1808.] 
curious mineral does not readily give way 
to fire; which, indeed, must be urged to 
great power before any change 1s ef- 
tected. 
Yule fluxes, when exposed to a strong 
heat, and in combination with alkaline 
salts, forming a glass beautifully transpa- 
rent, but of a peculiar tinge, much re- 
sembling the colour of a laburnum leaf 
in the month of September: that is, a 
yellow, strongly mixed with a greenish 
cast. 
When mixed with common chalk, in 
equal portions, adding one-fourth of its 
weight of refined borax, a beautiful elass, 
possessing great hardness and_ lustre, 
and of a light green cast, will be pro- 
duced, 
Ifevpsous earth be employed, instead 
of the chalk, the glass thus made, will be 
egually beautiful, but of a slightly yel- 
lowish cast. 
The duty on importation being but 
twopence-halfpenny per lb. it should 
seenian object to our artizans, especially 
those concerned in ornamental work, to 
introduce tale as an article of manufac- 
ture. Tor lanterns it is superior to horn, 
asalready shewn; andin apartments, &c. 
where livht should be admitted, while 
privacy is indispensable, it would prove 
highly useful, For the upper parts of 
het-houses it would answer well; since 
its resistance to hail-stunes, &c. would, 
in the end, prove a great saving. 
Powdered. tale has, I believe, been 
used as a cosmetic, for which I should, 
howev er, think it very inapp ropriate, on 
account “of its micous appearance not to 
be subdued, even hy levigation. As an 
Ingredient in paint it has been emp loyed 
in Tudia, but only in the ornamenting of 
theatres, pannels of apartments, &e. in 
which its remarkable silvery brilliancy 
produces an excellent and ri icheffect. In 
my Opiaion were a room painted witha 
mixture of ¢a/ec once to be seen in Eng- 
land, it would lead to a fashion highly in 
favour of the dealers in that mineral. 
Setting aside what may relate to beau- 
tifying, it should seem, that from the un- 
perishaile nature of talc, as well as from 
its Very singular feel, and from its being 
peculiarly calculated to throw off water, 
no better basis could be found for a com- 
post suited to preserving wood-work in 
general from the action of the atmo- 
Sphere. Being totally unacquainted with 
the prices of lump tale and of the splin- 
ters, which, are very easily reducible to 
powder, it ig not in my vowes to state what 
such ¢ a preparation might cost.- J take it, 
On the feeding and managing of Nightingales. 
211 
however forgranted, that, at present tale 
not being in much demand, aud abun- 
dauce veing attainable from various parts 
of Europe, and America, the price of a 
paint or a varnish, such as I have sug- 
gested, could not be very considerable. 
Lshall conclade with remarking, that 
we do not seem to have analized this mi- 
neral so accurately as hecomes a nation 
renowned for advancement in the arts; 
and I anticipate, that whenever it may 
be substituted to the due course of expe- 
riment, many uses will arise which will 
prove both pleasing and profitable. 
Your’s, &c. i 
Carlisle, INDIANUS. 
September 18, 1807. : 
aie ' 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
AY Y experience in the management 
‘H of the nightingale 1s of some’ 
years’ standing. ~The: admiration and 
love I have alw: ays felt forits notes, have 
led me to make it my companion in many 
a solitary hour. The melancholy me- 
lody of the pensive Philomela has in- 
spired the poet, and the lyre has fre- 
quenth yresounded. in her praise. Zoo- 
eraphers, when writing on the feathered 
race, must have had a double pleasure in 
their description of her, compared with 
that excited by any other songsters of the 
grove. } 
The difficulty of rearing this bird, has 
been, to many, a matter of much regret; 
but to those who may be willing to try 
the experiment, the directions here 
given if properly attended to, will, L truse, 
prove successful, and which attention is, 
inconsiderable compared to that bestow-= 
ed daily on other birds very far infe~ 
rior. . 
The nightingale most likely to produce 
the best song, will be the one taken in 
the trap in April or beginning of May: 
the nestling is more difficult to rear, and 
its notes are apt to ve false, unless con. 
stantly kept with other nightingales of, 
good song. I have frequently, of 3 
still ev ening, heard distinctly the notes of 
a nightingale which had been five years 
in the cage, at the distance of half x 
mile; and itis astonishing to observe, how 
much the notes of those domesticated 
improve, and, with care, very often: be= 
come louder, filler: apd more melodious’ 
than those tlfat are wild. Their best 
food is made of raw beef and the yolk of 
egzs. To half a pound of raw beef well 
scraped, and the yol of two eggs boiled 
hard, add a smail quantity of water; not 
the 
