Vol. IX. K e experiments 



