THE POTTER'S ART. 



exceeding that of powder made from flour, lie asked Klunker 

 where he bought it, and what it was called. Being informed that 

 it was " Schnorr's White Earth," the idea instantly occurred to 

 him that a clay so beautifully white, and admitting of pulveri- 

 sation so infinitely fine, would serve as a material for fabricating 

 an improved pottery ; he instantly ordered a quantity of it to be 

 procured sufficient for an experiment, which was no sooner tried 

 than its precious qualities became conspicuously apparent. It 

 was, in fact, the true kaolin, the very material of which the so 

 highly-prized oriental porcelain was formed, and for which so many 

 and such fruitless searches had been made in all parts of Europe. 



18. The king now proceeded to establish the Royal Manufactory 

 of Porcelain, which has since attained such universal celebrity. 

 The Chateau of Albrechtsburg, at Meissen, was assigned to it, and 

 Bottger was appointed its director. 



The most rigid precautions were adopted to prevent the dis- 

 covery, or its consequences, passing out of the country. The 

 exportation of the " white earth" was interdicted under the most 

 severe penalties, and it was transported from Aue to the manu- 

 factory at Meissen in sealed barrels, under military escort, and in 

 the care of sworn keepers. 



The precautions to ensure the secresy of the processes exceeded 

 all belief. The precept solemnly inculcated into all who were 

 employed in the manufactory, from the director to the lowest 

 labourer, was " SECRESY TILL DEATH !" An oath to this effect 

 was solemnly administered monthly to all the foremen and prin- 

 cipal artisans, and was painted in conspicuous characters on the 

 doors of all the workshops. 



Whoever should be detected in disclosing any of the secrets of 

 the processes was menaced by the royal ordinances with imprison- 

 ment for life in the fortress of Konigstein. 



19. In a word, the royal manufactory of Meissen was placed 

 under the rigorous conditions of a fortress, the drawbridge never 

 being lowered except at night. No one was admitted within its 

 walls except those employed in the works ; and even when the 

 king brought foreigners of distinction to view the works, the 

 processes were carefully concealed from them. 



20. So late as the year 1812, M. Brongniart, then director of the 

 Royal Manufactory of Sdvres, was sent by the Emperor Napoleon 

 to inspect the porcelain works of Germany, and among others he 

 visited those of Meissen. Even then the same rigorous system of 

 secresy and exclusion was maintained. The King of Saxony, at 

 the personal request of Napoleon, permitted M. Brongniart to see 

 the works; but in order to do so, he was obliged to absolve 

 M. Kuhn, the director, from his oath of exclusion. He did so, 



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