Modern curiosities of art & nature extracted out of the cabinets of the most eminent personages of the French court : together with the choicest secrets in mechanicks, communicated by the most approved artists of France / composed and experimented by the Sieur Lemery, apothecary to the French king ; made English from the original French.

To mould off with Plaister, naked Persons in what Posture you please, and in the hollow Mould, to make a Kernel or inner Mould, therewith to make the Figure, and cast it in Brass.

IF the person you make choice of be hairy on the Thighs or Breast, shave it, but let that under the Arm-holes be well greased with Hogs-Grease, or cut it, the Body of the Person be not constrained to any unna∣tural Posture, but such as you think fit, let him be lightly greased all over; having plac'd him upon a large Board or Table laid on the Ground and greased, place him in the midst of it it, then make round about the Person a Counter-Mould of Brick and Clay, which you must plaister on the inside, so that it be about three Fingers breadth from the Figure. If the Legs are a little open, put a little Clay before you make the Counter-Mould, or a thin Board greased between the Legs, so that it neither touch them nor the Thighs; then take other little pieces of very thin Board in form of a Knife or thin Wedg, sharp on one side, more thick on the other, grease them, then view the place where you intend your Mould shall separate, be it in

two, three or four pieces, stick these pieces of Board upon the Clay, on the inside the Counter-Mould, the sharp Edge to the side of the person you are to mould; but if you place these Boards from the Soles of the Feet to the calf Gartering place, knees, or higher, do it according as the Leg, Thigh, or other part of the Body is scituated more or less inward or outward; the Fi∣gure being cast, and these pieces taken a∣way, you have the place where to open the Mould. Having raised your Counter-Mould as high as the Shoulders, make a lit∣tle Trough about two or three foot long, which must rest on the top of your Mould, one end joyning to the Neck of your Figure, at the other end place a wooden Tunnel as big as a large Pail, then take six or seven large Staves or Ribs of a large Cask or Bar∣rel, bind them fast about it with a Cord, for fear it should burst, then take Plaister well burnt, and dash it into a large Tub of Wa∣ter, or into several large Brass Pails or Ket∣tles, with which (being neither too thick nor too thin) fill your Counter-Mould through the Tunnel, that it may run down the Trough, pour it as fast as you can, to that purpose, have several hands to assist, being fill'd, the Plaister will be set in a little time, which done, pull down the Counter-Mould, then with a large Knife or such like Instru∣ment, dress the outside of your Mould while

the Plaister continues easie to cut, then take out the thin pieces of Wood, and have o∣ther pieces of about a foot and half long, more or less, in form of a Wedge, and sharp as a Knife, about a Finger thick on the back, and about half a foot broad, place these in the Clefts made by the small Boards, and o∣pen your Mould, which must be done with as few pieces as you can; thus have you an upright Figure in two pieces, except the Arms. But in Figures lying all along, the Mould must be in more pieces; but if the Figure have one or both Arms extended, draw a Circle like a Bracelet, with red Ink round about the Arm or Arms about half a foot from the Shoulder, which Mark be∣ing imprinted in the Mould, the Figure ta∣ken off, will also have the same, which will easily direct where to cut it, and to fit the length of the Arm to the Body of the Fi∣gure; if you desire a Copy of the Figure, dress the Mould, tye the pieces strongly to∣gether, and cast Plaister into it. But if you would cast a Figure of Bronze or Brass, se∣parate the Mould where you put the small pieces of Wood, or else with an Iron Wier, saw your Mould as near to the Hollow as possible you can, so that putting a bigger Wedge into the Cleft, you may open your Mould, being divided so as that you may cast your Wax Figure, make thick pieces of Earth, according to the precedent Chapter,

dry it, grease it, and make a Kernel or in∣ner Mould, put in the Iron Points or Bro∣ches to support it, take out your thickness of Earth, pour in the Wax, then melt it out, and bake the Mould as before mentioned.

In like manner you may take off all sorts of Figures and Postures according to the Life, be sure to cast all your Plaister at the same instant, for many and slow Runnings make faulty Moulds; also the person being up to the Neck in Plaister, the coldness of the Water will so oppress his Stomach, that he'l be apt to shrink or lift up his Shoulders, and so deform the Mould, to prevent which, let the Water be lukewarm; if you mix a third of fine Brick with Plaister, and some Plume Alum, you may cast Brass in it, only making a thickness of Earth for to make the Kernel; but before you bake it, give a lay∣ing or two of Sal Armoniac Water in all the hollow places of the Mould, tying it with strong Iron Wier or Hoops, and putting in the Broches. Thus may you cast very fine Figures also in Lead or Tin, the chief thing is to find out well shap'd persons, and hard Labourers, who have always their Muscles more strong and better shap'd, than such as live a finer Life, who often have their Bo∣dies forc'd to their Cloaths, nor those whose Toes grow over one another, set the Person right, that the Posture seems not aukward, especially in upright Figures.