Chapter IV: Part 4

Take a pint of good Brandy, and infuse in it half an ounce of Gum Benjamin, an ounce of Red Sanders, and half an ounce of Brazil Wood, both in coarse powder; with half an ounce of Roch Alum. Cork the bottle tight, shake it well every day, and at the expiration of twelve days the Liquor will be fit for use. Touch the cheeks lightly with this Tincture, and it will scarcely be possible to perceive that rouge has been laid on, it will so nearly resemble the natural bloom.

242. _An Oil that possesses the same Property._

Take ten pounds of Sweet Almonds, an ounce of Red Sanders in powder, and an ounce of bruised Cloves; pour on them a gill of White Wine, and three quarters of a gill of Rose-water; stir them well every day. At the end of eight or nine days, squeeze the paste in a press in the same manner as when you mean to extract Oil of Almonds.

SWEET-SCENTED BAGS.

243. _A Sweet-Scented Bag to wear in the Pocket._

Take thin Persian, and make it into little bags about four inches wide, in the form of an oblong square. Rub the inside lightly with a little Civet, then fill them with coarse powder a la Marechale, or any other odoriferous Powder you choose; to which add a few Cloves, with a little Yellow Sanders beaten small, and sew up the mouths of the bags.

244. _Bags to Scent Linen._

Take Rose Leaves dried in the shade, Cloves beat to a gross powder, and Mace, scraped; mix them together, and put the composition into little bags.

245. _An agreeable Sweet-Scented Composition._

Take Florentine Orrice, a pound and a half; Rose Wood, six ounces; Calamus Aromaticus, half a pound; Yellow Sanders, a quarter of a pound; Gum Benjamin, five ounces; Cloves, half an ounce; and Cinnamon, an ounce: beat the whole into powder, and fill your bags with it.

246. _Ingredients for various Sorts of these little Bags or Satchels._

For this purpose may be used different parts of the Aromatic Plants; as Leaves of Southernwood, Dragon-wort, Balm, Mint both garden and wild, Dittany, Ground-ivy, Bay, Hyssop, Lovage, Sweet Marjoram, Origanum, Pennyroyal, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Scordium, and Wild Thyme. The Flowers of the Orange, Lemon, Lime, and Citron Tree, Saffron, Lavender, Roses, Lily of the Valley, Clove-july-flower, Wall-flower, Jonquil, and Mace. Fruits, as Aniseeds, &c. The Rinds of Lemons, Oranges, &c. Small green Oranges, Juniper-berries, Nutmegs, and Cloves. Roots of Acorus, Bohemian Angelica, Oriental Costus, Sweet Flag, Orrice, Zedoary, &c. The Woods of Rhodium, Juniper, Cassia, St. Lucia, Sanders, &c. Gums, as Frankincense, Myrrh, Storax, Benjamin, Labdanum, Ambergrise, and Amber. Barks, as Canella Alba, Cinnamon, &c.

Care must be taken that all these ingredients are perfectly dry, and kept in a dry place. To prevent their turning black, add a little common Salt. When you choose to have any particular Flower predominant, a greater quantity of that plant must be used in proportion to the other ingredients.

WASH-BALLS.

247. _White Soap._

This soap is made with one part of the Lees of Spanish Pot-ash and Quick-lime, to two parts of Oil of Olives or Oil of Almonds.

248. _Honey Soap._

Take four ounces of White Soap, and as much Honey, half an ounce of Salt of Tartar, and two or three drachms of the distilled Water of Fumitory; mix the whole together. This Soap cleanses the skin well, and renders it delicately white and smooth. It is also used advantageously, to efface the marks of burns and scalds.

249. _A perfumed Soap._

Take four ounces of Marsh-mallow Roots skinned and dried in the shade, powder them, and add an ounce of Starch, the same quantity of Wheaten Flour, six drachms of fresh Pine-nut Kernels, two ounces of blanched Almonds, an ounce and a half of Orange Kernels husked, two ounces of Oil of Tartar, the same quantity of Oil of Sweet Almonds, and thirty grains of Musk: thoroughly incorporate the whole, and add to every ounce, half an ounce of Florentine Orrice-root in fine powder. Then steep half a pound of fresh Marsh-mallow Roots bruised in the distilled Water of Mallows, or Orange Flowers, for twelve hours, and forcibly squeezing out the liquor, make, with this mucilage, and the preceding Powders and Oils, a stiff Paste, which is to be dried in the shade, and formed into round balls. Nothing exceeds this Soap for smoothing the skin, or rendering the hands delicately white.

