PASTE FOR DEVICES IN FIRE. 243 



Raspings of ivory give a clear flame of a silver colour, inclining 

 a little to that of lead ; or rather a white dazzling flame. 



Greek pitch produces a reddish flame, of a bronze colour. 



Black pitch, a dusky flame, like a thick smoke, which obscures 

 the atmosphere. 



Sulphur, mixed in a moderate quantity, makes the flame appear 

 blueish. 



Sal ammoniac and verdigris give a greenish flame. 



Raspings of yellow amber communicate to the flame a lemon 

 colour. 



Crude antimony gives a russet colour. 



Borax ought to produce a blue flame; for spirit of wine, in 

 which sedative salt, one of the component parts of borax, is 

 dissolved by the means of heat, burns with a beautiful green 

 flame, 



Much, however, still remains to be done in regard to this sub- 

 ject; but it would add to the beauty of artificial fireworks, if they 

 could be varied by giving them different colours : this would be 

 cceatiug for the eyes a new pleasure. 



SECTION II. 



Composition of a Paste proper for representing Animals, and 

 other Devices in Fire. 



IT is to the Chinese also that we are indebted for this method of 

 representing figures with fire. For this purpose, take sulphur 

 reduced to an impalpable powder, and having formed it into a paste 

 with starch, cover with it the figure you are desirous of representing 

 on fire : it is here to be observed, that the figure must first be 

 coated over with clay, to prevent it from being burnt. 



When the figure has been covered with this paste, besprinkle it 

 while still moist with pulverised gunpowder ; and when the whole is 

 perfectly dry, arrange some small matches on the principal parts of 

 it, tliat the tire may be speedily communicated to it on all sides. 



The same paste may be employed on figures of clay, to form de- 

 vices and various designs. Thus, for example, festoons, garlands, 

 and other ornaments, the flowers of which might be imitated by fire 

 of different colours, could be formed on the frieze of a piece of r. 

 - ture covered with plaster. The Chinese imitate grapes ex. 



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