456 POTTERY AND PORCELAIN. 



which does not exceed two feet in height, arise four iron bars, 

 called the spokes of the wheel ; which, forming diagonal lines with 

 the beam, descend, and are fastened at bottom to the edges of a 

 strong wooden circle, four feet in diameter, perfectly like the fel- 

 loes of a coach-wheel, except that it has neither axis nor radii, and 

 is onlj joined to the beam, which serves it as an axis, by the iron 

 bars. The top of the nut is flat, of a circular figure, and a fool in 

 diameter : and on this is laid the clay which is to be turned and 

 fashioned. The wheel, thus disposed, is encompassed with four 

 Bides of four different pieces of wood fastened on a wooden frame; 

 the hind- piece, which is that on which the workman sits, is made 

 a little inclining towards the wheel ; on the fore.piece are placed 

 the prepared earth ; on the side.pieces he rests his feet, and these 

 are made inclining, to give him more or less room. Having pre. 

 pared the earth, the potter lays a round piece of it on the circular 

 head of the nut, and sitting down, turns the wheel with his feet 

 till it has got the proper Telocity ; then, wetting his bands with wa. 

 ter, he presses his fist or his finger-ends into the middle of the 

 lump, and thus forms the cavity of the vessel, continuing to widen 

 it from the middle ; and thus turning the inside into form with one 

 hand, while he proportions the outside with the other, the wheel 

 constantly turning all the while, and he wetting his hands from 

 time to time. When the vessel is too thick, he uses a flat piece of 

 iron, somewhat sharp on the edge, to pare off what is redundant; 

 and when it is finished, it is taken off from the circular head, by a 

 wire passed underneath the vessel. 



The potter's lathe is also a kind of wheel, but more simple and 

 slight than the former, its three chief members are an iron beam 

 or axis three feet and a half high, and two feet and a half diameter, 

 placed horizontally at the top of the beam, and serving to form the 

 vessel upon : and another large wooden wheel, all of a piece, three 

 inches thick, and two or three feet broad, fastened to the same 

 beam at the bottom, and parallel to the horizon. The beam or 

 axis turns by a pivot at the bottom in an iron stand. The work, 

 man gives the motion to the lathe with his feet, by pushing the 

 gwat wheel alternately with each foot, still giving it a greater or 

 lesser degree of motion, as his work requires. They work with 

 the lathe, with the same instruments, and after the same manner, 

 as with the whel. The mouldings are formed by holding a piece 1 

 qf wood or iron, cut in the form of the moulding, to the vessel, 