250. _Fine scented Wash-ball._

Take of the best White Soap, half a pound, and shave it into thin slices with a knife; then take two ounces and a half of Florentine Orrice, three quarters of an ounce of Calamus Aromaticus, and the same quantity of Elder Flowers; of Cloves, and dried Rose Leaves, each half an ounce; Coriander-seeds, Lavender, and Bay Leaves, of each a drachm, with three drachms of Storax. Reduce the whole to fine powder, which knead into a Paste with the Soap; adding a few grains of Musk or Ambergrise. When you make this Paste into Wash-balls, soften it with a little Oil of Almonds to render the composition more lenient. Too much cannot be said in favour of this Wash-ball, with regard to its cleansing and cosmetic property.

251. _A Wash-ball, an excellent Cosmetic for the Face and Hands._

Take a pound of Florentine Orrice, a quarter of a pound of Storax, two ounces of Yellow Sanders, half an ounce of Cloves, as much fine Cinnamon, a Nutmeg, and twelve grains of Ambergrise; beat the whole into very fine powder and sift them through a lawn sieve, all except the Ambergrise, which is to be added afterwards. Then take two pounds of the finest White Soap, shaved small, and infuse it in three pints of Brandy, four or five days. When it is dissolved, add a little Orange Flower-water, and knead the whole into a very stiff Paste with the best Starch finely powdered. Then mix the Ambergrise, with a little Gum Tragacanth liquefied in sweet-scented Water. Of this Paste make Wash-balls; dry them in the shade, and polish them with a Paste-board or Lignum Vitæ cup.

252. _Bologna Wash-balls._

Take a pound of Italian Soap cut in small bits, and a quarter of a pound of Lime; pour on them two quarts of Brandy, let them ferment together twenty-four hours, then spread the mass on a sheet of filtring paper to dry. When quite dry, beat it in a marble mortar, with half an ounce of St. Lucia Wood, an ounce and a half of Yellow Sanders, half an ounce of Orrice-root, and as much Calamus Aromaticus, all finely powdered. Knead the whole into a Paste with Whites of Eggs, and a quarter of a pound of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Rose-water, and then form it into Wash-balls according to the usual method.

253. _An excellent Wash-ball for the Complexion._

Take two ounces of Venetian Soap; dissolve it in two ounces of Lemon Juice, an ounce of Oil of Bitter Almonds, and the same quantity of Oil of Tartar. Mix the whole together, and stir the mixture till it acquires the consistence of a thick Paste.

254. _Seraglio Wash-balls._

Take a pound of Florentine Orrice-roots, a quarter of a pound of Gum Benjamin, two ounces of Storax, two ounces of Yellow Sanders, half an ounce of Cloves, a drachm of Cinnamon, a little Lemon-peel, an ounce of St. Lucia Wood, and one Nutmeg. Reduce the whole to fine powder; then take about two pounds or White Soap shaved thin, steep it with the above Powder in three pints of Brandy, four or five days. Afterwards kneading the mass with a sufficient quantity of Starch, and adding to it the Whites of Eggs, with Gum Tragacanth dissolved in some odoriferous Water, form the Paste into Wash-balls of what size you please. A few grains of Musk or Civet, or a little Essential Oil of Lavender, Bergamot, Roses, Cloves, Clove-july-flowers, Jasmine, Cinnamon, in short, any that best pleases the fancy of the person who prepares these Wash-balls, may be incorporated with the Paste while forming into a mass.

255. _A Hepatic Salt, to preserve the Complexion._

Take Roots of Agrimony, two pounds; Roots of Succory and Scorzonera, of each a pound; Bitter Costus and Turmeric, of each half a pound; Calamus Aromaticus and Rhapontic, of each a quarter of a pound; Wormwood, Southernwood, Sweet Maudlin, Harts-tongue, Fluellin, Liverwort, Fumitory, and Dodder of Thyme, of each three ounces; calcine the whole in a reverberatory furnace, and add Ashes of Rhubarb and Cassia Lignea of each an ounce and a half. Make a lee with these Ashes in a decoction of the Flowers of Liverwort, and extract the Salt according to art. This Salt causes the bile to flow freely, removes obstructions, cures the jaundice, takes away a sallow complexion, and imparts to the skin the ruddy vermillion bloom of health. Its dose is from twenty-four to thirty-six grains, in any convenient vehicle.

EYE-BROWS.

256. _To change the Eye-brows black._

Rub them frequently with ripe Elder-berries. Some use burnt Cork, or Cloves burnt in the candle; others prefer the Black of Frankincense, Rosin, and Mastic. This Black will not melt nor come off by sweating.

MARKS OF THE SKIN.

257. _To efface Spots or Marks of the Mother, on any Part of the Body._

Steep in Vinegar of Roses, or strong White Wine Vinegar, Borrage Roots stripped of their small adhering fibres, and let them stand to infuse twelve or fourteen hours. Bathe the part affected frequently with this Infusion, and in time the marks will totally disappear.

258. _Or,_

Take, towards the end of the month of May, the Roots and Leaves of the herb Bennet; distil them with a sufficient quantity of Water in an alembic, and frequently foment the marks with the distilled Water.

