360 



REPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1900. 



the touch, po.ssessing a plasticity very similar to that of Saint Yrieix, 

 which is derived from dccompo.sed pegmatite. The residue left bj^ the 

 washing contains a good deal of quartz, crystals of feldspar partialh^ 

 decomposed, and flakes of mica, as would be found in graphic granite. 

 Analysis shows that the fusible portion consists chiefl}' of petrosilex 

 and, by its composition and density, closeh" resembles the rock found 

 in abundance at Saint Yrieix, which, without addition, furnishes the 

 glaze for hard porcelain at Sevres. 



The composition of Chinese and of the most celebrated of European 

 porcelains ma}' be compared in the following table: 



[Average of six analyse.s.] 



Thus, generally speaking, Chinese porcelain contains more silica and 

 less alumina than do the products of the manufactories of Sevres, 

 Vienna, and Saxony, respectively. The effect of the presence in greater 

 or less degree of these components is well known by the Chinese, who 

 sa}' that to produce fine porcelain the ratio of alumina must be increased; 

 to produce the commoner kinds that of silica must be increased. In 

 Europe experience has taught the same results. The porcelain of com- 

 merce shows much the same composition as do the specimens of Chinese 

 analyzed by M. Salvetat, also presumably ordinary ware and not the 

 finest grades intended for imperial use, while in the three government 

 establishments mentioned a larger ratio of alumina is introduced, 

 because it resists high temperatures and is therefore necessaiT to enable 

 the designs painted to maintain their sharpness of outline. In some 

 cases the Chinese also employ ferruginous kaolins, which sensibly 

 diminish the value of the manufactured article. 



SHVPING THE PASTE. 



In China the paste is roughly shaped, is turned, and is moulded when 

 in a malleable state, in much the same manner as in Europe. Casting 

 or moidage en havhotine appears to be unknown in China. The absence 

 of this process, which has enabled European artists to produce such 

 grand results, only increases our admiration of the manual dexterity 

 which has enabled the Chinese to manufacture such numbers of jars of 

 large dimensions and cups so thin as egg-shell porcelain, which can 



