"The colouring part is formed into lakes for painters: a sort of Spanish wool for the ladies is also prepared with it; and as a dyeing material, it is in very general use. "The resinous part is even em ployed to form grindstones, by melting it, and mixing with it about three parts of sand. For making polishing grindstones, the sand is sifted through fine muslin; but those which are employed by the lapidaries, are formed with powder of corundum, called by them Corune*. "But, in addition to all the above uses to which it is applied in India, as well as to those which cause it to be in request in Europe, Mr. Wilkins's Hindû ink occupies a conspicuous place, not merely on account of its use as an ink, but because it teaches us to prepare an aqueous solution of lac, which probably will be found of very extensive utility. "This solution of lac in water may be advantageously employed as a sort of varnish, which is equal in durability, and other qualities, to those prepared with alcohol; whilst, by the saving of this liquid, it is infinitely cheaper. "I do not mean, however, to assert that it will answer equally well in all cases, but only that it may be employed in many. It will be found likewise of great use as a vehicle Phil. Trans. 1781, p. 380. for colours; for, when dry, it is not easily affected by damp, or even by water. "With a solution of this kind, I have mixed various colours, such as, vermilion, fine lake, indigo, Prussian blue, sap green, and gamboge; and it is remarkable, that although the two last are of a gunimy nature, and the others had been previously mixed with gum, (being cakes of the patent watercolours) yet, when dried upon paper, they could not be removed with a moistened sponge, until the surface of the paper itself was rubbed off. "In many arts and manufac tures, therefore, the solutions of lac may be found of much utility; for, like mucilage, they may be diluted with water, and yet, when dry, are little if at all affected by itt. "We find, from the experiments on lac, that this substance is solu ble in the alkalis, and in some of the acids. But this fact (consi dering that resin is the principal ingredient of lac) is in opposition to the generally received opinion of chemists, namely, that acids and al kalis do not act upon resinous bodies. Some experiments, however, which I have made on various resins, gum-resins, and balsams, fully establish, that these substances are powerfully acted upon by the alkais, and by some of the acids, so as The alkaline solutions of lac are evidently of a saponaceous nature, and, like other soaps, may be decomposed by acids. The entire substance of lac is not however completely dissolved, as appears from the turbidness of the liquors. Three of the four ingredients, namely, the resin, the gluten, and the colouring extract, appear to be in per Lect solution; whilst the wax is only partially combined with the alkali, and forms that imperfectly soluble saponaceous compound which has been formerly mentioned, and which remains suspended, and disturbs the transparency of the solution. From various circumstances, it does not seem improbable, that the long sought-for, but hitherto undiscovered vehicle employed by the celebrated painters of the Venetian School, may have beeu some kind of resinous solution prepared by means of borax, or by the alkalis. to be completely dissolved, and rendered soluble in water. "It will be a very wide and cu rious field of inquiry, to discover what changes are thus produced in these bodies, especially by nitric acid. Each substance must form the subject of a separate investigation; and there cannot be a doubt but that much will be learned respecting their nature and properties, which hitherto have been so little examined by chemists. "The alkaline solutions of resin may be found useful in some of the arts; for many colours, especially those which are metallic, when dissolved in acids, may be precipitated, combined with resin, by adding the former to the alkaline solutions of the latter. I have made some experiments of this kind with success; and perhaps these processes might prove useful to dyers and manufacturers of colours. It is probable also, that medicine may derive advantages from some of this extensive series of alkaline and acid solutions of the resinous substances. 1804, POETRY POETRY. BRANKSOME HALL. [From Mr. SCOTT'S LAY of the LAST MINSTREL.] I. HE feast was over in Branksome tower, Tand the Ladye had gone to her secret bower, Her bower, that was guarded by word and by spell, Jesu Maria, shield us well! No living wight, save the Ladye alone, II. The tables were drawn, it was idlesse all; Or crowded round the ample fire. III. Nine-and-twenty knights of fame Hung their shields in Branksome Hall; Nine-and-twenty squires of name Brought them their steeds from bower to stall; --Waited, duteous, on them all; They were all knights of mettle true, IV. Ten of them were sheathed in steel, They They lay down to rest With corslet laced, Pillowed on buckler cold and hard; They carved at the meal With gloves of steel, And they drank the red wine through the helmet barred. V. Tén squires, ten yeomen, mail-clad men, VI. Why do these steeds stand ready dight? From Warkworth, or Naworth, or merry Carlisle. Such is the custom of Branksome Hall. Many a valiant knight is here; But he, the Chieftain of them all, His sword hangs rusting on the wall, Beside his broken spear. Bards long shall tell, How lord Walter fell! When startled burghers fled, afar, The furies of the Border war ; When the streets of high Dunedin Saw lances gleam, and falchions redden, No! vainly to each holy shrine, For chiefs, their own red falchions slew : Shall never, never be forgot I WILLIAM of DELORAINE. [From the same.] I. F thou wouldst view fair Melrose aright, When the broken arches are black in night, And the scrolls that teach thee to live and die; When distant Tweed is heard to rave, And the owlet to hoot o'er the dead man's grave; Then go-but go alone the while- II. Short halt did Deloraine make there; Who knocks so loud, and knocks so late?' 'From Branksome I,' the warrior cried; And straight the wicket opened wide : For Branksome's chiefs had in battle stood, And lands and livings, many a rood, 3 III. Bold |