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Title: The Toilet of Flora - or, A collection of the most simple and approved methods - of preparing baths, essences, pomatums, powders, perfumes, - and sweet-sc
Author: Buc'hoz, Pierre-Joseph
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Toilet of Flora - or, A collection of the most simple and approved methods - of preparing baths, essences, pomatums, powders, perfumes, - and sweet-sc" ***
THE
TOILET
OF
FLORA.
Illustration: _FRONTISPIECE. The Graces._
THE
TOILET OF FLORA;
A COLLECTION
OF THE
MOST SIMPLE AND APPROVED
METHODS OF PREPARING
BATHS, PERFUMES,
ESSENCES, AND
POMATUMS, SWEET-SCENTED
POWDERS, WATERS.
WITH
RECEIPTS for COSMETICS of every Kind,
that can smooth and brighten the SKIN, give
Force to BEAUTY, and take off the Appearance
of OLD AGE and DECAY.
By Pierre-Joseph Buc'hoz
_FOR THE USE OF THE LADIES._
A NEW EDITION, IMPROVED.
LONDON,
Printed for J. MURRAY, No. 32, Fleet-street; and
W. NICOLL, St. Paul's Church Yard.
M DCC LXXIX.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The chief Intention of this Performance is to point out, and explain
to the Fair Sex, the Methods by which they may preserve and add to
their Charms; and by which many natural Blemishes and Imperfections
may be remedied or concealed. The same Share of Grace and Attractions
is not possessed by all of them; but while the Improvement of their
Persons is the indispensable Duty of those who have been little
favoured by Nature, it should not be neglected even by the few who have
received the largest Proportion of her Gifts. The same Art which will
communicate to the former the Power of pleasing, will enable the latter
to extend the Empire of their Beauty. It is possible to remove, or, at
least, to cover the Defects of the one Class, and to give Force and
Lustre to the Perfections of the other.
The Author, however, though in general he has framed his Work for the
Advantage of the Ladies, has not entirely confined it to them. The
Virtues of Plants and Vegetables, beside the Service they furnish for
the Toilet, have their Use in Articles of Luxury. He has thence been
induced to address himself also to the Perfumer: and his Publication,
he flatters himself, while it comprizes a very perfect Collection of
the Methods which tend to improve Beauty, to repair the Wastes of
Fatigue, and to avert the Marks of Age or Decline, includes likewise a
full Account of whatever relates to domestic Oeconomy and Expence.
Uncommon Pains have been taken to improve the present Edition, which
contains a System of the Cosmetic Art, infinitely superior to any that
has hitherto appeared; and it has likewise uniformly rendered the
various Prescriptions not only compatible with, but subservient to,
the Preservation, and even the Improvement of Health; an Object of the
greatest Importance in a Work of this Kind.
CONTENTS.
No. Page.
1. An Aromatic Bath 1
2. A Cosmetic Bath 2
3. An Emollient Bath for the Feet ib.
4. An Aromatic Bath for the Feet 3
5. An excellent Preservative Balsam against the
Plague ib.
6. An excellent Cosmetic for the Face 5
7. A curious Perfume ib.
8. Perfumed Chaplets and Medals 6
9. Receipt to thicken the Hair, and make it
grow again on a bald part ib.
10. An approved Depilatory Fluid 7
11. A Powder to prevent Baldness 8
12. To quicken the Growth of Hair ib.
13. A compound Oil for the same Intention ib.
14. A Fluid to make the Hair grow 9
15. A Liniment of the same Kind ib.
16. To change the Colour of the Hair 10
17. Simple Means of producing the same Effect ib.
18. To change the Hair or Beard black 11
19. A Fluid to dye the Hair of a flaxen Colour 12
20. A perfumed Basket 13
21. Natural Cosmetics ib.
22. A remedy for Corns on the Feet 14
23. A Coral Stick for the Teeth 14
24. A Receipt to clean the Teeth, and make the
Flesh grow close to the Root of the Enamel 15
25, 26, 27. Receipts to strengthen the Gums and
fasten loose Teeth 15, 16
28. For rotten Teeth 17
29. A Liquid Remedy for decayed Teeth ib.
30. A Powder to clean the Teeth 18
31. A Remedy for sore Gums and loose Teeth ib.
32. An approved Receipt against that troublesome
Complaint, called the Teeth set on Edge ib.
33. A Liquid for cleansing the Teeth 19
34. A sure Preservative from the Tooth Ache, and
Defluxions on the Gums or Teeth ib.
35, 36, 37, 38, 39. Methods to make the Teeth
beautifully white 20-22
40. A Powder to cleanse the Teeth 22
41. Mr. Rae's Receipt for making a Powder for
the like Purpose 23
42. Another ib.
43. An efficacious Tooth-Powder 24
44. A Powder to cleanse the Teeth ib.
45. A Tincture to strengthen the Gums, and prevent
the Scurvy 25
46. Mr. Baumé's Manner of preparing the Roots
for cleaning the Teeth ib.
47. Manner of preparing Sponges for the Teeth 28
48. Rule for the Preservation of the Teeth and
Gums 29
49. For stopping the Decay of Teeth 31
WATERS.
50. The Celestial Water 32
51, 52. Receipts to make the genuine Hungary-Water 35, 36
53, 54. Directions for making Lavender-Water 37, 38
55, 56. ----Rose-Water 39-41
57, 58. ----Orange-Flower Water 42, 43
59. Magisterial Balm-Water 46
60. Compound Balm-Water, commonly called Eau
de Carmes 49
61. Sweet Honey-Water 50
62. Sweet-scented Water 52
63. German sweet-scented Water 53
64. Imperial Water 56
65, 66. Odoriferous Water 57
67. The Ladies Water 58
68. A beautifying Wash 59
69. A Cosmetic Water ib.
70. An excellent Cosmetic ib.
71. Venice Water highly esteemed 60
72. A Balsamic Water ib.
73. Angelic Water, of a most agreeable scent 61
74. Nosegay or Toilet Water 62
75. Spirit of Guaiacum 63
76. The Divine Cordial ib.
77. Compound Cypress Water 65
78. Imperial Water 66
79. All Flower Water 68
80. A curious Water known by the Name of the
Spring Nosegay 69
81. A Cosmetic Water, that prevents Pits after
the Small-Pox 71
82. A Cooling Wash ib.
83, 84. An excellent Water to clear the Skin, and
take away Pimples 72
85. Venetian Water to clear a Sun-burnt Complexion 73
86. A Water for Pimples in the Face 74
87. A Fluid to clear a tanned Skin ib.
88. A Fluid to whiten the Skin ib.
89. A Beautifying Wash 75
90. A Water that tinges the Cheeks a beautiful
Carnation Hue 76
91. A Cosmetic Water 77
92. A Water, christened, the Fountain of Youth ib.
93. A Water that preserves the Complexion 78
94. A Water that gives a Gloss to the Skin 80
95. A Preservative from Tanning ib.
96, 97, 98. Certain Means of removing
Freckles 81, 82
99, 100. A Water to prevent Freckles, or Blotches
in the Face 82, 83
101, 102. A Water to improve the Complexion 83
103, 104. A Cosmetic Water 84, 85
105. A simple Balsamic Water, which removes
Wrinkles 85
106. A Water to change the Eye-brows black 86
107. To remove Worms in the Face 86
108. The Duchess de la Vrilliere's Mouth-Water 87
109. Another Water for the Teeth, called Spirituous
Vulnerary Water 88
110. Receipt to make Vulnerary Water 89
111, 112, 113, 114. Waters for the Gums 90-92
115. A simple Depilatory 92
116. Prepared Sponges for the Face ib.
117. Spirit of Roses 93
118. Inflammable Spirits of all Kinds of Flowers 97
ESSENCES.
119, 120. Method of extracting Essences from
Flowers 98-101
121. Essence of Ambergrise 102
122. A Remedy for St. Anthony's Fire, or Erysipelatous
Eruptions on the Face 103
FLOWERS.
123. Manner of drying Flowers, so as to preserve
their natural Colours ib.
124, 125. Different Methods of preserving
Flowers 106-108
126. Another Method of preserving Flowers a
long while, in their natural Shape and
Colour. 109
GLOVES.
127. White Gloves scented with Jasmine after
the Italian Manner 110
128. Gloves scented without the Flowers 111
129. White Gloves scented with Ketmia or
Musky Seed 112
130. To colour Gloves a curious French Yellow 113
131, 132. Curious Perfumes in Gloves 114
133, 134. Excellent Receipts to clear a tanned
Complexion 115
BREATH.
135, 136. Receipts to sweeten the Breath 115, 116
OILS.
137, 138. Cosmetic Oils 116
139. Oil of Wheat 117
140. Compound Oil, or Essence of Fennel ib.
141. Oil of Tuberoses and Jasmine 118
142. An Oil scented with Flowers for the Hair 119
ESSENTIAL OILS, or QUINTESSENCES.
143. Essential Oil, commonly called Quintessence
of Lavender 121
144. To make Essence of Cinnamon 122
145. To make Quintessence of Cloves 123
146. A Cosmetic Juice 125
VIRGIN's MILK.
147. A safe and approved Cosmetic ib.
148, 149. Others, very easily made 126, 127
150. A Liniment to destroy Vermin 127
LOTIONS.
151. A Lotion to strengthen the Gums, and
sweeten the Breath 128
152. Another Lotion to fasten the Teeth, and
sweeten the Breath 130
153. An admirable Lotion for the Complexion 131
154. An admirable Varnish for the Skin 132
155. A Liniment to destroy Nits 133
156. A Liniment to change the Beard and Hair
black ib.
157, 158. Depilatory Liniment 134, 135
159, 160. Excellent Lip-Salves 135, 136
NAILS.
161. A Liniment to promote the Growth and
Regeneration of Nails 136
162, 163. Remedies for Whitlows; a Disorder
that frequently affects the Fingers 137, 138
PERFUMES.
164. Scented Tablets or Pastils 138
165. A pleasant Perfume 139
166. Common perfumed Powder 141
167. A Cassolette ib.
168. To perfume a whole House, and purify
the Air ib.
169. A Perfume for scenting Powder ib.
PASTILS.
170, 171. Excellent Compositions to perfume a
Room 143, 144
172. Fragrant Pastils made use of by way of
Fumigation 145
173. Pastils of Roses 146
PASTES.
174. Paste of dried Almonds to cleanse the Skin ib.
175. Soft Almond Paste 147
176. Paste for the Hands 148
177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182. Pastes for the
Hands 148-152
POMATUMS.
183. Cold Cream, or Pomatum for the Complexion 152
184, 185. Cucumber Pomatums 154, 155
186. Lavender Pomatum 156
187, 188, 189. Lip-Salves 158, 159
190. A Yellow Lip-Salve 160
191, 192, 193, 194, 195. Scarlet Lip-Salves 161, 164
196. White Pomatum 164
197. Red Pomatum 165
198. A Pomatum to remove Redness, or Pimples
in the Face 166
199. A Pomatum for Wrinkles 167
200, 201. For the same Intention 167, 168
202. Pomatum for a red or pimpled Face 168
203. A Pomatum for the Skin 169
204. Pomatum to make the Hair grow on a Bald
Part, and thicken the Hair 170
205. Another Pomatum for the Hair 171
206. Manner of scenting Pomatums for the Hair 172
207. Orange-Flower Pomatum 173
208. Sultana Pomatum 174
209, 210. Sweet smelling Perfumes 174-176
POWDERS.
211. Orange-Flower Powder 177
212. Jonquil Powder 178
213, 214. Coarse Violet Powders 179, 180
215. Jasmine Powder 181
216. Ambrette Powder ib.
217, 218. Cyprus Powders 182, 183
219. Perfumed Powder 183
220. The White Powder that enters into the
Composition of the Delightful Perfume 184
221. Prepared Powder ib.
222. A Powder to nourish the Hair 185
223. Common Powder 186
224. White Powder ib.
225, 226. Grey Powders 187
227. Flaxen-coloured Powder 188
228. Bean Flour ib.
229, 230. To sweeten the Breath 188, 189
231. A Remedy for scorbutic Gums 189
232. A Remedy for moist Feet ib.
FLEAS.
233, 234, 235, 236. Certain Methods of destroying
Fleas 190, 19
WRINKLES.
237. A Secret to take away Wrinkles 191
CARMINES.
238, 239. Rouges for the Face 192, 193
240. The Turkish method of preparing Carmine 193
241. A Liquid Rouge that exactly imitates
Nature 194
242. An Oil that possesses the same Property 195
SWEET SCENTED BAGS.
243. A sweet-scented Bag to wear in the Pocket 196
244. Bags to scent Linen ib.
245. An agreeable sweet-scented Composition 197
246. Manner of making various sorts of these
little Bags or Sachels ib.
WASH-BALLS.
247. White Soap 199
248. Honey Soap ib.
249. A perfumed Soap 200
250. A Fine Scented Wash-ball 201
251. A Wash-ball, an excellent Cosmetic for the
Face and Hands 202
252. Bologna Wash-balls 203
253. Another excellent Wash-ball for the Complexion 204
254. Seraglio Wash-balls 205
255. An Hepatic Salt, to preserve the Complexion 206
EYE-BROWS.
256. To change the Eye-brows black 207
MARKS OF THE SKIN.
257, 258. To efface Spots or Marks of the
Mother, on any Part of the Body 208
259. To take away Marks, and fill up the Cavities
left after the Small-Pox 209
COMPLEXION.
260. Certain Methods to improve the Complexion 210
261. The Montpellier Toilet ib.
262. Sweet-scented Troches to correct a bad
Breath 212
263. A curious Varnish for the Face 213
WARTS.
264, 265, 266, 267, 268. Medicines to Cure
Warts 215
VINEGARS.
269. Distilled Vinegar 216
270. Distilled Lavender Vinegar 217
271. Vinegar of the Four Thieves 219
EYES.
272, 273, 274. For Watery Eyes 220, 221
275. An excellent Ophthalmic Lotion 221
276. An Ophthalmic Poultice 222
277. A Poultice for inflamed Eyes ib.
278. Sir Hans Sloane's Eye Salve 223
279. An Ophthalmic Fomentation ib.
280. A simple Remedy to strengthen the Sight 224
SUPPLEMENT.
USEFUL RECEIPTS.
281. To take Iron Mould out of Linen 225
282. Stains of Oil ib.
283. Scowering Balls 226
284. Stains of Coomb ib.
285. Stains of Urine 227
286. Stains on Cloth of whatever Colour ib.
287. Spots of Ink ib.
288. Spots of Pitch and Turpentine 228
289. Spots of Oil on Satin and other Stuffs, and
on Paper ib.
290. Spots on Silk 229
291. Balls to take out Stains ib.
292. To clean Gold and Silver Lace 229
293. To restore its original Lustre to Tapestry ib.
294. To clean Turkey Carpets 230
295. To refresh Tapestry Carpets, Hangings,
or Chairs ib.
296. To take Wax out of Silk or Camblet 231
297. To take Wax out of Velvet of all Colours
except Crimson 232
298. To wash Gold or Silver Work on Linen,
or any other Stuff, so as to look like new ib.
299. To take Spots out of Silk or Woollen Stuff 233
300. To take Stains of Oil out of Cloth ib.
301. To take Stains out of White Cloth 234
302. To take Stains out of Crimson Velvet, and
other coloured Velvets ib.
303. A Soap that takes out all Manner of Spots
and Stains 235
304. Another Method to take Spots or Stains out
of White Silk or Crimson Velvet 236
305. A Receipt to clean Gloves without wetting ib.
306. To colour Gloves 237
307. To wash Point Lace 238
308. To clean Point Lace without washing ib.
309. To wash black and white Sarcenet ib.
310. A Soap to take out all Kinds of Stains 239
311. An expeditious Method to take Stains out
of Scarlet, or Velvet of any other Colour 240
DIFFERENT WAYS OF PREPARING SNUFF.
312. Method of making Snuff 240
313. Method of cleansing Snuff in order to scent it 241
314, 315. Methods of scenting Snuff 243, 244
316, 317. Perfumed Snuff 245, 246
318. Snuff after the Maltese Fashion 246
319. The Genuine Maltese Snuff ib.
320. Italian Snuff 247
321. Snuff scented after the Spanish Manner ib.
322. Method of colouring Snuff Red or Yellow 249
323, 324, 325, 326. Herb Snuffs 250, 251
THE
TOILET
OF
FLORA.
1. _An Aromatic Bath._
Boil, for the space of two or three minutes, in a sufficient quantity
of river-water, one or more of the following plants; viz. Laurel,
Thyme, Rosemary, Wild Thyme, Sweet-Marjoram, Bastard-Marjoram,
Lavender, Southernwood, Wormwood, Sage, Pennyroyal, Sweet-Basil Balm,
Wild Mint, Hyssop, Clove-july-flowers, Anise, Fennel, or any other
herbs that have an agreeable scent. Having strained off the liquor
from the herbs, add to it a little Brandy, or camphorated Spirits of
Wine.
This is an excellent bath to strengthen the limbs; it removes pains
proceeding from cold, and promotes perspiration.
2. _A Cosmetic Bath._
Take two pounds of Barley or Bean-meal, eight pounds of Bran, and a
few handfuls of Borrage Leaves. Boil these ingredients in a sufficient
quantity of spring water. Nothing cleanses and softens the skin like
this bath.
3. _An Emollient Bath for the Feet._
Boil, in water, a pound of Bran, with a few Marsh-mallow Roots, and two
or three handfuls of Mallow Leaves.
4. _An Aromatic Bath for the Feet._
Take four handfuls of Pennyroyal, Sage, and Rosemary, three handfuls of
Angelica, and four ounces of Juniper Berries; boil these ingredients in
a sufficient quantity of water, and strain off the liquor for use.
5. _An excellent Preservative Balsam against the Plague._
Scrape fine twelve Scorzonera and Goatsbread Roots; simmer them over
a gentle fire in three quarts of Lisbon or French White Wine, in a
vessel closely covered, to prevent the too great evaporation of the
vinous spirit. When the roots are sufficiently boiled, strain off the
liquor through a linen strainer with a gentle pressure: then add to
it the Juice of twelve Lemons, with Cloves, Ginger, Cardamom Seeds,
and Aloes Wood, grossly powdered, of each half an ounce; and about one
ounce of each of the following herbs, viz. fresh Leaves of Rue, Elder,
Bramble, and Sage; boil all together over a gentle fire, till one quart
is wasted away; strain the liquor off immediately through a strong
linen bag, and keep it in an earthen or glass vessel close stopped.
Drink every morning fasting, for nine days together, half a pint of
this Balsam, by which means you will be able to resist the malignancy
of the Atmosphere, though you even visit infected persons. The same end
may be promoted by washing the mouth and nostrils with Vinegar; and by
holding to the nose a bit of Camphire, slightly wrapped in muslin; or
by frequently chewing a piece of Gum Myrrh.
6. _An excellent Cosmetic for the Face._
Take a pound of levigated Hartshorn, two pounds of Rice Powder, half
a pound of Ceruss, Powder of dried Bones, Frankincense, Gum Mastic,
and Gum Arabic, of each two ounces. Dissolve the whole in a sufficient
quantity of Rose-water, and wash the face with this fluid.
7. _A curious Perfume._
Boil, in two quarts of Rose-water, an ounce of Storax, and two ounces
of Gum Benjamin; to which add, tied up in a piece of gauze or thin
muslin, six Cloves bruised, half a drachm of Labdanum, as much Calamus
Aromaticus, and a little Lemon-peel. Cover the vessel up close, and
keep the ingredients boiling a great while: strain off the liquor
without strong pressure, and let it stand till it deposit the sediment,
which keep for use in a box.
8. _Perfumed Chaplets and Medals._
Take Marechal Powder, and make it into a paste with Mucilage of Gum
Tragacanth and Arabic, prepared with All-flower-water (the receipt
for which is contained in this book.) The mould into which it is put
must be rubbed with a little Essence of Jassmine, or of any other
sweet-scented herb, to prevent the Paste from sticking. This Paste in
colour resembles Coffee.
