186 THE WEDGWOODS. 



lasting and honourable fame. He formed an admirable 

 library of chemical works, and carefully noted the results, 

 not only of his own observations and experiments, but of 

 those of others, and he soon Became one of the most clever 

 of chemists, as he certainly was one of the most accom- 

 plished of the scientific men of his time. I have now lying 

 before me, through the kindness of Mr, Francis and Mr. 

 Godfrey "Wedgwood to whom I have to express my deep 

 obligation for much cordial and valuable assistance through- 

 out my work three large and thick folio volumes of MS. 

 collections, partly in Josiah Wedgwood's handwriting, but 

 principally in that of his chemist, Alexander Chisholm, on 

 chemicals, metals, and kindred subjects, which show pretty 

 forcibly the great attention which must have been paid to 

 these important matters. In one of these volumes is a long 

 list of scientific books, with the note, " Those marked are 

 in our collection," which evidently must have been a " col- 

 lection " of no little importance. 



One great result of Wedgwood's labours indeed, one of 

 the greatest was the production in 1766 of the fine black 

 ware, which he called " Basaltes" or " Egyptian." In this 

 ware he produced, even in those early days, many fine pieces 

 of work, and of a quality which only his own careful hand 

 could afterwards improve. The other important bodies 

 the jasper, the white stone, the cane-coloured, and the 

 mortar, &c., followed in succession, each producing its 

 beauties, and each being specially adapted for the purposes 

 for which, by his master mind, il had been intended. Each, 

 too, found its imitators among the potters of the district, 

 who, envious of his success, were not slow to follow as 

 closely as might be in his steps. Not one of these varieties 

 of ware did Wedgwood patent, but with that liberality of 

 mind which ever characterised him, he was willing that all 

 who cared to make the bodies he had invented should do so. 

 He was content with the knowledge of his own superiority 

 a superiority which he ever maintained over all his many 

 competitors. 



