more use of earthenware in their domestic offer as matters of future competition for the economy than any other ancient nation,-as decoration of particular rooms in the new the abundant remains not only in Italy, but in houses, will shortly be announced.--Athenæum. Gaul, Germany, Spain, and Britain, suffi- The exhibition is now open to the public withciently prove; but it is remarkable that out charge on all days but Saturday. cinerary urns, ornamental vases, and prize- PROGRESS IN TURKEY.-It is reported on goblets for athlete,- -so abundant in the Etru- good authority that a Mechanics' Institute has rian and Grecian remains-are not found in been established at Constantinople, and that any collection of Roman pottery, though three pachas have already given in their urns were used for preserving human remains names as honorary members. by the Germans down to the time of Charle

magne.

The ancient German vases are fragile, unpolished, porous, but very highly ornamented. These vases have been found so abundantly in the north of Germany, between the Oder and the Weser, that the inhabitants have been perplexed to account for their origin. It may be further remarked that, in the German districts where these remains are so abundant, there has been no great manufactory for tender or unglazed pottery since the introduction of the plumbiferous glaze, more than six hundred years ago.

The invention of the plumbiferous glaze has been attributed to the Chinese; but it is certain that the felspathic is far more common on old porcelain. In the Museum of the East India Company, there are some very exquisite specimens of glazed bricks and tiles, found in the ruins of the deserted city of Gour, which we believe to be vitreous, for the lustre is exactly similar to that of the fragments of glazed bricks, found by Rich, in the ruins of Babylon.

The silico-alkaline, or vitreous, glaze is almost characteristic of the ornamental bricks and tiles found in all countries over which the dominion of the Saracens extended.

as

There are some articles of pottery in which permeability is directly sought,—such water-coolers, flower-pots, and sugar-shapes. The water-coolers, or, as the French call them, hydro-cérames, are used very extensively in all warm countries; but we chiefly notice them to direct attention to the fact, that they produce a very trifling effect on the temperature of water when used in this climate. It is only when there is a very rapid evaporation produced by exposure to a current of hot air that any sensible refrigeration is produced.

THE EXHIBITION IN WESTMINSTER HALL.— Government, it is said, has just concluded the purchase of Mr. Cross's fine picture of Richard Cœur de Lion," for the sum of five hundred guineas, and Mr. Pickersgill's "Burial of Harold" for the like amount. Mr. Watts's King Alfred Repelling the Danes" has been also purchased for £200, the artist not having asked more, in consideration of his having obtained a £500 premium. The sea-fight, in which Nelson is seen boarding the San Josef, by Mr. Knell, has, we hear, been likewise purchased by Government. These are, of course, intended for the decoration of the new palace at Westminster. Mr. Armitage's "Battle of Meeanee" has, we learn, been purchased by the Queen for her own collection. A long list of subjects, which the commissioners intend to

Notices to Correspondents.

GENERAL NOTICE.-The great expense necessarily incurred in the production of this Work, and which can only be met, with any degree of remuneration, by an Increased Circulation, compels us to request the Recommendation of it, by our Readers, to their Friends and Acquaintances; in return for which, we pledge ourselves not only to continue unaltered those Peculiar Features of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT which have already won Approbation, but also to extend its value by presenting an Increased Quantity of Original Designs, &c., the nature of which shall be such as to render the Work, in time, a Standard one of Reference on all points connected with Decoration, either Useful or Ornamental.

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INQUIRER (N. B.)-The treatise on Fresco Painting, now
appearing in the pages of this work, is a practical com-
pilation from the best authorities by Mr. F. B. Thompson.
It will be completed in about two or three weeks.
A PAINTER (Islington).-The following receipt is stated to
be the best and only method of removing paint from oak
panelling, carving, &c. :-Make a strong solution of
American potash (which can be obtained at any colour-
shop, and resembles burnt brick in appearance); mix this
with sawdust into a sort of paste, and spread it all over
the paint, which will become softened in a few hours, and
is easily removed by washing with cold water. If, after
the panelling, &c., is dry, it becomes cracked, apply a
solution of hot size, with a brush, which will bind it well
together, and make it better for varnishing, as well as
destroy the beetle which is often met with in old oak, and
is erroneously called "the worm."

A.Z.-We will comply with your request shortly by giving

an article on the subject.

