Chapter XXIII: Part VIII: Elegant and Ingenious Arts, Etc (2)

1704. _Blue._--1. Immerse for some time in a dilute solution of sulphate of indigo--partly saturated with potash--and it will be fully stained. 2. Steep in a strong solution of sulphate of copper.

1705. _Green._--1. Dip blue-stained articles for a short time in nitro-hydrochlorate of tin, and then in a hot decoction of fustic. 2. Boil in a solution of verdigris in vinegar until the desired color is obtained.

1706. _Red._--Dip the articles first in the tin mordant used in dyeing, and then plunge into a hot decoction of Brazil wood--half a pound to a gallon of water--or cochineal.

1707. Steep in red ink until sufficiently stained.

1708. _Scarlet._--Use lac-dye instead of the preceding.

1709. _Violet._--Dip in the tin mordant, and then immerse in a decoction of logwood.

1710. _Yellow._--Impregnate with nitro-hydrochlorate of tin, and then digest with heat in a strained decoction of fustic.

1711. _Second._--Steep for twenty-four hours in a strong solution of the neutral chromate of potash, and then plunge for some time in a boiling solution of acetate of lead.

1712. _Third._--Boil the articles in a solution of alum--a pound to half a gallon--and then immerse for half an hour in the following mixture.

1713. Take half a pound of turmeric, and a quarter of a pound of pearlash; boil in a gallon of water. When taken from this, the bone must be again dipped in the alum solution.

1714. _Horn_ must be treated in the same manner as bone and ivory for the various colors given under that heading.

1715. _In Imitation of Tortoise-Shell._--First steam and then press the horn into proper shapes, and afterward lay the following mixture on with a small brush, in imitation of the mottle of tortoise-shell.

1716. _Second._--Take equal parts of quick lime and litharge, and mix with strong soap-lees; let this remain until it is thoroughly dry, brush off, and repeat two or three times, if necessary.

1717. Such parts as are required to be of a reddish brown, should be covered with a mixture of whiting and the stain.

1718. _Iron._--_Black, for Ship's Guns, Shot, etc._--To one gallon of vinegar add a quarter of a pound of iron rust, let it stand for a week; then add a pound of dry lamp-black, and three-quarters of a pound of copperas; stir it up for a couple of days.

1719. Lay five or six coats on the gun, &c., with a sponge, allowing it to dry well between each. Polish with linseed oil and soft woolen rag, and it will look like ebony.

1720. _Paper and Parchment._--_Blue._--Stain it green with the verdigris stain given below, and brush over with a solution of pearlash--two ounces to the pint--till it becomes blue.

1721. Use the blue stain for wood.

1722. _Green and Red._--The same as for wood. (See 717, page 178.)

1723. _Orange._--Brush over with a tincture of turmeric, formed by infusing an ounce of the root in a pint of spirits of wine; let this dry, and give another coat of pearlash solution, made by dissolving two ounces of the salt in a quart of water.

1724. _Purple._--Brush over with the expressed juice of ripe privet berries. The same as for wood.

1725. _Yellow._--Brush over with tincture of turmeric.

1726. Add anatto or dragon's blood to the tincture of turmeric, and brush over as usual. (See 716, page 178.)

1727. _Wood._--_Black._--Drop a little sulphuric acid into a small quantity of water, brush over the wood and hold it to the fire; it will be a fine black, and receive a good polish.

1728. _Second._--Take half a gallon of vinegar, an ounce of bruised nut-galls, of logwood chips and copperas each half a pound--boil well; add half an ounce of the tincture of sesquichlorid of iron, formerly called the muriated tincture, and brush on hot.

1729. _Third._--Use the stain given for ships' guns.

1730. _Fourth._--Take half a gallon of vinegar, half a pound of dry lamp-black, and three pounds of iron rust sifted. Mix, and let stand for a week. Lay three coats of this on hot, and then rub with linseed oil, and you will have a fine deep black.

