1ſpread on, or faſtened to the Work. Stuc and
Plaiſter are ſpread on; but Stuc is never good
but in very dry Places. The Moiſture trick
ling down from old Walls is extremely preju
dicial to all Sorts of Incruſtations. Theſe In
cruſtations which are faſtened to the Work are
Stone, Glaſs and the like. The different Sorts
of Incruſtations which are ſpread on are either
flat White, Baſs-relieve, or painted in Freſco.
Thoſe which are faſtened on, are either plain,
pannelled or teſſelated. We ſhall ſpeak firſt of
thoſe which are ſpread on, for which the Lime
muſt be prepared in the following Manner:
Quench it in a covered Pit with clear Water,
and let there be much more Water than Lime;
then with an Axe chop and cut it as if you
were chopping of Wood, and you will know
when it is ſufficiently ſoaked and diſſolved by
the Axes not being offended by the leaſt Stone
or Grit. It is thought not to be ſufficiently
ſoaked under three Months. It is never good
unleſs it be very glutinous and clammy; for if
the Axe comes out of it dry, it is a Sign it has
not had a ſufficient Quantity of Water to quench
its Thirſt. When you mix it up with the Sand,
or any other pounded Materials, beat it over
and over again very heartily, till it perfectly
foams again. That which was deſigned for
the outer Coat the Ancients uſed to pound in
a Mortar, and they tempered their Mixture ſo
well, that it never ſtuck to the Trowel when
they came to lay it on. Upon this firſt Coat,
while it is ſtill wet and freſh, lay on the ſecond,
and be ſure to let all the three be laid on ſo
faſt as to dry together, beating them even and
ſmooth while they are wet. The outer Coat
of flat White, if you rub and ſmooth it well,
will ſhine like a Looking-glaſs; and if when
it is almoſt dry, you anoint it with Wax and
Gum Maſtix diſſolved in a little Oil, and heat
the Wall thus anointed with a Pan of Charcoal,
ſo that it may imbibe that Ointment, it will
out-do any Marble in Whiteneſs. I have found
by Experience that this Coat will never ſcale
off, if while you are working it, upon the firſt
Appearance of any Crack, you make it good
with a few Twigs of white Mallows or wild
Spart. But if you are obliged to plaiſter in
the Dog-days, or in any very hot Place, cut
and beat ſome old Ropes very ſmall, and mix
them with the Plaiſter. You may alſo give it
a very fine Poliſh, by throwing in a little
white Soap diſſolved in warm Water; but if
you uſe too much of this, it will make your
Work look pale. Figures in Stuc-work are
eaſily made from a Mold; and the Mold itſelf
is taken off from any Relieve, by pouring ſome
liquid Plaiſter over it; and as it is drying, if it
is anointed with the Compoſition above men
tioned, it will get a Surface like Marble. Theſe
Figures are of two Sorts, one alto Relieve and
the other baſſo Relieve. In an upright Wall,
the alto Relieve do extremely well: But on an
arched Cieling the baſſo Relieve are better;
becauſe thoſe of the high Relieve being to hang
down from the Cieling, are very apt to break
off by their own Weight, which may endanger
the Perſons in the Room. It is a very good
Admonition, that where there is likely to be
much Duſt, we ſhould never make Ornaments
of high Relieve; but flat and low, that they
may be eaſily cleaned. Of painted Surfaces
ſome are done while the Work is freſh, and
others when it is dry. All natural Colours
which proceed from the Earth, from Mines or
the like, are proper for Paintings in Freſco:
But all artificial Colours, and eſpecially thoſe
which are altered by Means of Fire, require a
very dry Surface, and abhor Lime, the Rays of
the Moon, and ſouthern Winds. It has been
newly found out that Colours mixed up with
Linſeed Oil, will ſtand a vaſt While againſt all
the Injuries of the Air and Seaſons, provided
the Wall on which they are laid be perfectly
dry, and quite clear of all Moiſture; though I
have obſerved that the antient Painters, in
painting the Poops of their Ships, make uſe of
liquid Wax, inſtead of Size. I have alſo ſeen
in the Works of the Ancients, ſome Colours of
Gems laid on the Wall, if I judge rightly, with
Wax, or perhaps with a white Sort of Terraſs,
which was ſo hardened by Time, that it could
not be got off either by Fire or Water, and you
would have taken it for a hard Sort of Glaſs.
I have known ſome too, that with the white
milky Flower of Lime, have laid Colours up
on the Wall, while it was ſtill freſh, that have
looked as much like Glaſs as poſſible. But of
this Subject, we need ſay no more.