259. _To take away Marks, and fill up the Cavities left after the Small-Pox._

Take Oil of the four larger Cold Seeds, Oil of Eggs, and Oil of Sweet Almonds, of each half an ounce; Plantain and Nightshade Water, of each three quarters of an ounce; Litharge and Ceruss finely powdered and washed in Rose-water, of each a drachm. Put the Litharge and Ceruss into a brass pot, and incorporate them over a fire, with the Oils, adding the latter gradually, and stirring the mixture all the while. Then add by degrees also the Nightshade and Plantain Water, and thus form a Liniment, with which anoint the face of the patient as soon as the scabs of the Small-pox begin to scale off; and repeat the application as occasion may require.

COMPLEXION.

260. _Certain Methods to improve the Complexion._

Brown ladies should frequently bathe themselves, and wash their faces with a few drops of Spirit of Wine, sometimes with Virgin's Milk, and the distilled Waters of Pimpernel, White Tansy, Bean Flowers, &c. These detersive penetrating applications, by degrees remove the kind of varnish that covers the skin, and thus render more free the perspiration, which is the only real cosmetic.

261. _The Montpellier Toilet._

For this purpose a new light-woven linen cloth must be procured, and cut of a proper size to make a toilet. The first step you take must be to wash the cloth perfectly clean in several different Waters, then spread it out to dry, and afterwards steep it twenty-four hours in Sweet-scented Water, viz. half Angelic, and half Rose-water. On removing the cloth out of the water, gently squeeze it, and hang it up to dry in the open air. Then lay on it the following composition.

Take dried Orange Flowers, Roots of Elecampane, and Florentine Orrice, of each half a pound; of Yellow Sanders, four ounces; of the Marc or Residuum of Angelic Water, two ounces; of Rose-wood and Sweet Flag, each an ounce; of Gum Labdanum, Calamus Aromaticus, and Cloves, each half an ounce; of Cinnamon, two drachms; beat all these ingredients into powder, and make them into a Paste with Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Angelic Water. Rub this Paste hard on both sides of your cloth, leaving on it the little bits that may adhere, because they render the surface more smooth. Afterwards hang up the cloth, and when half dry, again rub both sides, with a sponge wetted with Angelic Water, to render the cloth yet more smooth; after which dry it thoroughly, and fold it up. This cloth is generally lined with taffety, and covered with sattin, and is never enclosed within more than two pieces of some kind of thin silk, as Taffety, &c.

262. _Sweet-scented Troches to correct a bad Breath._

Take Frankincense, a scruple; Ambergrise, fifteen grains; Musk, seven grains: Oil of Lemons, six drops; double refined Sugar, an ounce. Form these ingredients into little Troches with Mucilage of Gum Arabic, made with Cinnamon Water. Hold one or two in the mouth as often occasion requires.

263. _A curious Varnish for the Face._

Fill into a bottle three quarters of a pint of good Brandy, infusing in it an ounce of Gum Sandarach, and half an ounce of Gum Benjamin. Frequently shake the bottle till the Gums are wholly dissolved, and then let it stand to settle.

Apply this varnish after having washed the face clean, and it will give the skin the finest lustre imaginable.

WARTS.

264. _A Medicine to cure Warts._

Take the Leaves of Campanula, bruise them, and rub them upon the warts. Repeat this operation three or four times, if they prove obstinate; and they will afterwards soon waste away without leaving the least mark behind. This plant perhaps is not to be met with every where, but Botanists have described it by the following marks. Its leaves, say they, resemble those of the Blue Bell Flower, or Ivy, are stringy, composed of five lobes, without down, are small at the end, and have a loose flabby stalk.

265. _Another._

Take the inner Rind of a Lemon, steep it four and twenty hours in distilled Vinegar, and apply it to the warts. It must not be left on the part above three hours at a time, and is to be applied afresh every day.

266. _Or,_

Divide a Red Onion, and rub the warts well with it.

267. _Or,_

Anoint the warts with the milky Juice of the herb Mercury several times, and they will gradually waste away.

268. _Another safe and experienced Method._

Rub the warts with a pared Pippin, and a few days afterwards they will be found to disappear.

VINEGARS.

269. _Distilled Vinegar._

Fill a stone cucurbit about three parts and a half full of White Wine Vinegar; place the vessel in a furnace so contrived as to contain three parts of the height of the cucurbit; mould the openings that remain between the sides and the upper part of the vessel with clay tempered with water; lute the vessel, fix on a receiver, and begin your distillation with a moderate fire, which is to be increased by degrees till about five sixths of the Vinegar are drawn off, which is called Distilled Vinegar. A small quantity of acid Liquor still remains in the cucurbit of the consistence of Honey, which if you think proper may be dried hard by the assistance of a vapour-bath. The Vinegar distilled from this substance is infinitely more acid, than that which was drawn off by the first process.

