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THE Composition for this must be very fine, be∣cause of the Ware, and not such as is used for ordinary Vessels, we will therefore prescribe the Manner of making it, to prevent the unsuccessful Attempts of such as may be ignorant.
For this you must take of Shells of every sort which are White and Transparent, grind them well on a Marble, then searce and reduce them to an im∣palpable Powder.
To make your Paste of this Powder, first dissolve an Ounce of very white Gum-Arabick in a Pail of Water; when 'tis well dissolved and mixt with the Water, dissolve therein about a quarter as much Quick-lime as your Powder weighs, then stir and mix it very well, and afterwards put in the Powder and stir all together, and knead it as they do Mortar; of this Stuff form your Vessels according to the diffe∣rent sorts you desire, let them half dry, or more, in the Air, before you polish them with your smooth Instrument of Copper, or Iron for that purpose, and so leave 'em until they dry throughly: Being very well smoothed and dried, glaze them over with your White Enamel, prepared as we'll direct in the next Chapter, and so set them in the Furnace to Bake and finish, where having kept them a convenient time, let the Fire go out of its self: When the Furnace is cold, take 'em out and paint them and put them in a∣gain to Bake a second time, observing what directi∣ons we have already given concerning these Matters, and when the Fire is gone out, and the Furnace cold, you have the Ware in perfection ready to take out for use.
You may make your China-Ware also of pure Earth; let it not be red tho, but White or Gray; you may try the sufficiency of it after 'tis prepared, by Baking some beforehand, and when it comes out of the Fur∣nace sound and uncracked, 'tis good and fit for your purpose.
The Preparation consists in drying it well, and re∣ducing it to a very fine Powder; then put it into fair Water, wherein has been already dissolved a little Gum-Arabick; but most of those that make it, employ only Water without Gum; after this you may make your Dishes, set 'em to dry, Polish, Dry, Glaze, Bake, Paint, and finish them as before; all which,
those who work at them know better than I can ex∣press it.