9. _Receipt to thicken the Hair, and make it grow on a bald part._
Take Roots of a Maiden Vine, Roots of Hemp, and Cores of soft Cabbages,
of each two handfuls; dry and burn them; afterwards make a lye with the
ashes. The head is to be washed with this lye three days successively,
the part having been previously well rubbed with Honey.
10. _An approved Depilatory, or a Fluid for taking off the Hair._
Take Polypody of the Oak, cut into very small pieces; put them into a
glass vessel, and pour on them as much Lisbon, or French White Wine,
as will rise about an inch above the ingredients: digest in balneo
Mariæ (or a bath of hot water) for twenty-four hours; then distil off
the liquor by the heat of boiling water, till the whole has come over
the helm. A linen cloth wetted with this fluid, may be applied to the
part on which the hair grows, and kept on it all night; repeating the
application periodically till the hair falls off.
The distilled water of the Leaves and Roots of Celandine, applied in
the same manner, has the like effect.
11. _A Powder to prevent Baldness._
Powder your head with powdered Parsley Seed, at night, once in three or
four months, and the hair will never fall off.
12. _To quicken the Growth of Hair._
Dip the teeth of your comb every morning in the expressed Juice
of Nettles, and comb the hair the wrong way. This expedient will
surprisingly quicken the growth of the hair.
Some, after having shaved the head, foment it with a decoction of
Wormwood, Southernwood, Sage, Betony, Vervain, Marjoram, Myrtle, Roses,
Dill, Rosemary, or Misletoe.
13. _A compound Oil for the same Intention._
Take half a pound of green Southernwood bruised, boil it in a pint and
a half of Sweet Oil, and half a pint of Red Wine; when sufficiently
boiled, remove it from the fire, and strain off the liquor through a
linen bag: repeat this operation three times with fresh Southernwood.
The last time add to the strained liquor two ounces of Bears-grease.
This oil quickly makes the hair shoot out.
14. _A Fluid to make the Hair grow._
Take the tops of Hemp as soon as the plant begins to appear above
ground, and infuse them four and twenty hours in water. Dip the teeth
of the comb in this fluid, and it will certainly quicken the growth of
the hair.
15. _A Liniment of the same Kind._
Take six drachms of Labdanum, two ounces of Bears-grease, half an ounce
of Honey, three drachms of powdered Southernwood, a drachm and a half
of Ashes of Calamus Aromaticus Roots, three drachms of Balsam of Peru,
and a little Oil of Sweet Almonds. Mix into a liniment.
16. _To change the Colour of the Hair._
First wash your head with spring-water, then dip your comb in Oil of
Tartar, and comb yourself in the Sun: repeat this operation three times
a day, and at the end of eight days at most the hair will turn black.
If you are desirous of giving the hair a fine scent, moisten it with
Oil of Benjamin.
17. _Simple Means of producing the same Effect._
The Leaves of the Wild Vine change the hairs black, and prevent their
falling off. Burnt Cork; Roots of the Holm-oak, and Caper-tree;
Barks of Willow, Walnut-tree and Pomegranate; Leaves of Artichoaks,
the Mulberry-tree, Fig-tree, Rasberry-bush Shells of Beans; Gall and
Cypress-nuts; Leaves of Myrtle; green Shells of Walnuts; Ivy-berries,
Cockle, and red Beet-seeds, Poppy-flowers, Alum, and most preparations
of Lead. These ingredients may be boiled in Rain-water, Wine or
Vinegar, with the addition of some cephalic Plant, as Sage, Marjoram,
Balm, Betony, Clove-july-flowers, Laurel, &c. &c.
18. _To change the Hair or Beard black._
Take Oil of Costus and Myrtle, of each an ounce and a half; mix them
well in a leaden mortar; adding liquid Pitch, expressed Juice of Walnut
Leaves and Laudanum, of each half an ounce; Gall-nuts, Black-lead, and
Frankincense, of each a drachm; and a sufficient quantity of Mucilage
of Gum Arabic made with a decoction of Gall Nuts.
Rub the head and chin with this mixture, after they have been shaved.
19. _A Fluid to die the Hair of a flaxen Colour._
Take a quart of Lye prepared from the Ashes of Vine Twigs; Briony,
Celandine Roots, and Turmeric, of each half an ounce; Saffron and Lily
Roots, of each two drachms; Flowers of Mullein, Yellow Stechas, Broom,
and St. John's-wort, of each a drachm; boil these ingredients together,
and strain off the Liquor clear.
Frequently wash the hair with this fluid, and in a little time it will
change to a beautiful flaxen colour.
20. _A perfumed Basket._
Place a layer of perfumed Cotton extremely thin and even on a piece of
Taffety stretched in a frame; strew on it some Violet Powder, and then
some Cypress Powder; cover the whole with another piece of Taffety:
nothing more remains to complete the work, but to quilt it, and cut it
of the size of the basket, trimming the edges with ribband.
21. _Natural Cosmetics._
The Juice that issues from the Birch-Tree, when wounded with an
auger in spring, is detersive and excellent to clear the complexion:
the same virtue is attributed to its distilled water. Some people
recommend Strawberry-water; others the decoction of Orpiment, and some
Frog-spawn-water.
22. _A remedy for Corns on the Feet._
Roast a Clove of Garlic, or an Onion, on a live coal or in hot ashes;
apply it to the corn, and fasten it on with a piece of cloth. This
softens the corn to such a degree, as to loosen and wholly remove it
in two or three days. Foment the corn every other night in warm water,
after which renew the application.
The same intention will be yet more effectually answered by applying to
the corn a bit of the plaster of Diachylon with the Gums, spread on a
small piece of linen; removing it occasionally to foment the corn with
warm water, and pare off the softened part with a penknife.
23. _A Coral Stick for the Teeth._
Make a stiff Paste with Tooth Powder and a sufficient quantity of
Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth: form with this Paste little cylindrical
Rollers, the thickness of a large goose quill, and about three inches
in length. Dry them in the shade. The method of using this stick is
to rub it against the teeth, which become cleaner in proportion as it
wastes.
24. _A receipt to clean the Teeth and Gums, and make the Flesh grow
close to the Root of the Enamel._
Take an ounce of Myrrh in fine powder, two spoonfuls of the best white
Honey, and a little green Sage in fine powder; mix them well together,
and rub the teeth and gums with a little of this Balsam every night and
morning.
25. _Ditto, to strengthen the Gums and fasten loose Teeth._
Dissolve an ounce of Myrrh as much as possible in half a pint of Red
Wine and the same quantity of Oil of Almonds: Wash the mouth with this
fluid every morning.
This is also an excellent remedy against worms in the teeth.
26. _Another._
Dissolve a drachm of Cachoe (an Indian perfume) in a quart of Red Wine,
and use it for washing the mouth.
27. _Or rather._
Bruise Tobacco Roots in a mortar, and rub the teeth and gums with a
linen cloth dipped in the Juice. You may also put some Tobacco bruised
between the fingers into the hollow of the tooth. Or take the green
Leaves of a Plum-tree, or of Rosemary, and boil them in Lees of Wine or
Vinegar; gargle the mouth with the Wine as hot as you can bear it, and
repeat it frequently.
28. _For rotten Teeth._
Make a balsam with a sufficient quantity of Honey, two scruples of
Myrrh in fine powder, a scruple of Gum Juniper, and ten grains of Roch
Alum. Frequently apply this mixture to the decayed tooth.
29. _A liquid Remedy for decayed Teeth._
Take a pint of the Juice of the Wild Gourd, a quarter of a pound of
Mulberry Bark, and Pellitory of Spain, each three ounces; Roch Alum,
Sal Gem, and Borax, of each half an ounce. Put these ingredients into
a glass vessel, and distill in a sand heat to dryness; take of this
liquor and Brandy, each an equal part, and wash the mouth with them
warm. This mixture removes all putridity, and cleanses away dead flesh.
30. _A Powder to clean the Teeth._
Take Dragon's Blood and Cinnamon, of each one ounce and a half, Burnt
Alum, or Cream of Tartar, one ounce; beat all together into a very fine
powder, and rub a little on the teeth every other day.
31. _A Remedy for sore Gums and loose Teeth._
Boil Oak Leaves in spring-water, and add to the decoction a few drops
of Spirit of Sulphur. Gargle the mouth with a little of this liquor
every morning while necessary.
32. _An approved Receipt against that troublesome Complaint, called the
Teeth set on Edge._
Purslain, Sorrel, Sweet or Bitter Almonds, Walnuts, or burnt Bread,
chewed, will certainly remove this disagreeable sensation.
33. _A Liquid for cleansing the Teeth._
Take Lemon Juice, two ounces, Burnt Alum and Salt, of each six grains;
boil them together about a minute in a glazed pipkin, and then strain
through a linen cloth. The method of application is to wrap a bit of
clean rag round the end of a stick, dipping it in the Liquid, and rub
it gently against the teeth. You must be careful not to have too much
of the Liquid on the rag, for fear it should excoriate the gums or
inside of the mouth. This application ought not to be used above once
every two or three months.
34. _A sure Preservative from the Tooth Ache, and Defluxions on the
Gums or Teeth._
After having washed your mouth with water, as cleanliness and indeed
health requires, you should every morning rince the mouth with a tea
spoonful of Lavender-Water mixed with an equal quantity of warm or cold
water, whichever you like best, to diminish its activity. This simple
and innocent remedy is a certain preservative, the success of which has
been confirmed by long experience.
35. _A Method to make the Teeth beautifully white._
Take Gum Tragacanth, one ounce; Pumice-stone, two drachms; Gum Arabic,
half an ounce; and Crystals of Tartar, finely powdered, one ounce;
dissolve the Gums in Rose-water, and adding to it the powder, form the
whole into little sticks, which are to be dried slowly in the shade,
and afterwards kept for use.
36. _Or,_
Take dried Leaves of Hyssop, Wild Thyme, and Mint, of each half an
ounce; Roch Alum, prepared Hartshorn, and Salt, of each a drachm;
calcine these ingredients together in a pot placed on burning coals;
when sufficiently calcined, add of Pepper and Mastic, each half a
drachm, and of Myrrh a scruple; reduce the whole into a fine powder,
and make them into a proper consistence with Storax dissolved in
Rose-water. Rub the teeth with a small bit of this Mixture every
morning, and afterwards wash the mouth with warm Wine.
37. _Or,_
Dip a piece of clean rag in Vinegar of Squills, and rub the teeth and
gums with it. This not only whitens, but fastens and strengthens the
roots of the teeth, and corrects an offensive breath.
38. _Or,_
Take Rose-water, Syrup of Violets, clarified Honey, and Plantain-water,
of each half an ounce; Spirit of Vitriol one ounce; mix them together.
Rub the teeth with a linen rag moistened in this Liquor, and then rince
the mouth with equal parts of Rose and Plantain-water.
39. _Or,_
Rub them well with Nettle or Tobacco Ashes, or rather with Vine Ashes
mixed with a little Honey.
40. _A Powder to cleanse the Teeth._
Take prepared Coral and Dragons-blood, of each an ounce; Cinnamon and
Cloves, of each six drachms; Cuttle-bone, and calcined Egg-shells,
of each half an ounce; Sea Salt decrepitated, a drachm, all in fine
powder: mix them in a marble mortar.
41. _The following was communicated by Mr. Rae, Surgeon Dentist, in the
Adelphi, London._
Take of Cuttlefish-bone, and the finest prepared Chalk, each half an
ounce; Peruvian Bark, and Florentine Iris Root, each two drachms:
reduce the whole into a fine Powder, and mix them. This may be coloured
with a little Rose Pink, and scented with a few drops of Oil of
Cinnamon.
42. _Or,_
Take Pumice-stone prepared, Sealed Earth, and Red Coral prepared, of
each an ounce; Dragons-blood, half an ounce; Cream of Tartar, an ounce
and a half; Cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce; and Cloves, a scruple:
beat the whole together into a Powder.
This Powder serves to cleanse, whiten, and preserve the Teeth; and
prevents the accidents that arise from the collection of Tartar or any
other foulness about them.
43. _An efficacious Tooth-Powder._
Take Myrrh, Roch Allum, Dragon's Blood, and Cream of Tartar, of each
half an ounce; Musk, two grains; and make them into a very fine powder.
This, though simple, is an efficacious dentifrice; but nothing of this
kind should be applied too frequently to the teeth for fear of hurting
the enamel.
44. _A Powder to cleanse the Teeth._
Take Pumice-Stone and Cuttle-fish Bone, of each half an ounce; Tartar
vitriolated, and Mastich, of each a drachm; Oil of Rhodium four drops:
mix all into a fine powder.
45. _A Tincture to strengthen the Gums and prevent the Scurvy._
Take an ounce of Peruvian Bark grossly powdered, infuse it a fortnight
or longer in half a pint of Brandy. Gargle the mouth every night or
morning, with a tea spoonful of this Tincture diluted with an equal
quantity of Rose-water.
46. _Manner of preparing the Roots for cleaning the Teeth, according to
Mr. Baumè._
The roots that are used to clean the teeth are formed at both ends
like little brushes; and in all probability were substituted in the
room of Tooth-brushes, on account of their being softer to the gums
and more convenient. They are used in the following manner; one of the
ends is moistened with a little water, dipped into the Tooth-Powder,
and then rubbed against the teeth till they look white. Fibrous and
woody Roots are best formed into little brushes, and on this account
deserve a preference to others. The Roots are deprived of their juicy
parts by boiling them several times in a large quantity of fresh Water.
When Lucern Roots are used, those of two years growth are chosen, about
the thickness of one's little finger; such as are thicker, unsound or
worm-eaten, being rejected. They are cut into pieces about six inches
long, and, as we have just observed, are boiled in water till all
the juicy parts are extracted. Being then taken out, they are left
to drain; after which each end of the roots is slit with a penknife
into the form of a little brush, and they are slowly dried to prevent
their splitting. In the same manner are prepared Liquorice Roots.
Marsh-mallow Roots are prepared in an easier way; but, on account of
the mucilage they contain, they become very brittle when dry. Such as
are large and very even are made choice of, and rasped with a knife to
remove the outer bark. They are dyed red by infusing them in the
same dye as is used to colour spunges. When the Roots have remained
twenty-four hours in the dye, they are taken out, slowly dried,
and varnished with two or three coats of a strong Mucilage of Gum
Tragacanth, each being suffered to dry before another is laid on. The
whole is afterwards repeatedly anointed with Friars Balsam, in order to
form a varnish less susceptible of moisture.
Lucern and Liquorice Roots are dyed and varnished in the same manner:
those of Marsh-mallows, from the loss of their Mucilage, considerably
diminish in thickness during the time they stand in infusion.
47. _Manner of preparing Sponges for the Teeth_
For this purpose very thin sponges are made choice of, which are
to be washed in several waters; squeezing them with the hands, to
loosen and force away the little shells that adhere to their internal
surface. Being afterwards dried, they are neatly cut into the shape of
balls about the size of small eggs; and when they have undergone this
preparation, they are dyed in the following manner.
Take Brazil Wood rasped, four ounces; Cochineal bruised, three
drachms; Roch Alum, half an ounce; Water, four pints: put them into a
proper vessel, and boil till one half of the Liquor is consumed. Then
strain the decoction through a piece of linen, and pour it hot upon
the sponges, which are to be left in infusion twelve hours; at the
expiration of which time, they are to be repeatedly washed in fresh
water, as long as any colour proceeds from them. Being dried, they are
afterwards dipped in Spirit of Wine, aromatized with Essential Oil of
Cinnamon, Cloves, Lavender, &c. The sponges are then fit for use, and
when dried by squeezing, are kept in a wide-mouthed glass-bottle well
corked.
48. _Rules for the Preservation of the Teeth and Gums._
The teeth are bones thinly covered with a fine enamel, which is more or
less strong in different persons. When this enamel is wasted, either by
a scorbutic humour or any external cause, the tooth cannot long remain
sound, and must therefore be cleaned, but with great caution. For this
purpose the best instrument is a small piece of wood, like a butcher's
skewer, rendered soft at the end. It is generally to be used alone;
only once in a fortnight dip it into a few grains of gunpowder, which
has previously been bruised. This will remove every spot and blemish,
and give your Teeth an inconceivable whiteness. It is almost needless
to say, that the mouth must be well washed after this operation; for
besides the necessity of so doing, the salt-petre, &c. used in the
composition of Gunpowder, would, if it remained, prove injurious to the
gums, &c. but has not, nor can have, any bad effect in so short a time.
It is necessary to observe, that very near the gums of people whose
teeth are otherwise good, there is apt to grow a crust, both within and
without, which, if neglected, separates the gums from the fangs of the
teeth; and the latter being by this means left bare, are frequently
destroyed. This crust must therefore be carefully scraped off.
49. _For stopping the Decay of Teeth._
Take of Bole Armenian the quantity of a large nutmeg, a like quantity
of Roch Alum, two penny-worth of Cochineal bruised, and a small handful
of the Chips of Lignum Vitæ; simmer them with four ounces of Honey in a
new pipkin, for a little time, well stirring them all the while, till
the ingredients are mixed. In using it, take a large skewer, on the end
of which is tied a piece of linen rag; dip the rag in the medicine, and
rub the teeth and gums with it. The longer you abstain from spitting,
after the use of the remedy, the better. Wash the mouth well at least
once every day, particularly after meals, first rubbing the teeth
with salt upon the end of your finger. Teeth much decayed, or useless,
should be drawn, if the operation can be performed with safety.
The reader will find several other receipts for the Teeth, under the
article of Waters.
WATERS.
50. _The Celestial Water._
Take the best Cinnamon, Nutmegs, Ginger, Zedoary, Galangals, and
White-Pepper, of each an ounce; six Lemon-peels, pared thin; two
handfuls of Damascene Grapes; as much Jujebs; a handful of Pith
of Dwarf-Elder; four handfuls of Juniper-berries perfectly ripe;
Fennel-Seeds, Flowers of Sweet Basil, St. John's-wort, Rosemary,
Marjoram, Pennyroyal, Stechas, Musk Roses, Rue, Scabious, Centaury,
Fumitory, and Agrimony, of each a handful; Spikenard, Aloes-Wood,
Grains of Paradise, Calamus Aromaticus, Mace, Gum Olibanum, and Yellow
Sanders, of each two ounces; Hepatic Aloes, fine Amber and Rhubarb,
of each two drachms. All these drugs being procured good in their
kind, beat in a mortar those that ought to be pulverized, and put the
whole, thoroughly mixed together, into a large strong glass alembic;
pouring as much genuine brandy upon them as will rise at least three
fingers breadth above the ingredients. Then having well closed the
mouth of the alembic, bury the vessel fifteen days in warm horse-dung,
and afterwards distil the Tincture in balneo Mariæ, the water almost
boiling hot. When you perceive the water in the receiver change its
colour, instantly stop the process, and separate the phlegm from
the spirit, by another distillation conducted in the same manner.
The liquor thus obtained is the genuine Celestial Water. _Note_,
when you perceive this second water begin to lose its transparency,
and incline to a reddish colour, put it by in a strong glass bottle
closely stopped, and dissolve in the residue half a pound of the best
Treacle, with as much Venice Turpentine and fresh Oil of Almonds. Place
the alembic in a sand heat, and urge the fire to the first degree, to
have the genuine Balsamic Oil, which ought to be of the consistence of
clarified Honey.
If a person rubs himself in the morning with this water on the
forehead, eyelids, back of the head, and nape of the neck, it renders
him quick and easy of conception, strengthens the memory, enlivens the
spirits, and greatly comforts the sight. By putting a few drops with
a bit of cotton up the nostrils, it becomes a sovereign cephalic, and
cleanses the brain of all superfluous cold and catarrhal humours. If a
table spoonful is drank every third day, it tends to preserve the body
in vigour. It is an excellent remedy against asthmatic complaints, and
corrects an offensive breath.
51. _A Receipt to make the genuine Hungary-Water._
Put into an alembic a pound and a half of fresh pickt Rosemary Flowers;
Pennyroyal and Marjoram Flowers, of each half a pound; three quarts
of good Coniac Brandy; having close stopped the mouth of the alembic
to prevent the Spirit from evaporating, bury it twenty-eight hours in
horse-dung to digest, and then distil off the Spirit in a water-bath.
