xvm Wedgwood at Work again 231 



Street on IDth June 1779. " I thank Her Majesty," 

 wrote Wedgwood to Bentley, " for the honour she has 

 done to the pearl-white, and I hope it will have due 

 influence upon her loyal subjects. The Dishes to 

 complete the service have gone to-day." On the follow- 

 ing day Wedgwood wrote to Bentley, "The box sent 

 last night contained a head of the Queen and another 

 of the King." 



But most important of all was the new composi- 

 tion of Mortars, which Wedgwood, with his complete 

 knowledge of clay, contrived for the use of the apothe- 

 caries of Great Britain, and indeed of all the world. 

 He had been accustomed to supply Dr. Priestley with 

 crucibles and retorts before he left Leeds, and they 

 were now in considerable demand by philosophers and 

 chemists in this and foreign countries ; but the intro- 

 duction and general use of his mortars came later in 

 his life. At first, the surface of the mortar blistered ; 

 but by constant experiments he entirely obviated this 

 great defect. By the use of Cornish clay he was 

 enabled to make the entire mortar and pestle perfect. 

 Wedgwood's invention was taken up at the Apothe- 

 caries' Hall, and from the tests which they withstood 

 there, his mortars and pestles acquired a fame which 

 has lasted to the present day. 



These were happy years for Josiah Wedgwood : 

 there were lights and shadows, as there must be in every 

 life, but in the main he was prosperous in every respect ; 

 his chief joy was in his wife and children, whom he 