1731. _Fifth._--Add to the above stain an ounce of nut-galls, half a pound of logwood chips, and a quarter of a pound of copperas; lay on three coats, oil well, and you will have a black stain that will stand any kind of weather, and one that is well suited for ships' combings, &c.

1732. _Sixth._--Take a pound of logwood chips, a quarter of a pound of Brazil wood, and boil for an hour and a half in a gallon of water. Brush the wood several times with this decoction while hot. Make a decoction of nut-galls by simmering gently for three or four days a quarter of a pound of the galls in two quarts of water; give the wood three coats of this, and while wet lay on a solution of sulphate of iron (two ounces to a quart), and when dry oil or varnish.

1733. _Seventh._--Give three coats with a solution of copper filings in aquafortis, and repeatedly brush over with the logwood decoction, until the greenness of the copper is destroyed.

1734. _Eighth._--Boil half a pound of logwood chips in two quarts of water, add an ounce of pearlash, and apply hot with a brush. Then take two quarts of the logwood decoction, and half an ounce of verdigris, and the same of copperas; strain and throw in half a pound of iron rust. Brush the work well with this, and oil.

1735. _Blue._--Dissolve copper filings in aquafortis, brush the wood with it, and then go over the work with a hot solution of pearlash (two ounces to a pint of water), till it assumes a perfectly blue color.

1736. Boil a pound of indigo, two pounds of woad, and three ounces of alum in a gallon of water; brush well over until thoroughly stained.

1737. _Green._--Dissolve verdigris in vinegar, and brush over with the hot solution until of a proper color.

1738. _Mahogany Color._--_Dark._--1. Boil half a pound of madder and two ounces of logwood chips in a gallon of water, and brush well over while hot; when dry, go over the whole with pearlash solution, two drachms to the quart.

1739. _Second._--Put two ounces of dragon's blood, bruised, into a quart of oil of turpentine; let the bottle stand in a warm place, shake frequently, and, when dissolved, steep the work in the mixture.

1740. _Light Red Brown._--Boil half a pound of madder and a quarter of a pound of fustic in a gallon of water; brush over the work when boiling-hot, until properly stained.

1741. _Second._--The surface of the work being quite smooth, brush over with a weak solution of aquafortis, half an ounce to the pint, and then finish with the following:--Put four ounces and a half of dragons blood and an ounce of soda, both well bruised, to three pints of spirit of wine; let it stand in a warm place, shake frequently, strain, and lay it on with a soft brush, repeating until of a proper color; polish with linseed oil or varnish.

1742. _Purple._--Brush the work several times with the logwood decoction used for No. 6 _Black_, and when dry give a coat of pearlash solution, one drachm to a quart, taking care to lay it on evenly.

1743. _Red._--1. Boil a pound of Brazil wood and an ounce of pearlash in a gallon of water, and while hot brush over the work until of a proper color. Dissolve two ounces of alum in a quart of water, and brush the solution over the work before it dries.

1744. _Second._--Take a gallon of the above stain, add two more ounces of pearl ash; use hot, and brush often with the alum solution.

1745. _Third._--Use a cold infusion of archil, and brush over with the pearlash solution used for No. 1 _dark mahogany_.

1746. _In imitation of Rosewood._--1. Boil half a pound of logwood in three pints of water till it is of a very dark red, add half an ounce of salt of tartar; stain the work with the liquor while boiling hot, giving three coats; then with a painter's graining-brush form streaks with No. 8 _black stain_; let dry, and varnish.

1747. _Second._--Brush over with the logwood decoction used for No. 6 _black_, three or four times; put half a pound of iron filings into two quarts of vinegar; then with a graining-brush or cane, bruised at the end, apply the iron filing solution in the form required, and polish with beeswax and turpentine when dry, or varnish.

ORNAMENTED LEATHER WORK.