Plaiſter are ſpread on; but Stuc is never good
but in very dry Places. The Moiſture trick
ling down from old Walls is extremely preju
dicial to all Sorts of Incruſtations. Theſe In
cruſtations which are faſtened to the Work are
Stone, Glaſs and the like. The different Sorts
of Incruſtations which are ſpread on are either
flat White, Baſs-relieve, or painted in Freſco.
Thoſe which are faſtened on, are either plain,
pannelled or teſſelated. We ſhall ſpeak firſt of
thoſe which are ſpread on, for which the Lime
muſt be prepared in the following Manner:
Quench it in a covered Pit with clear Water,
and let there be much more Water than Lime;
then with an Axe chop and cut it as if you
were chopping of Wood, and you will know
when it is ſufficiently ſoaked and diſſolved by
the Axes not being offended by the leaſt Stone
or Grit. It is thought not to be ſufficiently
ſoaked under three Months. It is never good
unleſs it be very glutinous and clammy; for if
the Axe comes out of it dry, it is a Sign it has
not had a ſufficient Quantity of Water to quench
its Thirſt. When you mix it up with the Sand,
or any other pounded Materials, beat it over
and over again very heartily, till it perfectly
foams again. That which was deſigned for
the outer Coat the Ancients uſed to pound in
a Mortar, and they tempered their Mixture ſo
well, that it never ſtuck to the Trowel when
they came to lay it on. Upon this firſt Coat,
while it is ſtill wet and freſh, lay on the ſecond,
and be ſure to let all the three be laid on ſo
faſt as to dry together, beating them even and
ſmooth while they are wet. The outer Coat
of flat White, if you rub and ſmooth it well,
will ſhine like a Looking-glaſs; and if when
it is almoſt dry, you anoint it with Wax and
Gum Maſtix diſſolved in a little Oil, and heat
the Wall thus anointed with a Pan of Charcoal,
ſo that it may imbibe that Ointment, it will
out-do any Marble in Whiteneſs. I have found
by Experience that this Coat will never ſcale
off, if while you are working it, upon the firſt
Appearance of any Crack, you make it good
with a few Twigs of white Mallows or wild
Spart. But if you are obliged to plaiſter in
the Dog-days, or in any very hot Place, cut
and beat ſome old Ropes very ſmall, and mix
them with the Plaiſter. You may alſo give it
a very fine Poliſh, by throwing in a little
white Soap diſſolved in warm Water; but if
you uſe too much of this, it will make your
Work look pale. Figures in Stuc-work are
eaſily made from a Mold; and the Mold itſelf
is taken off from any Relieve, by pouring ſome
liquid Plaiſter over it; and as it is drying, if it
is anointed with the Compoſition above men
tioned, it will get a Surface like Marble. Theſe
Figures are of two Sorts, one alto Relieve and
the other baſſo Relieve. In an upright Wall,
the alto Relieve do extremely well: But on an
arched Cieling the baſſo Relieve are better;
becauſe thoſe of the high Relieve being to hang
down from the Cieling, are very apt to break
off by their own Weight, which may endanger
the Perſons in the Room. It is a very good
Admonition, that where there is likely to be
much Duſt, we ſhould never make Ornaments
of high Relieve; but flat and low, that they
may be eaſily cleaned. Of painted Surfaces
ſome are done while the Work is freſh, and
others when it is dry. All natural Colours
which proceed from the Earth, from Mines or
the like, are proper for Paintings in Freſco:
But all artificial Colours, and eſpecially thoſe
which are altered by Means of Fire, require a
very dry Surface, and abhor Lime, the Rays of
the Moon, and ſouthern Winds. It has been
newly found out that Colours mixed up with
Linſeed Oil, will ſtand a vaſt While againſt all
the Injuries of the Air and Seaſons, provided
the Wall on which they are laid be perfectly
dry, and quite clear of all Moiſture; though I
have obſerved that the antient Painters, in
painting the Poops of their Ships, make uſe of
liquid Wax, inſtead of Size. I have alſo ſeen
in the Works of the Ancients, ſome Colours of
Gems laid on the Wall, if I judge rightly, with
Wax, or perhaps with a white Sort of Terraſs,
which was ſo hardened by Time, that it could
not be got off either by Fire or Water, and you
would have taken it for a hard Sort of Glaſs.
I have known ſome too, that with the white
milky Flower of Lime, have laid Colours up
on the Wall, while it was ſtill freſh, that have
looked as much like Glaſs as poſſible. But of
this Subject, we need ſay no more.