VOL, IV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 36l 



ters' mystery, and the manner of making porcelain vessels, excels all other 

 practices of that kind ; and that they themselves esteem it so much, that they 

 will not he served in plate ; that the earth for making porcelain is to be had 

 in the province of Nankin only ; but that there they cannot make any vessels 

 of it, (whether it be from the quality of the water or wood, or temper of the 

 fire, is not known ;) but must transport it to Sinclcsimo in the province of 

 Kiangsi ; that that earth is very lean, fine and shining like sand, which they 

 temper in water, to reduce into little square lumps ; that they make use of in- 

 digo or woad in painting their work blue, but that for all this knowledge there 

 remains still something necessary to make these vessels aright, which they 

 keep very secret, insomuch that he passes among them for one of the greatest 

 criminals, that reveals this art to any but his own children. 



Lastly, as to their art of printing, which was invented among them about 

 50 years after Christ, their manner is, that they cut their letters with an in- 

 strument of iron, as we do wood-prints on wood, lightly gluing the written 

 copy thereon, whereby their books are free from erratas. They are very dex- 

 terous at it, and will cut a whole sheet as soon as a compositor with us can set 

 one ; and one man will print off 1 500 in a day. They have also this conveni - 

 ency, that their forms may be laid by for as many impressions as they please, 

 and in the mean time print off no more copies than they find sale for, &c. 



IV. An Examen of the way of Teaching the Latin Tongue by use alone. 

 Englished out of French, and printed for Mr. Martyn in London, 1669, 

 in 12mo. 



Observations concernmg the Bath Springs. By Mr. Joseph Glanfill. 

 Dated Bath, June 16, I669. N" 49, p- 977- 



1. The country round this city is very hilly and uneven. The whole tract of 

 the country, within five and seven miles, abounds with coal mines, more or less. 

 But there are no other considerable mines, that I can hear of, nearer than 

 Mendip, which is ten miles hence, excepting some of lead at Berry in Glo- 

 cestershire, which lies upon the north of this place, about four or five miles 

 distant. 



1. The hills for the most part afford a free-stone; and on the north-west of 

 Lansdown the stones dug there are a sort of hard stone, commonly called a 1} as, 

 blue and white, polishable, 



3. The town and baths are of very great antiquity. Besides what I find in 

 very ancient chronicles to that purpose, one of our great antiquaries (Mr. P.) 

 asserts, that these baths were 800 years before Christ. 



VOL. I. Z z , 



