Of the Method of cutting Marble into thin Scantlings, and what Sand is beſt
for that Purpoſe; as alſo of the Difference and Agreement between Moſaic
Work in Relieve, and Flat, and of the Cement to be uſed in that Sort of Work.
for that Purpoſe; as alſo of the Difference and Agreement between Moſaic
Work in Relieve, and Flat, and of the Cement to be uſed in that Sort of Work.
As to thoſe Incruſtations which are faſten
ed on to the Work, whether flat Facings,
or pannelled Work, the ſame Method is to be
uſed in both. It is very ſurprizing to conſider
the Diligence which the Antients uſed in ſaw
ing and poliſhing their Scantlings of Marble.
I myſelf have ſeen ſome Pieces of Marble above
ſix Foot long and three broad, and yet ſcarce
half an Inch thick, and theſe have been joined
together with a curve Line, that the Spectators
might not eaſily find out where the Junctures
were. Pliny tells us, that the Ancients com
mended the Sand of Æthiopia as the Beſt for
ſawing of Marble, and that the Indian came up
the neareſt to it: But that the Ægyptian was
rather too ſoft, though even that was better than
ours. They tell us that there is a Sort found
in a certain Flat in the Adriatic Sea, which
was much uſed by the Ancients. We dig a
Sand about the Shore of Pozzuolo, which is not
improper for this Purpoſe. The ſharp Sand
found in any Sort of Torrent is good, but the
larger it is, the wider it cuts and the more it
eats into the Stone; whereas the ſofter it goes
through, the Smoother it leaves the Surface,
and the more eaſily to be poliſhed. The Po
liſhing muſt be begun with chizzelling, but
ended with the ſofteſt and ſmootheſt rubbing.
The Theban Sand is much commended for rub
bing and poliſhing of Marble; ſo is the Whet
ſtone, and the Emeril, whoſe Duſt nothing can
exceed for this Purpoſe. The Pumice-ſtone
too, for giving the laſt Poliſh, is very uſeful.
The Scum of calcined Tin, which we call Put
ty, white Lead burnt, the Tripoli Chalk in
particular, and the like, if they are beat in
to the fineſt Duſt that poſſibly can be, ſtill re
taining their Sharpneſs, are very good for this
Work. For faſtening on the Scantlings, if
they are thick, fix into the Wall either Pins of
Iron, or little Spars of Marble ſticking out from
the Wall, to which you may faſten your Scant
ling without any Thing of Cement. But if the
Scantlings are thin, after the ſecond Plaiſter
ing, inſtead of Mortar, take Wax, Pitch, Ro
ſin, Gum Maſtic, and a good Quantity of any
other Sort of Gum whatſoever, all melted and
mixed together, and warm your Piece of Mar
ble by degrees, leſt if you put it to the Fire at
once of a Sudden, the Heat ſhould make it
crack. In fixing up your Scantlings, it will be
very laudable if the Juncture and Order in
which you place them, produce a beautiful Ef
fect, by means of the Veins and Colours an
ſwering and ſetting off one another. I am
mightily pleaſed with the Policy of the Anci
ents, who uſed to make thoſe Parts which lay
neareſt to the Eye as neat and as exactly poliſhed
as was poſſible, but did not take ſo much Pains
about thoſe which ſtood at any Diſtance, or
Heigth, and in ſome Places put them up with
out any poliſhing at all, where they knew the
Eye of the moſt curious Examiner could not
reach them. Moſaic Work in Relieve, and
that which is flat, agree in this Particular,
that both are deſigned to imitate Painting, by
means of an artful Compoſition of various Co
lours of Stones, Glaſs, and Shells. Nero is ſaid
to have been the Firſt that had Mother of
Pearl cut and mixed in Moſaic Work. But
herein they differ, that in Moſaic Work in Re
lieve we uſe the largeſt Pieces of Marble, &c.
that we can get; whereas in the flat Moſaic,
we put none but little ſquare Pieces, no big
ger than a Bean; and the ſmaller theſe Pieces
are, the more Bright and Sparkling they make
the Work, the Light by ſo many different Faces
being broke into the more various Parts. They
differ too in this, that in faſtening on the for
mer, Cement made of Gums is the Beſt; but
in the flat Work, we ſhould uſe Mortar made
of Lime, with a Mixture of Tyburtine Stone,
beat as ſmall as Duſt. There are ſome that, in
flat Work Moſaic Work, are for ſteeping the
Lime often in hot Water, in order to get out
its Saltneſs and make it ſofter and more gluey.
