﻿226 PICTORIAL MISCELLANY. 



tioned by Pliny, who were driven by a storm to seek shelter on the 

 &oast of Syria. 



They landed, and made a fire to keep off the wild beasts. In the 

 morning, one of them found a lump of half-transparent matter, which 

 glittered like precious stones. Some, who heard of it, made inquiry 

 as to what it was, and how it was made. The plants that were 

 burned were called KALI. They burnt some of it, but it was of no 

 use till some sand was mixed with it. They found that thus they 

 made glass. The inhabitants of Sidon, a neighboring city, were 

 very eager in pursuing this discovery, and established a manufactory 

 which suppled the neighboring countries. The glass thus made 

 was of course not very elegant, as it was made of such coarse mate- 

 rials. Sand and kali, if melted together, will make glass ; but other 

 things must be added to make it good, as manganese, lead and nitre. 

 The best glass is made of flint pulverized, and alkali ; but the mate- 

 rial is too expensive to be in common use. 



The Venetians were preeminent in making glass, for purity and 

 for size. Till the thirteenth century, they were the only people who 

 made large mirrors. Consequently all Europe was obliged to buy it 

 of them, not only mirrors, but drinking vessels, for use as well as 

 elegance. 



This convenience was first brought to England in 674, when the 

 monastery of Weremouth was glazed. Fine flint glass was made in 

 1557. It is now made in the United States. 



Glass for window r s was for a long time made of a greenish color, 

 but a Londoner made it clear. He made his fortune ; and to show 

 it was an important secret, he was offered more than seventeen 

 thousand dollars for it ; but he wanted twenty, and as no one gave it, 

 the secret died with him. Paste is glass colored like precious stones. 

 It was once in fashion, but now is not. The French, however, are 

 fond of it. 





