DYEING SUBSTANCES. 307 



squeezed, then dried by exposure to sunshine, and 

 fterwards, by pressure and friction, made smooth 

 enough for being- drawn upon by the pencil with the 

 different mordants *." The Egyptians, in the time 

 of Pliny, had discovered or adopted from the Hin- 

 doos this mode of topical dyeing; as he describes 

 them as painting or drawing on white cloth with 

 certain drugs, which in themselves possessed no 

 colour, but had the property of attracting or absorb- 

 ing colouring matters. After these cloths had been 

 drawn upon, they were immersed in a heated dyeing 

 liquor, arid though colourless before, and though the 

 dyeing liquor in which they were immersed was of one 

 uniform colour, yet when taken out of it they were soon 

 after found to be tinged of different colours, accord- 

 ing to the different nature of the several drugs which 

 had been applied to the particular parts ; and all of 

 these colours were permanent. 



To the uninitiated among the ancients this wonder- 

 working process must have appeared like magic ; 

 and although the beautiful science of chemistry has 

 laid open to the moderns so many mysteries and se- 

 crets of nature, yet even now it is matter of curiosity 

 and admiration to behold a colourless texture, after 

 being immersed for a short time in a certain prepa- 

 ration, drawn fortli exhibiting figures of vivid and 

 varied colours durably marked on its surface. 



This art is comparatively of recent introduction in 

 England. At the beginning of the eighteenth cen- 

 tury it was scarcely known. No branch of domestic 

 industry has risen to perfection with greater celerity. 

 At present the elegance of the patterns, the beauty 

 and permanency of the colours, and the expedition 

 with which the different operations are carried on, 

 are truly admirable. 



Working dyers divide colours into two classes, 

 * Bancroft, chap. vii. p. 173. 



