306 COLOURS FOUND AT POMPEIf. 



the coatings of Etruscan vases, and red, white, and brown 

 earthenware, afforded no indication of metal either to Mr. 

 d'Arcet or me. It was not till a later period, that sulphu- 

 rets of copper and lead, and oxides of lead, were employed 

 for this purpose. Occasion illy indeed we rind these metal- 

 lic coatings on some vases dug up; but T conceive them to 

 have been fabricated subsequently to the time when the 

 Romans possessed Gaul ; for all those I have examined, the 

 origin of which evidently dates from the former period, give 

 no trace of lead or copper when analysed. 



Black glaze. Sometimes the black colour alone exhibits marks of vitri- 



fication. 1 have even seen several specimens of ancient 

 pottery, in which this character is indisputable ; and I have 

 always thought, that a vitreous lava formed the base of these 

 coatings, the fusion of which, naturally easy, was farther 

 promoted by a mixture of saline fluxes. I published my 

 work on this subject five and twenty years ago ; Mr. Four- 

 cioy applied it in a very happy manner in his manufactory at 

 Paris; and Mr. d'Arcet has confirmed my opinions by his 

 own experience. 



Their pottery The Roman pottery however, particularly the Etruscan 



baked with a vases was baked with a verv slight heat compared with that 

 low heat. " . Q Q • 



we now employ. It may be estimated at 7 or 8 ot Wedg- 

 wood's pyrometer; and at this degree, as Mr. d'Arcet has 

 shown, we cannot employ the oxides of lead, which then 

 penetrate into the substance, and leave the colour without 

 any gloss on the surface. 

 Far inferior to No doubt we are far superior to the ancients in the art of 

 us in this ma- pottery. The numerous series of metallic oxides, succes- 

 sively discovered and applied, has furnished us with the 

 means of enriching our pottery with a variety of colours 

 equally brilliant and substantial; at the same time that a 

 better chosen mixture of earths has enabled us, to obtain 

 the greatest degree of hardness with almost absolute infusin 

 "bility: but the Etruscan vases will always be prized for the 

 beauty, elegance, and regularity of their forms ; and t 

 thought, that whatever relates to the history of the arts 

 among the Roman people would be acceptable to those, who 

 interest themselves in the promotion of manufactures. 



X. 