JACQUES. We are much obliged to you for your good wishes.-1. We should say that the whole cost of the copying machine mentioned in our last would amount to about Is. 3d.; that is, sixpence for a piece of turned wood, sixpence for a piece of cloth of the quality described, and threepence for the baize. 2. The baize may be obtained of any hosier; the horse-hair pad may be made to order by any worker in that material, the price would be about 18.; the paper (by which is meant silver or tissue paper) can be had of any stationer at about eightpence per quire. 3. No copying machine that we are aware of will serve for copying printed paragraphs cut from newspapers, &c. 4. You may substitute thin calf-skin for the cloth. The colour of any of the materials, except the paper, does not

matter.

** Several other correspondents will be answered in our next.

London: Published at the Office of the SPORTSMAN'S nications to the Editor are to be addressed); and to be had MAGAZINE, 17, Holywell-street, Strand (where all commuof all Booksellers.-Saturday, July 31, 1847.

Printed by W. COOLE, Lumley Court, Strand.

BASE (basis, Greek and Latin), the foot or

bottom of any figure, the surface on which it Ancient Stained Glass in Churches.

rests. In geometry, the lowest side of figure.

a

IT is very curious to mark how particular arts gradually decline, are sunk in oblivion, and then, after a lapse of some years, suddenly are again brought into notice, and once more engage the attention of persons of taste. Gothic architecture is a notable instance of the have chosen as the subject of this paper, in truth of this remark; and the art which we connection with that peculiar style, will serve as another striking instance. It is true that the art was never entirely lost, as has been asserted by some; but it received but little support, and in most cases was executed in a most deplorable style of design and colouring.

BASE OF A COLUMN, each column has its particular base-the Tuscan being the simplest, having only a torus and a plinth. The Doric base has an astragal more than the Tuscan. In the Ionic base there is, according to Vitruvius, a torus and fillet, resting upon two scotias, divided by astragals and fillets. The Attic base consists of two toruses, or tori, and a scotia, and is applicable to every order except the Tuscan. The Corinthian base has two toruses, two scotias, and two astragals. The Composite base has one astragal less than the Corinthian; but in this order the Ionic and Corinthian bases are indifferently em-trating scripture history, with explanatory ployed.

Stained glass was in early use in the decoration of churches; but all the more ancient examples are now lost; and it is believed that the glass in the choir of Canterbury cathedral will be found to be the earliest now existing in this country, and may be taken as a fair example of the state of the art in the twelfth century. The design consists of panels, illusinscriptions: these are on grounds of ruby or are decorated with very rich mosaic work; the blue colour, and the spaces between the panels whole being surrounded by a broad border. same cathedral, is also of this period; and in The centre window of Becket's crown, in the this the pattern is formed of foliated scroll patBASIS, the foundation or groundwork. terns, of various colours, on a ruby ground. It may be observed that in all the early exBAS-RELIEVO (from the Italian basso-relievo), amples the blue colour is of a most intense low or flat sculpture. All works in sculpture deepness; and this circumstance is a distinare classed under this heading when the sub-guishing characteristic of the more ancient jects represented are not isolated, but are glass. adherent to the ground, whether they are of a similar or a different material, and applied or fixed thereto, or form a part of the material in which they are wrought.

BASE LINE (in perspective), the common section of a picture and the geometrical plane. BASEMENT (from base, low), in architecture, the lowest storey of a building.

In the thirteenth century the detached panels still continued to be much used in windows; but a remarkable variation now took place: this was the omission of mosaic work in BATTLEMENT (in architecture), an indented of a trailing pattern of leaves in its stead. the formation of grounds, and the substitution parapet or wall.

A

The panels were often composed of a figure of some saint or benefactor of the church; and, when this was the case, a plain kind of canopy was placed above them. Occasionally the panels were omitted, and the whole design was composed of the foliated ground-work. most striking example of this style occurs in the magnificent window in York cathedral, popularly called the "Five Sisters," from a legendary history asserting that it was erected by five maiden sisters, and was copied from five pieces of embroidery executed by them. Others name it the "Jews' window," from the windows in their tabernacles being often decoMALLEABLE GLASS.-The celebrated Pro-window is composed of five splendid lancet rated in this style. But, at all events, this fessor Schönbein has advanced a great way lights, of equal height, with five smaller ones towards the discovery of malleable glass, as he above-of which the centre one is the tallesthas invented a method of rendering papier- and is nearly altogether composed of foliage in mâché transparent, by a peculiar process subdued colours, relieved by diagonal bands of denominated catalytic.-Revue Scientifique et richer hue, forming multangular and star-like Industrielle. figures. At the close of this period, shields of

(To be continued.)

arms began to be introduced; the spaces saints. The windows of King's college chapel, between them being filled up by bands, foli- Cambridge, are most glorious examples of age, &c. stained glass of this period, and so is the great east window of York cathedral: these consist of scripture subjects.

