Wedgwood at Work again 239 



will finish the bargain," he wrote to Bentley, " over our 

 next pipe. Fifteen dozen brown ink-pots were packed 

 for you yesterday." Wedgwood was now engaged in 

 superior work. He was making gems and cameos for 

 rings, bracelets, and tablets. They were greatly superior 

 to everything of the kind before made. Indeed, no one 

 had heretofore attempted to compete with him. To 

 Bentley he said : " They appear so distinct and so 

 pleasant to look at, with their coloured grounds. The 

 whole assemblage of white, blue, gold, and black have a 

 striking effect. . . . They are really a most liberal and 

 noble collection of objects, very rare and most difficult 

 to come at. The white Muses seem to me even finer 

 things than those with blue grounds." 



A few days later Wedgwood said : " I am in a course 

 of experiments for coloured grounds for the white 

 figures, which shall take a polish and be like some fine 

 natural stone. The bloodstone, if it can be accom- 

 plished, will be admirable for the purpose." 



In the same year Wedgwood began to make China 

 or Porcelain, having by this time secured a sufficient 

 supply of kaolin from Cornwall. This was another step 

 in his great enterprise. His traveller (Byerley) writes 

 to his employer: "I have sold all your Garricks and 

 Shakespeares, framed in black, at York. I could sell 

 thousands of Keppels at any price. Oh! Keppel, 

 Keppel ! Why will you not send me Keppels ? Next 

 month?" 



Wedgwood's sons were now attending the lectures of 



