Page 109 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

LE COMTE. 311

our earthenware. The most valued is made in the province
of Quam-si. The material is taken from one and the
place
water from another, because it is purer and more clean.
Perhaps, too, this water, which is made use of in preference
to all others, is impregnated with certain salts, which are
fitted to purify and refine the earth, or which bind its particles
more as in the case of lime, which
closely together, happens
is worth nothing when slaked with certain waters, while others
make it much more dense as well as and more
stronger
adherent.
"
It is a mistake to imagine that it requires a hundred or
two hundred to the material of and
years prepare porcelain,
that it is difficult to make. If that were it would
very so,
neither be so common nor so It is an earth, harder
cheap.
than earths
ordinary more like a sort of soft white stone,
which is found in of the last-named It is
quarries province.
prepared in the following manner. After having washed the
fragments and separated any sand or foreign earth that may
be mixed with them, the material is to a fine
pounded very
powder. However fine it may appear, the pounding is con-
tinued for a time. the hand feel
very long Although may
no difference, they are nevertheless persuaded that it gets
much finer, that the insensible are less mixed, and that
parts
the work becomes whiter and more Of the
transparent.
powder so prepared they form a paste which they stir and beat
still so that it become more mild, and that the
longer, may
water may become thoroughly incorporated with it. When
the earth is well attended to they work it into shape.
Apparently they do not use moulds, as is done in some other
kinds of ; but it is more that form it
pottery probable they
on the wheel, as we do. So soon as are satisfied with
they
it to the sun and
their work, they expose morning evening,
but withdraw it when the heat is too great, lest it should warp.
In this manner the vases little
dry by little, and the painting
is at leisure at the times when think that the
applied they
foundation is in a fit state to receive it ; but because neither
the colours nor the vase have sufficient lustre, they make of the
same material of a fine of which
porcelain very pulp they pass
several coats over the whole work, which
gives to it particular
brilliancy and whiteness. This is what I call the glaze of
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