A drachm of Hungary-Water diluted with Spring-Water, may be taken
once or twice a week in the morning fasting. It is also used by way
of embrocation to bathe the face and limbs, or any part affected
with pains, or debility. This remedy recruits the strength, dispells
gloominess and strengthens the sight. It must always be used cold,
whether taken inwardly as a medicine, or applied externally.
52. _Another Receipt to make Hungary-Water._
Fill a glass or stone cucurbit half full of fresh gathered
Rosemary-tops picked in their prime; pour on them as much Spirit of
Wine as will thoroughly soak them. Put the vessel in a water-bath,
and having closely luted on the head and receiver, leave it to digest
on a gentle fire for three days; at the expiration of which period
unlute the vessel, and pour back into the cucurbit whatever liquor
you find in the receiver. Then lute your cucurbit again, and encrease
the fire so as to cause the Spirit to rise fast over the helm. When
about two thirds of the liquor are drawn off, remove the fire, and let
the vessel stand to cool; you will find in the receiver an excellent
Hungary-Water, which is to be kept in a glass bottle closely stopped.
Hungary-water must be drawn off with a brisk fire, or the Spirit of
Wine will come over the helm, very little impregnated with the essence
of Rosemary.
53. _Directions for making Lavender-Water._
Fill a glass or earthen body two thirds full of Lavender Flowers and
then fill up the vessel with Brandy or Melasses Spirits. Let the
Flowers stand in infusion eight days, or less if straitened for time;
then distil off the Spirit, in a water-bath with a brisk fire, at first
in large drops or even a small stream, that the Essential Oil of the
Flowers may rise with the Spirit. But as this cannot be done without
the phlegm coming over the helm at the same time, the Spirit must be
rectified. The first distillation being finished, unlute the still,
throw away what remains in the body, and, fill it with fresh Flowers
of Lavender, in the proportion of two pounds of Lavender Flowers to
one pint of Spirit; pour the Spirit already distilled according to the
foregoing directions, on the Lavender Flowers, and distil a second time
in a vapour-bath.
54. _Another Method._
Take fresh or dried Lavender Flowers, sprinkle them with White Wine,
Brandy, Melasses Spirit, or Rose-water; let them stand in infusion for
some days, and then distil off the Spirit. The distilled water will be
more odoriferous, if the Flowers are dried in the sun in a glass bottle
close stopped, and White Wine afterwards poured upon them.
If you would have speedily, without the trouble of distillation, a
water impregnated with the flavour of Lavender, put two or three drops
of Oil of Spike, and a lump of Sugar, into a pint of clear Water, or
Spirit of Wine, and shake them well together in a glass phial, with a
narrow neck. This Water, though not distilled, is very fragrant.
55. _To make Rose-Water._
To make an excellent Rose-water, let the Flowers be gathered two or
three hours after sun-rising in very fine weather; beat them in a
marble mortar into a paste, and leave them in the mortar soaking in
their juice, for five or six hours; then put the mass into a coarse
canvas bag, and press out the Juice; to every quart of which add
a pound of fresh Damask Roses, and let them stand in infusion for
twenty-four hours. Then put the whole into a glass alembic, lute on
a head and receiver, and place it on a sand heat. Distil at first
with a gentle fire, which is to be encreased gradually till the drops
follow each other as quick as possible; draw off the water as long as
it continues to run clear, then put out the fire, and let the alembic
stand till cold. The distilled water at first will have very little
fragrancy, but after being exposed to the heat of the sun about eight
days, in a bottle lightly stopped with a bit of paper, it acquires an
admirable scent.
56. _Or,_
Infuse in ten or twenty pints of Juice of Damask Roses, expressed in
the manner above described, a proportionable quantity of Damask Rose
Leaves gathered with the usual precautions. After standing in infusion
twenty-four hours, pour the whole into a short-necked alembic, distil
in a sand heat, and draw off as much as possible, taking care not to
leave the residuum quite dry, for fear the distilled water should have
an empyreumatic or still-burnt flavour. After emptying the alembic,
pour the distilled water a second time into it, and add a good quantity
of fresh picked Damask Roses. Lute it well, placing it again in a sand
heat, and repeat the distillation. But content yourself this time with
a little more than half the water you put back into the alembic. To
impress on Rose-water the utmost degree of fragrancy of which it is
susceptible, it is necessary to expose it to the genial warmth of the
sun.
Rose-water is an excellent lotion for the eyes, if used every morning,
and makes a part in all collyriums prescribed for inflammations of
these parts; it is also proper in many other complaints.
57. _To make Orange-Flower Water._
Having gathered (two hours before sun-rise, in fine weather) a quantity
of Orange-Flowers, pluck them leaf by leaf, and throw away the stalks
and stems: fill a tin cucurbit two thirds full of these picked Flowers;
lute on a low bolt-head, not above two inches higher than the cucurbit;
place it in balneo Mariæ, or a water-bath, and distill with a strong
fire. You run no risk from pressing forward the distillation with
violence, the water-bath effectually preventing the Flowers from being
burnt. In this method you pay no regard to the quantity, but the
quality of the water drawn off. If nine pounds of Orange Flowers were
put into the still, be satisfied with three or four quarts of fragrant
water; however, you may continue your distillation, and save even the
last droppings of the still, which have some small fragrancy. During
the operation, be careful to change the water in the refrigeratory
vessel as often as it becomes hot. Its being kept cool prevents the
distilled water from having an empyreumatic or burnt smell, and keeps
the quintessence of the Flowers more intimately united with its phlegm.
58. _Another Method._
Take four pounds of unpicked Orange Flowers, bruise them in a marble
mortar, and pour on them nine quarts of clear Water. Distil in a cold
still, and draw off five or six quarts, which will be exquisitely
fragrant. If you are desirous of having it still higher flavoured, draw
off at first full seven quarts, unlute the still and throw away the
residuum; empty back the water already distilled, and add to it two
pounds of fresh Orange Flowers bruised. Again luting the still, repeat
the distillation, and draw of five or six quarts. Then stop, being
careful not to draw off too much water, lest the Flowers should become
dry and burn too.
The use of Orange-Flower Water is very extensive. It is high in esteem
for its aromatic perfume; and is used with success for hysteric
complaints.
Waters from all kinds of Flowers are made in the same manner as
Orange-Flower and Rose-water; but waters from dried odoriferous
plants, such as Thyme, Hyssop, Marjoram and Wormwood, are made as
follows.
Fill two thirds of a large stone jar with the tops of the plant you
propose to distil; boil, in a sufficient quantity of water, some
twigs or tops of the same plant; and when one half of the water has
evaporated, pour the remainder into a jar over the flowers, and let
them stand to infuse three or four days; then distil them in a common
or cold still. Care, however, must be taken not to distil to dryness,
lest you risque the bottom of the vessel; to prevent which accident,
the best way is never to draw off more than two thirds of the liquor
put into the still. If you be desirous that the distilled water should
acquire a higher flavour, after the first distillation unlute the
still, throw out what remains at the bottom, and fill it half full of
fresh tops of the plant, pouring on them the water already distilled;
repeat the distillation, and this second time the water drawn off
will be highly odoriferous. If the plant contains a large portion of
Essential Oil, it will not fail to float on the top of the liquor
contained in the receiver, and may be separated by the usual method.
59. _Magisterial Balm-Water._
Take half a pound of Cinnamon, six ounces of Cardamon-seeds, and the
same quantity of green Aniseeds; Cloves, four ounces; Coriander-seeds,
eight ounces: beat these spices in a marble mortar, and putting them
afterwards into a stone jar, add the Yellow Rind of eight Lemons, a
pound of Juniper-berries bruised, twelve handfuls of Balm gathered in
its prime, six handfuls of Rosemary-tops, as much Sage, Hyssop, and
Angelica, Sweet Marjoram and Thyme, of each six handfuls; Wormwood a
handful; cut the herbs very small, putting them into the jar with the
spices, and pour on four gallons of Brandy or Melasses Spirits. When
they have stood in infusion eight days, empty the ingredients and
liquor into an alembic of a common height, and distil in a water-bath.
At first draw off ten quarts, which are to be thrown again into the
alembic, continue the same degree of fire for some time, then gradually
lessen it till the aromatic spirit comes off in quick drops. Continue
your distillation in this manner till you perceived the phlegm rise,
which is easily known by the weakness of the Spirit, and when the
process is ended, expose the aromatic spirit which has been drawn off
to the rays of the sun, in a glass bottle, stopped only with a loose
paper cork, to give the fiery particles an opportunity of evaporating.
What remains in the body of the still is not to be considered as wholly
useless. After evaporating it to dryness, burn the residuum of the
plants and aromatics; and when the whole mass is reduced to ashes,
throw them into a vessel of boiling water, in which let them remain two
or three minutes on the fire. Then remove the vessel, and let the water
stand till cold, when it is to be filtered through blotting paper: The
water, which appears limpid, is to be set on the fire again, and
wholly evaporated. At the bottom of the vessel, which ought to be a
new-glazed earthen pot, will remain a pure white fixed salt, which may
be dissolved in the Magisterial Balm-water.
This water is highly esteemed, and has even acquired a reputation
equal to that of Hungary-water, (the receipt for preparing which has
been already given) and in particular cases is preferable.
60. _Compound Balm-Water, commonly called Eau de Carmes._
Take of the fresh Leaves of Balm, a quarter of a pound; Yellow Rind of
Lemons, two ounces; Nutmegs and Coriander-seeds, of each one ounce;
Cloves, Cinnamon, and Angelica Root, of each half an ounce: having
pounded the spices and seeds; and bruised the leaves and roots, put
them with a quart of Brandy into a glass cucurbit, of which stop the
mouth, and set it in a warm place, where let it remain two or three
days. Then add a pint of simple Balm-water, and shake the whole well
together; after which distil in a vapour bath till the ingredients are
left almost dry; and preserve the water thus obtained, in bottles well
stopped.
This water has been long famous at Paris and London, and carried thence
to most parts of Europe. It has the reputation of being a cordial of
very extraordinary virtues, and not only of availing in all lowness of
spirits, but even in apoplexies. It is also much esteemed in cases of
the gout in the stomach; whence the Carmelite Friars, who originally
were in possession of the secret, have reaped great benefit from the
sale of this water.
61. _Sweet Honey-Water._
Take of good French Brandy, a gallon; of the best Virgin Honey and
Coriander-seeds, each a pound; Cloves, an ounce and half; Nutmegs, an
ounce; Gum Benjamin and Storax, of each an ounce; Vanilloes No. 4; the
Yellow Rind of three large Lemons: bruise the Spices and Benjamin, cut
the Vanilloes into small pieces, put all into a cucurbit, and pour the
Brandy on them. After they have digested forty-eight hours, distil off
the Spirit in a retort with a gentle heat.
To a gallon of this water, add of Damask Rose-water and Orange
Flower-water, of each a pint and a half; Musk and Ambergrise, of each
five grains; first grind the Musk and Ambergrise with some of the
water, and afterwards put all into a large matrass, shake them well
together, and let them circulate three days and nights in a gentle
heat. Then, letting the water cool, filtre and keep it for use, in a
bottle well stopped.
It is an antiparalytic, smooths the skin, and gives one of the most
agreeable scents imaginable. Forty or sixty drops put into a pint of
clear water, are sufficient to wash the hands and face.
62. _Sweet-scented Water._
Take Orange Flower-water and Rose-water, of each an equal quantity; put
them into a large wide-mouthed glass, and strew upon the surface gently
as much Jasmine Flowers as will cover it; then tie the mouth of the
glass so carefully that the Flowers be not shook down to the bottom.
Repeat the process, letting each quantity of the Flowers remain five or
six days, until the water is strongly scented with them. Then dissolve
Ambergrise and Musk, of each a scruple, in a few ounces of the water,
which filtre and put to the rest.
This water may also be made by putting the whole into a retort with a
sufficient quantity of Jasmine Flowers, and drawing it off in a vapour
bath into a receiver well luted.
This is an excellent perfume, and taken inwardly, is of service in some
nervous cases and languors.
63. _German sweet-scented Water._
Begin with infusing for eight days in two quarts of Vinegar, two
handfuls of Lavender Flowers, as many Provence Roses picked from the
stalks, Wild Roses, and Elder Flowers. While they stand in infusion
prepare a simple odoriferous water as follows: Put into a glass body
the Yellow Rind of three Lemons, sweet Marjoram, Lilies of the Valley
and Lavender Flowers, of each two handfuls; pour on them a pint of
double distilled Rose-water, and a quart of Spring-water. Lute on a
bolt-head, place the alembic in a sand heat, fix on a receiver, and
leave matters in this state two days, then light a fire under it and
distil quick. When you have drawn off a quart, stop your distillation,
and keep this simple odoriferous water for the following use.
Take wild Thyme, sweet Marjoram, sweet Basil, and Thyme, of each a
handful; Florentine Orrice and Cinnamon, of each half an ounce; Cloves,
Mace, purified Storax, and Benjamin, of each three drachms; Labdanum,
two drachms; Aspalathum, half an ounce; Socotrine Aloes, half a drachm;
put all these ingredients, thoroughly bruised, into a stone jar, and
add to them the Vinegar infusion, the distilled odoriferous water,
and a quart of Frontiniac, Mountain, or Cowslip Wine. Stir them well
together, and leave the whole to digest for fifteen days, at the
expiration of which time, empty the infusion into a glass body, large
enough to contain a sixth part more liquor; lute on the head, place
it in a sand heat, and begin your distillation with a very gentle
fire, increasing it gradually. It sometimes happens that the phlegm of
the Vinegar comes over the helm first; when that is the case, set it
aside as useless. As soon as the Spirit begins to rise, which you will
directly perceive by its aromatic flavour, fix a receiver on the beak
of the alembic, and distil off about three pints. Keep this by itself
as the most spirituous part of your preparation; and continue to draw
off the remainder as long as it runs clear.
The German sweet-scented Water is penetrating and incisive, admirably
revives the vital spirits, removes headaches, comforts the heart, is
excellent against unwholesome air, and of course a preservative from
contagion.
64. _Imperial Water._
Take five quarts of Brandy, in which dissolve an ounce of Frankincense,
Mastic, Benjamin, and Gum Arabic; add half an ounce of Cloves and
Nutmegs; an ounce and a half of Pine-nut Kernels, and sweet Almonds;
with three grains of Musk. Bruise these ingredients in a marble mortar,
distil in a vapour bath, and keep the water that is drawn off in a
glass bottle, close stopped.
This water takes away wrinkles, and renders the skin extremely
delicate; it also whitens the Teeth, and abates the tooth-ache,
sweetens the breath, and strengthens the gums. Foreign ladies prize it
highly.
65. _Odoriferous Water._
Take sweet Basil, Mint, sweet Marjoram, Florentine Orrice-root, Hyssop,
Balm, Savory, Lavender, and Rosemary, of each a handful; Cloves,
Cinnamon, and Nutmegs, of each half an ounce; three or four Lemons,
cut in thick slices; infuse them three days in a good quantity of
Rose-water; distil in a water bath with a gentle fire, and add to the
distilled water a scruple of Musk.
66. _Or,_
Take sweet Marjoram, Thyme, Lavender, Rosemary, Pennyroyal-buds, red
Roses, Violet-flowers, Clove-july-flowers, Savory, and Orange-peels,
of each equal parts; infuse in White Wine till they entirely sink to
the bottom of the Wine; then distil in an alembic, two or three times.
Keep the Water in bottles well corked; and preserve the residuum as a
perfume.
67. _The Ladies Water._
Take two handfuls and a half of Red Roses; Rosemary Flowers, Lavender,
and Spikenard, of each a handful; Thyme, Chamomile Flowers, Sage of
Virtue, Pennyroyal, and Marjoram, of each a handful; infuse in White
Wine twenty-four hours; then put the whole into an alembic; sprinkle it
with good White Wine, and throw on it a powder, composed of an ounce
and a half of choice Cloves, Gum Benjamin, and Storax, strained, each
two drachms. The distilled Water is to be kept in a bottle well stopped.
68. _A beautifying Wash._
Take equal parts of White Tansey, and Rhubarb Water, and to every half
pint add two drachms of Sal Ammoniac.
This fluid is applied with a feather or hair pencil, three or four
times a day, to pimples or tetters, on any part of the body.
69. _A Cosmetic Water._
Wash the face with the tears that issue from the Vine, during the
months of May and June.
70. _An Excellent Cosmetic._
Pimpernel Water is so sovereign a beautifier of the complexion, that it
ought always to have a place on a Lady's toilet.
71. _Venice Water, highly esteemed._
In the month of May, take two quarts of Cow's Milk, which pour into
a bottle with eight Lemons and four Oranges, sliced; add an ounce of
Sugar Candy, and half an ounce of Borax; distil in a water bath or sand
heat.
This water is counterfeited at Bagdat in Persia, in the following
manner. Take twelve Lemons peeled and sliced, twelve new-laid Eggs, six
Sheeps Trotters, four ounces of Sugar Candy, a large slice of Melon,
and another of Pompion, with two drachms of Borax; distil in a large
glass alembic with a leaden head.
72. _A Balsamic Water._
Take a pound of Venice Turpentine; Oil of Bays, Galbanum, Gum Arabic,
Ivy Gum, Frankincense, Myrrh, Hepatic Aloes, Aloes-wood, Galangals,
Cloves, Comfrey, Cinnamon, Nutmegs, Zedoary, Ginger, and White Dittany,
each three ounces; Borax, four ounces; Musk, a drachm; Ambergrise, a
scruple; after bruising such of the ingredients as are capable of being
powdered, infuse the whole in six quarts of Brandy; and distil it. The
Balsamic Water drawn off will be good to strengthen the limbs, and
cause that beauty and vigour which so much delights the eye.
73. _Angelic Water, of a most agreeable Scent._
Put into a large alembic the following ingredients, Benjamin, four
ounces; Storax, two ounces; Yellow Sanders, an ounce; Cloves, two
drachms; two or three bits of Florentine Orrice, half the Peel of
a Lemon, two Nutmegs, half an ounce of Cinnamon, two quarts of
Rose-water, a pint of Orange Flower-water, and a pint of Magisterial
Balm-water. Put the whole into an alembic well luted; distil in a water
bath; and what you draw off will prove an exquisite Angelic Water.
74. _Nosegay or Toilet Water._
Take Honey-water, an ounce; Eau sans Pareille, two ounces;
Jasmine-water, not quite five drachms; Clove-water, and Violet-water,
of each half an ounce; Cyprus-water, sweet Calamus-water, and
Lavender-water, of each two drachms; Spirit of Neroli or Oranges ten
drops; mix all these Waters together, and keep the mixture in a vial
close corked.
This water has a delightful scent; but its use is only for the toilet.
75. _Spirit of Guaiacum._
Spirit of Guaiacum is prepared by infusing two ounces of Guaiacum
Shavings in a quart of Brandy, ten or twelve days, shaking the vessel
now and then. The Tincture is then filtred through paper, and used to
gargle the mouth in the same manner as the Vulnerary-water.
76. _The Divine Cordial._
To make this, take, in the beginning of the month of March, two ounces
of the Roots of the true Acorus, Betony, Florentine Orrice-roots,
Cyprus, Gentian, and sweet Scabious; an ounce of Cinnamon, and as much
Yellow Sanders; two drachms of Mace; an ounce of Juniper-berries; and
six drachms of Coriander-seeds; beat these ingredients, in a mortar,
to a coarse powder, and add thereto the outer Peel of six fine China
Oranges; put them all into a large vessel, with a gallon and a half
of Spirit of Wine; shake them well, and then cork the vessel tight
till the season for Flowers. When these are in full vigour, add half
a handful of the following: viz. Violets, Hyacinths, Jonquils, Wall
Flowers, Red, Damask, White, and Musk Roses, Clove-july-flowers, Orange
Flowers, Jasmine, Tuberoses, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Lavender, sweet
Marjoram, Broom, Elder, St. John's-wort, Marigold, Chamomile, Lilies of
the Valley, Narcissuses, Honeysuckle, Borage, and Bugloss.