To rectify distilled Vinegar, put it into a clean vessel, setting it in the same degree of fire as at first to separate more phlegm, and in every thing proceed as before, till the bottom is almost dry. Neither the fire nor distillation however must be urged too far, for fear of giving an empyreumatic flavour to that which is already distilled.

Distilled Vinegar is used externally, mixed with Water, to wash the face: it is cooling, and takes away the troublesome little pimples that sometimes affect this part.

270. _Distilled Lavender Vinegar._

Put into a stone cucurbit any quantity of fresh-gathered Lavender Flowers picked clean from the Stalks; pour on them as much distilled Vinegar as is requisite to make the Flowers float; distil in a vapour-bath, and draw off about three fourths of the Vinegar.

In the same manner are prepared the Vinegars from all other vegetable substances. Compound Vinegars are made by mixing several aromatic substances together; observing only to bruise all hard woody ingredients, and to let them infuse a sufficient time in the Vinegar before you proceed to distillation.

Lavender Vinegar is of use for the Toilet; it is cooling, and when applied to the face, braces up the relaxed fibres of the skin.

271. _Vinegar of the Four Thieves._

Take of the tops of Sea and Roman Wormwood, Rosemary, Sage, Mint and Rue, of each an ounce and a half; Lavender Flowers two ounces, Calamus Aromaticus, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, and Garlic, of each a quarter of an ounce; Camphire, half an ounce; Red Wine Vinegar, a gallon. Choose all the foregoing ingredients dry, except the Garlic and Camphire; beat them into gross powder, and cut the Garlic into thin slices; put the whole into a matrass; pour the Vinegar on them, and digest the mixture in the sun, or in a gentle sand-heat, for three weeks or a month. Then strain off the Vinegar by expression, filter it through paper, and add the Camphire dissolved in a little rectified Spirit of Wine. Keep it for use in a bottle, tightly corked.

The Vinegar of the Four Thieves is antipestilential, and is used successfully as a preservative against contagious disorders. The hands and face are washed with it every day; the room fumigated with it, as are also the clothes, in order to secure the person from infection.

EYES.

272. _To cure watery Eyes._

Prepare a decoction with the Leaves of Betony, Fennel Roots, and a little fine Frankincense, which use as an Eye-water.

273. _Or,_

Frequently bathe the Eyes with a decoction of Chervil.

274. _Or,_

Drop into the Eyes now and then a little Juice of Rue, mixed with clarified Honey.

275. _An excellent Ophthalmic Lotion._

Take White Vitriol and Bay Salt, of each an ounce; decrepitate them together, and when the detonation is over, pour on them, in an earthen pan, a pint of boiling Water or Rose-water. Stir them together, and let them stand some hours. A variously coloured skin will be formed on the surface, which carefully skim off, and put the clear liquor into a bottle for use.

This was communicated to the author as a great secret; and indeed he has found it by experience very safely to cool and repel those sharp humours that sometimes fall upon the Eyes, and to clear the latter of beginning films and specks. If too sharp, it may be diluted with a little Rose-water.

276. _An Ophthalmic Poultice._

Take half a pint of Alum Curd, and mix with it a sufficient quantity of Red Rose Leaves powdered, to give it a proper consistence. This is an excellent application for sore moist eyes, and admirably cools and represses defluxions.

277. _A Poultice for inflamed Eyes._

Take half a pint of a decoction of Linseed in Water, and as much Flour of Linseed as is sufficient to make it of a proper consistence. This Poultice is preferable to a Bread and Milk Poultice for inflamed Eyes, as it will not grow sour and acrid.

278. _Sir Hans Sloane's Eye Salve._

Take prepared Tutty, one ounce; prepared Bloodstone, two scruples; Aloes in fine powder, twelve grains; mix them well together in a marble mortar, with as much Viper's Fat as is requisite to bring the whole to the consistence of a soft salve. It is to be applied with a hair pencil, the eyes winking or a little opened. It has cured many whose eyes were covered with opake films and scabs, left by preceding disorders of those parts.

279. _An Ophthalmic Fomentation._

Take three quarters of an ounce of White Poppy Heads bruised with their Seeds, and boil them in Milk and Water, of each half a pint, till one half is wasted away; then dissolve in the strained Liquor a scruple of Sugar of Lead. This is an excellent application for moist, or inflamed Eyes.

280. _A Simple Remedy to strengthen the Sight._

Snuff up the Juice of Eyebright, and drop a little into the eyes. It not only clears and strengthen the sight, but takes off all specks, films, mists, or suffusions.

Herb Snuffs are also excellent to strengthen and preserve the sight; various Receipts for making which will afterwards be given.

SUPPLEMENT.

Manner of taking out all Kinds of SPOTS and STAINS
from LINEN and STUFFS; and various other useful
Receipts.

281. _To take Iron Mould out of Linen._

Hold the Iron Mould over the Fume of Boiling Water for some time, then pour on the spot a little Juice of Sorrel and a little Salt, and when the cloth has thoroughly imbibed the Juice, wash it in Lee.

