The art of glass shewing how to make all sorts of glass, crystal and enamel : likewise the making of pearls, precious stones, china and looking-glasses : to which is added, the method of painting on glass and enameling : also how to extract the colours from minerals, metals, herbs and flowers ... : illustrated with proper sculptures / written originally in French, by Mr. H. Blancourt, and now first translated into English ; with an appendix, containing exact instructions for making glass-eyes of all colours.

THE PREFACE.

THE Art of Glass, being one of the Most Noble and Curious of all other Arts, and the Wonderfulness of it, both in the Simplicity of the Matter, whereof it is made, and in the Formation of it; as also the Various Colours it is capable of receiving, appearing so Curious and Entertaining, chiefly engaged my Thoughts in the Study of its Principles, and to pene∣trate into the most hidden Secrets of it.

The Knowledge I had acquired in the Secrets of Na∣ture, both by Speculations, and repeated Experiments, Excited me to a more particular Enquiry of whatever might be extraordinary in it, that I might Impart it to the Publick.

Most People are of Opinion, That the Ancient Man∣ner of Tinging Glass, (with those fine and rich Colours, whereof there are still some Remains to be seen in Anci∣ent Churches) is at present quite lost. It is true indeed, it is lost Publickly, since those who publickly profess the Art of Making Glass, know nothing of it: But to those who set themselves throughly to study the true Principles of whatever they undertake, it is not difficult to Retrieve

lost Arts, and Revive them in their Ancient Splendour and Perfection.

I shall therefore here endeavour to Revive, and make Publick, this supposedly lost Secret, of giving all those Curious and Rich Colours to Glass, which the Ancients did, by shewing whatever has been performed, that is ex∣traordinary and curious in this Science, which I have traced and recovered from the obscure Tracts of Ancient Authors, and confirmed by my own Experiments; and also augmented what was delivered by them, in Prepara∣tions of several rare and precious Matters, that cannot but appear very extraordinary.

This Age has been very happy for the Restauration of Arts and Sciences, of which that late Excellent Mini∣ster of State, Monsieur Colbert Superintendant, and Sur∣veyor-General of the Buildings, Arts, and Manufactures of France, has been an Assiduous Reviver and Encoura∣ger: They seem at present to be arrived at so high a de∣gree of Perfection, that there is not one but has surpassed whatever was done by the Ancients; and those under his Inspection, particularly merit on that account a preference to any others. That of Glass, whereof we are at present to treat, has not been the last that has signalized it self, having already shewn Wonders in the extraordinary large∣ness of Coach-glasses.

We have divided this Work into Twelve Books, which contain so many different Heads, tho' derived from the same Principles. If we were to follow the ordinary Custom of most Authors, we should Epitomize in the Preface, the Contents of those Twelve Books: But that seems to us a needless Task, since the Reader may please to peruse an Index, which we have for that purpose annexed to the End of this Volume, which will be sufficient for the Reader's Satisfaction therein.

Our Design being not to trouble the Reader with a long Preface, we have resolved only to touch very lightly of the Matters contained in the Book, and only to hint of some things that are omitted.

Glass has something in it so beautiful to the Sight, and its Transparency is so agreeable, that it is no wonder we find it by several, and even in the Holy Scripture it self, compared not only to Gold, the most perfect of all Metals, but also to things far more high and Spiritual. They are Mysteries of deeper Consequences, than at first sight we imagine, since by them we are informed, that Vitrification gives a better Being, or Nobler Nature. This requires the attentive Thoughts of Philosophers, not only in the Nature of Metals, where it is easily seen; but also in other things, where Sense and Experience te∣stifie the Truth of it.

We have asserted in our Book, that Glass is a perfect Metal, since it will bear the utmost force of Fire as well as Gold: And that there is but one sort of Fire, more Puissant than the Vulgar, that can consume it: But here we will take notice, that there are two Ways to make Glass, and that it may be made more or less fixed. That the more fixed, which is the least beautiful and the least transparent, resists every thing; no Preparation of Mercury, nor any Species of Aqua-fortis, can Dissolve it, nor the most sub∣••le Poisons, or highest Corrosives, arrive any further than to break it. The less fixed, on the contrary, which is the most clear and transparent, as that of Venice, is less capable of Resistance, being composed of a more purified Salt: Thus it will Dissolve in the Earth, or in cold and moist Places, if there be more Salt in it proportionably ••han Sand, by a Separation natural to those two sorts of Matter: And Poisons Extracted out of Minerals will Dissolve it, by reason of their great cold.

We shan't repeat here the Virtues Glass is capable of acquiring, (whereof we make mention in several places) by the Grand Elixir of the Philosophers, (which makes it Malleable, and Converts Crystal into Precious Stones) as also by several other ways. We'll only add, That there are several other less and particular Secrets, by which it may be made soft and fusil like Wax, and afterwards re∣duced to its former hardness in Water; but these are lit∣tle Curiosities that serve to no purpose.

