Ill 



Learns his Trade 27 



criticism can shake the record of that illness, and that 

 mutilation of the boy Josiah Wedgwood, which made 

 for him a cavern of his bedroom, and an oracle of his 

 own inquiring, searching, meditative, fruitful mind." 



Many years, however, elapsed before the amputation 

 of his right leg. In the interval he suffered severely, 

 yet he never relaxed his efforts to improve himself, 

 being still courageous, patient, and valiant, even in the 

 midst of tormenting pain. Being unable to pursue the 

 work of a Thrower, he went to the Moulder's board. 

 He first turned his attention to improvements in minor 

 points of detail ; but in course of time, as his experi- 

 ence became enlarged, he devised and sought out new 

 methods of manufacture. One of his earliest efforts 

 was an ornamented teapot, formed from the ochreous 

 clay of the district. It is still carefully preserved at 

 Burslem, and is known as "Josiah Wedgwood's first 

 teapot." 



He next proceeded to the manufacture of ornamental 

 small wares, such as plates, pickle-leaves, knife-hafts, 

 and snuff-boxes in imitation of agate, marble, tortoise- 

 shell, and porphyry, which were readily disposed of to 

 the cutlers and hardwaremen of Sheffield and Birming- 

 ham. In the preparation of these objects, Wedgwood 

 analysed and made experiments with the various clays 

 of the neighbourhood ; and he endeavoured to find out 

 new methods of colouring them with metallic calces. 

 Indeed, he spent so much time on his experiments, that 

 his brother, who was also his master, expostulated with 



