514 Of Chimney Fireplaces. 



forward the back to its proper place, and making it of a 

 proper width. But it is time that I should mention 

 another matter upon which it is probable that my reader 

 is already impatient to receive information. Provision 

 must be made for the passage of the chimney-sweeper 

 up the chimney. This may easily be done in the fol- 

 lowing manner. In building up the new back of the 

 fireplace, when this wall (which need never be more 

 than the width of a single brick in thickness) is 

 brought up so high that there remains no more than 

 about ten or eleven inches between what is then the top 

 of it and the inside of the mantle, or lower extremity 

 of the breast of the chimney, an opening, or door- 

 way, eleven or twelve inches wide, must be begun in the 

 middle of the back, and continued quite to the top of 

 it, which, according to the height to which it will com- 

 monly be necessary to carry up the back, will make the 

 opening about twelve or fourteen inches high ; which 

 will be quite sufficient to allow the chimney-sweeper to 

 pass. When the fireplace is finished, this doorway is to 

 be closed by a few bricks, by a tile, or a fit piece of 

 stone, placed in it, dry or without mortar, and confined 

 in its place by means of a rabbet made for that purpose 

 in the brick-work. As often as the chimney is swept, 

 the chimney-sweeper takes down this temporary wall, 

 which is very easily done, and when he has finished his 

 work he puts it again into its place. The annexed 

 drawing (Plate X., Fig. 6) will give a clear idea of this 

 contrivance ; and the experience I have had of it has 

 proved that it answers perfectly well the purpose for 

 which it is designed. 



I observed above, that the new back, which it will 

 always be found necessary to build in order to bring the 



