Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-11
Some Curious Facts About Window.
Glass.


Glass.
For centuries the houses of our ances-
tors were not only without window-glass
but without windows, and many years
passed after they began to make openings
in the facades of their habitations before
the use of window-glass became general
During the Gallo Roman epoch the
houses of the rich, built in the Roman
style, received their light almost wholly
from an interior court of atrturp. This
mode excluded all idea of a window. We
do not speak of the houses of the poor.
They were only miserable huts, whose
only light was received from the door.
How long this obscurity lasted il is i'm
possible to tell; certain it is, however,
that windows did not begin to make their
appearance in France until toward the
Carlovingian epoch, and that as late as
the middle of the fifteenth century win
dow-glass was an object of luxury AMONG
the French. At that period windows
were closed in France in some instances
by wooden blinds, in others by waxed
linen or oiled paper, as is evidenced by
this passage in an account dated 1454.
"Two ellis of waxed linen for the win
dow of the chamber of the said oueen
an chateau de iNeLan" And this other.
-Four wooden sashes to hold the paner
for the windows of the said chamber in
position, and oil for the paper to render
it more transparent.
A writer of the fourth century was the
first to say anything about window-glass.
He says somewhere that the soul sees and
distinguishes objects through the ewes OF
the body "as through windows furnished
with glass"
The ancient authors say nothing about
closing the opening in their wind0w-sash
with anything but white, transparent
stone. Probably their "white stone" was
leaves of tale, such as is still used for
window-panes in certain parts of Russia.
The Romans used another natural
product, a sort of she'll, to close the
few windows they had, and in the
sashes of the filters of the patricians.
The learned have frequently discussed
the question whether the ancient Romans
used glass in their windows or not, and
the question would still be open to dis
cussiOn if it had not been settled in the
affirmative by discoveries recently made
in the ruins of Pompeii. 1t is pretty evil
dent from the thickness and general APP
pearance of the window-glass of Pompeii
that it was nodded and not blown.
1t is probable that glass blowing was
known in France as early as the thirteenth
century, and yet two centuries later win
dow-glass was very rare even in the royal
palaces. In 1413, when the Duchess of
Berry retired to the chateau OF MOntpen-
sier, the Receiver General had some sash
made for the windows Of the chateau, in
order to close them with waXed linen, :" as
there is no glass to be had" More than
a century later, in 1867, it is very curious
to see the steward of the Duke of North
cumberland propose to take the glass out
Of the sash Of His LOrdship'S chateau ana
keep it in a secure place during the time
the chateau is unoccupied. " Because"
says the careful and economical steward,
" the glass in the window of this and
other chateauX and houses are mi ured and
spoiled by the high winds, it would be
well to have it all taken out and put in a
safe place when His Lordship leaves. On
His IOrdship's return the glass may be re-
placed in the sash at a slight cost, while
the injury it would sustain if allowed to
remain in position during his long alb
sence would bevery great, and the repairs
would cost a considerable sum-"
IL Scotland, windOw-glass was very
rare as late as during the seventeenth
century. AS late as in the year 1861 the
Kings palace had no glass in the first
story, the windows on this floor being
closed by wooden shutters.
An interesting historic fact is men
toned by Sauzay, a French writer, which
shows us clearly enough that the use of
window-glass is of quite modern date.
1t is this: At the end of the last Century
not hundred years ago-there were still
men, not only in the smaller provincial
cities of France, but even in Paris, who
followed the profession of cb08siSs5ers-
artisans skilled in FASTING oiled paper
into window-sash. Mastic at this period
was little used. Another substitute for
glass was found in horn. For a
long time it furnished compare
lively transparent leaves for windows
and for lanterns. Horn was also
used as we now use thick glass to adj
nit light between the decks of vessels. At
certain epOchs parchment has also been
used for windows In Asiatic Turkey
and in China the windows in most cases
are closed as they were closed in Europe
during the middle ages. In Japan the
material most in use is a transparent paper
in appearance very like white silk
Hearth and Home.