276 THE WEDGWOODS. 



to allow for shrinking, proportionate to the body and to the 

 degree of heat to which it has to be subjected. When the 

 model, I will suppose of a bas-relief, has been made, a 

 mould is taken from it, and into this matrix, when dried, 

 the prepared clay is pressed. If the original model was, 

 say eight inches in height, its counterpart in soft clay, thus 

 produced, would be precisely the same. This, in passing 

 through the oven, would in some instances, according to 

 the composition of the body, and the heat to which it was 

 subjected, shrink as much as one-eighth ; so that what 

 went into the kiln in a soft state of eight inches would 

 come out hardened only seven inches in height, and being 

 shrunk bodily, its entire proportions and its minutest 

 details would be reduced alike. Another mould being taken 

 from, this, and a clay squeeze from the matrix of seven 

 inches being again subjected to the same heat, the second 

 perfect piece would come out of the kiln measuring only six 

 inches and an eighth and so on ; each time a reduction is 

 made, the proportion of loss of one-eighth of its then size 

 being preserved. It will thus be seen that with care and 

 experience reductions to almost any size may be procured. 



The next bill of Flaxman's, which I have the good fortune 

 to produce through the courtesy of Messrs. Wedgwood, is 

 one of great importance, being a statement of accounts from 

 July llth, 1783, the year after his marriage, down to August 

 10th, 1787, the time when he and his true helpmate set off 

 to Rome to study the great masters, and to prove to 

 Reynolds and the world " that wedlock is for a man's good 

 rather than for his harm." 



MR. WEDGWOOD, 



To J. FLAXMAN, JUN. 



1783. a. d. 



July 11. Two Drawings of Crests, an Owl & a 



Griffin's Head . . . .030 

 A portrait of Mr Herschel . . .220 



A Dr Buchan . . .220 



Oct. 12. A an officer from a print, for . 



a ring . . . . * . . 2 12 6 



