Dr. Cutbush on the Chinese Fire, ire. 133 



328, may be seen the account of M. Brillat Savarin's irrora- 

 tew\ for scenting; apartments. 



The vases of stent, so much in use among the Greeks and 

 Romans, were nothing more than earthen vessels, which 

 contained a certain composition that was set on fire, 

 modern preparation of this kind is as follows : 



Storax, - - - - - 4 oz. 

 Benzoin, - - - - '4 do. 



Frankincense, - - - . 4 do. 

 Camphor, - - - - - 2 do. \ 



Gum Juniper, . . - - i do. 

 Charcoal of willow, - - - - 1 do.* 



Other compositions, with regard to the additions made 

 to gun powder, or to a mixture of nitre, charcoal and sul- 

 phur, in the formation of serpents, crackers, stars, Roman 

 candles, rocket stars, variously coloured tire rains, white, 

 blue, and yellow illumination port fires, ^c. show that the 

 colour and appearance of flame may be modified, with al- 

 most as many vh nations as the mixture of pigments employ- 

 ed by the painter. 



Before concluding 4:his subject, however, we may add, 

 that the so caJied Bengal lights, although in some recipes 

 orpiment is added, owe their particular character to the 

 preseiice of antimony. The preparation was kept secret 

 for some time. The true formula is the following: 



Salt-petre, - - 3 lbs. oz. dr.. 

 Sulphur, - - - " 13 " 4 '^ 

 Antimony (the sulphuret,) " 7 " 4 " 



The salt-petre and antimony are reduced to fine pow- 

 der, then mixed with the flowers of sulphur, and the mix- 

 ture passed through a sieve. This composition is not used 

 in cases, but is put into earthen vessels, usually shallow, and 

 as broad as they are high. A small quantity of meal pow- 



i 



* The Vestal Fire of the Romans, in honor of the Goddess Vesta, was a 

 different fire, although it was burnt in earthen vessels which were sus- 

 pended in the air ; it was under the care ol the vestal virgins, who pos- 

 sessed extraordinary privileges, but if by carelessness they suffered the fire 

 to go out, they were severely punished, and in the interin, business was 

 suspended. 



