Impfcjtans in Glafs for Pytnttn^, 6^ 



Before concluding, I may juft mention, that fhould the methods followed by Mr. Taffie, 

 of moulding with plaifler of Paris and Tripoli, not afford fufHcient delicacy to the plates, 

 I am already not without other refources likely to carry us farther in arrelling an art, which 

 feems recommended by views of confiderablc utility. I allude here partly to a method 

 •which occurred to me more recently, of having the original engraving done upon a flat 

 and poliflied furface of fteel, which, by the fly prefs, may be communicated to a flat and 

 polifhed piece of pure gold. This to ferve in the furnace as z. permanent mould for giving 

 the imprelTion to the glafs. From fome experiments I have aftually made in a (mail way, 

 it fliouldfeem as if this procefs promifes well ; particularly, by giving the fire furface ftill 

 more delicacy, and which, confequently, would require ^ fmaller degree of finifhing, in 

 the procefs for bringing it ultimately to a fufhcient polifti ; upon which circumftance alone, 

 now depends the certainty of our being able virtually to engrave upon glafs-plate, with a 

 very confiderablc degree of perfection. Should it be neceflary in the end to refort to the 

 gold, Mr. Taffie's confummate flcill and addrefs at the furnace, in the application of the 

 glafs, would doubtlefs contribute greatly to the fuccefs. 



One recommendation amongft others of this method would be, that, from the in- 

 deftru£lib!e nature of pure gold, if properly managed in applying the heat, all the plates 

 would aftually be derived from one and the fame mould ; whereas, by the other method, 

 the moulds themfelves, which are neceflary for every caft, arc derivative, though indeed 

 from the fame original pattern. 



I have the honour to be, Sir, 



Your moft obedient fervant, 



PAT. WILSON. 



P. S. I have purpofely referved, to follow in a poflfeript, a very ftiort mention of another 

 fubjc£l bearing a clofe analogy to the foregoing. 



You may perhaps know that of late years the art of cutting defigns upon box-wood has 

 arrived at an uncommon degree of perfedion, and that the celebrated Meffrs. Bewicks, 

 efpecially, have carried their execution in this refpe£k to a pitch of elegance rivalling 

 copper-plate, and which was believed to be utterly unattainable before their time. 



Having often regretted that fuch rare fpecimens of art, as they have produced, were 

 fo perifhable, from the frailnefs of the materials upon which fo much genius and labour 

 were expended, I was induced alfo to fend to Mr. Taflie, amongft other models, fome 

 defigns in box-wood, executed by Mr Bewick, with direftions to mould from them, 

 in the view of obtaining calls or copies in glafs. The returns which I received to 

 all thofe patterns completely anfwcred my expectations, as being at once as pcrfeCl as the 

 originals. 



From the fuccefs of this experiment, which alfo I have had long in contemplation, and 

 from what has been eftablilhed in the way of making glafs fafely refift any preffure, it will 

 readily occur that an improvement of confiderable magnitude has now been fhown evi- 

 dently to depend upon a proper co-operation of the two arta of engraving upon box-wood, 

 or upon brafs, and of moulding, with a view of obtaining fuch cuts or engravings in fo 



durable a fubdance as glafs. 



P. W. 



III. Injiru£iiens 