282. _To take out Stains of Oil._

Take Windsor Soap shaved thin, put it into a bottle half full of Lee, throw in the size of a Nut of Sal Armoniac, a little Cabbage Juice, two Yolks of new-laid Eggs, and Ox-gall at discretion, and lastly an ounce of powdered Tartar: then cork the bottle, and expose it to the heat of the noon-day sun four days, at the expiration of which time it becomes fit for use. Pour this Liquor on the stains, and rub it well on both sides of the cloth; then wash the stains with clear Water, or rather with the following soap, and when the cloth is dry, they will no longer appear.

283. _Scowering Balls._

Take soft Soap, or Fuller's Earth; mix it with Vine Ashes sifted through a fine sieve, and with powdered Chalk, Alum, and Tartar, of each equal parts; form the mass into balls, which dry in the shade. Their use is to rub on spots and stains, washing the spotted part afterwards in clear Water.

284. _To take out Stains of Coomb._

Put Butter on the stain, and rub it well with a piece of brown paper laid on a heated silver spoon; then wash the whole in the same manner as directed for spots of Wax.

285. _To take out Stains of Urine._

Wash the stained place well with boiled Urine, and afterwards wash it in clear Water.

286. _To take out Stains on Cloth of whatever Colour._

Take half a pound of Honey, the size of a Nut of Sal Armoniac, and the Yolk of an Egg; mix them together, and put a little of this mixture on the stain, letting it remain till dry. Then wash the cloth with fair Water, and the stains will disappear. Water impregnated with mineral Alkaline Salt or Soda, Ox-gall, and Black Soap, is also very good to take out spots of grease.

287. _To take out Spots of Ink._

As soon as the accident happens, wet the place with Juice of Sorrel, or Lemon, or with Vinegar, and the best hard White Soap.

288. _To take out Spots of Pitch and Turpentine._

Pour a good deal of Sallad Oil on the stained place, and let it dry on it four and twenty hours; then rub the inside of the cloth with the Scowering Ball and warm Water.

289. _To take out Spots of Oil on Sattin and other Stuffs, and on Paper._

If the spot be not of long standing, take the Ashes of Sheep's Trotters calcined, and apply them hot both under and upon the spot. Lay on it something heavy, letting it remain all night; and if in the morning the spot is not entirely effaced, renew the application repeatedly till it wholly disappear.

290. _To take out Spots on Silk._

Rub the Spots with Spirit of Turpentine; this Spirit exhaling, carries off with it the Oil that causes the Spot.

291. _Balls to take out Stains._

Take an ounce of Quick-lime, half a pound of Soap, and a quarter of a pound of White Clay; moisten the whole with Water, and make it into little balls, with which rub the stains, and afterwards wash them with fair water.

292. _To clean Gold and Silver Lace._

Take the Gall of an Ox and of a Pike, mixed well together in fair Water, and rub the gold or silver with this composition.

293. _To restore to Tapestry its original Lustre._

Shake well, and thoroughly clean the tapestry; then rub it twice over with Chalk, which, after remaining seven or eight hours each time, is to be brushed off with a hard brush; the tapestry being likewise well beaten with a stick, and shaked.

294. _To clean Turkey Carpets._

To revive the colour of a Turkey Carpet, beat it well with a stick, till the dust is all got out; then with Lemon or Sorrel Juice take out the spots of ink, if the carpet be stained with any; wash it in cold Water, and afterwards shake out all the Water from the threads of the carpet. When it is thoroughly dry, rub it all over with the Crumb of a hot Wheaten Loaf; and if the weather is very fine, hang it out in the open air a night or two.

295. _To refresh Tapestry, Carpets, Hangings, or Chairs._

Beat the dust out of them on a dry day as clean as possible, and brush them well with a dry brush. Afterwards rub them well over with a good lather of Castile Soap, laid on with a brush. Wash off the froth with common Water; then wash the tapestry, &c. with Alum Water. When the cloth is dry, you will find most of the colours restored. Those that are yet too faint, touch up with a pencil dipped in suitable colours, and indeed you may run over the whole piece in the same manner with water colours, mixed with weak gum water, and, if well done, it will cause the tapestry, &c. to look at a distance like new.

296. _To take Wax out of Silk or Camblet._

Take Soft Soap, rub it well on the spots of wax, dry it in the sun till it grows very hot, then wash the spotted part with cold Water, and the wax will be entirely taken out.

297. _To take Wax out of Velvet of all Colours except Crimson._

Take a Crummy Wheaten Loaf, cut it in two, toast it before the fire, and while very hot, apply it to the part spotted with wax. Then apply another piece of toasted Bread hot as before, and continue to repeat this application till the wax is entirely taken out.

