[ 227 ]
CIII. There are alſo two kinds of Cinnabar, the one native, the other factitious[1]; the native, which is found in Spain, is hard and ſtony; as is alſo that brought from Colchis, which they ſay is produced there in Rocks and on Precipices, from which they get it down with Darts and Arrows. The factitious
- ↑ The Antients, we find, had what they called the native and factitious Cinnabar as well as we: their native Cinnabar was the ſame with ours, but the factitious widely different. Theirs was no other, than a Preparation of a fine ſhining arenaceous Subſtance, which was the Sil Atticum Romanorum, injudiciouſly confounded by Vitruvius with the Ochra Attica of the Antients; whereas ours is a Subſtance formed, by the Art of Chemiſtry, of Quickſilver and Sulphur, into a denſe heavy Maſs, of a bright red, marked with ſhining ſilvery Streaks.
The native Cinnabar of the Antients and of the Moderns are, however, the ſame; and
like this of the Antients, as that of our making Ceruſe; and it is very evident, that both the one and the other have been handed down from very early Ages to us. The Manner in which we make it is this: The Preſſings of Grapes, when taken from the Preſs, are ſpread on Hurdles, and laid in the Sun to dry; after they have lain in this Manner two or three Days, and are pretty well dried, they are made into a Paſte with Wine; and left to ferment; afterwards, while in a State of Fermentation, they are rolled into Balls, and again laid in Wine till thoroughly wetted with it; and then are placed in proper Veſſels at a little Diſtance over the Wine, and ſhut up together in this Manner for near a Fortnight. After this they ſmell very ſtrong and pungent, and are in a Condition to extract the Ruſt from Copper. They are then beaten together into a Paſte, and laid, Stratum ſuper Stratum, with thin Plates of Copper, on wooden Bars in the ſame Veſſels; and in a Week or ten Days the Verdigriſe is formed. The Plates are then taken out, and wrapt in linen Cloths dipped in Wine, and laid for three Weeks in a Cellar. After which the Verdigriſe is ſcraped off for Uſe.
