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Vitrum Annulare, Pastes

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354
ÍATURAL HISTORY OF GEMS.
HERACLIUS ON THE MEANS OF SOFTENING GEMS.
The notion entertained by many, and which indeed involuntarily forces itself upon the mind on examining the facile execution of their glyptic works, viz., that some secret for softening the gems beforehand was known to the ancients, derives a certain degree of confirmation from the following recipes of Heraclius, who wrote at a period (the 7th century) when the traditionary processes were still kept up, though in a faint and feeble existence. If we could only believe his positive assertion in his prelude, that he had himself tested all his recipes, the whole mystery would be solved at once ; but his promises are so extravagant as to make one more than suspect that, instead of disclosing ancient trade-secrets, he is merely passing off in their stead chimerical theories of his own never reduced to practice, after the common manner of Mediaeval quacks.
Extracts from a MS. of the 13th century, formerly in the Library of Trin. Coll., Cambridge,* published in Baspe's Treatise on Oil-Fainting.
"Of engraving upon Glass.—Ye artists who wish to engrave glass handsomely, now will I disclose to you a method exactly as I myself have proved it. I collected fat earth­worms turned up by the plough out of the ground ; and at the same time the art useful for such matters directed me to get vinegar, and the hot blood out of a big he-goat: which I skilfully fed upon strengthening herbs for a short time, when kept tied up in-doors. With the hot blood I then mixed the worms and the vinegar, and so anointed
* Stolen thence since 1840, and subsequently bought, under highly suspicious circumstances, by the British Museum authorities, who have steadily shirked inquiry, and refused restitution.
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