Ellsworth American., 1910-04-13
SOME OF THE LOST ARTS.


Never Equallcd.
II ia said that the art Of luminous paint
;ro was known to the Japanese 80 long
.oo as A. d. g76, says the Chicago Tribune,
II the dynasty OF the emperor Tai Tsung
of the Sung dynasty, who had in his
POSSESSIONS picture painted by one su
Noob that was . spirited affair, being
,,oth;ne more or less, however, than q
,,;cture OF an OF that every day left the
nicture frame to Craze and then returned
10 the frame to sleep at night. This thing
worried the emperor, as 1t seemed to his
mind more realistic than was necessary in
inst a common picture OF common OK, so
he made numerous inquiries among his
subjects as to why the or, being only .
picture, daily went out to Craze.
None of the people, Of course, could ex-
plain the phenomenon, and the emperor
finally appealed to certain wise Buddhist
priest, who said that the japanese painter
had known Of an ancient secret and ap-
piled it to his art in painting the picture.
II really was nothing, explained the
learned priest, more than that the artist
had found some nacreoas substance
within the flesh Of certain kind OF oyster
that could be picked up among the rocks
when the tide was low. This substance
was dried and then ground into the color
material, and pictures painted with these
colors were invisible by day and luminous
by night, so the secret was that during
the day the figure of the OK was not visi-
BILE, and it was therefore said that 1t left
the frame to go grazing.
History relates that during the age Of
Tiberius, q Roman workman who had
been banisbed, was allowed to return to
Rome, which he did, bringing with him
a glass CUPS really wonderful cup, for
be dashed it upon the pavement and it
was not broken by the fall, although
dented, but with . hammer he easily
bent it into shape again. 1t was bril-
liant, transparent, but not brittle. 1t is
further stated that the Romans were
much interested, and learned that the
man had obtained the cup from the
Arabians, who are wonderful chemists.
In the books OF that long-ago time there
is glass mentioned that, il supported by
one end. by its own weight would in a day
dwiudle down to fine line, and could be
curved around the wrist like bracelet.
The glassblowers Of ancient Thebes are
known to have been far in advance OF the
most proficient craftsmen OF our day OF
''progress", some 1900 years later. They
were well acquainted with the art Of
staining glass, and are known to have
produced that article in great profusion
and perfection. Rosellini tells OF piece
OF stained glass known to be 1000 years
old. which displayed artistic taste OF high
order, both in tint and design. In this
specimen the color is struck through the
vitritied structure, and he mentions other
designs struck entirely in pieces from
half to three-quarters OF an inch
thick, the color being perfectly incorpor-
ated with the structure OF the piece and
exactly the same on both sides.
The priests OF Ptah at Memphis were
adopts in the glassworker's art, and not
only did they have manufactures for
the common crystal varieties, but they
had learned the vitrifying OF the differ
ent colors and the initiating OF precious
otobNo W PSAhCNttOn. xHciI IIlitAtlUHs
of the amethyst and of the various other
colored gems were 50 like the real article
that even now after they have lain in the
sands OF the desert from 1900 to 1900
years, it takes an expert to tell them from
the genuine. 1t is known also that they
used he diamond for eating and engrav-
ing glass, and in the British museum
there is beautiful piece Of stained glass
with an engraved emblazonment OF the
monarch Thothmes III, who lived over
3,i00 years ago.
Proclus, who had q fame greater than
Arehimedes as msthemstician, is cred
tied with having made . burning glass
during the reign OF Anastasius Dicorus
which was OF such remarkable efficacy
that at great distance he set fire to and
destroyed the ships OF the Mysian and
Thracian fleets that had blockaded By
zantum.
The Damascus blades, those marvels OF
perfect steel, have never been equalled,
and those in use during the crusades, 800
years ago, are to-day "good as new". In
London there is one on exhibition that
can be put in scabbard almost as crooked
as corkscrew, and bent every way with
out breaking. The point Of this sword
can be made to touch the hilt.
The mysticism Of this oriental steel has
long been subject for writers, and the
poets have sung its praises. Sir Walter
scott, in his 'sTslismap", describes
meeting between Richard Coeur de Lion
and Saladin, wherein Saladin asks Richard
TO show him the wonderful strength for
which he is noted, and the Norman mon
arch responds by severing bar OF iron
which lies on the floor of the tent. Saladin
says that he "could not do that, but he
takes an eiderdown pillow from couch
and, drawing his keen blade across it, it
ialis in two pieces.
AT this feat Richard says: "This is the
black art; it is magic; you cannot cut
that which has no resistance" Saladin,
h L-A = - Ha