Three seasons are required to procure all these Flowers in perfection;
Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Every time you gather any of these Flowers,
add them immediately to the infusion, mixing them thoroughly with
the other ingredients; and three days after you have put in the
last Flowers, put the whole into a glass cucurbit, lute on the head
carefully, place it in a water bath over a slow fire, keep the receiver
cool, and draw off five quarts of Spirit, which will prove of a rare
quality. As a medicine, it is far more efficacious than Balm-water; and
for its fine scent, one of the best perfumes.
77. _Compound Cyprus Water._
Take a gallon of Spirit of Jasmine, infuse in it half an ounce of
Florentine Orrice grossly powdered, a quarter of an ounce of bruised
Angelica-seeds, three scraped Nutmegs, three ounces of White Musk-roses
bruised, a drachm of Spirit of Orange, and fifteen drops of Essence
of Ambergrise. If it is not the season for Roses, when you make this
Water, put instead of them a pint of Rose-water scented with Musk,
and if that cannot be procured, use common Rose-water; draw off the
Spirit in a water bath, and in a stream like a thread; taking care to
place the receiver in cold water, that the Spirit may cool as fast as
possible and thereby the better preserve its perfume.
78. _Imperial Water._
Put into a gallon of Brandy, a quarter of a pound of picked Violets,
an ounce of Florentine Orrice, a quarter of a pound of Double
Jonquils, two ounces of picked Orange Flowers, two Ounces of White
Musk-roses, three ounces of Tuberoses, a drachm of Mace, half a drachm
of Cloves, an ounce of Quintessence of Bergamot, and an ounce of
Quintessence of Oranges. All the Flowers must be gathered in their
proper season. Observe to put into the Brandy at the same time with
the Violets, the Orrice, Mace, and Cloves, in gross powder, then add
the different Flowers as they come in season, remembering not to add
the quintessences, till after the Tuberoses, which are the last Flower.
Every time you put in a fresh Flower, shake the vessel, and cork it
very tight. Eight days after the Tuberoses have been infused, put the
whole into a glass body, lute on the head carefully, and place under
the receiver an earthen vessel filled with cold water, that the Spirit
may cool as fast as it comes over, by which means its scent will be the
better preserved. You may draw off two quarts of a rectified Spirit,
that will give perfect satisfaction to the most delicate judge.
79. _All Flower Water._
Pour into a large vessel five quarts of strong Spirit of Wine, and
infuse in it the following Flowers, as they come in season: Violets,
Hyacinths, and Wall Flowers, of each a quarter of a pound; single and
double Jonquils, of each two ounces; a quarter of a pound of Lilies of
the Valley, and the same quantity of Spanish Jasmine; half an ounce
of Rosemary Flowers; an ounce of Elder Flowers; two ounces of Wild,
Damask, and White Roses, bruised; three ounces of Orange Flowers; a
quarter of a pound of Clove-july-flowers, Syringo Blossoms, Tuberoses,
and Tops of Mint in Flower; and thirty drops of Quintessence of
Musk-seed. The latter, however, need not be added till the time of
distillation, which must not be till three days after the last Flowers
have been infused. Perform the operation in a water bath, and having
carefully luted the head and receiver, which must be placed in a tub
of cold water, to preserve the scent, draw off about three quarts and
a pint with a moderate fire, then change the receiver, fix on another,
and draw off another pint, which, though of an inferior quality, is
well worth preserving.
80. _A curious Water, known by the Name of the Spring Nosegay._
Take six ounces of Hyacinths, a quarter of a pound of picked Violets,
the same quantity of Wall Flowers picked, and Jonquils; an ounce of
Florentine Orrice bruised; half an ounce of Mace grossly powdered; and
two ounces of Quintessense of Orange. Put the whole (the Jonquils, Wall
Flowers, and Lilies of the Valley excepted) about the end of March,
into a glass body, with a gallon of strong Spirit of Wine; bruise the
Hyacinths, Violets, Orrice, and Mace; and towards the end of April,
add the Jonquils, when in their perfection, that is to say, when full
blown. A few days after, put in the Wall Flowers, the Petals only;
then add the Lilies of the Valley, carefully picked, and shake all the
ingredients well: Eight days after having put in this last Flower,
empty the infusion into an alembic, lute on a head and receiver, which
must be placed in cold water, and distil in a water bath, with a gentle
fire. From the above quantity three quarts of excellent Spirit may be
drawn off, that justly deserves the appellation of the Spring Nosegay.
81. _A Cosmetic Water, of great Use to prevent Pits after the
Small-Pox._
Dissolve an ounce and a half of Salt in a pint of Mint-water; boil
them together, and skim the Liquor. This is a very useful Wash for the
face after the Small-Pox, in order to clear away the scabs, allay the
itching, and remove the redness.
82. _A Cooling Wash._
Infuse in a sufficient quantity of clear Water, some Bran, Yolks of
Eggs, and a grain or two of Ambergrise, for three or four hours; then
distil the Water, which will prove an excellent Cosmetic, and clear the
skin surprisingly. It is of service to keep it in the sun eight or ten
days, in a bottle well corked.
The distilled Waters of Melons, Bean Flowers, the Wild-Vine, green or
unripe Barley, and the Water that is found in vesicles on the leaves
of the elm-tree, may also be used for the same intention.
83. _An excellent Water to clear the Skin, and take away Pimple_s.
Take two quarts of Water, in which a quantity of Horse-beans has been
boiled till quite soft; put it into an alembic, and add two handfuls
of Pimpernel, the same quantity of White Tansy, a pound of Veal minced
small, six new-laid Eggs, and a pint of White-Wine Vinegar; distil
this mixture in a water-bath, and it will afford an excellent Lotion
to remove all eruptions on the face, if washed with it every night and
morning.
84. _Another._
Knead a Loaf with three pounds of Wheaten Flour, a pound of Bean Flour,
and Goats Milk, with Mild Yeast or Leaven. Bake it in an oven, scoop
out the crumb, and soak it thoroughly in new Goats Milk and six Whites
of Eggs; add an ounce of calcined Egg-shells. Mix all well together,
and distil in a sand heat. You will obtain an excellent cosmetic water,
by washing with which every day, the face will become smooth and clear.
85. _Venetian Water to clear a Sun-burnt Complexion._
Take a pint of Cow's Milk, or, in the month of May, a pint of the Water
that distils from the Vine when wounded, eight Lemons and four Seville
Oranges cut in thin slices, two ounces of Sugar Candy, half an ounce
of Borax in fine powder, and four Narcissus Roots beaten to a paste;
distil these ingredients in a vapour-bath. Rectify the distilled
Liquor by the same method, and keep it in a bottle closely corked.
86. _A Water for Pimples in the Face._
Boil together a handful of the herbs Patience, and Pimpernel in Water;
and wash yourself every day with the decoction.
87. _A Fluid to clear a tanned Skin._
Take unripe Grapes, soak them in Water, sprinkle them with Alum and
Salt, then Wrap them up in paper, and roast them in hot ashes; squeeze
out the Juice, and wash the face with it every morning, it will soon
remove the Tan.
88. _A Fluid to whiten the Skin._
Take equal parts of the Roots of Centaury and the White Vine, a pint
of Cow's Milk, and the crumb of a Wheaten Loaf; distil in a glass
alembic. The distilled Water, for use, must be mixed with an equal
quantity of Hungary Water: it then admirably clears the complexion.
The distilled Waters of Fennel, and White Lilies, with a little Gum
Mastic, will produce the same effect.
89. _A Beautifying Wash._
Put into a cucurbit five pints of French Brandy; add to it a pound and
a half of Crumb of Bread, three ounces of Plum-tree-gum, two ounces of
Litharge of Silver in fine powder, and four ounces of sweet Almonds.
The ingredients are to be beat together into a paste, and left to
digest in the Spirit eight days; then distil in a vapour-bath, and wash
the face and hands with the water thus obtained. It must be suffered
to dry on the skin without being wiped off, and the complexion will
presently become clear and glossy.
90. _A distilled Water that tinges the Cheeks a beautiful Carnation
Hue._
Take two quarts of White Wine Vinegar, three ounces of Isinglass, two
ounces of bruised Nutmegs, and six ounces of Honey; distil with a
gentle fire, and add to the distilled Water a small quantity of Red
Sanders, in order to colour it. Before the Tincture is used, a Lady
should wash herself with Elder-flower Water, and then the cheeks will
become of a fine lively vermillion, that cannot be distinguished from
the natural bloom of youth.
91. _A Cosmetic Water._
Take three Aron Roots minced small, three Melons of a middling size,
three Cucumbers, four new laid Eggs, a slice of a Pumkin, two Lemons,
a pint of Whey, a gallon of Rose-water, a quart of Water-lily-water,
a pint of Plantain, as much White Tansy-water, and half an ounce of
Borax. Distil the whole together in a vapour-bath.
92. _A Water, christened, The Fountain of Youth._
Take an ounce of Sulphur Vivum; Olibanum and Myrrh, each two ounces;
six drachms of Amber; a quart of Rose-water; distil the whole in a
vapour-bath, and wash yourself with the Water every night going to
rest: the next morning wash yourself with weak Barley-water, and your
complexion will have a youthful air.
It is asserted also that the distilled Water of green Pine-apples takes
away wrinkles, and gives the complexion an air of youth.
93. _A Water to preserve the Complexion._
Mix together Water-lily Water, Bean-flower Water, Melon Water, Cucumber
Water, and Lemon Juice, of each an ounce; to which add, of Bryony, Wild
Succory, White Lilies, Borrage and Bean Flowers, each a handful. Take
seven or eight White Pigeons, pick them, and cut off their heads and
pinions, mince the rest of them small, and put them into an alembic
with the other ingredients. To these add four ounces of Sugar Candy in
powder, as much Camphor, and the Crumb of three small Wheaten Loaves,
each weighing about half a pound; digest the whole eighteen or twenty
days in an alembic, then distil, and keep the Water that is drawn off
in proper vessels for use. Before washing with it, carefully observe to
cleanse the face with the following composition.
Take a quarter of a pound of the Crumb of Rye Bread hot from the oven,
the Whites of four new laid Eggs, and a pint of White Wine Vinegar;
beat the whole well together, and strain through a linen rag. The use
of these two preparations perfectly cleanses and clears the skin,
preserves its freshness, and prevents wrinkles.
94. _A Water that gives a Gloss to the Skin._
Take a handful of Bean, Elder, and Bugloss Flowers, a small Pigeon
clean drawn, the Juice of two Lemons, four ounces of Salt, and five
ounces of Camphor; distil them in a vapour-bath; add to the distilled
Water a few grains of Musk, and expose it to the sun for the space of a
month, observing to take the vessel within doors every night. The way
to use this Water, is to dip the corner of a fine napkin in it, and
gently rub the face.
95. _A Preservative from Tanning._
Infuse in clean Water for three days a pound of Lupines, then take them
out, and boil them in a copper vessel with five quarts of fresh Water.
When the Lupines are boiled tender, and the Water grows rather ropy,
press out the Liquor, and keep it for use. Whenever you are under a
necessity of exposing yourself to the sun, wash the face and neck with
this preparation.
The Oil of unripe Olives, in which a small quantity of Gum Mastic has
been dissolved, possesses the same virtue.
96. _To remove Freckles._
Take Houseleek, and Celandine, of each an equal quantity; distil in a
sand heat, and wash with the distilled Water.
97. _Or,_
Apply the Juice of Onions to the part affected.
98. _Or,_
Boil Ivy Leaves in Wine, and foment the face with the decoction.
99. _A Water to prevent Freckles, or Blotches in the Face._
Take Wild Cucumber-roots and Narcissus-roots, of each an equal
quantity; dry them in the shade, and reduce them to a very fine powder,
putting them afterwards into strong French Brandy, with which wash the
face, till it begins to itch; and then wash it with cold water. This
method must be repeated every day till a perfect cure is obtained,
which will soon happen, for this water has a slight caustic property,
and of course must remove all spots on the skin.
100. _Or,_
Take a handful of fresh Wood-ashes, boil them in a pint of clear Water,
till one half is wasted away, then pour off the Liquor as long as it
runs clear; boil it again a little while, and filter it through coarse
paper.
101. _A Water to improve the Complexion._
Take Snakeweed-roots and Narcissus-roots, of each an equal quantity;
a pint of Cow's Milk, and the Crumb of a Wheaten Loaf; distil these
ingredients in a glass alembic. This Water should be mixed with an
equal quantity of Hungary-water.
102. _Or,_
Take Chick Peas, French Beans, and Garden Beans, of each four ounces;
peel off their skins, powder them, and infuse in a quart of White
Wine; add the Gall of an Ox, and the Whites of fifteen new laid Eggs.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly, distil in a glass alembic with a sand
heat; and wash the face with the distilled Water, as occasion requires.
103. _A Cosmetic Water._
Take a pound and a half of fine Wheaten Bread, four ounces of Peach
Kernels, the same quantity of the four Cold Seeds, viz. Gourd-seed,
Cucumber-seed, Melon-seed, and Lettuce-seed; the Whites of twelve new
laid Eggs, the Juice of four Lemons, three ounces of Sugar Candy,
a gallon of Goat's Milk; mix the whole together, and distil in a
vapour-bath. To every two quarts of the distilled Water, add a quarter
of a pint of Spirit of Cherries.
104. _Or,_
Take six Aron Roots minced small, six ounces of Bran, four ounces and a
half of Myrrh in powder, three pints of Milk, and the same quantity of
Wine; distil according to the rules of art; and to the distilled Water
add a small bit of Alum.
105. _A simple Balsamic Water, which removes Wrinkles._
Take Barley-water, strained through a piece of fine linen cloth, and
drop into it a few drops of Balm of Gilead; shake the bottle for
several hours, until the Balsam is entirely incorporated with the
Water, which is known by the turbid milky appearance of the Mixture.
This greatly improves the complexion, and preserves the bloom of youth.
If used only once a day, it takes away wrinkles, and gives the skin a
surprising lustre. Before this fluid is used, the face should be washed
clean with rain water.
106. _A Water to change the Eye-brows black._
First wash your eyebrows with a decoction of Gall Nuts; then wet them
with a pencil or little brush dipped in a solution of Green Vitriol, in
which a little Gum Arabic has been dissolved, and when dry, they will
appear of a beautiful black colour.
107. _To remove Worms in the Face._
Make use of the distilled Waters of the Whites of Eggs, Bean Flowers,
Water Lilies, White Lilies, Melon Seeds, Iris Roots, Solomon's Seal,
White Roses, or crumb of Wheaten Bread, either mixed together, or
separately, with the addition of the White of a new-laid Egg.
108. _The Duchess de la Vrilliere's Mouth-Water._
Take Cinnamon, two ounces; Cloves, six drachms; Water Cresses, six
ounces; fresh Lemon Peel, an ounce and a half; Red Rose Leaves, an
ounce; Scurvy Grass, half a pound; Spirit of Wine, three pints.
Bruise the Spices, cut the Water Cresses and Scurvy Grass small,
and macerate the whole in Spirit of Wine, in a bottle well corked,
during twenty-four hours; then distil to dryness in a vapour-bath, and
afterwards rectify the distilled Water, by repeating the same process.
This Water strengthens the gums, prevents the scurvy, and cures aphthæ,
or little ulcerations in the mouth. It is used to gargle the mouth
with, either by itself, or diluted with water, as occasion may require.
109. _Another Water for the Teeth, called Spirituous Vulnerary Water._
For this intention are commonly used Spirituous Waters, that are no
ways disagreeable; waters proper to strengthen and fortify the gums,
as Spirituous Vulnerary Water tinctured with Cochineal, or Seed Lac;
Guaiacum Water, or the Duchess de la Vrilliere's Water above described.
To tinge Vulnerary Water, put any quantity into a glass matrass, and
infuse in it some bruised Cochineal; then filter the Vulnerary Water,
and use it to gargle the mouth, after which the teeth are to be cleaned
with Tooth Powder. This, when found too strong, may be lowered by the
addition of Spring Water.
110. _Receipt to make Vulnerary Water._
Take fresh gathered Leaves of Sage, Angelica, Wormwood, Savory, Fennel,
and spiked Mint, of each four ounces; Leaves of Hyssop, Balm, Sweet
Basil, Rue, Thyme, Marjoram, Rosemary, Origanum, Calamint, and Wild
Thyme, fresh gathered, of each four ounces; the same quantity of
Lavender Flowers, and a gallon of rectified Spirit of Wine.
Cut the Herbs small, infuse them ten or twelve hours in Spirit of Wine,
and then distil in a vapour-bath. Preserve the Spirit drawn off, in a
bottle well corked.
111. _A Water for the Gums._
Take of the best Cinnamon, an ounce; Cloves, three drachms; the Yellow
Peel of two Lemons; Red Rose Leaves, half an ounce; Water Cresses, half
a pound; Scurvy Grass, four ounces; rectified Spirit of Wine, three
gallons: bruise the Spices, and infuse the whole a sufficient time in
the Spirit in a glass vessel; then distil off the Spirit for use, in a
vapour-bath.
112. _Another, prepared by Infusion._
Take two drachms of Cinnamon, finely powdered; half a drachm of Cloves,
in fine powder; and half an ounce of Roch Alum; pour on them three
gallons of boiling Water; when cold, add six ounces of Plantain Water,
half an ounce of Orange-flower Water, a quarter of an ounce of Essence
of Lemons, and a gill and a half of rectified Spirit of Wine; let the
whole stand together in digestion four and twenty hours, then filter
through paper, and reserve the clear water for use.
113. _Or,_
Take Mace, Cinnamon, Cloves, Pellitory of Spain, and Terra Sigillata,
or Sealed Earth, of each half an ounce; beat the whole together in a
mortar, and infuse it a month in a quart of Spirit of Wine. Strain off
the Spirit, and add eight ounces of Spirit of Scurvy Grass. Drop six
or seven drops in a glass of very clear Water, and rince the mouth;
afterwards rubbing the gums with conserve of Hips acidulated with five
or six drops of Spirit of Vitriol.
114. _Another Water for the Gums._
Take of the best Cinnamon, an ounce; Cloves, three drachms; the Peel
of two Lemons; half an ounce of Red Rose Leaves; half a pound of Water
Cresses, four ounces of Scurvy Grass, and three gallons of rectified
Spirit of Wine. Bruise the Spices, and let the whole stand in digestion
in a glass vessel twenty-four hours; then distil in a vapour-bath.
115. _A simple Depilatory._
Oil of Walnuts frequently rubbed on a child's forehead, will prevent
the hair from growing on that part.
116. _Prepared Sponges for the Face._
Steep in Water some time the finest and thinnest Sponges you can pick
out; wash them well, dry them, and soak them in Brandy a whole day;
then squeeze the Brandy out, and dry them again. Lastly, dip them in
Orange-flower Water, and let them remain in it eleven or twelve hours.
When squeezed, and thoroughly dried, they are fit for use.
117. _Spirit of Roses._
To make the inflammable Spirit of Roses, take twenty pounds of Damask
Roses, beat them to a Paste, in a marble mortar; put this Paste, layer
by layer, with sea salt, into a large stone jar, or two jars, if one
is not large enough to contain the whole quantity; that is to say,
sprinkle every layer of the Paste about half an inch thick with Salt;
and press the layers of Roses as close together as possible. Cork the
jar with a waxed cork, cover the upper-most end of the cork, and the
edges of the mouth of the jar, with wax also, and place it six weeks,
or two months, in a vault, or some other cool place. At the expiration
of this period, open the jar; if it exhales a strong vinous smell,
the fermentation has arrived at its proper height; but if you do not
perceive such an odour, throw into the jar a little Yeast, and stop it
close in the same manner as before. A strong fermentation having been
excited, take five or six pounds of your fermented Rose Paste, put it
into a common cucurbit, and distil it with a very gentle fire in a
vapour-bath. When you have drawn off as much water as you can, unlute
the alembic; throw away what remains in the cucurbit, take five or
six pounds more of the fermented Paste of Roses, and put it into the
cucurbit, with the Water already drawn; distil in a vapour-bath with
such a degree of fire, as will cause the distilled Water to run off
in a middling sized stream. When you can draw off no more, empty the
cucurbit, fill it again with fresh fermented Paste of Roses, and pour
on it all the distilled Water that the preceding distillations have
produced. Distil as before; and repeat these operations, till you have
used all your fermented Paste of Roses. Every time you open the jar,
be careful to cork it close, otherwise the most spirituous particles
will evaporate. After the last distillation, you will have obtained a
very fine scented Water, but not very spirituous, because loaded with a
considerable quantity of phlegm; and it must therefore be rectified.
