The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-10-27
JtLlstelIuneUus;
"Reminiscences of Glass Blowing.

Messrs IIurd & Houghton, Of No. 401
Broadway, New York, have published a
little book of ll6 pages, by Deming Jarves,
entitled circumstance of Glass. Blowing"
1t is written in a very pleasant, readable
style, and good idea of its contents may
be obtained from the following extracts /:
Scientific Amerlaan.
Place a tube, say five feet long, before
a fire, in a horizontal position, having the
position properly supported, say by put
ting in cork at each end supported by
pins for an axis; the rod will acquire a
rotary motion round the axis, and also a
progressive motion towards the fire, even if
its supporters are declined from the fire.
When the progressive motion of the tube
towards the fire is stopped by any obstacle
the rotation is still continued When the
tubes are placed i'll nearly an upright posi-
ton, leaning to the right-hand, the mo-
tion will be from east to west but if they
lean to the left-hand, their motion will be
from west to east and the nearer they
are placed to an upright position the less
will be their motion either way. If the
tubes be placed on sheet of glass, in.
stead OF moving towards the fire they will
move from it, and about the axis in con-
trary direction from what they did before !;
nay, they will 1ecede from the fire, and
move little upwards when the plane in
clines towards the fire.
Glass resists the action of all acids ex-
la IA 4
weight by use or age. 1t is more capable
than all other substances of receiving the
highest degree of polish. If melted seven
times over aud properly cooled in the
furnace, it will receive polish rivaling
almost the diamond in brilliancy. 1t is
capable ofreceiving the richest coIors pro-
duced from gold or other metallic color.
ing, and will retain its original bril!iancy Of
hue for ages. Medals, TOO, embedded in
glass, can be made TO rstain forever their
original purity aud appearance.
Another singular property of glass is
shown in the fact, that when the furnace,
as the workmen term it, is settled, the
metal is perfectly plain and clear; but ifby
accident the metal becomes too cool to
work, aud thefurnace heat requires to be
raised, the glass, which had before re-
NAMED 10 the open p is perfectly calm
and plain, Immediately becomes agitatcd
or boiling. The glass rises in mass of
spongy matter and bubbles, and is render
ed worthless. A change is however etfec-
ted by throwing tumbler of water upon
the meta when the agitation Immediate
ly ceases, and the glass assumes its origi-
nal quiet and clearncss.
All writers on the subject of glass man.
ufacture fail to show anything decisive
upon the precise period of its invention.
Some suppose it to have been invented
before the food. Nervi traces its antiqui-
ty to the yet predetermined time Of Job.
Tne first glass-houses, we'll authentica-
ted, were erected in the city of Tyre.
Modern writer's upon the subject general
ly refer to Pliny in establishing the fact
that the Pheuiciaus were the inventors of
the art of glass-makiug. The tradition is
that the art was originally brought to
light under the following circumstances.
A vessel being driven by storm to take
shelter at the mouth Of the river Bclus,