298. _To wash Gold or Silver Work on Linen, or any other Stuff, so as to look like new._

Take a pound of Ox-gall; Honey and Soap, of each three ounces; Florentine Orrice in fine powder, three ounces; mix the whole in a glass vessel into a Paste, and expose it to the sun during ten days; then make a decoction of Bran, and strain it clear. Plaster over with your bitter Paste, the places you want to clean, and afterwards wash off the Paste with the Bran-water, till the latter is no longer tinged. Then wipe with a clean linen cloth the places you have washed; cover them with a clean napkin, dry them in the sun, press and glaze, and the work will look as well as when new.

299. _To take Spots out of Silken or Woollen Stuffs._

Take a sufficient quantity of the finest Starch, wet it in an earthen pipkin with Brandy, rub a little on the spots, let it dry on them, and then brush it off; repeat this operation till the spots are wholly taken out. You must be careful to beat and brush well the place on which the Starch was applied.

300. _To take Stains of Oil out of Cloth._

Take Oil of Tartar, pour a little on the spot, immediately wash the place with warm Water, and two or three times after with cold Water, and the spot will entirely disappear.

301. _To take Stains out of White Cloth._

Boil an ounce of Alum in a gallon and a half of Water, for half an hour, then add a piece of White Soap, and half a ounce more of Alum, and after it has stood in cold infusion two days, wash with this mixture stains in any kind of white cloth.

302. _To take Stains out of Crimson Velvet, and coloured Velvets._

Take a quart of strong Lee made with Vine Ashes, dissolve in it half an ounce of Alum; and when the mixture has settled, strain it through a linen cloth. Then take half a drachm of soft Soap, and the same quantity of Castile Soap, a drachm of Alum, half a drachm of Crude Sal Armoniac, a scruple of common Salt, a little Loaf Sugar, Juice of Celandine, and the Gall of a Calf; mix the whole well, and strain off the Liquor. When you want to use it, take a little Brazil Wood Shavings with some Scarlet Flocks, boil them in this Liquor, and when strained off, it will be very good to take spots or stains out of crimson velvet or cloth. For velvets or cloths of other colours, you dye your Liquor of the proper colour, by boiling in it some Flocks of the same colour as the cloth you intend to clean.

303. _A Soap that takes out all manner of Spots and Stains._

Take the Yolks of six Eggs, half a table spoonful of bruised Salt, and a pound of Venetian Soap; mix the whole together with the Juice of Beet-roots, and form it into round balls, that are to be dried in the shade. The method of using this Soap is to wet with fair Water the stained part of the cloth, and rub both sides of it well with this Soap; then wash the cloth in Water, and the stain will no longer appear.

304. _Another Method to take Spots or Stains out of White Silk or Crimson Velvet._

First soak the place well with Brandy or Spirit of Wine, then rub it over with the White of a new-laid Egg, and dry it in the sun. Wash it briskly in cold Water, rubbing the place where the spot is, hard between the fingers; and repeat this operation a second and even a third time, if it has not previously succeeded.

305. _A Receipt to clean Gloves without wetting._

Lay the Gloves upon a clean board; and mix together Fuller's Earth and Powder of Alum very dry, which lay over them on both sides with a moderately stiff brush. Then sweep off the Powder, sprinkle them well with Bran and Whiting, and dust them thoroughly. If not very greasy, this will render them as clean as when new; but if they are extremely greasy, rub them with stale Crumb of Bread, and Powder of burnt Bones, then pass them over with a woollen Cloth dipped in Fuller's Earth or Alum Powder.

306. _To colour Gloves._

If you want to colour them of a dark colour, take Spanish Brown and Black Earth; if lighter, Yellow Ochre and Whiting, and so of the rest; mix the colour with Size of a moderate strength, then wet the Gloves over with the Colour, and hang them to dry gradually. Beat out the superfluous Colour, smooth them over with a sleeking stick, and reduce them to a proper size.

307. _To wash Point Lace._

Draw the Lace pretty tight in a frame, then with a lather of Castile Soap a little warm, rub it over gently by means of a fine brush. When you perceive it clean on one side, turn it, and rub the other in the same manner; then throw over the Lace some Alum-water, taking off the Suds, and with some thin Starch go over the wrong side of the Lace; iron it on the same side when dry, and raise the flowers with a bodkin.

308. _To clean Point Lace without washing._

Fix the lace in a frame, and rub it with Crumb of stale Bread, which afterwards dust out.

309. _To wash black and white Sarcenet._

Lay the silk smooth upon a board, spread a little Soap over the dirty places, make a lather with Castile Soap, and with a fine brush dipped in it, pass over the silk the right way, viz. lengthways, and continue so to do till that side is sufficiently scowered. Then turn the silk, scower the other side in the same manner, and put the silk into boiling Water, where it must lie some time; afterwards rince it in thin Gum Water; if white silk, add a little Smalt. This being done, fold the silk, clapping or pressing out the water with your hands on a dry Carpet, till it become tolerably dry; if white, dry it over the Smoak of Brimstone till ready for smoothing, which is to be done on the right side with an Iron moderately hot.