For this purpose make choice of a very long necked glass matrass of a
reasonable size, fill it about three parts full with your unrectified
Spirit of Roses; fit on a bolt-head, and receiver; lute the joints
carefully, and distil in a vapour-bath with a very slow fire. When you
have drawn off about a tenth part of what was put into the matrass,
let the vessel cool, and set apart the Spirit that is found in the
receiver. What remains in the matrass must not be thrown away as
useless, for it is a Rose-water far superior to what is prepared
according to the usual method.
After the first rectification of a part of the Spirit, repeat the
same operation with another part, till the whole is rectified, and
then rectify them all together once more. After this last operation,
you will obtain a highly penetrating and inflammable Spirit of Roses.
The phlegmatic part that remains in the matrass may be added to that
procured from the preceding rectifications, and the whole kept for use
in a cellar or other cool place in a bottle, well corked.
The scent of inflammable Spirit of Roses is extremely sweet; if only
two drops of it are mixed with a glass of Water, they impart to the
Water so high a perfume, that it exceeds the very best Rose-water.
118. _Inflammable Spirits of all Kinds of Flowers._
To distil an inflammable Spirit from Flowers of all kinds, the
preceding method must be used; as also to procure one from all kinds of
vegetables. Only observe that in plants, and dried flowers, as Thyme,
Betony, Mint, Stechas, Violets, and Jasmine, the Seeds must be bruised
with the Flowers and Roots; as they also must with the Flowers of
the Tuberose Lily, Angelica, Iris; in odoriferous Fruits, as Oranges,
Lemons, Citrons, &c. add the Rind of those Fruits to the Flowers; and
to the Flowers of Elder, Juniper, Lily of the Valley, and Acacia,
&c. add the Berries well moistened; whether green or dry is of no
signification.
ESSENCES.
119. _Method of extracting Essences from Flowers._
Procure a wooden box lined with tin, that the wood may not communicate
any disagreeable flavour to the Flowers, nor imbibe the Essence. Make
several straining frames to fit the Box, each about two inches thick,
and drive in them a number of hooks, on which fix a piece of callicoe
stretched tight. The utmost care is requisite, to have the straining
cloths perfectly clean and dry before they are used.
After having caused the cloths to imbibe as much Oil of Ben as
possible, squeeze them a little, then stretch and fix them on the hooks
of the frames; put one frame thus completed at the bottom of the box,
and upon its cloth strow equally those flowers, the essence of which
you intend to extract; cover them with another frame, on the cloth of
which you are to strow more flowers, and continue to act in the same
manner till the box is quite filled. The frames being each about two
inches thick, the flowers undergo very little pressure, though they
lye between the cloths. At the expiration of twelve hours, apply fresh
flowers in the same manner, and continue so to do for some days. When
you think the scent powerful enough, take the cloths from the frames,
fold them in four, roll them up, and tie them tight with a piece of
whip-cord, to prevent their stretching out too much, then put them into
a press, and squeeze out the oil. The press must be lined with tin,
that the wood may not imbibe any part of the oil. Place underneath a
very clean earthen or glass vessel to receive the essence, which is to
be kept in bottles nicely corked.
The essence of one kind of flower only, can be made in a box at the
same time, for the scent of one would impair that of another. For the
same reason, the cloths that have been used to extract the essence
of any particular flower, cannot be used to extract the essence of
another, till washed clean in a strong lye, and thoroughly dried
in the open air. This method is of great use to obtain the scent
of flowers which afford no Essential Oil by distillation, such as
Tuberoses, Jasmine, and several others.
120. _Or,_
Take any flowers you please, and put them in a large jar, layer by
layer, mixed with Salt, as directed for inflammable Spirit of Roses,
till the jar is quite full; then cork it tight, and let it stand in a
cellar, or some other cool place, for forty days; at the expiration of
which time, empty the whole into a sieve, or straining cloth, stretched
over the mouth of a glazed earthen or stone pan, to receive the essence
that drains from the flowers upon squeezing them gently. Afterwards
put the essence into a glass bottle, which must not be filled above
two thirds; cork it tight, and expose it to the heat of the sun in
fine weather, five and twenty or thirty days, to purify the essence, a
single drop of which will be capable of scenting a quart of Water or
any other Liquid.
121. _Essence of Ambergrise._
Take of Ambergrise a quarter of an ounce; the same quantity of Sugar
Candy; Musk, half a drachm; and Civet, two grains; rub them together,
and put the mixture into a Phial: pour upon it a quarter of a pint of
tartarised Spirit of Wine, stop close the Phial, which set in a gentle
sand heat for four or five days, and then decant the clear Tincture for
use. This makes the best of perfumes; the least touch of it leaves its
scent upon any thing a great time; and in constitutions where such
sweets are not offensive to the head, nothing can be a more immediate
Cordial.
122. _A Remedy for St. Anthony's Fire or Erysipelatous Eruptions on the
Face._
Take Narcissus Roots, an ounce; fresh Nettle-seeds, half an ounce; beat
them together into a soft Paste with a sufficient quantity of White
Wine Vinegar, and anoint the eruptions therewith every night; or, bathe
the part affected with the Juice of Cresses.
FLOWERS.
123. _Manner of drying Flowers, so as to preserve their natural
Colours._
Take fine White Sand, wash it repeatedly, till it contains not the
least earth or salt, then dry it for use. When thoroughly dry, fill
a glass or stone jar half full of Sand, in which stick the Flowers in
their natural situation, and afterwards cover them gently with the
same, about the eighth part of an inch above the Flower. Place the
glass in the sun, or, if in winter-time, in a room where a constant
fire is kept, till the Flower is perfectly dried. Then remove the Sand
with the utmost precaution, and clean the Leaves with a feather brush.
Particular Flowers lose in some measure their natural lively colours,
but this may be helped by the assistance of art.
Roses and other Flowers of a delicate colour, recover their natural
lustre by being exposed to a moderate vapour of Brimstone; but Crimson
or Scarlet Flowers, by being exposed to the vapour of a solution of
Tin in Spirit of Nitre. The vapour of a solution of Filings of Steel in
Spirit of Vitriol, restores to the Leaves and Stalk, their primitive
green colour. This method succeeds perfectly well in single Flowers.
There are some difficulties with respect to Pinks, Carnations, and
other double Flowers; to succeed with them, split the cup on each side,
and when the Flower is quire dry, glue it together with Gum-water; or
prick the cup in different parts with a large pin.
As to the scent, which is in great measure lost in drying, it may be
restored, by dropping into the middle of the Flower a drop of its
Essential Oil; for instance, a drop of Oil of Roses on a Rose, Oil of
Cloves on a Clove-july-flower, Oil of Jasmine on a Jasmine Flower.
124. _A Secret to preserve Flowers._
Fill an earthen, copper, or wooden vessel half full of sifted Sand,
then fill it up to the brim with clear Spring Water, and stir the Sand
well with a stick in order to detach the earthy particles. When the
Sand has thoroughly settled, pour off the turbid Water by inclination,
add fresh Water, and continue to wash the Sand, till all the Water that
floats on its surface remains perfectly clear. The Sand being thus
cleansed, expose it to the heat of the sun a sufficient time, to exhale
entirely its humidity. Prepare for every Flower an earthen or tin
vessel of a proper size, make choice of the finest, most perfect, and
driest Flowers of their respective kinds, and be careful to leave the
stalks of a good length. Place them upright in the vessel, with one
hand as lightly as possible, about two or three inches below the rims,
so as not to touch the sides, or each other; and with the other hand
gradually pour on them the Sand till the stalk is quite covered; then
lightly cover the Flower itself, separating the Leaves a little. The
Tulip requires a farther operation. The triangular top that rises out
of the middle of the cup, must be cut off, by which means the Leaves
of the Flower will adhere better to the Stalk. When the vessel is
filled with Flowers, leave it a month or two exposed to the rays of the
sun; and the Flowers when taken out, though dry, will be very little
inferior in beauty to new-blown Flowers, but will have lost their scent.
125. _Another Secret to preserve Flowers._
Take the finest River Sand you can get, after having sifted it several
times through a fine sieve, throw it into a glass vessel full of clear
Water, and rub it a good while between your fingers to render it still
finer; then pour off the Water by inclination, and dry the Sand in
the sun. The Sand being thus prepared, bury the Flowers gently in it
with their Leaves and Stalk, disposing them in such a manner that
their form may not be in the least injured. After having thus kept
Flowers some time, till their humid particles are entirely evaporated,
take them out, and inclose them in bottles, well corked; secure them
from all changes of the atmosphere, but let them enjoy a temperate
warmth; for if the heat is too great, the colours fade; and if not
kept sufficiently warm, the humidity of the Flowers will not wholly
evaporate.
126. _Another Method of preserving Flowers a long while, in their
natural Shape and Colour._
Take the finest River Sand, divested of whatever impurities it may
contain; then dry it in the sun or a stove, sift it through a sieve,
and only make use of the finest part. Procure a Tin Box, or a Wooden
Box lined with Tin, of any size you think proper, cover the bottom of
the Box three or four inches deep with prepared Sand, and stick in it
the Stalks of the Flowers in rows, but in such a manner that none of
the Flowers may touch each other, afterwards filling the vacuities
between the Stalks with Sand. Then spread the Sand all round the
Flowers, which cover with a layer about two or three inches thick. Put
this Box in a place exposed to the sun, or in some warm situation, for
the space of a month. With respect to Tulips, the pistil that rises in
the middle, and contains the Seed, must be dexterously cut out, and the
empty space filled with Sand: too many Flowers should not be put into
the same Box, nor should the Box be too large.
GLOVES.
127. _White Gloves Scented With Jasmine after the Italian manner._
Take half an ounce of White Wax; dissolve it over a gentle fire in
two ounces of Oil of Ben. Dress your skins with this Liquid, dry them
on lines, and clean them well with the purest water; when they are
dried and properly stretched, make them up into gloves, which are to
have the Jasmine Flowers applied to them eight days according to the
usual method; then bring them into shape, and fold them smooth. This
manner of working them up, communicates to the gloves the property of
retaining the scent of the Flowers much better than those that are
drest otherwise, and likewise imparts to them the virtue of preserving
the hands and arms delicately soft and white.
128. _Gloves scented without Flowers._
Take an ounce of Liquid Storax, an ounce of Rose-wood, the same
quantity of Florentine Orrice, and half an ounce of Yellow Sanders.
Beat the three last articles into a very fine powder, and add to it the
Storax, with the earths that you use to dye your gloves, and a little
Gum Arabic. Then take an equal quantity of Rose and Orange Flower
Water, to temper this composition which you lay on your gloves; when
they are dry, rub them well, and fold them up; then dress them afresh
with a little Gum Water, in which has been dissolved some powder of
Florentine Orrice; hang them up to dry, and afterwards bring them into
form, and fold them up as fit for use.
129. _White Gloves scented with Ketmia or Musk Seed._
Take an ounce of Yellow Sanders, an ounce of Florentine Orrice, an
ounce of Gum Benjamin, two ounces of Rose-wood, and a drachm of Storax;
reduce the whole to fine powder, with as much Ceruss as you choose.
Mix them with Rose-water, and dress your gloves with the mixture as
neatly as you can for the first coat; then rub them well, and open them
when they are thoroughly dry. Use the same for the second coat, with
the addition of a little Gum Arabic. For the third coat, levigate on a
marble, eight grains of Ketmia Seed, four grains of Civet, a little Oil
of Ben, and a very little Gum Tragacanth, dissolved in Rose-water; add
to this composition a quarter of a pint of Orange Flower Water; after
having applied this third coat to your gloves, bring them into form,
before they get thoroughly dry.
130. _To colour Gloves a curious French Yellow._
Take Chalk and Wood Ashes, of each an equal quantity, and make a strong
Lye of them; then strain off the clear Liquor, and simmer it over the
fire with a little Turmeric in powder, and a very little Saffron, till
it becomes pretty thick; after which set the liquor by to cool, and it
is fit for use.
131. _An excellent Perfume for Gloves._
Take Ambergrise, a drachm; the same quantity of Civet; and of Orange
Flower Butter, a quarter of an ounce; mix these ingredients well, and
rub them into the gloves with fine Cotton Wool, pressing the perfume
into them.
132. _Or,_
Take of Essence of Roses, half an ounce; Oil of Cloves and Mace, of
each a drachm; Frankincense, a quarter of an ounce; mix them, and lay
them in papers between your gloves. Being hard pressed, the gloves will
take the scent in twenty-four hours, and afterwards hardly ever lose
it.
133. _An excellent Receipt to clear a tanned Complexion._
At night going to rest, bathe the face with the Juice of Strawberries,
and let it lie on the part all night, and in the morning wash yourself
with Chervil Water. The skin will soon become fair and smooth.
134. _Or,_
Wash yourself with the Mucilage of Linseed, Fleawort, Gum Tragacanth,
or Juice of Purslain mixed with the White of an Egg.
BREATH.
135. _To sweeten the Breath._
At night, going to bed, chew about the quantity of a small Nut of fine
Myrrh.
136. _Or,_
Chew every night and morning a Clove, a piece of Florentine
Orrice-root, about the size of a small bean, or the same quantity of
Burnt Alum.
OILS.
137. _A Cosmetic Oil._
Take a quarter of a pint of Oil of Sweet Almonds, fresh drawn; two
ounces of Oil of Tartar per Deliquium; and four drops of Oil of
Rhodium: mix the whole together, and make use of it to cleanse and
soften the skin.
138. _Another Cosmetic Oil._
Take a pint of Cream, infuse in it a few Water Lilies, Bean Flowers,
and Roses; simmer the whole together in a vapour-bath, and keep the
Oil that proceeds from it in a vial, which is to be left for some time
exposed to the evening dews.
139. _Oil of Wheat._
This Oil is extracted by an Iron Press, in the same manner as Oil
of Almonds. It is excellent for Chaps in either the lips or hands,
tetterous eruptions, and rigidity of the skin.
140. _Compound Oil, or Essence of Fennel._
Take five pints of the best French Brandy, and the same quantity of
White-Wine; three quarters of a pound of bruised Fennel Seeds, and half
an ounce of Liquorice Root sliced and bruised. Put the whole into an
alembic, close the mouth with Parchment, and set it in a hot house,
or in hot ashes, two days; then distil off the Liquor with an uniform
middling fire. What remains after the distillation of the Essence, and
is called the White Drops, is only fit to wash the hands with.
141. _To make Oil of Tuberoses and Jasmine._
Bruise a little the Tuberoses or Jasmine Flowers in a marble mortar
with a wooden pestle; put them into a proper vessel, with a sufficient
quantity of Oil of Olives, and let them stand in the sun in a close
stopped vessel twelve or fifteen days to infuse; at the expiration of
which time, squeeze the Oil from the Flowers. Let the Oil stand in
the sun to settle, then pour it clear off the dregs. This Oil is very
fragrant, and well impregnated with the Essential Oil of these Flowers.
Infuse a fresh parcel of Flowers, newly gathered, in the same Oil, and
proceed as before: repeat this operation twelve or fourteen times, or
even oftener if necessary, till the Oil is fully impregnated with the
flavour of the Flowers. Some people use Oil of Ben instead of Sallad
Oil, which in our opinion is preferable, being infinitely less apt to
grow rancid. The Oils of Tuberoses, and Jasmine Flowers are of use for
the Toilet on account of their fragrancy. There are cases in which they
may be successfully used externally by way of friction, to comfort and
strengthen the nerves, and brace up the skin when too much relaxed.
142. _An Oil scented with Flowers for the Hair._
Sallad Oil, Oil of Sweet Almonds, and Oil of Nuts, are the only ones
used for scenting the hair.
Blanch your Almonds in Hot Water, and when dry, reduce them to powder;
sift them through a fine sieve, strewing a thin layer of Almond-powder,
and one of Flowers, over the bottom of the Box lined with Tin. When
the box is full, leave them in this situation about twelve hours;
then throw away the Flowers, and add fresh ones in the same manner as
before, repeating the operation every day for eight successive days.
When the Almond-powder is thoroughly impregnated with the scent of the
Flower made choice of, put it into a new clean Linen Cloth, and with
an Iron Press extract the Oil, which will be strongly scented with the
fragrant perfume of the Flower.
ESSENTIAL OILS, OR QUINTESSENCES.
143. _Essential Oil, commonly called Quintessence of Lavender._
Fill a cucurbit two thirds full with unwashed Lavender Flowers, pour
upon them as much clear Water as will float about two inches above the
Flowers. Fit to the cucurbit a head with a short neck, and lute on the
refrigeratory vessel. Distil in the common manner with a fire of such
a degree of strength as will cause the distilled water to run off in a
thick thread. The phlegm and spirit will come over in a considerable
quantity, and the Essential Oil, with which Lavender greatly abounds,
will soon appear floating on the surface of the Water in the receiver;
which is to be separated according to the rules of art. As soon as you
perceive that no more Oil drops into the receiver, which generally
happens to be the case a good while before the phlegm is entirely
drawn off, finish your distillation. If you want a larger quantity of
Quintessence, empty the still, put fresh Flowers, and adding the phlegm
and spirit drawn off by the former distillation, instead of so much
common Water, distil as before, till you have obtained a sufficient
quantity. This Quintessence possesses great medicinal virtues, and is
particularly serviceable in vapourish and hysteric disorders.
144. _To make Essence of Cinnamon._
Take half a pound of Cinnamon, reduce it in a mortar to an impalpable
powder, put it into a very long necked matrass, pour on it as much
highly rectified Spirit of Wine as will cover the powder about an inch.
Stop the matrass with a found cork coated with bees-wax, and expose
it to the sun for a whole month, observing to shake it well twice a
day. At the expiration of the month, uncork the matrass, using the
utmost precaution not to disturb the sediment; and gently pour off the
Tincture into a clean vial.
145. _To make Quintessence of Cloves._
Take a pound of Cloves, beat them in a mortar, put them into a glass
vessel, and pour on them a gallon of hot but not boiling water, cork
the bottle close with a waxed cork, placed in a warm place, and let the
Cloves infuse three weeks or a month; then empty the contents of the
bottle into a middling sized still, fit on a low head with a short
neck, and distil in the common manner, with a fire of such a degree
of fierceness as to make the distilled Water run off in a stream,
resembling a thick thread. The Quintessence will come over with the
Spirit, mixed with a large quantity of Phlegm; but being heavier than
either of those substances, will be found precipitated to the bottom
of the receiver. Separate it in the usual manner, and keep it for use
in a vial closely corked. Then unlute your still, and throw in the
spirituous Water that remains after the separation of the Quintessence;
distil it a second time, and you will obtain a small quantity more,
which may be added to the former.
146. _A Cosmetic Juice._
Make a hole in a Lemon, fill it with Sugar Candy, and close it nicely
with leaf Gold applied over the Rind that was cut out; then roast the
Lemon in hot ashes. When desirous of using the Juice, squeeze out a
little through the hole, and wash the face with a napkin wetted with
it. This Juice greatly cleanses the skin, and brightens the complexion.
VIRGIN's MILK.
147. _A safe and approved Cosmetic._
Take equal parts of Gum Benjamin, and Storax, and dissolve them in a
sufficient quantity of Spirit of Wine. The spirit will then become a
reddish Tincture, and exhale a very fragrant smell. Some people add a
little Balm of Gilead. Drop a few Drops into a glass of clear Water,
and the Water, by stirring, will instantly become milky. Ladies use
it successfully to clear the complexion, for which purpose nothing is
better, or indeed so innocent and safe.
