"There is another mistake that gentlemen who are not acquainted with the particular difficulties of an art are apt to fall into. They frequently observe that a handsome thing may be made as cheap as an ugly one. A moment's reflection would rectify this opinion. "The most successful artists know that they can turn out ten ugly and defective things for one that is beautiful and perfect in its kind. Even suppose the artist has the true idea of the kind of beauty at which he aims; how many lame and unsuccessful efforts does he make in his design, and every part of it, before he can please himself? And suppose one piece is well composed and tolerably finished, as in vases and encaustic paintings, for instance, where every succeeding vase, and every picture, is made not in a Mould or by a Stamp, but separately by the Hand, with the same attention and diligence as the first, how difficult must it be to preserve the beauty of the first model? "It is so difficult that without the constant attention of the master's eye, such variations are frequently made in the form and taste of the work, even while the model is before the workman, as totally change and degrade the character of the piece. "Beautiful forms and compositions are not to be made by chance, and they never were made nor can be made in any kind at a small expence; but the proprietors of this manufactory have the satisfaction of knowing, by a careful comparison, that the prices of many of their ornaments are much lower, and of all of them as low as those of any other ornamental works in Europe, of equal quality and risque, notwithstanding the high price of labour in England, and they are determined rather to give up the making of any article than to degrade it. They do not manufacture for those who estimate works of ornament by their magnitude, and who would buy pictures at so much a foot. They have been happy in the encouragement and support of many illustrious persons who judge of the works of art by better principles; and so long as they have the honour of being thus patronised, they will endeavour to support and improve the quality and taste of their manufactures." This admirable and noble principle it was which actuated Wedgwood throughout his career, and which enabled him to produce so many, and such exquisite, specimens of art; and this principle it was which made him so scrupulously careful that none but the most perfect examples should leave his manufactory. The inkstand to which I have alluded-to which Mr. Gladstone has, for simplicity of construction and efficiency in use, paid so well-merited a tribute-was, then, invented by Wedgwood in 1775, and it is pleasant to know that besides being cared for in the "cabinets of the curious," it is still to be found in use in many places, and is constantly used in the very room, and at the same desk, at which the Great Josiah sat at Etruria. The "Eye-cups," made of the composition imitating various pebbles, and "sold at one shilling a-piece," were also introduced in the same year, as were also closet pans. The following letter, addressed by Josiah Wedgwood to his cousin and partner, Thomas Wedgwood, at Etruria, and dated "London, 20th March, 1775," is so full of practical information, and is so highly characteristic of Wedgwood's scrupulous care in all the details of his art, that I cannot better close this chapter than by giving it to my readers : "DEAR COUSIN, for it. "London, 20th March, 1775. "I have your good letter of the 17th, and thank you "The service for Mr. Scott will be sent from hence on Friday or Monday next; and hope he will be pleas'd with the dispatch we shall be able to use in this Commission. "Messrs. Rabone and Co.'s order with green flowers is finish'd, and waits his orders; but are we to let him know, or will you do it? "The small pattern boxes shall be sent with the next goods. And with respect to the Cisterns for the Water Closets, I hope they may be made when properly understood, as the Sale for them will, in all probability, be very considerable, and the purchasers will be willing to pay a very good price for them-from 4 to 6 guineas apiece. "They now give 8 or 10 guineas for marble cisterns, and do not order these of our ware for cheapness, but because they will be sweeter than marble ones. You may make them an inch thick, or more if you please; for the architects do not care how thick they "The pipes you mention are not to be made. The plugs sent with the model are meant only to shew that there are to be holes in the Cisterns to fit Cocks or Lead Pipes of the size of the plugs sent. They had not any notion of our Clay shrinking, and therefore sent those wood pegs for us to make the holes with; and where there is any shouldering in the pegs (as I think there is in some of them), the holes should have the same sort of shouldering as that peg would make by thrusting it into the Cistern when made. "Another thing is necessary for you to observe respecting the wood model sent. It was intended as a core, or model, for us to form the vessel upon, and they want to have the cisterns, when finish'd, to be of the same shape and size on the inside as the model is on the outside. For, as I mention'd above, they had no idea of our clay shrinking, and so thought, if they furnish'd us with a model to work our clay upon of the size they wanted it, that wd be an unerring rule for us. But they are not nice in respect to the size; for half an inch, or even an inch, larger or less than the model will do. "I think the best method of making your mould will be to chop and make their model rough on the outside, and then coat it with plaister, making the coat as thick as you think will be sufficient to allow for shrinking-that is, if you think it will shrink 4 inches, then you coat it 2 inches thick, taking care to preserve the form of the vessel. And you must likewise allow for shrinking in the size of the holes; for the pegs sent with the model are the real size of the cocks which are made for these cisterns. "I shall be glad if what I have said above may sufficiently explain this matter to you. I should have wrote this sooner, but expected to have been with you in time for the execution of this order. "Messrs. B and F's bills shall be discounted here another time. "I should have sent some glass, but have had some difference with the man about the price; however, I intend to send some on Friday; and in the meantime I wish Joseph Unwin would buy some Cullet † for them to go on with. • "B and F" would probably be Messrs. Boulton & Fothergill, of the Soho Works, Birmingham, with whom Wedgwood was in many ways connected. † Cullett is broken glass, which was much bought and used by potters. "We have an order from the Duke of Athol for a Dinner and Dessert, Tea and Coffee service, enamel'd, all of which are to be plain, except 12 teacups and sars, unhandled, about the size of the drawing on the other side. We shd be glad to have a few dozns by the next waggon, as we have only a month from this time allow'd us to get them done. "I have had a letter from Mr. Green, but not satisfactory, and I intend to write to him again. "The American affairs will not be settled at present. Our Rulers seem determined to try an experiment upon the Continent; and a very ruinous one I am afraid it will prove. All we can do seems to be to wait, though it must be with considerable anxiety, the very important and interesting event. "Be so good to give my respects to all friends, and tell Mr. Cox we have just now reed a pair of brown pebble (say jasper) vase candlesticks in No. 31: the best pebble we ever had, and we wish to have more of them-8 or 10 doz. of Candlesticks, and other vases, as soon as may be. "I am, Dear Cousin, "Yrs affectionately, "Jos. WEDGWOOD.” • The "drawing on the other side " is a slight pencil sketch, by Josiah Wedgwood, showing the diameter of the cup to be 3 inches, and its height 2 inches. CHAPTER XII. WILLIAM COOKWORTHY DISCOVERS THE USE OF CORNISH CLAY MEMOIR OF COOKWORTHY. AND CORNISH STONE. · IN 1755, Richard Champion, of Bristol, having in the previous year become possessed of the patent of William Cookworthy, of Plymouth, for the making of china, applied on the 22nd of February, by petition to parliament, for an extension of the term of patent right in the use of the raw materials-the Cornish stone and clay, and the manufacture of porcelain. To this application Wedgwood, on behalf of himself and the potters of Staffordshire, made an energetic and determined opposition, with, however, but partial success. This being the case, and the matter being one of vital importance not only to himself but to potters generally, resulting, in fact, in the first introduction of the manufacture of china into Staffordshire, and being the first discovery of the use of Cornish clay and stone in the potter's art, renders some account of Cookworthy and his discoveries necessary in this place. William Cookworthy was born at Kingsbridge, not many miles from Plymouth, on the 12th of April, 1705, his parents being William and Edith Cookworthy, who were Quakers. His father was a weaver, and died leaving his |