[ 44 1 ] 
LVI. An Anfwer to the preceding Remarks . 
By Mr. John Ellis, F.R.S. 
Read jan. i g, 'fa /fY letter to Mr. Webb, which is 
JlVA printed in the fecond part of the 
xlixth volume of the Philofophical Tranfadtions *, 
was intended to fhew this Honourable Society, that 
Mr. Miller, in his reply to the Abbe Mazeas’s letter, 
had brought no proofs to leflen the difcovery, which 
he tells us the Abbe Sauvages had made, in attempt- 
ing to improve the art of painting or ftaining linens 
and cottons of a fine durable black colour, by making 
ufe of the juice of the Carolina pennated Toxicoden- 
dron, inftead of the common method of ftaining 
black with gauls and a preparation of iron > which, he 
fays, always turns to a rufty colour when wafhed* 
Mr. Miller, inftead of producing the proper proofs, 
to fhew that this method of ftaining cottons and 
linens of a black colour was known before, or quote - 
ing the authors in which he fays it is mentioned, 
contents himfelf with telling the Society, that this 
American Toxicodendron is the fame plant with the 
true varnifh-tree of Japan ; and that callicuts are 
painted with the juice of this Shrub. 
In my letter to Mr. Webb, I have endeavoured to 
fhew, that notwithstanding the authority of Dr. Dil- 
lenius, and the authors that have followed him, it 
does not appear, from Dr. Kcempfer’s defcription of 
this Japan plant, that it can be the fame with our 
American one. 
* Page 806. 
VoL. 50. 
L 1 1 
The 