148. _Another, very easily made._
Beat a quantity of Houseleek in a marble mortar, squeeze out the Juice
and clarify it. When you want to use it, pour a few drops of rectified
Spirit on the Juice, and it will instantly turn milky. It is a very
efficacious remedy for a pimpled face, and preserves the skin soft and
smooth.
149. _Another._
Take a half-gallon bottle, pour into it a quart of Spirit of Wine, and
a pint of clear Brandy; then add a quarter of a pound of the finest Gum
Benjamin, two ounces of Storax, half an ounce of Cinnamon, two drachms
of Cloves, and a Nutmeg, all bruised, and four drops of Quintessence of
Egyptian Ketmia. Carefully cork the bottle, and expose it to the sun a
month; but take it within doors in rainy weather. At the month's end,
gently draw off the clear Tincture; and you will have a fragrant Milk,
which is used by pouring a few drops on a wet napkin.
150. _A Liniment to destroy Vermin._
Take an ounce of Vinegar, the same quantity of Stavesacre, half an
ounce of Honey, and half an ounce of Sulphur; mix into the consistence
of a soft liniment, with two ounces of Sallad Oil.
LOTIONS.
151. _A Lotion to strengthen the Gums, and sweeten the Breath._
Take Mountain Wine, and the distilled Water of Bramble Leaves, of each
a pint; half an ounce of Cinnamon; a quarter of an ounce of Cloves;
the same quantity of Seville Orange-peel; Gum Lacque and Burnt Alum,
of each a drachm, all in fine powder. Having added two ounces of fine
Honey, put the whole into a glass bottle, and let them infuse on hot
ashes the space of four days. On the fifth day squeeze the Liquor
through a thick linen cloth, and preserve it in a bottle, well corked.
When the gums are relaxed, and want bracing, take a spoonful of this
Liquid, and pour it into a glass. First use one half to rince the
mouth; and after retaining it a little, spirt it out. Use the remainder
in the same way, rubbing the gums with one of your fingers; and
afterwards rince the mouth with warm-water. Repeat the operation every
morning, or twice a day, if occasion requires.
To render this remedy more efficacious, add to the whole quantity of
the Lotion half a pint of Cinnamon Water, distilled from White Wine.
The eastern nations, to procure a sweet breath, to render the teeth
beautifully white, and fasten the gums, frequently chew boiled Chio
Turpentine, or Gum Mastic. The Indians who live beyond the Ganges
chew it all day long, and are so used to this habit, that they cannot
without difficulty refrain from it.
The Spirituous Water of Guaiacum possesses the property of giving ease
in the tooth-ache, and fastening the teeth in their sockets. The mouth
is to be gargled with a quantity mixed in a glass of clear Water.
152. _Another Lotion to fasten the Teeth and sweeten the Breath._
Pour three pints of Water into an earthen or stone jar, dip in it four
different times a red hot poker, and then immediately add an ounce
of bruised Cinnamon, six grains of Burnt Alum, an ounce of powdered
Pomegranate Bark, three ounces of fine Honey; of Vulnerary Water, Rue
Water, and Myrtle Water, each a quarter of a pint; and of Brandy,
half a pint. The whole being well mixed, tie a wet bladder over the
mouth of the jar, and let it stand in the sun, or any warm place, for
twenty-four hours; then strain off the Liquor through a thick linen
cloth, or strong straining bag. Add to it two ounces of Spirit of
Scurvy-grass, and keep it in a bottle, well corked. It is used in the
same manner as the preceding Lotion.
153. _An admirable Lotion for the Complexion._
After having washed the face with Soap and Water, wash yourself with
the following lixivium. Take clear Lees prepared from Vine Ashes, and
to every pound of it, add an ounce of calcined Tartar, two drachms of
Gum Sandarach, and as much Gum Juniper. Let this Lotion dry on the
face without wiping it off, and afterwards wash yourself with Imperial
Water.
154. _An admirable Varnish for the Skin._
Take equal parts of Lemon Juice, and Whites of new laid Eggs, beat them
well together in a glazed earthen pan, which put on a slow fire, and
keep the mixture constantly stirring with a wooden spatula, till it
has acquired the consistence of soft butter. Keep it for use, and at
the time of applying it, add a few drops of any Essence you like best.
Before the face is rubbed with this varnish, it will be proper to wash
with the distilled Water of rice. This is one of the best methods of
rendering the complexion fair, and the skin smooth, soft, and shining.
155. _A Liniment to destroy Nits._
Take Oil of Bays, Oil of Sweet Almonds, and old Hogs Lard, of each two
ounces, powdered Stavesacre, and Tansy Juice, of each half an ounce;
Aloes, and Myrrh, of each a quarter of an ounce, the smaller Centaury
and Salt of Sulphur, of each a drachm; mix the whole into a liniment.
Before you use it, wash the hair with Vinegar.
156. _A Liniment to change the Beard and Hair black._
Take Oil of Costus, and Oil of Myrrh, of each an ounce and a half; mix
them well in a leaden mortar, adding of Tar, the expressed Juice of
Walnut Leaves, and Gum Labdanum, each half an ounce; Gall Nuts in fine
powder, and Black Lead, of each a drachm and a half; the same quantity
of Frankincense; and a sufficient quantity of Mucilage of Gum Arabic,
prepared with a decoction of Gall Nuts. Apply it to the head and chin
after being clean shaved.
157. _A Depilatory Liniment._
Take a quarter of a pound of Quick-lime, an ounce and a half of
Orpiment, an ounce of Florentine Orrice, half an ounce of Sulphur,
the same quantity of Nitre, and a pound or pint of a Lixivium made of
Bean-stalk Ashes; boil the whole to a proper consistence, which may
be known by dipping a wet feather into it. It is boiled enough when
the feathery part of the quill easily separates from the other. Then
add half an ounce of Oil of Lavender, or any aromatic Essence, and mix
into a Liniment, with which if you rub the hair that grows on any part
of the body, it will immediately drop off. When the hair is removed,
foment the part with Oil of Sweet Almonds, or Oil of Roses.
158. _Another._
Take a quarter of a pound of Gum Ivy dissolved in Vinegar, a drachm of
Orpiment, a drachm of Ant Eggs, and two drachms of Gum Arabic dissolved
in Juice of Henbane, in which half an ounce of Quick-lime has been
boiled. Make the whole into a liniment with a sufficient quantity of
Fowls Grease, and apply a little to the part where you would wish to
destroy the Hair, after being clean shaved.
159. _An excellent Lip-Salve._
Take an ounce of Myrrh, as much Litharge in fine powder, four ounces
of Honey, two ounces of Bees-wax, and six ounces of Oil of Roses; mix
them over a slow fire. Those who are inclined may add a few drops of
Oil of Rhodium, and some Leaf Gold.
160. _Or,_
Take Armenian Bole, Myrrh, and Ceruss in fine powder, of each an
ounce; mix with a sufficient quantity of Goose-grease into a proper
consistence. It presently cures chaps in any part of the body.
161. _A Liniment to promote the Growth and Regeneration of the Nails._
Take two drachms of Orpiment, a drachm of Manna, the same quantity of
Aloes and Frankincense, and six drachms of White Wax. Make them into a
liniment, which apply to the part with a thumb-stall.
NAILS.
162. _A certain Remedy for Whitlows; a Disorder that frequently affects
the Fingers._
Take Pellitory of the Wall, cut as small as possible, and mix it with
a proportionable Quantity of Hog's Lard; wrap it up in several papers,
one over the other, and place it in warm ashes, which though not hot
enough to burn the paper, yet retain sufficient heat to roast the
Pellitory of the Wall, and incorporate it thoroughly with the Lard.
Then spread this Liniment on a piece of brown paper, wrap it round the
Whitlow, and apply a fresh dressing, at least twice a day. That it may
give the speedier relief, spread the ointment thick.
163. _Another._
Take Vine Ashes, with which make a strong Lee; and in this, warmed, let
the finger soak a good while. To keep up an equal degree of warmth,
every minute pour into the vessel a little more hot lees. Repeat this
operation two or three times, and you will speedily find the good
effect of it.
PERFUMES.
164. _Scented Tables or Pastils._
Beat into a fine powder, and sift through a hair sieve, a pound of the
Marc or Residuum left in the still, after making Angelic Water; then
put it into a mortar, with a handful of fresh-gathered Rose Leaves,
and a small porringer full of Gum Tragacanth softened with Rose
Water. Beat the whole into a Paste; roll it out on a dresser with a
rolling-pin, and cut it into Lozenges with a knife.
To form scented Pastils, roll up bits of this Paste in the shape of a
cone, that they may stand upright, and set them by to dry. These kind
of Pastils are lighted in the same manner as a candle. They consume
entirely away; and, while burning, exhale a fragrant smoke.
165. _A pleasant Perfume._
Take a drachm of Musk, four Cloves, four ounces of Lavender-seed, a
drachm and a half of Civet, and half a drachm of Ambergrise; heat
your pestle and mortar, and rub the Musk, Cloves, and Lavender-seeds
together, with a lump of Loaf Sugar and a wine-glass full of Angelic
or Rose-water. Take a handful of powder, and incorporate it well with
this mixture, then sift it through a sieve; add two or three pounds
more powder, or even a larger quantity, till the perfume is brought
to a proper degree of strength. As to the Civet, put it on the end of
a hot pestle, and rub it well with a handful of powder; after which
add, by little and little, six pounds of powder; then sift the whole
through a hair sieve to incorporate it with the other perfumed powder.
The Ambergrise must be well rubbed in the mortar; and by degrees two
pounds of powder, either white or grey, must be added to it, till
the Ambergrise is thoroughly incorporated with the powder; then sift
through a hair sieve, and mix all the three powders together. This
perfume is to be kept in a Leather Bag, the seams of which are well
sewed with waxed thread.
166. _Common perfumed Powder._
Take Florentine Orrice, a pound, dried Rose Leaves, a pound; Gum
Benjamin, two ounces; Storax, an ounce; Yellow Sanders, an ounce and a
half; Cloves, two drachms; and a little Lemon Peel; reduce the whole to
a fine powder, and mix with it twenty pounds of Starch, or rather of
grey or white powder; incorporate them well, and sift them through a
lawn sieve.
167. _A Cassolette._
Incorporate the Powders of Florentine Orrice, Storax, Benjamin and
other aromatics, with Orange-flower Water; and put this Paste into a
little Silver or Copper Box lined with Tin. When you have a mind to use
this perfume, set the Box on a gentle fire, or on hot ashes, and it
will exhale a most delightful odour.
168. _To perfume a House, and purify the Air._
Take a root of Angelica, dry it in an oven, or before the fire, then
bruise it well and infuse it four or five days in White Wine Vinegar.
When you use it, lay it upon a brick made red hot, and repeat the
operation several times.
169. _A Perfume to scent Powder._
Take a drachm of Musk, four ounces of Lavender Seeds, a drachm and a
half of Civet, and half a drachm of Ambergrise. Beat the whole together
into powder, and sift through a hair sieve. Keep this perfume in a box
that shuts very close, to scent powder with, according to your fancy.
PASTILS.
170. _An excellent Composition to perfume a Room agreeably._
Take four ounces of Gum Benjamin, two ounces of Storax, and a quarter
of an ounce of Aloes-wood. When these ingredients have been well
bruised, simmer them about half an hour over a slow fire, in a glazed
earthen pipkin, with as much Rose-water as will cover them, and then
strain off the liquor for use. Dry the Residuum or Marc, and pulverize
it in a warm mortar with a pound of Charcoal. Dissolve some Gum
Tragacanth in the reserved Liquor, then add to your powder a drachm of
fine Oriental Musk dissolved in a little Rose-water, and form the whole
into a Paste, of which make pastils about the length and thickness
of the little finger, narrower at top than at bottom, that they may
stand firm and upright. When they are thoroughly dry, light them at
the narrow end, and let them burn till they are wholly consumed. While
burning they afford an exquisite perfume. To render the perfume still
higher, add six grains of Ambergrise.
171. _Or,_
Pulverize together two ounces of Gum Benjamin, half an ounce of Storax,
a drachm of Aloes-wood, twenty grains of fine Civet, a little Sea Coal,
and Loaf Sugar; boil the whole in a sufficient quantity of Rose-water,
to the consistence of a stiff paste. If you are desirous of having
your pastils higher flavoured, add twelve grains of Ambergrise just
before you take the composition off the fire; and the ingredients being
thoroughly mixed, form them into pastils.
172. _Fragrant Pastils made use of by way of Fumigation._
Take the purest Labdanum and Gum Benjamin, of each two ounces; Storax
and dry Balsam of Peru, of each three quarters of an ounce; choice
Myrrh, half a drachm; Gum Tacamahac, a quarter of an ounce; Olibanum, a
drachm; Liquid Balsam of Peru, half an ounce; Ambergrise, a quarter of
an ounce; Musk and Civet, of each a scruple; Essential Oil of Rhodium,
thirty drops; Essential Oils of Orange-flowers, Lemons, and Bergamot,
of each four drops; Gum Lacque, in fine powder, two ounces and a half;
Cascarilla, Aloes-wood, Rose-wood, St. Lucia-wood, Yellow Sanders, and
Cinnamon, all powdered, of each a drachm. With the assistance of a
vapour-bath reduce them to a mass, which form into pastils in the usual
way.
173. _Pastils of Roses._
Pulverize a pound of the Marc or Residuum left in the still after
making Angelica Water; likewise a large handful of Roses; and with a
sufficient quantity of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Rose-water, beat
them into a stiff paste, which is to be rolled out upon a marble with a
rolling-pin, and cut into Lozenges, or formed into pastils. If you have
a mind to ornament them, cover them with Leaf Gold or Silver.
PASTES.
174. _Paste of dried Almonds to cleanse the Skin._
Beat any quantity you please, of Sweet and Bitter Almonds in a marble
mortar, and while beating, pour on them a little Vinegar in a small
stream to prevent their turning oily: then add two drachms of Storax
in fine powder, two ounces of White Honey, and two Yolks of Eggs boiled
hard; mix the whole into a paste.
175. _Soft Almond Paste._
Blanch in warm water any quantity of Bitter Almonds, leave them to grow
dry, and then beat them in a marble mortar with a little Milk, to form
them into a paste. To prevent their turning oily, afterwards add the
Crumb of a light White Loaf soaked in Milk. Beat it with the Almonds
till they are incorporated into an uniform mass; then put the whole
into a kettle, with some fresh Milk, and let them simmer over a gentle
fire; keeping the composition stirring, till it is boiled into a soft
paste.
176. _Paste for the Hands._
Take Sweet Almonds, half a pound; White Wine Vinegar, Brandy, and
Spring Water, of each two quarts; two ounces of Crumb of Bread, and
the Yolks of two Eggs. Blanch and beat the Almonds, moistening them
with the Vinegar; add the Crumb of Bread soaked in the Brandy, and
mix it with the Almonds and Yolks of Egg, by repeated Trituration.
Then pour in the Water, and simmer the whole over a slow fire, keeping
the composition continually stirring, till it has acquired a proper
consistence.
177. _Or,_
Take Bitter and Sweet Almonds blanched, of each two ounces; Pine-nuts,
and the four Cold Seeds, of each an ounce; beat the whole together in
a marble mortar with the Yolks of two Eggs, and the Crumb of a small
Wheaten Loaf. Moisten the mass with White Wine Vinegar, put it into
a deep pan, simmer it over a slow fire, and when the paste ceases
sticking to the pan, it is sufficiently boiled.
178. _Or,_
Take blanched Almonds, a pound; Pine-nuts, four ounces; beat them
together into a paste with the addition of two ounces of Loaf Sugar, an
ounce of the finest Honey, the same quantity of Bean Flower, and half a
gill of Brandy. This paste may be scented with the Essences of Cloves,
Lemons, Bergamot, Jasmine, Rhodium, Orange Flowers, &c. or with a few
grains of Musk, Civet, or a few drops of Essence of Ambergrise, for
persons who have no aversion to those perfumes.
179. _Or,_
Beat half a pound of blanched Almonds, with half an ounce of Yellow
Sanders, half an ounce of Florentine Orrice, and an ounce of Calamus
Aromaticus, in fine powder; pour on them gradually an ounce of
Rose-water, and then add half a Pippin sliced small, a quarter of a
pound of stale Crumb of White Bread sifted fine, and knead the whole
into a paste with two ounces of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Rose-water.
180. _Or,_
Beat some peeled apples (having first taken out the Cores) in a marble
mortar, with Rose-water, and White Wine, of each equal parts. Add some
Crumb of Bread, blanched Almonds, and a little White Soap; and simmer
the whole over a slow fire till it acquires a proper consistence.
181. _Or,_
Infuse some blanched Almonds, two or three hours, in Goat's or Cow's
Milk, and beat them into a paste. Strain the infusion through a linen
cloth with a strong pressure, and add to the strained Liquor half a
pound of the Crumb of White Bread, a quarter of a pound of Borax, and
as much Burnt Roch Alum. Simmer the whole together, and when almost
boiled enough, add an ounce of Spermaceti. Stir the composition well
with a spatula to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the pan; and
let it simmer but very gently.
182. _Or,_
Dry, before the fire, half a pound of Bitter Almonds blanched, then
beat them in a marble mortar as fine as possible, and add a little
boiled Milk to prevent the Almonds from turning oily. Beat in the same
manner the Crumb of two French Bricks, with four Yolks of Eggs boiled
hard, and with the addition of some fresh Milk knead them into a paste,
which incorporate with that of the Almonds.
POMATUMS.
183. _Cold Cream, or Pomatum for the Complexion._
Take White Wax and Spermaceti, of each a drachm; Oil of Sweet Almonds,
two ounces; Spring Water, an ounce and a half; melt the Wax and
Spermaceti together in the Oil of Almonds, in a glazed earthen pipkin,
over hot ashes, or in a vapour-bath; pour the solution into a marble
mortar, and stir it about with a wooden pestle, till it grow cold, and
seem quite smooth; then mix the Water gradually, and keep stirring,
till the whole is incorporated. This pomatum becomes extremely white
and light by the agitation, and very much resembles cream, from its
similitude to which it has obtained its name.
This pomatum is an excellent cosmetic, and renders the skin supple and
smooth. Some add a little Balm of Gilead to heighten its virtue; and
it is sometimes scented, by using Rose-water or Orange-flower Water in
the preparation, instead of Spring-water, or with a few drops of any
Essence, as fancy directs. It is also very good to prevent marks in
the face from the Small-pox; in which last case, a little powder of
Saffron, or some desiccative powder, such as Flowers of Zinc or French
Chalk, is usually added. Keep it for use in a large gallypot tied over
with a bladder.
184. _Cucumber Pomatum._
Take Hog's Lard, a pound; ripe Melons, and Cucumbers, of each three
pounds, Verjuice, half a pint; two pippins pared, and a pint of Cow's
Milk. Slice the Melons, Cucumbers, and Apples, having first pared
them; bruise them in the Verjuice, and, together with the Milk and
Hog's Lard, put them into an alembic. Let them infuse in a vapour-bath
eight or ten hours; then squeeze out the Liquor through a straining
cloth while the mixture is hot, and expose it to the cold air, or set
it in a cool place to congeal. Afterwards pour off the watery part
that subsides, and wash it in several Waters, till the last remains
perfectly clear. Melt the pomatum again in a vapour-bath several times,
to separate from it all its humid particles, and every extraneous
substance; otherwise it will soon grow rancid. Keep it for use in a
gallypot tied over with a bladder.
185. _Or,_
A more simple Cucumber Pomatum may be made by simmering together Hog's
Lard and pared Cucumbers cut in thin slices. With respect to the rest
of the process, follow the method laid down for preparing Lip-salve;
and keep this pomatum in the same manner as the former.
Both these pomatums are good Cosmetics; they soften the skin, and
preserve it cool and smooth.
