DEFINITION OF TERMS. 



183 



with colors in varnish; though for the 

 greater despatch, and in some very nice 

 work, in small, for the freer use of the 

 pencil, the colors are sometimes temper- 

 ed in oil, which should previously have 

 a fourth part of its weight of gum aninii 

 dissolved in it; or in default of that gum 

 sandarach, or gum maslich. When the 

 oil is thus used, it should be well diluted 

 with oil of turpentine, that the colors 

 may lie more evenly and thin; by which 

 means, fewer of the polishing or upper 

 coats of varnish become necessary. In 

 some instances, water-colors are laid on 

 grounds of gold, in the manner of other 

 paintings; and are best, when so used in 

 their proper ap])carance, without any var- 

 nish over them; and they are also some- 

 times so managed as to have the effect of 

 embossed work. The colors employed 

 in this way for painting, are best pre- 

 pared by means of isinglass size, correct- 

 ed by honey or sugar candy. The body, 

 of which the embossed work is raised, 

 need not, however, be tinged with the 

 exterior color, but may be best formed 

 of very strong gum water, thickened to 

 a proper consistence by bole armenian 

 and whiting in equal parts; which being 

 laid on the proper figure, and repaired 

 when dry, may be then painted with the 

 proper colors, tempered with the isinglass 

 size, or in the usual manner, with shell- 

 lae varnish. 



Manner of varnishing Japan work. 

 —The finishing of japan work depends 

 on the laying on and polishing the outer 

 coats of varnish which are necessary, as 

 well in the pieces that have only one 

 simple ground of color as with those that 

 are painted. This is in general done 

 best with common seed-lac varnish, ex- 

 cept in these instances, and those occa- 

 sions, where particular methods are 

 deemed to be more expedient; and the 

 same reasons which decide as to the fitness 

 or impropriety of the varnishes, with re- 

 spect to the colors of the ground, hold 

 equally with regard to those of the paint- 

 ing. For where brightness is the most 

 material point, and a tinge of yellow will 

 injure it, seed-lac must give way to the 

 whiter gums; but where hardness and a 

 greater tenacity are most essential, it 

 must be adhered to; and where both are 



so necessary, that it is proper one should 

 give way to the other in a certain degree 

 reciprocally, a mixed varnish must be 

 adopted. T[iis mixed varnish, as we 

 have already observed, should be made 

 of the picked seed-lac. The common 

 seed-lac varnish, which is the most use- 

 ful preparation of the kind hitherto in- 

 vented, may be thus made. Take of seed- 

 lac three ounces, and put it into water to 

 free it from the sticks and filth that are 

 frequently intermixed with it, and which 

 must be done by stirring it about, and 

 then pouring off the water, and adding 

 fresh quantities, in order to repeat the 

 operation till it is freed from all impuri- 

 ties, as is very effectually done by this 

 means. Dry it then and powder it 

 grossly, and put it with a pint of rectified 

 spirit of wine, into a bottle, of which it 

 will not fill above two-thirds. Shake the 

 mixture well together, and place the bot- 

 tle in a gentle heat, till the seed-lac ap- 

 pears to be dissolved; the shaking being 

 in the mean time repeated as often as 

 may be convenient; and then pour off all 

 that can be obtained clear by this method, 

 and strain the remainder through a coarse 

 cloth. The varnish thus prepared, must 

 be kept for use in a bottle well stopped. 

 When the spirit of wine is very strong 

 it will dissolve a greater proportion of 

 the seed-lac; but this quantity will satu- 

 rate the common, which is seldom of a 

 strength sufficfent to make varnishes in 

 perfection. 



As the chilling which is the most in- 

 convenient accident attending varnishes 

 of this kind, is prevented or produced 

 more frequently, according to the strength 

 of the spirit, we shall, therefore, take 

 this opportunity of showing a method by 

 which weaker rectified spirits may with 

 great ease at any time be freed from the 

 phlegm, and rendered of the first degree 

 of strength. Take a pint of the com- 

 mon rectified spirit of wine, and put it 

 into a bottle, of which it will not fill 

 above three parts; add to it half an ounce 

 of pearl-ashes, salt of tartar, or any other 

 alkaline salt, heated red-hot and powder- 

 ed as well as it can be without much loss 

 of its heat. Shake the mixture frequent- 

 ly for the space of half an hour; before 

 which lime, a great part of the phlegm 



