JONES, ON JAPANNING AND VARNISHING. 123 



of calico, in preference to linen, as it is less apt to give off lint, 

 which is very troublesome when it gels into the varnish : it is 

 then put into a bottle, well corked, and placed for two or three 

 weeks where the light of the sun can strike it, which will cause a 

 large precipitation of mucilaginous matter, and render it as trans- 

 parent as water. It is now to be decanted off into a clean bottle, 

 and put hy for use. This is the mode of preparing that commonly 

 sold in the shops ; but to insure a varnish that can be depended 

 upon, the following observations must be attended to. Let all the 

 mastic be bruised by a muUer on a painter's grinding-stone, which 

 will immediately detect the soft, or oily tears, which must be re- 

 jected ; as when dissolved in the mass, they prevent the varnish 

 from drying hard, leaving a greasy or tacky surface. The next 

 point of importance, is to procure, if possible, turpentine which 

 has been distilled a second time ; but, where this is not to be had, 

 the best kind sold in the shops must be taken ; but it must be per- 

 fectly clear and colorless, otherwise, good varnish cannot be ob- 

 tained ; it must not be furnished through an oily measure, (which 

 is but too commonly the practice.) but poured out of the carboy 

 without shaking or disturbing it. If any doubts are entertained as 

 to its purity, put about two spoonfuls into a com;non white saucer, 

 and let it evaporate in the sun, which will be effected in two or 

 three hours ; and if it leave a greasy residuum, or a soft sticky 

 mucus, it must be rejected ; that only is good which entirely dis- 

 appears. Thus prepared with good spirits of turpentine, and with 

 mastic bruised and picked, the two ingredients may be put into a 

 clean bottle, when the resin may be dissolved without heat, by half 

 an hour's shaking in the hand ; it must then be strained, and after- 

 wards treated as before recommended. 



The French sometimes prepare this gum in spirits of wine, (pure 

 alcohol,) but it is subject to chill on the picture, and produces in 

 time, a kind of white scale over it. which injures its lustre. 



When it is prepared after the manner recommended, six ounces 

 of pounded gum are mixed with fourteen ounces of pure spirit of 

 turpentine, which may, if found too thick, be diluted with more 

 turpentine. It should be laid on with a soft, flat, camel's liair 

 brush, as it is called, but which however, is made of the hair ob- 

 tained from the squirrel's tail. The varnish should always be laid 

 on with as much despatch as possible, keeping it alive, as the ar- 

 tists term it, and floating after the brush. It may be proper to ob- 

 serve, that no kind of varnish should he applied to any painting, 

 without first cleaning it ; nor to a newly painted picture until it is 

 perfectly hard, to effect which, requires five or six months. Be- 

 fore varnishing, be careful to remove all grease from the surface, 

 by a coat of whiting (not lime) dissolved in water, and laid on so 

 that it covers and entirely obscures the picture ; this should be al- 

 lowed to dry and to remain on for one or two hours, wlie)i it must 

 be entirely removed by a sponge and some clean rain water ; (hon 

 perform the operation of varnishing in a still room, fftc from Inif 

 "^nd dust. 



