The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-30
THE AUSTRIAN DEP ARTMENT.


On Thursday we gave long and Interesting re-
view Of the various pieces of statuary and some other
works of art in this department.; but owing to the
unfinished arrangement Of the contributions, we
have not been able to give detailed description of
it. Besides those articles we have already spoken
of, this department displays extensive collection
of glassware, among which are many specimens
from Bohemia This country has occupied the first
rank in Europe for the beauty and quality of the
glass manufactured by its people AS the history OF
glass is repletc with interest and instruction. brief
sketch is peculiarly appropriate in this connection.
McCulloch thinks that are indebted for the art of
making glass to the Phnnicians; and according to
Pliny, the great naturalist, it had been made for
many ages OF sand found near the mouth of the small
river Belus, in Pb9nicia. " The report saws he
lis that the crew Of merchant ship laden with nj.
tire, fossil alkaD having used some pieces of it to
support the kettles placed the fires they had ade
on the sand were surprized to pieces formed ola
translucent substance, glass. This was sufficient
hint for the manufacturer ingenuity was Immediately
at work to improve the process thus happily sug-
gested. Hence, the magnetcdl stone came to be
added, from an idea that it contained not only iron
but glass. They also used clear pebbles Shells and
fossil sand. Indian glass is said to be formed of ma
tive crystal and is that account superior to every
other Phunican glass is prepared with light dry
wood to which copper and nitre are added the last
being principally brought from Ophir it is occa-
sionally tinged with different colors. Sometimes it
is brought to the desired shape by being blown,
sometimes by being ground on lathe, and sometimes
it is embossed like silver"
We find from the graphic descriptive account
friv hr lipy fbnff ba ;n,ts
quanted with the manufacture of glass but that
they brought it to state Of great perfection Sdon,
he says, also famous for its glass; and it was in
that famous city that mirrors were first invented
In his time glass was made in Italy of fine sand on
the shore between Cume and the Uterine BAY In
Rome, it was manufactured into various articles of
convenience and ornament; and it is stated by the
writer that Nero gave fifty thousand sesterces,
(about $3.50 ,O00) for two glass cups, each having
two handles. This, it must be admitted, was
pretty high price; and if it may be taken as fair
indication of the value Of glass at that period its
use must have been exceedingly limited in com.
parison with the present time. These, however
McCuloch says, must have been of an immense
size, and Of exquisite workmanship, for glass was
then used for drinking vessels an was made in the
form Of bottles in which to keep wine.
Coming to more modern date, however, we find
no evidence of a reliable character that glass was
used in windows previously to the third or fourth
century; and then, and for long after, it was used
only in churches and other public buildings. In
England glass was rarely met with even SO late as
the latter part of the sixteenth century. AS late as
1G6l the windows ordinary country houses in Scot
land were not glazed; and only the upper parts of
even those in the Kings palaces had glass, the lower
ones having two wooden shutters, TO open at plea
sure and admit the fresh air.
The following extract from Harrison's description
Of England may serve to give some idea of the kind
of windows which they had previous to the reign Of
Henry WILL" OF old time" he says, mean
ing the beginning of the sixteenth centu-
ry, "our counsrie houses, instead of glass
did use much lattice, and that made either
Of wicker or fine riffs Of oak in checkerwisc.
read also that Of the better sort in and before
the time Of the Saxons did make panels of horne in
stead Of glasse, and fix them in wooden Gaines
(casements) but as horne in windows is now N5s)
quite laid downe in everie place, lattises are
also grown into dsuse because glasse Is come to be
so plentiful and within vere little so good cheaper,
If not better than the other"
What would Harrison have thought Of immense
structures, composed principally of glass, when he
speaks Of it coming to be plentiful as to super