prior to the knowledge of iron. In the earliest ages, whose manners have been delineated by history, we find the weapons of their warriors invariably framed of this fictitious metal. Military nations were naturally studious of brightness in their arms: and the Ancient Britons, particularly, gloried in the neatness of theirs. Hence various nations continued to fabricate their arms of brass, even after the discovery of iron.
By long calcination alone, and without the mixture of any other substance with it, brass affords a beautiful green or blue colour for glass: but if it be calcined with powdered sulphur, it will give a red, yellow, or chalcedony colour, according to the quantity, and other variations in using it.
Brass-colour, is that prepared by colour-men and braziers to imitate brass; of which there are two sorts: namely, the red brass, or bronze, which is mixed with red-ochre, finely pulverized; and the yellow, or gilt brass, which is made of copper-filings only. Both sorts are used with varnish.
Corinthian brass, is a mixture of gold, silver, and copper; so called from the melting and running together of immense quantities of those metals, when the city of Corinth was sacked and burnt, 146 years before Christ.
Brassica. See Cabbage, Colewort, Rape, Rocket, and Turnip.
BRAWN, is the flesh of a boar, pickled or souced, which is always found to be better tasted, according to the greater age of the animal.—The most approved method of preparing it is as follows: After the boar is killed, take the flitches only, without the legs, and extract the bones from them; sprinkle the flesh with salt, and lay it in a tray till the blood is drained off; let it then be salted a little more, and rolled up as hard as possible. The collar of brawn should be made of the whole length of the flitch, so as to measure nine or ten inches in diameter. The flesh thus prepared is to be boiled in a large kettle or copper, till it becomes tender enough to be pierced with a straw: then set it by, till it is thoroughly cold, and immerse it into the following pickle: To every gallon of water, put near two handfuls of salt, and as much wheat-bran; boil them well together; then drain the liquor from the bran as clear as possible; and when the liquor is quite cold, put the bran into it.
BREAD, an important article of food, prepared of flour kneaded with a mixture of yeast, water, and salt, and afterwards baked in an oven.
Mankind seem to have an universal appetite for bread, which may be accounted for on the simple principle, that the preparation of our food depends on the mixture of the animal fluids in every stage. As, among others, the saliva is necessary, it requires dry food as a stimulus to draw it forth; for which reason we use bread with meat, which otherwise would be too quickly swallowed. Bread serves as a medium to blend the oil and water of food in the stomach, which it stimulates; and it is peculiarly proper for that purpose, being bulky without too much solidity, and firm without difficulty of solution.
Before the invention of mills for grinding corn, bread was prepared by boiling the grain, and forming
