Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-07-14


land and known as the cartoons, are by common
consent considered US among the finest produce
tons of pictorial art. Several OF tie tapestries
wrought from these designs are still in existence,
and are annually exhibited at Rome The prn-
clpal fabric OF tapestry ut present is The royal man
uactory OF the Gobelins at Paris, established by
Louis XIV The tapestry manufactured hero is
OF Two sorts hdute-tisse, in which the warp IS
stretched perpendicularly in weaving, and baSse-
lisse which is woven something in the manner of
ordinary cloth. Both kinds require very lobg
practice in the workmen aud no, less than ten or
twelve years are consumed in acquiring the ne
cessary skill. single piece oil this tapestry eight
or ten feet square, frequently occupies five or six
years in weaving, and the portrait Of Louis XVIII
finished about Two years since, was five years in
the loom. The material Of the Gobelin tapes
Try is wholly wool.
The metals have been employed in weaving,
and gold aud silver brocade were for several GEN.
turtles much in vogue. The rlgidity ond want OF
elasticity of the precious metals renders them un-
tit for the loom, except in combination with other
substances. Gold and silver tissues therefore gen.
orally consisted Of silk, with metallic threads in
interviewer, or more commonly, of silken threads
wound with fatlene1 gilt or silver wire. Thu
weaving of asbestos, which is sometimes practic-
ed, is not modern, though the present process of
preparation is different from that ancienily en-
plOyed, aud it seems to have been woven at dis
ant period even at the rude north, for in an lcel-
andic Saga of the 18th century, we find mention
of a napkin, which burned not, though cast into
the fire, but came out cleaner than before" The
bark of trees aud of some herbaceous plants is
woven in the East, and modern ingenuity has
added to the list Of textile substances the sppo-
rantiy intracllbe whalebone, from which cloth is
fabricated so closely resembling hair cloth, as not
to be readily dstingushabe from il the naive fax
Of New Zealand more commonly employed for
cordage the wool of the South American Lima,
and silky beard Of a mulluscous animal found in
| the Mediterranean, which is usually knit, hut
| sometimes woven, in fabrics of singular softDess,
luslre, and beauty. The silk of the cocoon of
! the common spider has been both knit and woven.
| 1t is of excellent quality, and might be used TO I'D
vantage if procurable in sufficient quantity.
swiss officer few years since conlryed mode
OF compelling the silk worm TO weave web TO
| pattern instead of spinning u cocoUD, and thus
| produced wells and other light tissues, oil fine
ness far surprising the most Geicule productions
| Of the loom.
The most recent improvements connected with
the manufacture of cloth ure the conlr;vance of
one of our own fellow citzens for unravelIing WOOL
| len cloths and reducing them again TO wool, aud
the proposed substitution of telling for weaving,
| in almost all the varieties of woollen goods
! Great expectations were formed in regard TO the
latter improvement, but it does not capable
! of ms extensive application as hoped by its
protector.
Another art of great antiquity and importance
|
tai aud decorative brunches OF this arr, the auciens
far surpassed the modernsnnd according to Wink
e!rnann, the economical uses OF lass we're more
extensive among them than in our times. Ii is
disputed whether the nnciens applied this sub
stance TO one OF its most obvious and Important
USES the glazing OF windows, but il is ceflpn,
that it was used 20 but very small extent in This
way if AT all, until the 18th century, and it did not
| become by any means common until the l5lh.-
Egyptian paintings $3.50 years old, represent
glass blowers at work, and using bIow-pipes SINH
lar in all respects to those of the present day. and
bottles, jars, vases, and oluer implements Of glass
had been found in the tombs of Thebes In or
namental work, the Egyptians had attained to UNI
surpassed excellence. They stained glass various
coIors, and their limitations of precious stones
cannot be eqnaed by any workmen of
modern times. The Greeks and RomaJis pos
sessed equal skill, and some Of their productions
in this art are yet extant and exhibit the highest
beauty of design, nne perfection OF finish. Wink
cmann describcs piece Of gil ass found at Rome,
not quite an inch in length, and third of an inch
! i'll breadth, exhibiting on dark and varigated
ground the figure of duck, very beautifully exc
, cuted in bright and varied colors The outline
was perfectly sharp and well defined, and the eye,
the punage, and all the minuter parts were exc
cued with wonderful truth and fidelity. But The
most surprising circumstance was, that the oppo-
site side OF the glass presented precisely the same
figure, and il was obvious that The colors extended
} ture revealed the mode in which this curious OBJ
ject was fabricated, and il found TO have been
accomplished by passing strait threads of glass of
different colors, through n hole III the tablet, and
so arranging them, that traverse section exhibit
ted the figure of the bird. These flainents wsre
t doubtless atherwards united by partial fusion,
as the most powerful magnifiers failed 10 defect
| their junction in the figure Another specimen
exhibited flowers architectural ornaments and olh-
small objects of various light colors, blue
ground. These were so delicate that the naked
eye could NOT follow The finest lines. aud yet they
were carried through the substance of the glass,
as in the of The bird just mentioned. I'm.
mense masses Of glass were also fashioned, and we
have reason 10 believe that statues Of the size OF
life, and even large columns, were sometimes
wrought wholly OF this material. An ancient aIl-
thor atfirms that the art of making glass flexible,
I and so tough to sustain no injury from falling
, marble floor had been discovered. That the
arts OF cutting, grinding, and polishing glass were
understood, we have abundant evidence, and ma.
ny glass immitalions of porcelain almost precise
~ similar to those now manufactured, have been
} found in ancient rurs. Perhaps the most admir-
ell object in this material, which has come down
+ 10 us from antiquity is the Barberini or Portland
D vase now in England. This was found in a 81
cOphugus at Rome. about two hundred Zee
, since, aud was long supposed TO be OF stone, b
, is now satisfactorily proved to be glass. Il is
bout ten inches in height, and six in BREADTH al
: of very graceful figure and proportions. IL is
dark bIue colour highly polished, and orna-
inented with small figures in bus relief, of opakt
} white glass, exquisite IN design and workman'
t ship. Antiquarles are not agreed as 10 the sub
Y jecI represented.
y To be continued
y mi