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C. ExtraSl of a Letter from the Abbs 
Mazeas, F. R. S. concerning an ancient 
Method of Painting , revived by Count 
Caylus. Fran fated from the French by 
< James Parfons, M. D . F. R. S. 
Paris, Nov. 17, 1755. 
Read May 27, TT AM to inform you of a difcovery 
17 > 6 ' made here this year, which my long 
illnefs hindered me from communicating fooner. 
The Count de Caylus, a pnember of the Academy 
of Infcriptions, had undertaken to explain an ob- 
fcure paifage in Pliny the Naturalift. This author 
(whom I have not now before me) fays in fome place 
of his works, that “ the ancients painted with burnt 
" wax 5” and we have it from tradition, that pictures 
of this kind were very durable. 
This was the paifage, that the count undertook to 
clear up, in trying all the different ways, that are 
poffible, to paint in wax; and after many exoeri- 
ments, he hit upon a very fimple method, of which 
he made a fecret, in order to excite the curiofity of 
the public. For that time, he only thought proper 
to fhew one pidture at the Louvre, reprefenting the 
head of Minerva, painted in the manner of the ancients ; 
and it was much admired. I faw it, and (hall inform 
you by and by what effedt it had upon me ; but let 
us firft return to fpeak of the public. 
The feveral artifts, who were defirous of knowing: 
by what means the count came to make this difco- 
very, made feveral attempts themfelves ; but in a 
great number of trials, only two are worth men- 
tioning. The 