186. _Lavender Pomatum._
Take two pounds and a half of Hog's Lard, ten pounds of Lavender
Flowers, and a quarter of a pound of Virgin's Wax; put two pounds of
picked Lavender Flowers into a proper vessel with the Hog's Lard, and
knead them with your hands into as uniform a paste as possible. Put
this mixture into a pewter, tin, or stone pot, and cork it tight;
place the vessel in a vapour-bath, and let it stand six hours; at the
expiration of which time, strain the mixture through a coarse linen
cloth, with the assistance of a press. Throw away the Lavender Flowers
as useless, pour the melted Lard back into the same pot, and add four
pounds of fresh Lavender Flowers. Stir the Lard and Flowers together
while the Lard is in a liquid state, in order to mix them thoroughly;
and repeat the former process. Continue to act in this manner till
the whole quantity of Lavender Flowers is used. Then set in a cool
place the pomatum separated from the Lavender Flowers, that it may
congeal; pour off the brown aqueous juice extracted from them; and wash
the Pomatum in several waters, stirring it with a wooden spatula, to
separate any remaining watery particles, till the last water remains
perfectly colourless. Then melt the Pomatum in a vapour-bath, and keep
it in that state about an hour, in a vessel well corked; leaving it
afterwards to congeal. Repeat this last operation till the aqueous
particles are entirely extracted when the Wax must be added, and the
Pomatum having been again melted, in a vapour-bath, in a vessel
closely corked, be suffered to congeal as before. When properly
prepared, fill it into gallypots, and tye the mouths over with wet
bladders, to prevent the air from penetrating.
This Pomatum is extremely fragrant, but is used only for dressing the
hair.
In the same manner are prepared, Orange-flower Pomatum, Jasmine
Pomatum, and all Pomatums made of odoriferous flowers. Common Pomatum
scented with the essences of any such flowers, may be used as a good
succedaneum.
187. LIP-SALVES.
Take three ounces of Oil of Almonds, three quarters of an ounce of
Spermaceti, and a quarter of an ounce of Virgin's Wax; melt them
together over a slow fire, mixing with them a little of the powder of
Alkanet Root. Keep stirring till cold, and then add a few drops of Oil
of Rhodium.
188. _Or,_
Take prepared Tutty and Oil of Eggs, of each equal parts; mix, and
apply them to the lips, after washing the latter with Barley or
Plantain Water.
189. _Or,_
Place over a chafing-dish of coals, in a glazed earthen pan, a quarter
of a pound of the best fresh Butter, and an ounce of Virgin's Wax;
melt them together; when thoroughly melted, throw in the Stones of
half a bunch of ripe Black Grapes, with some Alkanet Roots a little
bruised. Simmer these ingredient together for a quarter of an hour;
afterwards strain the mixture through a fine linen cloth; and pour
into your pomatum, which must be again set on the fire, a spoonful of
Orange-flower Water. Having let them simmer together a little while,
take the pan off the fire, and keep the pomatum stirring till it become
quite cold. It will keep a long while, and is a perfect cure for
chapped lips.
190. _A Yellow Lip-Salve._
Take Yellow Bee's Wax, two ounces and a half; Oil of Sweet Almonds, a
quarter of a pint; melt the Wax in the Oil, and let the mixture stand
till it become cold, when it acquires a pretty stiff consistence.
Scrape it into a marble mortar, and rub it with a wooden pestle, to
render it perfectly smooth. Keep it for use in a gallypot, closely
covered.
It is emollient and lenient; of course good for chaps in the lips,
hands, or nipples; and preserves the skin soft and smooth.
A Crust of Bread applied hot, is an efficacious remedy for pimples that
rise on the lips, in consequence of having drank out of a glass after
an uncleanly person.
191. _A Scarlet Lip-Salve._
Take Hog's Lard washed in Rose-water, half a pound; Red Roses and
Damask Roses bruised, a quarter of a pound; knead them together and let
them lie in that state two days. Then melt the Hog's Lard, and strain
it from the Roses. Add a fresh quantity of the latter, knead them in
the Hog's Lard, and let them lie together two days as before; then
gently simmer the mixture in a vapour-bath. Press out the Lard, and
keep it for use in the same manner as other Lip-salves.
192. _Or,_
Take an ounce of Oil of Sweet Almonds cold drawn, a drachm of fresh
Mutton Suet, and a little bruised Alkanet Root; simmer the whole
together. Instead of Oil of Sweet Almonds you may use Oil of Jasmine,
or the Oil of any other Flower, if you choose the Lip-salve should have
a fragrant scent.
193. _Or,_
Take Oil of Violets, and the expressed Juice of Mallows, of each an
ounce and a half; Goose Grease and Veal Marrow, of each a quarter of
an ounce; Gum Tragacanth, a drachm and a half; melt the whole over a
gentle fire.
194. _Or,_
Take half a pound of fresh Butter,
a quarter of a pound of Bee's Wax, four or five ounces of cleansed
Black Grapes, and about an ounce of bruised Alkanet Root; simmer them
together over a slow fire till the Wax is wholly dissolved, and the
mixture become of a bright red colour; then strain, and set it by for
use.
195. _Or,_
Take Deer or Goat's Suet, six ounces; Hog's Lard, four ounces: cut them
into little bits, and wash them five or six different times in White
Wine; then by hard pressure squeeze out every drop of the Wine. Melt
the fats in a new-glazed earthen pan with half an ounce of Orrice Roots
cut in thin slices, a grated Nutmeg, two or three Pippins pared and
sliced thin, a pint of Rose-water, an ounce of Bee's Wax, and half an
ounce of bruised Cloves. Simmer the whole over a slow fire about half
an hour; then strain through a linen cloth into a pan half full of
clean Water. Let the pomatum remain in the pan till cold, then wash it
well, and beat it in a marble mortar with two ounces of White Wax, till
they be thoroughly incorporated. Apply a little to the lips every night
going to rest; and rub it upon the hands every night and morning.
196. _White Pomatum._
Take an ounce of Florentine Orrice-root, half an ounce of Calamus
Aromaticus, and as much Gum Benjamin, a quarter of an ounce of
Rose-wood, and a quarter of an ounce of Cloves. Bruise the whole
into a gross powder, tie it up in a piece of linen, and simmer it
in a vapour-bath, with two pounds and a half of Hog's Lard well
washed; add a couple of Pippins pared and cut into small bits, four
ounces of Rose-water, and two ounces of Orange-flower Water. After
the ingredients have simmered together a little while, strain off the
Liquor gently, and let the Pomatum stand till cold; then put it by for
use in the same manner as other pomatums.
197. _Red Pomatum_
Is made by adding to the above more or less Alkanet Root bruised,
according to the depth of colour you would wish to impart. Simmer
the Pomatum and Alkanet together, stirring the mixture with a wooden
spatula, till the Pomatum is sufficiently tinged; then strain it from
the Roots, and set it by for use.
198. _A Pomatum to remove Redness, or
Pimples in the Face._
Steep in clear Water a pound of a Boar's Cheek till it becomes
tolerably white, drain it quite dry, and put it into a new-glazed
earthen pan with two or three pared Pippins quartered, an ounce and a
half of the four Cold Seeds bruised, and a slice of Veal about the size
of the palm of one's hand. Boil the whole together in a vapour-bath
for four hours, then with a strong cloth squeeze out your pomatum into
an earthen dish placed upon hot ashes; adding to it an ounce of White
Wax, and an ounce of Oil of Sweet Almonds. Stir the pomatum well with a
spatula till it become cold.
199. _A Pomatum for Wrinkles._
Take Juice of White Lily Roots and fine Honey, of each two ounces;
melted White Wax, an ounce; incorporate the whole together, and make a
pomatum. It should be applied every night, and not be wiped off till
the next morning.
200. _Another for the same Intention._
Take six new-laid Eggs, boil them hard, take out the Yolks, and fill
the cavities with Myrrh, and powdered Sugar Candy, of each equal parts.
Join the Whites together neatly, and set them on a plate before the
fire; mixing the Liquor that exsudes from them with an ounce of Hog's
Lard. This pomatum must be applied in the morning, and be suffered to
dry upon the skin, which is afterwards to be wiped with a clean fine
napkin.
201. _Or,_
Take half an ounce of Sallad Oil, an ounce of Oil of Tartar, half
an ounce of Mucilage of Quince Seeds, three quarters of an ounce of
Ceruss, thirty grains of Borax, and the same quantity of Sal Gem.
Stir the whole together for some time in a little earthen dish, with
a wooden spatula, and apply it in the same manner as the former
composition.
202. _Pomatum for a red or pimpled Face._
Take two pared Apples, Celery, and Fennel, of each a handful; and
Barley Meal, a quarter of an ounce. Simmer the whole together a
quarter of an hour in a gill of Rose-water; then add an ounce of fine
Barley Meal, the Whites of four new-laid Eggs, and an ounce of Deer's
Suet. Strain through a canvas bag into a dish that contains a little
Rose-water; wash the pomatum well in the Rose-water, and afterwards
beat it in a mortar perfectly smooth. This pomatum is to be applied
frequently through the day, to remove the redness of the face, pimples,
and even freckles; but to answer the last mentioned purpose, it must be
continued till they are entirely effaced. To prevent their return, the
person must avoid the intense heat of the sun, and hot drying winds for
some time.
203. _A Pomatum for the Skin._
Take Oil of White Poppy Seeds, and of the four Cold Seeds, of each a
gill; Spermaceti, three quarters of an ounce; White Wax, an ounce: mix
them into a pomatum according to the rules of art.
A great quantity of a substance resembling Butter is extracted from the
Cocoa Tree, which is excellent to mollify and nourish the skin, and has
long been used for this purpose amongst the Spanish Creolian women.
204. _Pomatum to make the Hair grow in a bald Part, and thicken the
Hair._
Take Hen's Fat, Oil of Hempseed, and Honey, of each a quarter of a
pound; melt them together in an earthen pipkin, and keep the mixture
stirring with a wooden spatula, till cold. This pomatum, to obtain the
desired effect, must be rubbed on the part eight days successively.
205. _Another Pomatum for the Hair._
Cut into small pieces a sufficient quantity of Hog's Cheek, steep it
eight or ten days in clean Water, which be careful to change three
times a day, and every time the Water is changed, stir it well with a
spatula to make the flesh white. Drain the flesh dry, and putting it
into a new earthen pipkin, with a pint of Rose-water, and a Lemon stuck
with Cloves, simmer them over the fire till the skum looks reddish.
Skim this off, and removing the pipkin from the fire, strain the
Liquor. When it has cooled, take off the fat; beat it well with cold
Water, which change two or three times as occasion may require; the
last time using Rose-water instead of common Water. Drain the Pomatum
dry, and scent it with Violets, Tuberoses, Orange Flowers, Jasmine,
Jonquils a la Reine, &c. in the following manner.
206. _Manner of Scenting Pomatums for the Hair._
Spread your Pomatum about an inch thick upon several dishes or plates,
strewing the flowers you make choice of on one dish, and covering them
with another. Change the Flowers for fresh ones every twelve hours,
and continue to pursue this method for ten or twelve days; mixing the
pomatum well, and spreading it out every time that fresh Flowers are
added. It will soon acquire a fragrant scent, and may be used in what
manner you think proper. It is good for almost every cosmetic purpose,
but more particularly for the hair, which it nourishes, strengthens,
preserves, and thickens.
207. _Orange-Flower Pomatum._
Take two pounds and a half of Hog's Lard, and three pounds of Orange
Flowers; mix them together in a marble mortar; then put the mixture
into an earthen vessel with some Water, and place it in a vapour-bath,
where let it stand till the Lard is melted, and floats above the
Flowers. When it has stood till cold, pour away the Water, and simmer
in the usual manner, with three pounds of fresh Orange Flowers. Repeat
the same operation twice more with two pounds of Orange Flowers each
time; and the last time, while the mixture stands in infusion, add a
gill of Orange-flower Water. Strain through a hair sieve held over an
earthen dish; drain off the Water thoroughly when cold, and keep the
Pomatum in a dry place, in a gallypot close tied over with a bladder.
In the same manner are prepared Jasmine, Jonquil, Tuberose, Lavender
Pomatums, and all pomatums scented with Flowers.
208. _Sultana Pomatum._
This pomatum is made of Balsam of Mecca, Spermaceti, and Oil of Sweet
Almonds cold drawn. It clears and preserves the complexion, and is of
use for red pimpled faces.
209. _A sweet smelling Perfume._
Take a pound of fresh-gathered Orange Flowers, of common Roses,
Lavender Seeds, and Musk Roses, each half a pound; of Sweet Marjoram
Leaves, and Clove-july-flowers picked, each a quarter of a pound; of
Thyme, three ounces; of Myrtle Leaves, and Melilot Stalks stripped of
their Leaves, each two ounces; of Rosemary Leaves, and Cloves bruised,
each an ounce; of Bay Leaves, half an ounce.
Let these ingredients be mixed in a large pan covered with parchment,
and be exposed to the heat of the sun during the whole summer; for the
first month stirring them every other day with a stick, and taking them
within doors in rainy weather. Towards the end of the season, they will
afford an excellent composition for a perfume; which may be rendered
yet more fragrant, by adding a little scented Cypress-powder, mixed
with coarse Violet-powder.
210. _Another for the same Purpose._
Take Orange Flowers, a pound; common Roses picked without the Yellow
Pedicles, a pound; Clove-july-flowers picked with the White End of
their Leaves cut off, half a pound; Marjoram, and Myrtle Leaves picked,
of each half a pound; Musk Roses, Thyme, Lavender, Rosemary, Sage,
Chamomile, Melilot, Hyssop, Sweet Basil, and Balm, of each two ounces;
fifteen or twenty Bay Leaves, two or three handfuls of Jasmine, as many
little Green Oranges, and half a pound of Salt. Put them in a proper
vessel, and leave them together a whole month, carefully observing to
stir the mixture well twice a day with a wooden spatula or spoon.
At the month's end, add twelve ounces of Florentine Orrice-root in
fine powder, and the same quantity of powdered Benjamin; of Cloves,
and Cinnamon finely powdered, each two ounces; Mace, Storax, Calamus
Aromaticus, all in fine powder, and Cypress-powder, of each an ounce;
Yellow Sanders and Cyprus or Sweet Flag, of each three quarters of an
ounce. Mix the whole thoroughly, by stirring, and you will have a very
fragrant perfume.
POWDERS.
211. _Orange-Flower Powder._
Put half a pound of Orange Flowers into a box that contains twelve
pounds and a half of powdered Starch; mix them well with the Starch,
and stir the mixture at intervals, to prevent the Flowers from
heating. At the expiration of twenty-four hours, remove the old
flowers, and mix with the Starch the same quantity of fresh Orange
Flowers. Continue acting in this manner for three days together, and if
you think the perfume not sufficiently strong, add fresh Flowers once
or twice more. The box must be kept close shut, as well after as during
the operation.
212. _Jonquil Powder._
Take of Starch Powder and Jonquil Flowers, in the same proportion as in
the preceding article; strew the Flowers among the Powder, and at the
expiration of twenty hours, sift it through a coarse sieve. Then throw
away the Flowers, and add to the Powder the same quantity of fresh
Flowers. Continue this method four or five days, observing never to
touch the Powder while the Flowers lie mixed with it; and the former
will hence acquire a very agreeable perfume.
In the same manner are prepared, Hyacinth, Musk Rose, and Damask Rose
Powders, &c.
213. _Coarse Violet Powder._
Beat separately into coarse Powder the following ingredients, viz. half
a pound of dried Orange Flowers; of Lemon-peel dried, Yellow Sanders,
Musk Roses, and Gum Benjamin, each a quarter of a pound; Lavender Tops
dried, three ounces; of Rose Wood, Calamus Aromaticus, and Storax, each
two ounces; an ounce of Sweet Marjoram, half an ounce of Cloves, two
pounds of Florentine Orrice-root, and a pound of dried Provence Roses;
mix the whole together. When you want to fill bags with this powder,
mix a drachm of Musk and half a drachm of Civet, with a little Mucilage
of Gum Tragacanth made with Angelic Water, and a little Sweet-scented
Water, and rub the inside of the bag over with the composition, before
you fill it with the Violet Powder.
214. _Another coarse Violet Powder._
Mix together a pound of Florentine Orrice-roots, half a pound of
dried Orange Flowers, a quarter of a pound of Yellow Sanders; of
Coriander Seeds, Sweet Flag, and of the Marc or Residuum left after
making Angelic Water, each two ounces; an ounce and a half of Calamus
Aromaticus, and an ounce of Cloves; bruise the whole into a coarse
Powder, and keep it for use in a jar, close stopped.
215. _Jasmine Powder._
Powder French Chalk, sift it through a fine sieve, put it in a box, and
strew on it a quantity of Jasmine Flowers; shut down the lid close,
and add fresh Flowers every four and twenty hours. When the Powder is
well impregnated with the scent of Jasmine, rub together a few grains
of Civet, Ambergrise, and a little white Sugar Candy, and mix them with
the Powder.
216. _Ambrette Powder._
Take six ounces of Bean Flour, and the same quantity of worm-eaten
Wood, four ounces of Cyprus Wood, two ounces of Yellow Sanders, two
ounces of Gum Benjamin, an ounce and a half of Storax, a quarter of an
ounce of Calamus.
Aromaticus, and as much Labdanum; beat the whole into a very fine
powder, and sift it through a lawn sieve. Add four grains of
Ambergrise, and half an ounce of Mahaleb or Musk Seeds; mix them with
the rest of the powder, and keep the whole in a bottle close stopped
for use. You may put any quantity you please of this Perfume into
common powder, to give it an agreeable flavour.
217. _Cyprus Powder._
Fill a linen bag with Oak Moss, steep it in water, which change
frequently, and afterwards dry the Moss in the sun. Beat it to powder,
and sprinkle it with Rose-water; then dry it again, sift it through a
fine sieve, and mix with it a small quantity of any of the preceding
powders.
218. _Another Cyprus Powder more fragrant._
Wash Oak Moss several times in pure water and dry it thoroughly; then
sprinkle over it Orange Flower and Rose-water, and spread it thin upon
a hurdle to dry. Afterwards place under it a chafing-dish, in which
burn some Storax and Benjamin. Repeat this operation till the Moss
becomes well perfumed; then beat it to fine powder, and to every pound
add a quarter of an ounce of Musk, and as much Civet.
219. _Perfumed Powder._
Take a pound of Florentine Orrice-root, two ounces of Gum Benjamin,
a pound of dried Roses, an ounce of Storax, an ounce and a half of
Yellow Sanders, a quarter of an ounce of Cloves, and a small quantity
of Lemon-peel; beat the whole together into fine powder, and then add
twenty pounds of Starch-powder. Sift through a lawn sieve; and colour
the powder according to your fancy.
220. _The White Powder that enters into the Composition of the
Delightful Perfume._
Take a pound of Florentine Orrice-root, twelve Cuttle-fish Bones, eight
pounds of Starch, and a handful of Sheep or Bullock's Bones calcined
to whiteness; beat the whole into a powder, and sift it through a fine
hair sieve.
221. _Prepared Powder._
Pour a quart of Brandy, or an ounce of highly rectified Spirit of Wine,
on a pound or a pound and a half of Starch, mix them together; then dry
the Starch, beat it to powder, and sift it through a fine lawn sieve.
If you please you may add a little powder of Florentine Orrice-root.
222. _A Powder to nourish the Hair._
Take Roots of the Sweet Flag, Calamus Aromaticus, and Red Roses dried,
of each an ounce and a half; Gum Benjamin, an ounce; Aloes Wood,
three quarters of an ounce; Red Coral prepared, and Amber prepared,
of each half an ounce; Bean Flour, a quarter of a pound, Florentine
Orrice-roots, half a pound; mix the whole together, then beat into a
fine powder, and add to it five grains of Musk, and the same quantity
of Civet. This powder greatly promotes the regeneration of the hair,
and strengthens and nourishes its roots. The property of enlivening the
imagination, and helping the memory is also attributed to it.
223. _Common Powder._
The best Starch dried is generally the basis of all Hair-powders:
as are, sometimes, worm-eaten or rotten Wood, dried Bones, or Bones
calcined to whiteness, which are sifted through a fine hair sieve after
they have been beaten to powder. This kind of Powder readily takes any
scent, particularly that of Florentine Orrice, a root which naturally
possesses a violet smell. Of these Roots, the whitest and soundest are
made choice of; they are to be powdered as fine as possible, and this
can only be done during the summer.
