a04 ^tflory of the Art of Dyeing, 



of white (limy matter, and at that period they no longer pro-., 

 duce purple : they niuft therefore be caught before that time 

 or after the dog-days *." 



The animal itfeif confifts of three parts ; between the two 

 firft is found the valuable liquor, to the quantity of a few 

 drops, in a white receptacle. This liquor the animal emits 

 with its life, and is loft when it dies flowlyf. They are 

 therefore caught alive, and killed by a blow %, When a, 

 fufficient quantity of the Hquor has been obtained, a little fait 

 is added to it, and it is fufFered to (land three days. The 

 niafs muft then be boiled a certain time in a leaden velTel 

 over a flow fire, and the flefliy particles which float at the 

 top muft from time to time be fcumnied off. It is then kept 

 for ten days, after which the colour is tried on a bit of pure 

 wool, and the colour is boiled till it no longer appears red, 

 but has a blucifli caft. 



Thus far the procefs for preparing the liquor feems to have 

 been the fame among all the antient nations. But in the 

 operation for dyeing there appears to have been fome differ- 

 ence. The .Tews immerfed the wool ii^ lime-water before 

 it was dyed, and then waflicd it in a ley§. 



I am of opinion that among other nations the wool was 

 fubjp6lecl to a fort of boiling, and that the antient authors 

 have omitted to mention this circumftance, as well as other 

 proccfles, mcrejy becaufp they were things uiiiv^rfally known. 

 At any rate, the firft ground of the polour was given to the 

 wool by means of a kind q^ fea-weed {fucus fnartjius), and 

 then it was dyed. Iiei|ce the colour acquired the name of . 

 fucus \\, Alkanet [aiichufa) was alfo employed to lay a 

 foundation for the purple^. 



"•■ Bliny, lib; ix. C- 38. 



f Ibid. c. 36. Ariftptle, v. 5. 



\ Tliis, in my opinion, niav ftrve to explain a paflage in Horaer's Iliad) 

 Ivjok y. ver. 8j. whereit is faid of a peiTon killed in battle, *♦ His eyes 

 were clofed by purple death;" that is to fay, *' the death of the purple 

 fteli-f^fh ;" a fpeedy death. A like pafTage is found in the TLneid, book ix, 

 V. ?49m which niav be explained in the fame manner. 



§ Rraun de Veftitu Sacerdotum Hebr;£orum, p. 261. 



I) Pliny, c, xxvi. 10. 

 •I J bid. c. xxii. 17. 



The 