1748. An excellent imitation of carved oak, suitable for frames, boxes, vases, and ornaments in endless variety, may be made of a description of leather called Basil.

1749. The art consists in simply cutting out this material in imitation of natural objects, and in impressing upon it by simple tools, either with or without the aid of heat, such marks and characteristics as are necessary to the imitation.

1750. The rules given with regard to the imitation of leaves and flowers (1887) apply to Ornamental Leather Work.

1751. Begin with a simple object, and proceed by degrees to those that are more complicated.

1752. The tools required are ivory or steel points of various sizes, punches, and tin shapes, such as are used for confectionary. The points may be made out of the handles of old tooth-brushes.

1753. Before cutting out the leaves, the leather should be well soaked in water, until it is quite pliable. When dry, it will retain the artistic shape.

1754. Cut out an ivy or an oak leaf, and impress the veins upon it; then arrange these in groups, and affix them to frames, or otherwise.

1755. Leaves and stems are fastened together by means of liquid glue, and varnished with any of the drying varnishes, or with sealing-wax dissolved to a suitable consistency in spirits of wine.

1756. Wire, cork, gutta-percha, bits or stems of trees, &c., may severally be used to aid in the formation of groups of buds, flowers, seed-vessels, &c.

DYEING.

(SEE PAGES 74, 75, 76.)

1757. _Dye Hair and Feathers Green._--Take of verdigris or verditer, of each one ounce: gum water, one pint; mix them well, and dip the hair or feathers into the mixture, shaking them well about.

1759. _Cleansing Feathers of their Animal Oil._--The following receipt gained a premium from the Society of Arts:

1760. Take for every gallon of clean water one pound of quicklime, mix them well together, and when the undissolved lime is precipitated in fine powder, pour off the clean lime-water for use.

1761. Put the feathers to be cleaned in another tub, and add to them a quantity of the clean lime-water, sufficient to cover them about three inches, when well immersed and stirred about therein.

1762. The feathers, when thoroughly moistened, will sink down, and should remain in the lime-water three or four days; after which the foul liquor should be separated from them, by laying them in a sieve.

1763. The feathers should be afterward well washed in clean water, and dried upon nets, the meshes of which may be about the fineness of cabbage-nets.

1764. The feathers must be, from time to time, shaken on the nets, and as they get dry will fall through the meshes, and are to be collected for use. The admission of air will be serviceable in drying.

1765. The process will be completed in three weeks; and after being thus prepared, the feathers will only require to be beaten to get rid of the dust.

1766. _Dyeing Eggs._--Wrap the egg in _crimson silk ribbon_ (taking care that no part is uncovered), tack it on and boil it five minutes, and when it is divested of the ribbon the shell will be of a pretty mottled red; any colored ribbon may be used with a very pretty effect.

1767. _Crystallization upon Cinders._--Saturate water, kept boiling, with alum; then set the solution in a cool place, suspending a cinder in it, by a hair or fine silk thread; as the solution cools, a beautiful crystallization will take place upon the cinder, which will resemble a specimen of mineralogical spar.

1768. _Staining Grasses and Mosses._--Take some common powder-blue, mix with water, rather thin; take dry moss and dip it in, and let it soak a few minutes, take out and squeeze it--you will have a blue moss. Take _light_ chrome yellow (as there are two sorts), mix with water, as before: with the same process you will have a yellow moss. Take some of the blue and some of the yellow, mix with water, as before, and you will have a green moss. You may have a variety of shades by adding or diminishing the yellow.

THE GAME OF DRAUGHTS.

1769. _Rules of the Game._--The nine laws for regulating the game of draughts are as follows.

1770. Each player takes the first move alternately, whether the last game be won or drawn.

1771. Any action which prevents the adversary from having a full view of the men is not allowed.

1772. The player who touches a man must play him.

1773. In case of standing the huff ten minutes, the other may call upon him to play; and if, after that, he delay above five minutes longer, then he loses the game.