310. _A Soap to take out all Kinds of Stains._

Boil a handful of Strawberries or Strawberry Leaves in a quart of Water and a pint of Vinegar, adding two pounds of Castile Soap; and half a pound of Chalk in fine powder; boil them together till the water has evaporated. When you use it, wet the place with the sharpest Vinegar or Verjuice, and rub it over with this Soap; dry it afterwards before the fire or in the sun.

311. _An expeditious Method to take Stains out of Scarlet, or Velvet of any other Colour._

Take Soapwort, when bruised strain out its Juice, and add to it a small quantity of black Soap. Wash the Stain with this Liquor, suffering it to dry between whiles; and by this means, in a day or two the Spots will disappear.

DIFFERENT WAYS OF PREPARING SNUFF.

312. _Method of making Snuff._

First strip off the Stalks and large fibres of the Tobacco, then spread the Leaves on a mat or carpet to dry in the sun, afterwards rub them in a mortar, and sift the powder through a coarse or fine sieve, according to the degree of fineness you would have your snuff; or grind the Tobacco Leaves, prepared in the manner before directed, in a snuff-mill, either into a gross or fine powder, according as you press close or ease the mill-stone.

313. _Method of cleansing Snuff in order to scent it._

Fix a thick linen cloth in a little tub that has a hole in the bottom, stopped with a plug that can easily be taken out, to let the water run off when wanted. This cloth must cover the whole inside of the tub, and be fastened all round the rim. Put your Snuff in it, and pour on the Water. When it has been steeped twenty-four hours, let the Water run out, and pour on fresh; repeat this operation three times, if you would have the Snuff thoroughly cleansed, and every time squeeze the Snuff hard in the cloth, to discharge the Water entirely from it. Then place your Snuff on an ozier hurdle covered with a thick linen cloth, and let it dry in the sun; when it is thoroughly dry, put it again into the tub, with a sufficient quantity of Angelic, Orange Flower, or Rose-water. At the expiration of twenty-four hours take the Snuff out of the water, and dry it as before, frequently stirring it about, and sprinkling it with the same sweet-scented Water as was used at first. The whole of this preparation is absolutely necessary to render Snuff fit to receive the scent of Flowers.

If the Snuff is not required to be of a very excellent quality, and you are unwilling to waste more of it than can possibly be avoided, wash it only once, and slightly cleanse it. This purgation may the better suffice, if while drying in the sun, you take care to knead the Snuff into a cake several times, and often sprinkle it with some sweet-scented Water.

314. _Method of scenting Snuff._

The Flowers that most readily communicate their flavour to Snuff are Orange Flowers, Jasmine, Musk Roses, and Tuberoses. You must procure a box lined with dry white paper; in this strow your Snuff on the bottom about the thickness of an inch, over which place a thin layer of Flowers, then another layer of Snuff, and continue to lay your Flowers and Snuff alternately in this manner, until the box is full. After they have lain together four and twenty hours, sift your Snuff through a sieve to separate it from the Flowers, which are to be thrown away, and fresh ones applied in their room in the former method. Continue to do this till the Snuff is sufficiently scented; then put it into a canister, which keep close stopped.

315. _Or,_

Put your Flowers that are placed over each layer of the Snuff, between two pieces of white paper pricked full of holes with a large pin, and sift through a sieve the Snuff that may happen to get between the papers. To scent the Snuff perfectly it is necessary to renew the Flowers four or five times. This method is the least troublesome of the two.

A very agreeable scented Snuff may be made with Roses, by taking Rose-buds, stripping off the green cup, and pistil that rises in the middle, and fixing in its place a Clove; being careful not to separate the Leaves that are closed together. The Rose-buds thus prepared, are to be exposed to the heat of the sun a whole month, inclosed in a glass well stopped, and are then fit for use.

To make Snuff scented with a thousand Flowers, take a number of different Flowers, and mix them together, proportioning the quantity of each Flower, to the degree of its perfume, so that the flavour of no one particular Flower may be predominant.

316. _Perfumed Snuff._

Take some Snuff, and rub it in your hands with a little Civet, opening the body of the Civet still more by rubbing it in your hands with fresh Snuff; and when you have mixed it perfectly with the Snuff, put them into a canister. Snuff is flavoured with other perfumes in the same way.

317. _Or,_

Perfume your Snuff by mixing it well with the hands, in a heated iron or brass mortar, besmeared with a few grains of Ambergrise.

318. _Snuff after the Maltese Fashion._

Perfume with Ambergrise, in the manner already described, some Snuff previously scented with Orange Flowers. Then grind in a mortar a little Sugar with about ten grains of Civet, and mix by little and little with about a pound of the foregoing Snuff.

