New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-07-19
THE TRIALS Of GENIUS

Porcelain in France, by Bernard Patsssy.
PALSY was born in some village, the name OF
which is unknown, in the diocese Of Apen, about
the wear 1900; be followed The humble calling
of a land.surveyor, to which, as he advanced IN
years, he added that Of parting on glass.
At that period the art OF merchandising was
unknown. The discovery of Hcrcnianeum and
Penpeii has enabled us TO determine the pro.
gress made BIZ the ancien's in the arts OF pottery
and in the beginning of the sixteenth century,
the only manulactory of crockery which could
pretend 10 the name OF Porcelain, was at FaenZa,
in Italy, whittier it is said 10 have been trans
ported from China, bycertain Venetian merchants
From this mandatory was derived the name Of
fai6nce, or faycnce still used in France.
1t happened that in u visit TO Agen, Palsy,
the painter on glass, obtained sight Of a spe-
cmen of Faenza, or of Oriental Porcea!n which
inspired him with the hope of discovering some
sort of white enamel, by which carthen. ware
might be cncrusted; and from that moment he
devoted fifteen years Of his life to the pursuit OF
this single object. 1t appears simple method
70 have proceeded at once to Facnzd, and be-
come d workman in tho famous pottery. But
means for so long Journey, were, probably,
wanting TO the poor village geomcter, and he &C
cordngIy gave to the enterprise all that was in
his po,Dcr, every moment OF his days, and every
faculty Of his mind.
As a painter on glass, the art of mixing and
fixing colors was well known TO hun; but the
difficulty of transferring these to pottery, warc,
and covering them by transparent scious
varnish, seems to have batilcd his most pcrsever-
ing endeavors. Scarcely able to provide for the
maintenance of his wife aud family, he had the
greatest difficulty in procuring co'ors and pottery
to effect his experiments. Half his time was
lost in grinding and pounding materials, and the
vain attempt to construct the necessary ovens
mt length he contrvcd to interest the owner of a
pottery, who undertook TO bake for his expert
mental pieces hut partly from ignorance, partly
from ill-wlll, the attempt was lncxpcrtly made,
and ruined in fortune, health, and spirits, at the
close of twelve years of inccssant labor, Palissy
was compelled. by the wants of his family, 10
abandon his pursuit, and resume his more thriv-
ing calling az an engineer. Having obtained
from the district q COMMISSION for the draining of
certain salt mashes he executed his task with
credit and profit. No sooner, however. had he
obtained the means OF continuing his attempts,
than he returned with greater diligence than ever
to his enamcing, and despatched the new SAM
pies of his skill TO be baked in the furnace Of
glass-house.
And now, for the first time, tho composition
he had invented proved fuslblc. Out of three
hundred specimens of various experiments sub
mitted, at the same time TO the action of the
furnace, single one presented, on cooling,
hard, white, vitreous, brilliant surface; and the
joy of poor Palsy, i'll the discovery, may be
easily conceived.
al was, however, at that time Of my life so
simple" says he, in his narrative of his expert
ments, Z" that the moment had hit upon the real
enamel, set about making tho pottery-ware TO
which it was to be applied; and after losing
eight months in the task, had next to construct
a furnace similar 10 those of the glass houses in
which il was To DC baked No one can conceive
the trouble it cost me, for had 10 do all by the
single labor of my hands-to siit the mortar. and
even to draw the water with which it was 10 be
mixed. had not so much rs the help OF II sin.
gle man in fetching the bricks: ry own back
bore all.
"My first baking prospcrcd pretty well but
when 1t came To the second, after the enamel
had been spread over the pottery, was unable
to produce the heat necessary for the fusion. Six
days and nights did remain feeding and watch.
ing the furnace, half distracted, and almost STU
pe6ed by the intense heat, and my own bitter
disappointment. A; last II occurred TO me that
the composition contained an insufficient pro
portion of the substance which had produced
fusion in the former instance; and accordingly
set about grinding and pounding, though still
obliged to keep up the fire of the oven, so that !
had treble labor on my hands.
- The former pieces being now spoiled, / was
forced to 90 out and purchase new pots to be
covered by the fresh composition; and, on my
return, had the misery of discovering that my
stock of wood was exhausted VIVA, was to be
donel | rushed into my garden, and tore up
al hcr ipSp
obliged TO sacrifice the dreSscIs, stools, tables,
and boarding OF my house Ali these were sue
ccssively thrus, into the furnace in the hope OF
melting the enamel"
The reader will probably recall to mind the
account given by Beavenu,o Cc!lini, in his
memoirs, of having contributed all his pewter
dishes and household utouSiis 10 the metal pre-
pared for his noble statue of Perseus, which
proved slow and difficult of fusion. But the
Italian p,o,Gg6 OF princes makes vaunt OF hiS
sacrifice, whereas the meek Palsy couches his
statement in the terms of confession.
"Scorchcd BY the heat OF the furnace" says
he, " and reduced 10 skeleton by the perspra-
ton arising from this pfodisious heat, had
now new ve1ation IN store for me. My family
having inaiscroe,ly circulated the report Of my
taking up and burning the flooring of my house,
was considered insane by my neign5ors, and
my precarious c:edit totally destroyed. Ii l had
then died, should have lett behind NE the nSme
Of madman who had ruined his family BY q
frantic speculation. But though sick and dis
pirited, cheered mys,lf with the certainty that
the discovery OF which had been 50 long in
pursit was elected and that hence:orwaId
had only TO perseyc,e in my lsbors. The diff
Guilty OF maintaining my family for five, or SIX
months longer till satisfactory result could be
obtained, was the first consideration but in or
der to hasten the period, hired potter to assis,
me in my work, furnishing him with models and
materials.
"a cruel drawback il was, that was unable
TO maintain this man in my dismsntled home, 70,
was forced to run up bill for his board at 9
neizhboring tavern. Nay. when, al the end of
Six months he had made me the various articles
of crockeiy according TO my designs, so that
nothing renamed to be done but 10 cover them
with my enamel, and submit them to the fur.
mace being forced to dismiss my workman,
had no means of paying hun his wages, except by
giving him my clothes, which l accordingly