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•which might be disposed to scale, may be 
corrected by others. 
Resins may be dissolved by three agents: 
1. By fixed oil. 2. By volatile oil. 3. By 
alcohol. And accordingly we have three 
kinds of varnish ■/ the fat or oily varnish, 
essential varnish, and spirit varnish. 
Before a resin is dissolved in a fixed oil, 
it is necessary to render the oil drying. For 
this purpose the oil is boiled with metallic 
oxides, in which operation the mucilage of 
the oil combines with the metal, while the 
oil itself unites with the oxygen of the ox- 
ide. To accelerate the drying of this var- 
nish, it is necessary to add oil of turpen- 
tine. 
The essential varnishes consist of a solu- 
tion of resin in oil of turpentine. The var- 
nish being applied, the essential oil flies off, 
and leaves the resin. This is used only for 
paintings. 
When resins are dissolved in alcohol, the 
varnish dries very speedily, and is subject 
to crack ; but this fault is corrected by add- 
ing a small , quantity of turpentine to the 
mixture, which renders it brighter, and less 
brittle when dry. 
The coloured resins, or gums, such as 
gamboge, dragon’s blood, &c. are used to 
colour varnishes. 
To give lustre to the varnish after it is 
laid on, it is rubbed with pounded pumice 
stone and water ; which being dried with a 
cloth, the work is afterward rubbed with 
an oiled rag and tripoli. The surface is, ' 
last of all, cleaned with soft linen cloths, 
cleared of all greasiness with powder of 
starch, and rubbed bright with the palm 
of the hand. 
Varnish also signifies a sort of shining 
coat, wherewith potter’s wave, delft-ware, 
china-ware, &c. are covered, which gives 
ihem a smoothness and lustre. Melted lead 
is generally used for the first, and smalt for 
the second. See Enamelling. 
Varnish, among medalists, signifies the 
colours antique medals have acquired in the 
earth. The beauty which nature alone is 
able to give to medals, and art has never 
yet attained to counterfeit, enhances the 
value of them; that is, the colour which 
certain soils in which they have a long time 
lain tinges the metals withal ; some of which 
are blue ; others with an inimitable vermi- 
lion colour ; others witli a certain shining 
polished brown, vastly finer than Brasil 
figures. 
VARRONIA, in botany, so named from 
Marcus Terentius Varro, a genus of the 
vau 
Rentandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Asperifoliae. Borraginea;, 
Jussieu. Essential character : corolla five- 
cleft ; drupe with a four-celled nut. There 
are nine species. 
VAS, a vessel either for mechanical, che- 
mical, culinary, or any other uses. In ana- 
tomy, all the parts which convey a fluid are 
called vessels, as the veins, arteries, and 
lymphatics. 
VASA concordice, among hydraulic au- 
thors, are two vessels, so constructed as that 
one of them, though full of wine, will not 
run a drop, unless the other, being rail of 
water, do run also, 
VASE, a term frequently used for ancient 
vessels dug from under ground, or otherwise 
found, and preserved in the cabinets of the 
curious. In architecture, the appellation 
vase is also given to those ornaments placed 
on corniches, sochles, or pedestals, repre- 
senting the vessels of the ancients, particu- 
larly those used in sacrifice; as incense- 
pot*, flower-pots, &c. They serve to crown 
or finish faqades, or frontispieces ; and hence 
called acroteria. The term vase, however, 
is more particularly used in architecture to 
signify the body of the Corinthian and Com- 
posite capital ; otherwise called the tambour 
or drum, and sometimes the campana or 
bell. 
VATERIA, in botany, so named from 
Abraham Vater, professor of medicine and 
botany at Witteberg, a genus of the Poly- 
andria Monogynia class and order. Natural 
order of Guttiferae, Jussieu. Essential cha- 
racter: calyx five-cleft; corolla five-petal- 
ed ; capsule three-valved, one-celled, three- 
seeded. There is only one species; viz. 
V. indica. 
VATICA, in botany, a genus of the Do- 
decandi-ia Monogynia class and order. Na- 
tural order of Guttiferae, Jussieu. Essential 
character: calyx five-cleft; petals five; an- 
thers fifteen, sessile, four celled. Tliere is 
but one species, viz. V. chinensis, a very 
rare plant, and as yet scarcely known. 
VATICAN, a magnificent palace of the 
Pope, in Rome, which is said to consist of 
several thousand rooms ; but the parts of it 
most admired are the grand stair-case, the 
Pope’s apartment, and especially the library, 
which is one of the richest in the world, both 
in printed books and manuscripts. 
VAULT, in architecture, an arched roofj . 
so contrived that the stones which form it 
sustain each other. Vaults are, on many 
occasions, to be preferred to soifits, or flat 
ceilings, as they give a greater height and 
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