1775. In the losing game, the player can insist upon his adversary taking all the men, in case opportunities should present themselves for their being so taken.

1776. To prevent unnecessary delay, if one color have no pieces, but two kings on the board, and the other no piece but one king, the latter can call upon the former to win the game in twenty moves; if he does not finish it within that number of moves, the game to be relinquished as drawn.

1777. If there are three kings to two on the board, the subsequent moves are not to exceed forty.

LAWS OF CHESS.

1778. The rules given below are based upon the code published in "_Walker's Art of Chess Play_." The word _piece_ frequently includes the _pawn_.

1779. If the board or pieces be improperly placed, or are deficient in number (except in the case of odds), the game must be recommenced, if the error is discovered before the fourth move on each side (the eighth move of the game.) If not discovered before this stage, the game must proceed.

1780. If the player gives odds, and yet omits to remove the odds from the board at the commencement, he may recommence the game, and remove the odds given, provided he discover his error before playing his fourth move.

1781. But if he has made his fourth move, the game must be played out; and should the player who agreed to give the odds win the game, it shall nevertheless be considered drawn.

1782. When parties play even, they draw lots for the first move of the first game. The first move is afterward taken alternately throughout the sitting, except when a game is drawn, when he who had the first move in that game still claims it, a drawn game being of no account.

1783. He who gains the move has also the choice of color. Each player uses the same color throughout the sitting. When a match is made for a given number of games, the move passes alternately throughout the match. A player giving odds has the choice of men, and takes the move in every game, unless agreed to the contrary.

1784. A player who gives the odds of a piece, may give it each game from the king's or queen's side, at his option. If he gives the odds of a pawn, he must give the king's bishop's pawn, unless otherwise stipulated.

1785. The player who receives the odds of a certain number of moves at the commencement, must not with those moves cross from his own half of the board.

1786. If a player, in his turn to play, touch one of his men, he must move that piece, if it can legally move, unless, when he first touches it, he says aloud, "_J'adoube_." No penalty is attached to touching a piece, unless it is your turn to move.

1787. If the player touch his king, with the intention of moving him, and then finds that he cannot do so without placing the king in check, no penalty can be inflicted on his replacing his king and moving elsewhere.

1788. [Otherwise?] If the player should touch a man which cannot be moved without placing his king in check, he must move his king instead.

1789. If a player about to move touch one of his adversary's men, without saying "_J'adoube_" when he first touches it, he must take that piece, if it can be lawfully taken.

1790. Should it not be taken, he must, as a penalty, move his king; but should the king be unable to play without going into check, no penalty can be enforced. It is not allowed to castle upon a compulsory move of the king.

1791. While you hold your piece you may move it anywhere allowed by the rules; but when you quit your hold the move is completed, and must be abided by.

1792. If you inadvertently move one of your adversary's pieces instead of your own, he may compel you to take the piece you have touched, should it be _en prise_; or to replace it and move your king, or to leave it on the square to which you have moved it, and forego any other move at that time.

1793. Should you capture one of the adverse pieces with another, instead of one of your own, the capture holds good, if your opponent so decides.

1794. If the player takes a piece through a false move, his adversary may compel him to take such piece with one that can lawfully take it, or to move the piece that has been touched, if such move does not expose the king to check, or he may be directed to move his king.

1795. If you take one of your own men, instead of one of your adversary's, you may be compelled to move one of the two pieces touched, at the option of your opponent.

1796. Mr. Walker thinks that the penalty should be to lose the man you have improperly taken off.

1797. An opponent has the option of punishing a false move, by claiming the false move as your move, by compelling you to move the piece touched, as you may think fit, or to replace the piece and move your king.

1798. The king must never be exposed to check by any penalty enforced.

1799. If you move twice running, you may be compelled to abide by both moves, or to retract the second.

1800. Unlimited time is allowed for the moves [unless otherwise agreed.] If one player insists upon the postponement of the termination of a game, against the will of his opponent, the game is forfeited by him who will not play on.

