504 Of Chimney Fireplaces. 



The best materials I have hitherto been able to dis- 

 cover are fire-stone, and common bricks and mortar. 

 Both these materials are, fortunately, very cheap; and 

 as to their comparative merits, I hardly know to which 

 of them the preference ought to be given. 



When bricks are used, they should be covered with a 

 thin coating of plaster, which, when it is become per- 

 fectly dry, should be whitewashed. The fire-stone 

 should likewise be whitewashed, when that is used ; 

 and every part of the fireplace, which is not exposed to 

 being soiled and made black by the smoke, should be 

 kept as white and clean as possible. As white reflects 

 more heat, as well as more light, than any other colour, 

 it ought always to be preferred for the inside of a chim- 

 ney fireplace, and black, which reflects neither light nor 

 heat, should be most avoided. 



I am well aware how much the opinion I have here 

 ventured to give, respecting the unfitness of iron and 

 other metals to be employed in the construction of open 

 fireplaces, differs from the opinion generally received 

 upon that subject ; and I even know that the very 

 reason, which, according to my ideas of the matter, ren- 

 ders them totally unfit for the purpose, is commonly as- 

 signed for making use of them ; namely, that they soon 

 grow very hot. But I would beg leave to ask what ad- 

 vantage is derived from heating them ? 



I have shown the disadvantage of it; namely, that the 

 quantity of radiant heat thrown into the room is dimin- 

 ished ; and it is easy to show that almost the whole of 

 that absorbed by the metal is ultimately carried up the 

 chimney by the air, which, coming into contact with 

 this hot metal, is heated and rarefied by it, and, forcing 

 its way upwards, goes off with the smoke ; and as no 



