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THIS is the Twelfth and last Book of our Art of Glass, which should have indeed succeeded the First; but we waited some Memoirs on the Subject, nor we have not yet found them; this made us put it off, and place it here: Besides, there is such a Coherency of Matters, in the Order of the Second Book, as we could not pos∣sibly dispose of any other way, without breaking
their due Course, and the Affinity and Connection they have with each other, which the Reader may easily perceive; but what matter is it where we place this, so that it may be found among our Works; and we deliver nothing therein, but what we have been familiar withal.
That of Looking-glasses is undoubtedly the finest and more admirable part of Glass-Work; 'tis the most perfect Master-piece of all the Art. We pre∣sume the Order we have given in placing it here, will be approved of, since 'tis the Subject of the last Book, and the Twelfth, which is a perfect Number, and comprehends all other in Sacred Philosophy.
Twelve, the Number of Grace and Perfection, has been highly esteemed at all times for those Won∣derful Properties ascribed to it; 'tis very much ce∣lebrated in Holy Writ, and the Divine Plato has u∣sed it with the same Deference in his Works, if the Account which those, who were intimate with this Famous Number Twelve, have left of it, were not Foreign to our Design, we could give the Curious such extraordinary Relations, as would create a Mighty Respect in them for the same.
We already noted in the First Chapter, that 'tis about Two Hundred Years since the Invention of Looking-glasses, and also how they were found out: Before these the Ladies made use of Steel, or Cop∣per, or well polished Marble Mirrours, these have been in use for many Ages: We can by the help of History, look back on them as far as the Time of Ozias King of Iuda, which was about the Fourth or Fifth Olympiad; and as many Years before the Building of Rome; Seven Hundred and sixty four Years after this, our Christian Aera commenced. Now tho' the Tyrians were very conversant in Glass∣work, yet they had not the Knowledge of making Looking-glass.
Among all the Excellencies of the Art, none comes near this, nothing can be finer, or admit of greater Admiration, than to see that all the Actions of the Beholder, are so justly and lively represented in these Glasses, that he has an opportunity of disco∣vering what is to be valued on him, and correcting what's amiss; these Truths are too apparent for any to disprove; for the Experience of them are at this Day to be made as easily by the Meanest as the Greatest Persons.
We shall discourse but very briefly of the Metal for making these Glasses; for 'tis the same Crystal we have prescribed throughout the First Book, but we will enlarge on this Matter a little, for the con∣veniency of making the Mirrours of Metal, &c. whereof we'll shew how to compound the Stuff, and the way of working them.