40 THE WEDGWOODS. 



and very high, to contain a sufficient quantity to be baked 

 each time, to cover all contingent expenses. They were 

 constructed with a scaffold round them, on which the firemen 

 could stand, while casting in the salt through holes made in 

 the upper part of the cylinder, above the bags or inner ver- 

 tical flues ; and the saggers were made of completely refrac- 

 tory materials, with holes in their sides, for the vapourised 

 salt to circulate freely among all the vessels in the oven, to 

 affect their surfaces." The ware thus glazed, and made 

 from the common clay, with a mixture of fine sand from 

 Mole Cop, was called " Crouch ware," and in this all the 

 ordinary articles of domestic use, including jugs, cups, 

 dishes, &c., were made. At this time, it is stated, there 

 were only twenty-two ovens in Burslem and its neighbour- 

 hood. "The employment of salt in glazing Crouch ware 

 was a long time practised before the introduction of white 

 clay and flint. The vast volumes of smoke and vapours 

 from the ovens entering the atmosphere, produced that dense 

 white cloud which, from about eight o'clock till twelve on 

 the Saturday morning (the time of ' firing up,' as it is 

 called), so completely enveloped the whole interior of the 

 town, as to cause persons often to run against each other, 

 travellers to mistake the road ; and strangers have mentioned 

 it as extremely disagreeable, and not unlike the smoke of 

 Etna or Vesuvius. But a smoky atmosphere is not regarded 

 by the patriotic observer, who can view through it an indus- 

 trious population, employed for the benefit of themselves 

 and their country, and behold vast piles of national wealth 

 enhanced by individual industry." 



In 1688 two brothers named Eler, or Elers, traditionally 

 believed to have been potters, from Holland, are said to have 

 followed the Prince of Orange (William III.) to England, and 

 two years later to have settled at Bradwell and at Dimsdale 

 two very secluded situations, far from turnpike roads, and 

 scarcely discernible from Burslem or Red Hill where they 

 erected kilns, and commenced the making of a fine red ware, 

 in imitation of the oriental red porcelain, from a vein of clay 



