CHAP, iv S Y L V A 123 



Take log-wood q. s. boil it in ordinary lie, and 

 with this paint them over : when 'tis dry, work it 

 over a second time with lampblack and strong size : 

 That also dry, rub off the dusty sootiness adhering to 

 it, with a soft brush, or cloth ; then melt some bees- 

 wax, mixing it with your lamp-black and size, and 

 when this is cold, make it up into a ball, and rub over 

 your former black : Lastly, with a polishing-brush 

 (made of short stiff boars bristles, and fastned with 

 wyre) labour it till the lustre be to your liking. But, 



The black putty, wherewith they stop and fill up 

 cracks and fissures in ebony, and other fine wood, is 

 compos'd of a part of the purest rosin, bees-wax and 

 lamp-black : This they heat and drop into the cran- 

 nies ; then with an hot iron, glaze it over, and being 

 cold, scrape it even with a sharp chizel, and after all, 

 polish it with a brush of bents, a wollen-cloth, felt, 

 and an hog's-hair rubber : Also mastick alone, ming- 

 led with a proper colour, is of no less effect. 



35. We conclude all with that incomparable secret 

 of the Japan of China-vernishes, which has hitherto 

 been reserved so choicely among the Virtuosi ; with 

 which I shall suppose to have abundantly gratified 

 the most curious employers of the finer woods. 



Take a pint of spirit of wine exquisitely de- 

 phlegm'd, four ounces of gum-lacq, which thus cleanse : 

 Break it first from the sticks and rubbish, and roughly 

 contusing it in a morter, put it to steep in fountain- 

 water, ty'd up in a bag of course linnen, together 

 with a very small morsel of the best Castile-sope, for 

 1 2 hours ; then rub out all the tincture from it, to 

 which add a little alum, and reserve it apart : The 

 gum-lacq remaining in the bag, with one ounce of 

 sandrac (some add as much mastic and white-amber) 