I have known ſome of the hardeſt Stone poliſh
ed upon a Grind-ſtone, in order to be uſed in
the Moſaic in Relieve. In the flat Moſaic Work
you may faſten Gold to Glaſs with a Cement
of Lead or Litharge, which may be made more
liquid than any Sort of Glaſs whatſoever. All
ed on to the Work, whether flat Facings,
or pannelled Work, the ſame Method is to be
uſed in both. It is very ſurprizing to conſider
the Diligence which the Antients uſed in ſaw
ing and poliſhing their Scantlings of Marble.
I myſelf have ſeen ſome Pieces of Marble above
ſix Foot long and three broad, and yet ſcarce
half an Inch thick, and theſe have been joined
together with a curve Line, that the Spectators
might not eaſily find out where the Junctures
were. Pliny tells us, that the Ancients com
mended the Sand of Æthiopia as the Beſt for
ſawing of Marble, and that the Indian came up
the neareſt to it: But that the Ægyptian was
rather too ſoft, though even that was better than
ours. They tell us that there is a Sort found
in a certain Flat in the Adriatic Sea, which
was much uſed by the Ancients. We dig a
Sand about the Shore of Pozzuolo, which is not
improper for this Purpoſe. The ſharp Sand
found in any Sort of Torrent is good, but the
larger it is, the wider it cuts and the more it
eats into the Stone; whereas the ſofter it goes
through, the Smoother it leaves the Surface,
and the more eaſily to be poliſhed. The Po
liſhing muſt be begun with chizzelling, but
ended with the ſofteſt and ſmootheſt rubbing.
The Theban Sand is much commended for rub
bing and poliſhing of Marble; ſo is the Whet
ſtone, and the Emeril, whoſe Duſt nothing can
exceed for this Purpoſe. The Pumice-ſtone
too, for giving the laſt Poliſh, is very uſeful.
The Scum of calcined Tin, which we call Put
ty, white Lead burnt, the Tripoli Chalk in
particular, and the like, if they are beat in
to the fineſt Duſt that poſſibly can be, ſtill re
taining their Sharpneſs, are very good for this
Work. For faſtening on the Scantlings, if
they are thick, fix into the Wall either Pins of
Iron, or little Spars of Marble ſticking out from
the Wall, to which you may faſten your Scant
ling without any Thing of Cement. But if the
Scantlings are thin, after the ſecond Plaiſter
ing, inſtead of Mortar, take Wax, Pitch, Ro
ſin, Gum Maſtic, and a good Quantity of any
other Sort of Gum whatſoever, all melted and
mixed together, and warm your Piece of Mar
ble by degrees, leſt if you put it to the Fire at
once of a Sudden, the Heat ſhould make it
crack. In fixing up your Scantlings, it will be
very laudable if the Juncture and Order in
which you place them, produce a beautiful Ef
fect, by means of the Veins and Colours an
ſwering and ſetting off one another. I am
mightily pleaſed with the Policy of the Anci
ents, who uſed to make thoſe Parts which lay
neareſt to the Eye as neat and as exactly poliſhed
as was poſſible, but did not take ſo much Pains
about thoſe which ſtood at any Diſtance, or
Heigth, and in ſome Places put them up with
out any poliſhing at all, where they knew the
Eye of the moſt curious Examiner could not
reach them. Moſaic Work in Relieve, and
that which is flat, agree in this Particular,
that both are deſigned to imitate Painting, by
means of an artful Compoſition of various Co
lours of Stones, Glaſs, and Shells. Nero is ſaid
to have been the Firſt that had Mother of
Pearl cut and mixed in Moſaic Work. But
herein they differ, that in Moſaic Work in Re
lieve we uſe the largeſt Pieces of Marble, &c.
that we can get; whereas in the flat Moſaic,
we put none but little ſquare Pieces, no big
ger than a Bean; and the ſmaller theſe Pieces
are, the more Bright and Sparkling they make
the Work, the Light by ſo many different Faces
being broke into the more various Parts. They
differ too in this, that in faſtening on the for
mer, Cement made of Gums is the Beſt; but
in the flat Work, we ſhould uſe Mortar made
of Lime, with a Mixture of Tyburtine Stone,
beat as ſmall as Duſt. There are ſome that, in
flat Work Moſaic Work, are for ſteeping the
Lime often in hot Water, in order to get out
its Saltneſs and make it ſofter and more gluey.
I have known ſome of the hardeſt Stone poliſh
ed upon a Grind-ſtone, in order to be uſed in
the Moſaic in Relieve. In the flat Moſaic Work
you may faſten Gold to Glaſs with a Cement
of Lead or Litharge, which may be made more
liquid than any Sort of Glaſs whatſoever. All