Dutch Processes m regard to the Arts and Sciences. 217 



lity in a considerable degree. All cloth made of hair cut 

 from an animal which has died of disease is destitute of 

 strength. Merchants, therefore, are very careful to sav that 

 their hair is- the product of a living animal ; and they are no 

 doubt taught bv daily practice to distinguish it. 



Even ivory which is collected by chance in countries 

 inhabited by elephants is inferior to that obtained from ele- 

 phants which are hunted : the latter being whiter, less brit- 

 tle, finti-, and susceptible Of a better polish, and in every 

 respect superior. 



XXXIX. Observations on some Dutch Processes in regard 

 to the ylrts and Sciences. By M. Parmentier *. 



XJLs we have had a camp at Utrecht, and as government 

 attached to it M. Paysse in the quality of apothecary in 

 chief, I flattered myself, from the knowledge I have of the 

 zeal and talents of that chemist, that by requesting him to 

 take advantage of his stay in Batavia to examine the cabi- 

 nets of natural history, to visit the v.rrkshops, laboratories, 

 and manufactories, and particularly to frequent the com- 

 pany of the professors with whom I maintain a correspon- 

 dence, it would be possible to obtain some useful in- 

 formation in regard to certain processes of which the Dutch 

 seem to have been in exclusive possession since time imme- 

 morial. Myhopos have not been deceived*; and I shall here 

 give an extract of the different letters I received from 

 M. Payssc : it is he himself who gives an account of what 

 he collected in his excursions. 



" Our camp at Utrecht is very beautiful, and as adv^an- 

 tageously situated as local circumstances will permit. Water 

 is good and abundant. The evenings are rather cool, in 

 consequence of the ground having very little shelter, and 

 of the condensation of the water with which the air is al- 

 ways saturated. There are not so manv sick as we at first 

 imagined ; and wc hope that in the autumn, which is the 

 season of disease to military people in this country, we 

 shall have very few, or a much smaller number of sick than 

 we have in our hospitals, in consc(jucnce of the means of 

 salubrity which have been recommended to us, and the great 

 care employed both in the camp and in the hospitals. 



" I have had the pleasure of spending a day at Lcyden 



* From Annala tU Cbimic, No. 151. 



with 



