GLASS. 89 



covered in their tombs testify. A ball of glass has been 

 found, bearing the date of an Egyptian king who lived about 

 1500 years before the Christian era. It has a slight greenish 

 hue, and has been worn as the bead of a necklace. The 

 Egyptians also understood the art of carrying devices of va- 

 rious colors directly through the fused substance, an art 

 which is now lost.* But it appears that the Egyptians 

 carried the manufacture of glass, vitrified porcelain, &c., to 

 great perfection; and every thing that we can do by the appli- 

 cation of fire in these arts, they were also able to effect, j 



MRS. F. 



The old Venetian glass has patterns or devices introduced 

 into the substance with fine filaments of spun glass, which 

 gives the appearance of lace work; this is an art which I be- 

 lieve is lost, and the old Venetian glass is much prized and 

 sought after. The manufacture of the glass beads still exists, 

 and gives employment to some hundreds of persons. 



MRS. c. 

 Did you see it! 



MRS. F. 



Yes; when we were at Venice, we made an excursion to 

 the Isle of Murano, where the manufacture is carried on. 

 The glass is drawn out into sticks of the intended diameter 

 of the bead, bat a hundred and twenty feet long. These are 

 then cut, polished, and rounded. The process employed in 

 these operations is very simple, but curious; and the manu- 

 facturers profess to keep the mixing of the colors, &c. in the 

 glass a profound secret. Looking-glasses are also manu- 

 factured in the same island; but France and England have so 

 far surpassed the Venetians in this art, that they cannot 

 attempt to compete with them. 



HENRIETTA. 



How long have glass windows been introduced into Eng- 

 land 1 ? 



* See Mr. Wilkinson's Thebes. f Cuvier. 



8* 



