IMPROVED QUEEN S WARE. 



323 



colour, laid on under the glaze, in the manner that the 

 oriental porcelain is done ; and this was the first time the 

 same art was practised upon earthenware. He was dis- 

 appointed, however, in its success, for those who were in 

 the habit of buying his wares considered it as an imitation 

 of something better, and they preferred the Queen's ware, 

 which had no pretensions of that kind, but stood on its own 

 merits. It became, however, a very considerable branch of 

 pottery, and in general use. His enterprising and ingenious 



neighbours did not abandon the idea, as he was obliged to 

 do, but improved upon it, covering almost the whole of the 

 surface of their ware with oriental designs in blue ; and it 

 now is seen to rival in external appearance the wares of 

 China itself, for which it is substituted among the great 

 body of the people. 



" This improvement of the common ware was in some 

 measure owing to the introduction of materials which an 



Y 2 



