Ink Powder.

Common liquid ink, the method of making which we have already described, is not easily transported from one place to another; and, besides this inconvenience, it is apt to dry in the ink-holder. In bottles, unless well corked, it becomes decomposed and evaporates; and if the bottles happen to break, it may spoil clothes, or any other articles near it. For the convenience therefore, of those who travel either by land or by sea, ink powder has been invented, which is nothing else than the substances employed in the composition of common ink, pounded and pulverized; so that it can be converted into ink in a moment, by mixing it up with a little water.

To Revive Old Writing.

It is often necessary to consult old charters, titles, deeds, and manuscripts, written many centuries ago, either to gratify curiosity, or to clear up some important point in law; but as the writing is sometimes so much effaced as to be scarcely legible, a Benedictine invented a liquor, which will make old manuscripts appear as fresh as if newly written. The process for preparing this liquor, which may be easily applied, is as follows:

Having provided a pot, capable of containing three quarts of water, take some white onions, freed from the exterior thick skin, and cut them into small morsels; put such a quantity of them into the pot as to occupy three fourths of it: then fill up the remaining part with water, and add three gall-nuts well pounded. Boil the whole for an hour and a half, and throw into thẹ mixture about the size of a nut of rock alum. Strain the mixture through a piece of cloth, squeezing the onions strongly to express the juice, and preserve the liquor, which, when cold, will have the appearance of orgeat.

When you intend to use this liquor, expose it to heat, which will render it clear; then dip in it a bit of rag, and apply it to the writing near the fire, that the liquor may make a stronger impression, you will have the pleasure of seeing the characters revived in their full lustre. If there be only a few words of the writing effaced, it will be sufficient to heat a little of the liquor in a silver spoon, and to apply it as above.

Another process, more simple, consists in putting three or four pounded gall-nuts into a certain quantity of spirit of wine; heating the mixture and exposing to the vapour of it the writing which you wish to revive.

Old papers or parchments, the writing of which cannot be read, or can be read only with difficulty, may be immersed also in water in which copperas has been dissolved; if they are then suffered to dry, the copperas will make the writing re-appear with as much freshness as if it were new.

To take off the Impression of any Drawing.

The impression of any drawing may be taken off, by placing a piece of glass over the original, and then tracing out all the outlines with a bit of soft red chalk; but as red chalk makes no mark upon glass, it must first be rubbed over with gum water, to which a little vinegar has been added; when the gum is dry it will be fit for drawing on. Without vinegar, red chalk would not mark on the gum; but if you rub the glass. with the white of an egg, instead of gum, there will be no need of vinegar.

When the drawing has been traced on the glass, if you apply to it a piece of moistened paper, pressing it strongly down, and immediately remove it, lest it should adhere to the glass, you will find imprinted on it the drawing made with the red chalk. By these means, you will obtain an exact outline of any drawing or print you wish to copy. This resemblance, however, will be reversed; and for that reason, to give it the same appearance as the original, it must be recopied.

To take off the Impression of Old Prints.

Take Venice or Windsor soap, which must be cut into small pieces, a certain quantity of potash, with as much quick lime, and boil the whole in a pot. Wet the engraved side of the print gently with this liquor, then apply to it a sheet of white paper, and roll it several times with a roller, in order that the impression may be complete.

Method of teaching Drawing to Young Persons.

An artist proposes to teach young persons the elements of drawing, by making them first practice with a slate, because it may be soon cleaned with a wet cloth, or sponge. This method indeed would save the expence of paper, and afford the pupils an opportunity of easily correcting their faults, without being obliged to begin their drawing again entirely. But it is more advantageous to e y, instead of a slate, a piece of Bohemian glass, which might be made rough on one side, by rubbing it with a pumice stone, or a flat bit of free stone, or fine sand well moistened. Whatever figures have been drawn on this glass, may be effaced by a wet cloth, in the same manner as from a slate; and besides this advantage, as the glass is transparent, correct copies may be placed below it, which the scholars ought to follow till their hand is properly formed. What is here said of drawing may be applied also to writing.

To construct a Lantern which will enable a Person to Read by night at a great Distance.

Make a lantern of a cylindric form, or shaped like a small cask placed lengthwise, so that its axis may be horizontal, and fix in one end of it a parabolic or spheric mirror, so that its focus may fall about the middle of the axis of the cylinder. If a small lamp or taper be placed in this focus, the light passing through

the other end, will be reflected to a great distance, and will be so bright, that very small letters on a remote object may be read, by looking at them with a good telescope. Those who see this light, if they be in the direction of the axis of the lantern, will think they see a large fire.

To take off Impressions in Plaster of Paris or Sulphur.

As curious people, who cannot purchase the originals, are often desirous of obtaining impressions of medals, engraved stones, and other valuable articles preserved in cabinets, they may easily be procured, and at a very small expence. The whole process consists in a very simple operation, which will give a striking resemblance of the object, so as to exhibit all its parts with the greatest truth.

When you intend to take off an impression in plaster, that which has been pulverised and sifted through a piece of very fine silk must be employed. First rub over the medal, or engraved stone, very softly with oil, and having wiped it with cotton, surround the edge of it with a bit of thin lead. Mix up the sifted plaster with water, and stir it gently, to prevent it throwing up air bubbles; then throw it over the medals, and suffer it to harden and dry. It may then easily be detached, and will form a mould, strongly marked, by means of which you may take off impressions in relief, either in plaster or sulphur.-Observe, before these moulds are used, they must be impregnated with oil.

The process for melted sulphur is the same as for plaster; but it is to be observed, that when the model is of marble, old lard ought to be employed in preference to oil, because the latter, by penetrating through the pores of the marble, would stain it.

Baits for Catching Fish.

In order to attract fish when angling, baits made of various kinds of grain, such as wheat, barley, oats, or

boiled beans, mixed with aromatic herbs, and pounded with earth, may be employed. Fish are wonderfully attracted by strong smelling substances, as camphor, assafoetida, &c. They seem to have a great fondness for a paste made of crusts of bread, honey, and assafœtida. It is said also, that they approach coloured objects through curiosity.

Some people tie a bit of scarlet rag to the hook, and rub it over with petroleum; and others highly extol heron oil. To obtain the latter, the flesh of the heron is cut small, and pounded in a mortar; it is then put into a long necked bottle, closely corked, and preserved for two or three weeks in a warm temperature; the flesh, by putrefying, is converted into a substance that approaches near to oil, which is mixed up with honey, bread, and a little milk. Most fish, and particularly carp, are said to be very fond of this bait.

Artificial insects are much used also for catching fish, especially trout; they are made of different colours, according to the hours of the day, in order that they may imitate the natural objects which appear at these different periods.

Those who fish in fresh water, employ cheese sometimes as a bait, and prefer that which emits the strongest smell. The putrid livers and flesh of animals of every kind are likewise used.

Small, long, slender worms, of a white or pale yellow colour, with a red head, contained in small cells found in the roots of the water iris, are said to be excellent bait for trout, tench, carp, and various other kinds of fish.

Earth worms, as well as those engendered in meat, are of great service.

To procure the latter, and almost at every season, a dead cat, or bird of prey, must be exposed to the flies, and when the worms become very lively, it ought to be buried in moist earth, as much sheltered from the frost as possible. The worms may be taken out as they are wanted. As these worms are metamorphosed into flies towards the month of March, recourse must then be had to other animals of the like kind.