319. _The Genuine Maltese Snuff._

Take Roots of Liquorice, and Roots of the Rose-bush, peel off their outer skin, dry them, powder them, and sift the powder through a fine sieve, then scent them according to your fancy, or in the same manner as French Snuff, adding a little White Wine, Brandy, or a very little Spirit of Wine, and rubbing the Snuff well between your hands.

320. _Italian Snuff._

Put into a mortar, or other convenient vessel, a quantity of Snuff already scented with some Flower, pour on it a little White Wine, and add, if agreeable, some Essence of Ambergrise, Musk, or any other Perfume you like best; stir the Snuff and rub it well between your hands. Scent Snuff in this manner with any particular flavour, and put the different scented Snuffs in separate boxes, which are to be marked, to prevent mistakes.

321. _Snuff scented after the Spanish Manner._

Take a lump of double-refined Sugar, rub it in a mortar with twenty grains of Musk; add by little and little a pound of Snuff, and grind the whole with ten grains of Civet, rubbing it afterwards well between your hands.

Seville Snuff is scented with twenty grains of Vanilloes only. Keep your Snuff in canisters closely stopped, to prevent the scent from exhaling.

As Spanish Snuff is very fine and of a reddish colour, to imitate it nicely, take the best Dutch Snuff, well cleansed, granulated, and coloured red; beat it fine, and sift it through a very fine lawn sieve. After it has been cleansed according to the foregoing directions, it is fit to take any scent whatever.

There is no risk in using a sieve that retains the scent of any Flower, to perfume your Snuff with the flavour of Musk, Ambergrise, or any other Perfume. On the contrary, the Snuff receives the Perfume the more readily, and preserves its flavour the longer on that account.

322. _Method of dying Snuff Red or Yellow._

Take the size of a nut or two of Yellow or Red Ochre, and to temper the colour mix with it a little White Chalk. Grind these colours on a marble, with a little less than half an ounce of Oil of Sweet Almonds, and moisten with as much Water as the colour will take up, till it becomes a smooth Paste. Then mix it with a thin Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth to a proper consistence, and put it into an earthen dish, stirring into it about a pint more of Water. Afterwards take any quantity of cleansed Snuff you please, throw it upon the colour, and rub it well between your hands. When the Paste is thoroughly tinged with the colour, leave it till next morning to settle, then spread it thin on a cloth to dry, and place it in the sun, stirring it about every now and then that it may dry equally. When dry, gum it with a very thin Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth made with some sweet-scented Water. To gum the Snuff as equally as possible, wet the palms of your hands with this Gum Water, and rub the Snuff well between them. Afterwards dry it in the sun, and sift the colour that does not adhere to it through a very fine sieve. The Snuff is then properly prepared to receive any flavour you choose.

323. _Herb Snuff._

Take Sweet Marjoram, Marum Syriacum Leaves, and Lavender Flowers dried, of each half an ounce, Asarabacca Leaves, a drachm. Rub them all into a powder.

324. _Or,_

Take Betony Leaves and Marjoram, of each half an ounce; Asarabacca Leaves, a drachm. Beat them together into a powder.

325. _Or,_

Take Marjoram, Rosemary Flowers, Betony, and Flowers of Lilies of the Valley, of each a quarter of an ounce; Nutmegs, a drachm and a half; Volatile Salt, forty drops. Powder, and keep the mixture in a phial, close stopped.

326. _Or,_

Take Flowers of Lavender, and Clove-july-flowers, of each a quarter of an ounce; Lilies of the Valley, Tiel-tree Flowers, Flowers of Sage, Betony, Rosemary, and Tops of Marjoram, of each half a drachm; Cinnamon, Aloes-wood, Yellow Sanders, and White Helebore-root, of each a drachm; Oil of Nutmegs and Oil of Lemons, of each three drops; mix them into a powder.

A pinch or two of any of these Snuffs may be taken night and morning medicinally, or at any time for pleasure. Used externally, they are serviceable for weak eyes and many disorders of the organs of sight and hearing. They also relieve headaches, giddiness, palsies, lethargies, besides a variety of other complaints; and are, though agreeable and simple, far superior to what is sold under the name of Herb Snuff.

FINIS.

Transcriber's Notes.

There were large number of printing errors in this publication. The following words have been changed:

Eition is now edition

To it is now it to

Receips is now receipts

Cassolete is now cassolette

Whitloes is now whitlows

With with was repeated and amended

Fisrt is now first

Aftewards is now afterwards

Died is now dyed

Magisterail magisterial

Gont is now gout

Agrreeable is now agreeable

Viguor is now vigour

Suprisingly is now surprisingly

Chich is now chick

Squeese is now squeeze

Quantiiy is now quantity

Aud is now and

Cloaths is now clothes

Und is now and

Plantane is now plantain

End of Project Gutenberg's The Toilet of Flora, by Pierre-Joseph Buc'hoz