1S18.] French Varnish for Cabinet Work, fa. 119 



traction of the muscular fibre, and the coagulation of the blood, 

 depend on the same cause. The close analogy between the 

 coagulation of the blood and that of other coagulable fluids can- 

 not be overlooked ; so that it seems a necessary inference, that 

 the muscular fibre contracts by the operation of the same cause, 

 by which certain fluids coagulate; and, therefore, depends on a 

 chemical power. But I would here say of this power what is said 

 above of the Galvanic power,* that it is only in bodies possess- 

 ing the living principle that it can produce the phenomena of 

 life. It is only before this principle is extinct that it can produce 

 contraction of the muscular fibre, or spontaneous coagulation of 

 the blood. 



Article IX. 



On the French Varnish for Cabinet Work, fyc. 

 By Thomas Gill, Esq. 



No. 11, Covent Garden Chambers, 

 GENTLEMEN, Jan. 14, 1818. . 



The improvement of the arts forming an important branch of 

 your Annals, I shall make no apology for communicating the 

 following process for varnishing ; which, I believe, will be found 

 nearly new in this country, and highly deserves to be made gene- 

 rally known. 



This beautiful art, which is an application of a mode of varnish- 

 ing, hitherto chiefly used in this countiy for articles turned in 

 the lathe, as flutes, clarionets, and other musical instruments, and 

 in some other minor branches, has been long employed by the 

 French for varnishing their rich cabinet furniture, which is either 

 made of the harder veined woods, or veneered with them ; as 

 also for the exquisite Buhl works, of inlaid tortoise-shell, brass, 

 silver, &c. which are now become not so rare amongst us as 

 formerly. 



It consists in the application of a spirit varnish, mostly com- 

 posed of shell lac, a veiy singular substance, consisting of a 

 mixture of resin, wax, and gluten ; and which, when dissolved in 

 alcohol, forms the hardest and most durable spirit varnish known, 

 with certain portions of gum mastich and gum sandarach, chiefly 

 for the purpose of rendering its colour paler, which is a desirable 

 circumstance in some of the works to which it is applied ; and it 

 differs from other modes of varnishing, more especially in the man- 

 ner in which it is laid on the articles to be varnished ; namely, by 

 rubbing it upon their surfaces (which are first prepared by polish- 



• Tbesc powers, according to the opinion of one of the greatest cbemiiU which 

 this or any other country lias produced, are csientiully the same. 



