I m 3 



crumbled a\\-ay ; and wrien 'nothing but the nameis 

 of an Apelles or a Praxiteles rernain. Does not 

 a (ingle medal, of which we are in poffeflion, give / 

 us. greater light into hi (lory, than the once famous 

 libraries 8f Alexandria and Pergamos, which are 

 now no rhore ? From thefe, and many other con** 

 fideratlons; I would willingly contribute my en- 

 deavours to render this ftudy more general, ; and 

 confequently more ufeful I have tried a variety 

 of methods to enable "a young medallift to coliecl 

 a cabinet, which may initiate him into the know- 

 ledge of medals and coins at a trifling expence. 

 G The method of taking off plafter of Paris and 

 fulphur impreflions, is known to every body : the 

 firft is too Toft to preferve them from injury, and 

 the brittlenefs of fulphur is a greater objection. 



By forming a coat or layer of thin metal over 

 the plafter of Paris, it would be a confiderable 

 defence. Tin is the cheaper! and moft conveni- 

 ent metal ! for the purpofe, as it is lufficientiy flexi- 

 ble, and at the fame time very much referribles 

 filver. The tin-foil fhould be of the fame kind 

 with that ufed for filvering looking-glaffes. It 

 Ihould be laid over the medal or coin intended to 

 be taken off, and then rubbed either with a brufh, 

 the point of a (kewer, or a pin, till it has received 

 perfectly the impreffion of the medal ; the tin-foil 

 fhould now be pared off round the edge of the 

 medal, till it is brought to the fame circumfer- 

 ence : the medal muft then be reverfed, and the 

 tin-foil will drop off into a chip-box or mold 

 ready to receive it, the concave fide of the foil, 

 or that which is laid on the face of the medal, 



D d being 