Glass may receive either within or without any sort of Metallick Colours, which makes it very proper for Painting. Those which we shall teach to Extract from Metals, and shew in this Book for the tinging of Glass, give it a Lustre equal to Precious Stones, and set it off with an unspeakable Beauty.

As we have given you the ordinary Preparations of all sorts of Metals, Crystal, Glass, Rochetta, Soda, Tartar, Manganese, Salt, Sulphur, Vitriol, Aqua∣fortis and Regis, Pastes, Enamels, Pearls, and other things contained in this Work: So we can safely say, we have given you more of them than are common, and some which have never been publick; which we have all along taken particular care to do, to oblige the Curious in this Art, who will apprehend it better by reading the Book it self, than we can tell them in the Preface. But more particularly to shew our Ingenuous and Vnprejudiced Im∣partiality in this Affair, and how little envy we have to the Students and Practisers of this Art, we discover to them such extraordinary and precious Receipts in it, as would have been Industriously concealed by any other Hand, because they point out the Paths to Persons Conver∣sant and Illuminated in these Studies, even to their grea∣test Secrets, and most hidden Recesses.

By what we treat of in this Book upon this Subject, ••ne may perceive that there is nothing in Nature which Man cannot imitate: And if we believe what Claudian ••ells us, of that great Sphere of Glass, made by Archi∣nedes, we shall have reason to be as much surprized, as Claudian's Poem makes the Gods to be. If the Reader ••ould know the reason why that Sphere was made of Glass, ••e may see it in Cardan's Book, de Subtilitate, where ••e may see with it, a Quotation of the Verses we here ••ention.

Besides what relates to the Art of making Glass, we ••lso treat of the Ways of Painting on Enamel and Glass; ••nd we also shew the Way of Extracting Tinctures of ••everal Colours of Herbs, Flowers, Roots, Grain, Wood, Stones, and other things, for this sort of Pain∣••ing and Tinging of Glass.

Altho▪ this. Art of Painting seems different from that ••f Glass, yet they ought not to be separated, since this Painting is performed with Minerals, and that they melt ••n Fire like the Enamels.

One of the most Ingenious we have ever had for Pain∣••ing on Glass, was one Jaques de Paroy, a Native of ••t. Pourcain sur Allier, who has Writ upon that Subject. His Genius always leading him that ways, he apply'd him∣••elf to it with a great Inclination and Industry, and suc∣eeded in it accordingly: Whereupon he went to Rome to ••erfect himself, as being the greatest and most general ••chool for Painting and Sculpture; where he studied •• long time under the Famous Dominican. After he at∣••ained to Perfection, he went to Venice, where he did ••everal fine Pieces.

Returning into France, in the Province of Auvergne, where he was Born, he performed also some extraordinary Pieces in the Castle of the Count de Calignac, and af∣terwards in the Church of St. Mederick in Paris, where is yet to be seen of his, the Judgment of Susannah, which is very perfect and Exquisite, as well as all the other Pieces of the Choir. At length this Excellent Person•• died at the Age of 102 Years, in the City of Moulin•• Burbonois, where his last Funeral Obsequies were per∣formed in the Church of the Jacobines.

There are likewise more of those fine Paintings, whic•• justly cause Admiration in all Learned Beholders, to b•• seen in the Church of St. Gervais at Paris, and in th•• Wooden-Chappel at St. Vincent's, in the Great Church o•• the City of Metz, in that of St. Owen at Roan, in th•• Castles of Gaillon and Annet; and in several other pla∣ces, which would be tedious to relate, where in a•• of them are to be seen some of those Prodigies o•• Art.

The Way to become perfect in any Art, is wholly to d•• vote and give ones self up to't; but the most part of thos•• who have so Zealously apply'd themselves to it, and be•• come Excellent therein, have left no other Patrimony •••• their Heirs, but their own Empty Fame, which they a•••• ways pursu'd when alive, with far more Vigour than th•• Goods of Fortune. Witness Lisippus, that Incomparab•••• Engraver, why Died of meer Poverty, because instea•• of seeking whereby to Live, he continually employ'd him self about his Art. And Miron, who seem'd to have ••¦nimated his Statues, cast them so happily in Brass, l•••• so little behind him, that no one would take the pains to •• his Executor to look after it.

We might give a Thousand Examples of these Truths, and in what Esteem those who have excell'd in these Arts, have been had by great Princes all over the World, but the Subject would require a larger Discourse than we have allotted to this Preface, which obliges us to come to a Con∣clusion; only further desiring the Reader not to expect any Quaintness of Expression, or Politeness of Stile, but ra∣ther to content himself with the Exactness which we have always taken care to observe in giving him the Preparati∣ons we pretend to shew, with all the Truth and Fidelity possible.