A. D. 1763. 381 



art of glazing earthen ware by throwing common fait into the oven at 

 the time of its higheft ignition. But the clouds of fmoke, raifed by this 

 operation, gave fuch offence to the neighbourhood, that they were ob- 

 liged to leave the country ; and, it is believed, they removed to Ireland. 



The clays of Stafford-fhire are not fit for making white earthen ware : 

 but the ingenuity of the manufwflurers has difcovered various improve- 

 ments and combinations of the different fubftances, which have enabled 

 them to produce from their own clays feveral fpecies of earthen ware, 

 ftill beyond the reach of foreign competition. 



The pipe-clay of Devon-fhire was alfo carried to Stafford-fhire, and 

 formed the bafis of a white earthen ware, which was foon after much 

 improved by the accidental difcovery of the ufe of calcined flint. Thefe 

 improvements produced a flronger and more agreeable fpecies of goods, 

 known for many years by the name oi white Ji one Tvare, which was glazed 

 with fait in the manner introduced by the Elers, the neighbours no 

 longer complaining of the nuifance of the fmoke. This ware came into 

 very general vife all over the country ; and fome of it was exported. But 

 flill great quantities of finer and more elegantly-formed earthen ware 

 were imported from France and Holland for the tables of the wealthy. 



Such was the ftate of the manufad:ure, when Mr. Jofiah Wedgwood 

 this year produced a new kind of cream-coloured earthenware, fuperior 

 in texture and durability to the French and Dutch, more capable of bear- 

 ing the ludden changes of heat and cold, and covered with a brilliant and 

 impenetrable glazing, which could be furniflied at a moderate expenfe. 

 The tide of public tafte immediately turned ; foreign earthen wares 

 were difcarded ; Englifh wares were ufed in every houfe in the king- 

 dom, and began to be exported to the very countries from which 

 earthen ware had hitherto been brought ; and the foreign manufactures, 

 unable to ftand the competition, declined, or were abandoned. 



Mr. Wedgwood, who, with the diligence of the manufacturer, pofieff- 

 ed the fcience and unwearied perfeverance of the experimental phllo- 

 fopher, not fatisficd with having added a moft important article of uni- 

 verfal uie to the manufactures of the country, (for the quantity made 

 before his improvement, compared with that made fince, may be rec- 

 koned as nothing) introduced many new fpecies of porcelain of various 

 colours and forts, of which are made an infinite variety of ornamental 

 works, comprehending cameos, intaglios, bas-reliefs, medallions, tablets, 

 fmall flatues, buffs, feals, &c. the matter of which is fo hard, and fo 

 qualified to refift the action of fire and acids, that it proniifes to remain, 

 after time fliall have del1;royed pictures, and even marbles and bronzes, 

 an unperifliing monument, to hand down to the latefl pofferity the 

 immortal fame of the inventor, along with that of the characters repre- 

 fented on it. The fortunate circumflance of Sir William Hamilton 

 bringing over from Italy his admired collection of antique vafes alfo 