1801. When a pawn is moved two squares, it is liable to be taken, _en passant_, by a pawn, but not by a piece.

1802. If you touch both king and rook, intending to castle, you must move one of the two pieces, at the option of your adversary; or he may compel you to complete the castling.

1803. You cannot take a piece and castle at the same time; nor does the rook check as it passes to its new position; but it may check on its position after castling.

1804. False castling is liable to the same penalties as a false move.

1805. When a player gives the odds of a rook, he does not relinquish the right of castling on the side from which the rook has been taken, all other conditions being lawful, as if the rook were in its place.

1806. When you give check you must say so aloud.

1807. If check is not called on either side, but subsequently discovered, you must endeavor to recall all the moves back to the period when the check first occurred.

1808. You are not compelled to cry check when you attack the queen.

1809. If you cry check, and afterward alter your determination, you are not compelled to abide by the intention, provided you have not touched the piece.

1810. When a pawn reaches the opposite side of the board it may be replaced by any piece, at the option of the owner, and irrespective of the pieces already owned by him.

1811. Stale-mate is a drawn game.

1812. Drawn games count for nothing; and he who moved first in the drawn game moves first in the following.

1813. If you declare to win a game, or position, and only draw it, you are accounted the loser.

1814. When you have either of the following advantages of force, you are compelled to give check-mate in fifty moves, or the game is considered drawn:

1815. King and queen against king.

King and rook against king.

King and two bishops against king.

King, bishop, and knight, against king.

King and queen against king and rook.

King and rook against king and minor piece.

King and pawn against king.

King and two pawns against king and pawn.

1816. If you move after your adversary has made a false move, or committed other irregularity, you cannot claim the penalties.

1817. Spectators are forbidden to make remarks.

1818. Disputes to be referred to a third party.

EVENING PASTIME.

1819. Among the innocent recreations of the fireside, there are few more commendable and practicable than those afforded by what are severally termed Anagrams, Charades, Conundrums, Enigmas, Puzzles, Rebuses, Riddles, Transpositions, &c.

1820. Of these there are such a variety, that they are suited to every capacity; and they present this additional attraction, that ingenuity may be exercised in the _invention_ of them, as well as in their solution.

1821. Many persons who have become noted for their literary compositions may date the origin of their success to the time when they attempted the composition of a trifling enigma or charade.

1822. _Anagrams_ are formed by the transposition of the letters of words or sentences, or names of persons, so as to produce a word, sentence, or verse of pertinent, or of widely different meaning.

1823. They are very difficult to discover, but are exceedingly striking when good. The following are some of the most remarkable.

1824. _Transposed Forms_--Astronomers--No more stars; Catalogues--Got as a clue; Elegant--Neat leg; Impatient--Tim in a pet; Immediately--I met my Delia; Masquerade--Queen as mad; Parishioners--I hire parsons; Parliament--Partial men; Penitentiary--Nay I repent; Presbyterians--Best in prayer; Sweetheart--There we sat; Telegraphs--Great helps.

1825. _Conundrums._--These are simple catches, in which the sense is playfully cheated, and are generally founded upon words capable of double meaning. The following are examples.

1826. If a person were looking at a conflagration by the names of what three great British writers, could he express his emotions?

1827. _Dickens, How-itt Burns!_

1828. The name of what class of persons, in Rome, might a bear be supposed to say when he was licking his paws after having eaten a little girl?

1829. _Gladiator--Glad I ate her._

1830. Who first introduced salt provisions into the navy?

1831. _Noah, when he took Ham into the ark._

1832. Why need a person never be hungry in the desert?

1833. _Because of the sand which is there.--Sandwiches!_

1834. Why is a clock the most modest thing in the world?

1835. _Because it always keeps its hands before its face, and no matter how good its works are, it will run itself down._