As might be expected, the introduction of foliation in the arches of buildings, and other ornamental details of the decorated style, wrought a corresponding improvement in the glass of the fourteenth century. In this period, the excessive minuteness displayed in the earlier designs entirely disappeared, and was replaced by a certain boldness beforeunknown. Large figures were now placed in the main lights, surmounted by highly-decorated canopies, and smaller ones in the lesser lights of the heads of windows. These figures were placed on a ground of one colour, richly diapered. The west window of the nave of York may be instanced as a beautiful example of large figures. Heraldry now began to be profusely introduced; and the laws of heraldic colours cause fine contrasts in the colours on glass.

At the close of the perpendicular period, when Gothic architecture gave way to all kinds of barbarisms, the glass partook of the debasement; and the above remarks will not apply to it exactly. The chaste and elegant canopies were replaced by heavy, Italian architectural ornaments; and the inscriptions were now composed of Roman capitals. It is useless to say more on this part of the subject, as very little glass of this period exists in churches, though common enough in halls, &c., of the Elizabethan style.

Having now arrived at the close of the palmy days of the art, we will pass over the dreary age that followed, with simply noticing that the glass now was perfectly worthless in design, except works of a very few brighter spirits, such as Peckitt, of York, and others; though we noticed, in a late visit to York cathedral, that some of that artist's colours had already begun to fade. We will resume this subject in a future paper.

But by far the greatest part of the stained glass now remaining belongs to the perpendicular period, including the fifteenth, sixteenth, and part of the seventeenth centuries. Little change took place in the general arrangement of windows, though sometimes the artist took his design over the whole of the lights; but the tints were more varied, the shadows were bet- PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT IN ORGANS.-In ter managed in the draperies-sometimes even the church organ, it is usual to have a screen with quite a classical effect and attempts were so placed as to hide the lower part of the made at perspective. Saints were now gene- instrument, not so much for the purpose of rally accompanied by distinctive emblemssuch as the instrument of their martyrdom, or some peculiar animal. Scrolls, with inscriptions, were now used in boundless profusion; and these inscriptions are almost always in black letter characters, whereas before they were in Gothic capitals. Highly-decorated initial letters frequently occur. Coats of arms were more used than ever; and, when not accompanied by any figure of their owner, they were usually represented as being carried by an angel.

26

The ground-work still remained of one colour, diapered, with some ornament in black; the prevailing patterns being roses placed at intervals, or a very rich foliated design. Draperies were also much ornamented with roses, &c., and occasionally with initial letters. The robe of a figure of Annas, in Thirsk church, is profusely covered, in this manner, with small a's." There was also another and plainer plan of taking off from the monotonous appearance of grounds, principally used in small, ornamented panes this was the dashing the colour with black dots, as if one was to take a brush of black, or any opaque colour, and shake it on at random: this method was in very common use. The blues had now become extremely light in tint, when compared with more ancient examples; and altogether the glass, though more varied in design, had lost a great deal of that intense richness characteristic of former periods; for borderings, small crowns, dragons, &c., became prevalent, and have a good effect when well executed. The inscriptions were usually composed of the names of figures represented, prayers for the souls of the erectors, and invocations to the

concealing the more talented performer, as for shading from view the humble, but not less important operator, who blows the bellows. Now, in a room, and particularly if it does not happen to be a large one, this desideratum is not so easily accomplished, and the attention, consequently, is much diverted. This inconvenience may be obviated by employing a cylinder of condensed atmospheric air, placed within the organ, there being usually a space or chamber at the lower part of it, just adapted for the purpose. To this cylinder, which may be readily charged beforehand by the aid of a small force-pump, should be attached a valve, so placed as to be easily acted upon by the foot, and thus be kept open, or partially open, or undulated at pleasure. The seraphina, the bellows of which are usually worked by the foot, could thus be played in the ordinary way, and the full swell of the organ produced at command, so as to produce an effect altogether unusual (without the aid of an assistant), and which would be very striking. It is evident that the same effect could be produced by the aid of a gasometer of very simple construction, placed at a convenient distance, as in any outbuilding, &c.; but then there would not be the advantage of such compactness and portability, if the organ had to be removed; but when condensed air is employed exclusively, and upon an extensive scale, in addition to the valve alluded to, there should be a tap, that should be self-regulating, so that the air (when it was turned on) should at all times flow from the cylinder in an uniform stream, notwithstanding any difference in the pressure that might exist in the cylinder.-Correspondent of the Patent Journal.

In our next article on this subject we will give the elevation of a leaf taken from the arch of Titus at Rome, and the manner of elaborately shading it.

THE NELSON MONUMENT.-The works connected with this monument are now to be completed without further delay.