LITHOGRAPHY 1 33 



The soap is first put into the goblet, and melted over the fire ; the lac being added 

 it fuses immediately ; the soda is then introduced, and next the mastic, stirring all 

 the while -with a spatula. A brisk fire is applied till all these materials are melted 

 completely, when the whole is poured out into the mould. 



The inks now prescribed may be employed, either with the pen and the hair-pencil, 

 for writings, black-lead drawings, aqua tinta, mixed drawings, those which represent 

 engraving on wood (woodcuts), &c. When the ink is to be used it is to be rubbed 

 down with water, in the manner of China ink, till the shade be of the requisite depth. 

 The temperature of the place ought to be from 84 to 90 Fahr., or the saucer in 

 which the ink-stick is rubbed should be set in a heated plate. JSTo more ink should 

 be dissolved than is to bo used at the time, for it rarely keeps in the liquid state for 

 24 hours ; and it should be covered or corked up. 



Autographic Paper. Autography, or the operation by which a writing or a drawing 

 is transferred from paper to stone, presents not merely a means of abridging labour, 

 but also that of reverting the writings or drawings into the direction in which they 

 were traced, whilst, if executed directly upon the stone, the impression given by it is 

 Averted. Hence, a writing upon stone must be inverted from right to left to obtain 

 direct impressions. But the art of writing thus is tedious and difficult to acquire ; 

 while, by means of the autographic paper and the transfer, proofs are obtained in the 

 same direction with the writing and drawing. 



Autographic Ink. It must be fatter and softer than that applied directly to the 

 stone, so that, though dry upon the paper, it may still preserve sufficient viscidity to 

 adhere to the stone by mere pressure. 

 To compose this ink we take 



Parts 

 White soap ........ 100 



White wax, of the best quality .... 100 



Mutton-suet 30 



Shell-lac 50 



Mastic ......... 50 



Lamp-black 30 or 35 



These materials are to be melted as above described for the lithographic ink. 



Lithographic Ink and Paper. The following recipes have been much com- 

 mended : 



Virgin or white wax ..... 8 parts 



White soap . . . . . 2 



Shell-lac 2 



Lamp-black ...... 3 table-spoonfuls. 



Preparation. The wax and soap are to be melted together, and before they become 

 so hot as to take fire, the lamp-black is to be well stirred in with a spatula, and then 

 the mixture should be allowed to burn for 30 seconds; the flame being extinguished, 

 the lac is added by degrees, carefully stirring all the time ; the vessel is to be put 

 upon the fire once more in order to complete the combination, and till the materials 

 are either kindled or nearly so. After the flame is extinguished, the ink must be 

 suffered to cool a little, and then put into the moulds. 



With the ink-crayons thus made, lines may be drawn as fine as with the point of 

 the graver, and as full as can be desired, without risk of its spreading in the 

 carriage. Its traces will remain iinchanged on paper for years before being trans- 

 ferred. 



Some may think it strange that there is no suet in the above composition, but it has 

 been found that ink containing it is only good when used soon after it is made, and 

 when immediately transferred to the stone, while traces drawn on paper with the suet 

 ink become defective after 4 or 5 days. 



Lithographic Paper. Lay on the paper 3 successive coats of sheep's-foot jelly, 1 

 layer of white starch, 1 layer of gamboge. 



The first layer is applied with a sponge dipped in the solution of the hot jelly, 

 very equally over the whole surface, but thin ; and if the leaf be stretched upon a 

 cord, the gelatine will be more uniform. The next two coats are to be laid on until 

 each is dry. The layer of starch is then to be applied with a sponge, and it will 

 also be very thin and equal. The coat of gamboge is lastly to be applied in the 

 same way. When the paper is dry it must be smoothed by passing it through the 

 lithographic press ; and the more polished it is, the better does it take on the ink in 

 fine lines. 



Transfer. When the paper is moistened, the transfer of the ink from the gamboge 

 is perfect and infallible. The starch separates from the gelatine, and if, after taking 