224. _White Powder._
Take four pounds of Starch, half a pound of Florentine Orrice-root, six
Cuttle-fish Bones; Ox Bones and Sheeps Bones calcined to whiteness,
of each half a handful; beat the whole together, and sift the Powder
through a very fine sieve.
225. _Grey Powder._
To the Residuum of the preceding add a little Starch and Wood-ashes in
fine powder; rub them together in a mortar some time, and then sift
through a fine hair sieve.
226. _Another._
Take the Marc or Residuum of the White Powder, mix with it a little
Starch, Yellow Ochre, and Wood-ashes or Baker's Coals to colour it.
Beat the whole well in a mortar, then sift it through a hair sieve.
Beat the coarser parts over again, and sift a second time; repeating
these operations till all the composition has passed through the sieve.
227. _Flaxen coloured Powder._
Add to the White Powder a very little Yellow Ochre. The White Powder
may be tinged of any colour, by adding ingredients of the colour you
fancy.
228. _Bean Flour._
Grind any quantity of Beans, and sift the Meal through a very fine lawn
sieve. It will take no other scent than that of Florentine Orrice.
229. _To sweeten the Breath._
Roll up a little ball of Gum Tragacanth, scent it with some odoriferous
Essence or Oil, and hold it in the mouth. A little Musk may be added to
the ball while rolling up, where that perfume is not disagreeable.
230. _Or,_
After having eat Garlic or Onions, chew a little raw Parsley. It will
infallibly take away their offensive smell.
231. _A Remedy for scorbutic Gums._
Bruise Cinquefoil in a marble mortar, squeeze out the juice, warm it
over the fire, and rub the Gums with it every night and morning.
232. _A Remedy for Moist Feet._
Take twenty pounds of Lee made of the Ashes of the Bay Tree, three
handfuls of Bay Leaves, a handful of Sweet Flag, with the same quantity
of Calamus Aromaticus, and Dittany of Crete; boil the whole together
for some time, then strain off the liquor, and add two quarts of Wine.
Steep your feet in this bath an hour every day, and in a short time
they will no longer exhale a disagreeable smell.
FLEAS.
233. _A certain Method of destroying Fleas._
Sprinkle the room with a decoction of Arsmart, Bitter Apple, Briar
Leaves, or Cabbage Leaves; or smoke it with burnt Thyme or Pennyroyal.
234. _Or,_
Put Tansy Leaves about different parts of the bed, viz. under the
matrass, or between the blankets.
235. _Or,_
Rub the bed-posts well with a strong decoction of Elder Leaves.
236. _Or,_
Mercurial Ointment, or a fumigation of Pennyroyal Leaves, or of
Brimstone, infallibly destroys Fleas; as likewise do the fresh Leaves
of Pennyroyal, tied up in a bag, and laid upon the bed.
WRINKLES.
237. _A Secret to take away Wrinkles._
Heat an Iron Shovel red hot, throw on it some Powder of Myrrh, and
receive the smoke on your face, covering the head with a napkin to
prevent its being dissipated. Repeat this operation three times,
then heat the Shovel again, and when fiery hot pour on it a mouthful
of White Wine. Receive the vapour of the Wine also on your face, and
repeat it three times. Continue this method every night and morning as
long as you find occasion.
CARMINES.
238. _A Rouge for the Face._
Alkanet Root strikes a beautiful red when mixed with Oils or Pomatums.
A Scarlet or Rose-coloured Ribband wetted with Water or Brandy, gives
the Cheeks, if rubbed with it, a beautiful bloom that can hardly be
distinguished from the natural colour. Others only use a Red Sponge,
which tinges the cheeks of a fine carnation colour.
239. _Another._
Alum, beat them together into a coarse powder, and boil in a sufficient
quantity of Red Wine, till two thirds of the Liquor are consumed. When
this decoction has stood till cold, rub a little on the cheeks with a
bit of cotton.
240. _The Turkish Method of preparing Carmine._
Infuse, during three or four days, in a large jar filled with White
Wine Vinegar, a pound of Brazil Wood Shavings of Fernambuca, having
first beaten them to a coarse powder; afterwards boil them together
half an hour; then strain off the Liquor through a coarse linen cloth,
set it again upon the fire, and having dissolved half a pound of Alum
in White Wine Vinegar, mix both Liquors together, and stir the mixture
well with a spatula. The scum that rises is the Carmine; skim it off
carefully, and dry it for use.
Carmine may also be made with Cochineal, or Red Sanders, instead Brazil
Wood.
241. _A Liquid Rouge that exactly imitates
Nature._
Take a pint of good Brandy, and infuse in it half an ounce of Gum
Benjamin, an ounce of Red Sanders, and half an ounce of Brazil Wood,
both in coarse powder; with half an ounce of Roch Alum. Cork the bottle
tight, shake it well every day, and at the expiration of twelve days
the Liquor will be fit for use. Touch the cheeks lightly with this
Tincture, and it will scarcely be possible to perceive that rouge has
been laid on, it will so nearly resemble the natural bloom.
242. _An Oil that possesses the same Property._
Take ten pounds of Sweet Almonds, an ounce of Red Sanders in powder,
and an ounce of bruised Cloves; pour on them a gill of White Wine, and
three quarters of a gill of Rose-water; stir them well every day. At
the end of eight or nine days, squeeze the paste in a press in the same
manner as when you mean to extract Oil of Almonds.
SWEET-SCENTED BAGS.
243. _A Sweet-Scented Bag to wear in the Pocket._
Take thin Persian, and make it into little bags about four inches wide,
in the form of an oblong square. Rub the inside lightly with a little
Civet, then fill them with coarse powder a la Marechale, or any other
odoriferous Powder you choose; to which add a few Cloves, with a little
Yellow Sanders beaten small, and sew up the mouths of the bags.
244. _Bags to Scent Linen._
Take Rose Leaves dried in the shade, Cloves beat to a gross powder, and
Mace, scraped; mix them together, and put the composition into little
bags.
245. _An agreeable Sweet-Scented Composition._
Take Florentine Orrice, a pound and a half; Rose Wood, six ounces;
Calamus Aromaticus, half a pound; Yellow Sanders, a quarter of a pound;
Gum Benjamin, five ounces; Cloves, half an ounce; and Cinnamon, an
ounce: beat the whole into powder, and fill your bags with it.
246. _Ingredients for various Sorts of these little Bags or Satchels._
For this purpose may be used different parts of the Aromatic Plants; as
Leaves of Southernwood, Dragon-wort, Balm, Mint both garden and wild,
Dittany, Ground-ivy, Bay, Hyssop, Lovage, Sweet Marjoram, Origanum,
Pennyroyal, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Scordium, and Wild Thyme. The
Flowers of the Orange, Lemon, Lime, and Citron Tree, Saffron, Lavender,
Roses, Lily of the Valley, Clove-july-flower, Wall-flower, Jonquil, and
Mace. Fruits, as Aniseeds, &c. The Rinds of Lemons, Oranges, &c. Small
green Oranges, Juniper-berries, Nutmegs, and Cloves. Roots of Acorus,
Bohemian Angelica, Oriental Costus, Sweet Flag, Orrice, Zedoary, &c.
The Woods of Rhodium, Juniper, Cassia, St. Lucia, Sanders, &c. Gums, as
Frankincense, Myrrh, Storax, Benjamin, Labdanum, Ambergrise, and Amber.
Barks, as Canella Alba, Cinnamon, &c.
Care must be taken that all these ingredients are perfectly dry,
and kept in a dry place. To prevent their turning black, add a
little common Salt. When you choose to have any particular Flower
predominant, a greater quantity of that plant must be used in
proportion to the other ingredients.
WASH-BALLS.
247. _White Soap._
This soap is made with one part of the Lees of Spanish Pot-ash and
Quick-lime, to two parts of Oil of Olives or Oil of Almonds.
248. _Honey Soap._
Take four ounces of White Soap, and as much Honey, half an ounce
of Salt of Tartar, and two or three drachms of the distilled Water
of Fumitory; mix the whole together. This Soap cleanses the skin
well, and renders it delicately white and smooth. It is also used
advantageously, to efface the marks of burns and scalds.
249. _A perfumed Soap._
Take four ounces of Marsh-mallow Roots skinned and dried in the shade,
powder them, and add an ounce of Starch, the same quantity of Wheaten
Flour, six drachms of fresh Pine-nut Kernels, two ounces of blanched
Almonds, an ounce and a half of Orange Kernels husked, two ounces
of Oil of Tartar, the same quantity of Oil of Sweet Almonds, and
thirty grains of Musk: thoroughly incorporate the whole, and add to
every ounce, half an ounce of Florentine Orrice-root in fine powder.
Then steep half a pound of fresh Marsh-mallow Roots bruised in the
distilled Water of Mallows, or Orange Flowers, for twelve hours, and
forcibly squeezing out the liquor, make, with this mucilage, and the
preceding Powders and Oils, a stiff Paste, which is to be dried in
the shade, and formed into round balls. Nothing exceeds this Soap for
smoothing the skin, or rendering the hands delicately white.
250. _Fine scented Wash-ball._
Take of the best White Soap, half a pound, and shave it into thin
slices with a knife; then take two ounces and a half of Florentine
Orrice, three quarters of an ounce of Calamus Aromaticus, and the same
quantity of Elder Flowers; of Cloves, and dried Rose Leaves, each
half an ounce; Coriander-seeds, Lavender, and Bay Leaves, of each a
drachm, with three drachms of Storax. Reduce the whole to fine powder,
which knead into a Paste with the Soap; adding a few grains of Musk or
Ambergrise. When you make this Paste into Wash-balls, soften it with
a little Oil of Almonds to render the composition more lenient. Too
much cannot be said in favour of this Wash-ball, with regard to its
cleansing and cosmetic property.
251. _A Wash-ball, an excellent Cosmetic for the Face and Hands._
Take a pound of Florentine Orrice, a quarter of a pound of Storax,
two ounces of Yellow Sanders, half an ounce of Cloves, as much fine
Cinnamon, a Nutmeg, and twelve grains of Ambergrise; beat the whole
into very fine powder and sift them through a lawn sieve, all except
the Ambergrise, which is to be added afterwards. Then take two pounds
of the finest White Soap, shaved small, and infuse it in three pints of
Brandy, four or five days. When it is dissolved, add a little Orange
Flower-water, and knead the whole into a very stiff Paste with the
best Starch finely powdered. Then mix the Ambergrise, with a little
Gum Tragacanth liquefied in sweet-scented Water. Of this Paste make
Wash-balls; dry them in the shade, and polish them with a Paste-board
or Lignum Vitæ cup.
252. _Bologna Wash-balls._
Take a pound of Italian Soap cut in small bits, and a quarter of a
pound of Lime; pour on them two quarts of Brandy, let them ferment
together twenty-four hours, then spread the mass on a sheet of
filtring paper to dry. When quite dry, beat it in a marble mortar,
with half an ounce of St. Lucia Wood, an ounce and a half of Yellow
Sanders, half an ounce of Orrice-root, and as much Calamus Aromaticus,
all finely powdered. Knead the whole into a Paste with Whites of Eggs,
and a quarter of a pound of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Rose-water, and
then form it into Wash-balls according to the usual method.
253. _An excellent Wash-ball for the Complexion._
Take two ounces of Venetian Soap; dissolve it in two ounces of Lemon
Juice, an ounce of Oil of Bitter Almonds, and the same quantity of
Oil of Tartar. Mix the whole together, and stir the mixture till it
acquires the consistence of a thick Paste.
254. _Seraglio Wash-balls._
Take a pound of Florentine Orrice-roots, a quarter of a pound of Gum
Benjamin, two ounces of Storax, two ounces of Yellow Sanders, half
an ounce of Cloves, a drachm of Cinnamon, a little Lemon-peel, an
ounce of St. Lucia Wood, and one Nutmeg. Reduce the whole to fine
powder; then take about two pounds or White Soap shaved thin, steep
it with the above Powder in three pints of Brandy, four or five days.
Afterwards kneading the mass with a sufficient quantity of Starch,
and adding to it the Whites of Eggs, with Gum Tragacanth dissolved in
some odoriferous Water, form the Paste into Wash-balls of what size
you please. A few grains of Musk or Civet, or a little Essential Oil
of Lavender, Bergamot, Roses, Cloves, Clove-july-flowers, Jasmine,
Cinnamon, in short, any that best pleases the fancy of the person who
prepares these Wash-balls, may be incorporated with the Paste while
forming into a mass.
255. _A Hepatic Salt, to preserve the Complexion._
Take Roots of Agrimony, two pounds; Roots of Succory and Scorzonera, of
each a pound; Bitter Costus and Turmeric, of each half a pound; Calamus
Aromaticus and Rhapontic, of each a quarter of a pound; Wormwood,
Southernwood, Sweet Maudlin, Harts-tongue, Fluellin, Liverwort,
Fumitory, and Dodder of Thyme, of each three ounces; calcine the whole
in a reverberatory furnace, and add Ashes of Rhubarb and Cassia Lignea
of each an ounce and a half. Make a lee with these Ashes in a decoction
of the Flowers of Liverwort, and extract the Salt according to art.
This Salt causes the bile to flow freely, removes obstructions, cures
the jaundice, takes away a sallow complexion, and imparts to the skin
the ruddy vermillion bloom of health. Its dose is from twenty-four to
thirty-six grains, in any convenient vehicle.
EYE-BROWS.
256. _To change the Eye-brows black._
Rub them frequently with ripe Elder-berries. Some use burnt Cork, or
Cloves burnt in the candle; others prefer the Black of Frankincense,
Rosin, and Mastic. This Black will not melt nor come off by sweating.
MARKS OF THE SKIN.
257. _To efface Spots or Marks of the Mother, on any Part of the Body._
Steep in Vinegar of Roses, or strong White Wine Vinegar, Borrage Roots
stripped of their small adhering fibres, and let them stand to infuse
twelve or fourteen hours. Bathe the part affected frequently with this
Infusion, and in time the marks will totally disappear.
258. _Or,_
Take, towards the end of the month of May, the Roots and Leaves of the
herb Bennet; distil them with a sufficient quantity of Water in an
alembic, and frequently foment the marks with the distilled Water.
259. _To take away Marks, and fill up the Cavities left after the
Small-Pox._
Take Oil of the four larger Cold Seeds, Oil of Eggs, and Oil of Sweet
Almonds, of each half an ounce; Plantain and Nightshade Water, of each
three quarters of an ounce; Litharge and Ceruss finely powdered and
washed in Rose-water, of each a drachm. Put the Litharge and Ceruss
into a brass pot, and incorporate them over a fire, with the Oils,
adding the latter gradually, and stirring the mixture all the while.
Then add by degrees also the Nightshade and Plantain Water, and thus
form a Liniment, with which anoint the face of the patient as soon
as the scabs of the Small-pox begin to scale off; and repeat the
application as occasion may require.
COMPLEXION.
260. _Certain Methods to improve the Complexion._
Brown ladies should frequently bathe themselves, and wash their faces
with a few drops of Spirit of Wine, sometimes with Virgin's Milk,
and the distilled Waters of Pimpernel, White Tansy, Bean Flowers,
&c. These detersive penetrating applications, by degrees remove the
kind of varnish that covers the skin, and thus render more free the
perspiration, which is the only real cosmetic.
261. _The Montpellier Toilet._
For this purpose a new light-woven linen cloth must be procured, and
cut of a proper size to make a toilet. The first step you take must
be to wash the cloth perfectly clean in several different Waters,
then spread it out to dry, and afterwards steep it twenty-four hours
in Sweet-scented Water, viz. half Angelic, and half Rose-water. On
removing the cloth out of the water, gently squeeze it, and hang it up
to dry in the open air. Then lay on it the following composition.
Take dried Orange Flowers, Roots of Elecampane, and Florentine Orrice,
of each half a pound; of Yellow Sanders, four ounces; of the Marc or
Residuum of Angelic Water, two ounces; of Rose-wood and Sweet Flag,
each an ounce; of Gum Labdanum, Calamus Aromaticus, and Cloves, each
half an ounce; of Cinnamon, two drachms; beat all these ingredients
into powder, and make them into a Paste with Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth
dissolved in Angelic Water. Rub this Paste hard on both sides of
your cloth, leaving on it the little bits that may adhere, because
they render the surface more smooth. Afterwards hang up the cloth,
and when half dry, again rub both sides, with a sponge wetted with
Angelic Water, to render the cloth yet more smooth; after which dry it
thoroughly, and fold it up. This cloth is generally lined with taffety,
and covered with sattin, and is never enclosed within more than two
pieces of some kind of thin silk, as Taffety, &c.
262. _Sweet-scented Troches to correct a bad Breath._
Take Frankincense, a scruple; Ambergrise, fifteen grains; Musk, seven
grains: Oil of Lemons, six drops; double refined Sugar, an ounce. Form
these ingredients into little Troches with Mucilage of Gum Arabic, made
with Cinnamon Water. Hold one or two in the mouth as often occasion
requires.
263. _A curious Varnish for the Face._
Fill into a bottle three quarters of a pint of good Brandy, infusing
in it an ounce of Gum Sandarach, and half an ounce of Gum Benjamin.
Frequently shake the bottle till the Gums are wholly dissolved, and
then let it stand to settle.
Apply this varnish after having washed the face clean, and it will give
the skin the finest lustre imaginable.
WARTS.
264. _A Medicine to cure Warts._
Take the Leaves of Campanula, bruise them, and rub them upon the warts.
Repeat this operation three or four times, if they prove obstinate;
and they will afterwards soon waste away without leaving the least
mark behind. This plant perhaps is not to be met with every where, but
Botanists have described it by the following marks. Its leaves, say
they, resemble those of the Blue Bell Flower, or Ivy, are stringy,
composed of five lobes, without down, are small at the end, and have a
loose flabby stalk.
265. _Another._
Take the inner Rind of a Lemon, steep it four and twenty hours in
distilled Vinegar, and apply it to the warts. It must not be left on
the part above three hours at a time, and is to be applied afresh every
day.
266. _Or,_
Divide a Red Onion, and rub the warts well with it.
267. _Or,_
Anoint the warts with the milky Juice of the herb Mercury several
times, and they will gradually waste away.
268. _Another safe and experienced Method._
Rub the warts with a pared Pippin, and a few days afterwards they will
be found to disappear.
VINEGARS.
269. _Distilled Vinegar._
Fill a stone cucurbit about three parts and a half full of White Wine
Vinegar; place the vessel in a furnace so contrived as to contain
three parts of the height of the cucurbit; mould the openings that
remain between the sides and the upper part of the vessel with clay
tempered with water; lute the vessel, fix on a receiver, and begin your
distillation with a moderate fire, which is to be increased by degrees
till about five sixths of the Vinegar are drawn off, which is called
Distilled Vinegar. A small quantity of acid Liquor still remains in the
cucurbit of the consistence of Honey, which if you think proper may be
dried hard by the assistance of a vapour-bath. The Vinegar distilled
from this substance is infinitely more acid, than that which was drawn
off by the first process.
To rectify distilled Vinegar, put it into a clean vessel, setting it
in the same degree of fire as at first to separate more phlegm, and in
every thing proceed as before, till the bottom is almost dry. Neither
the fire nor distillation however must be urged too far, for fear of
giving an empyreumatic flavour to that which is already distilled.
Distilled Vinegar is used externally, mixed with Water, to wash the
face: it is cooling, and takes away the troublesome little pimples that
sometimes affect this part.
270. _Distilled Lavender Vinegar._
Put into a stone cucurbit any quantity of fresh-gathered Lavender
Flowers picked clean from the Stalks; pour on them as much distilled
Vinegar as is requisite to make the Flowers float; distil in a
vapour-bath, and draw off about three fourths of the Vinegar.
In the same manner are prepared the Vinegars from all other vegetable
substances. Compound Vinegars are made by mixing several aromatic
substances together; observing only to bruise all hard woody
ingredients, and to let them infuse a sufficient time in the Vinegar
before you proceed to distillation.
Lavender Vinegar is of use for the Toilet; it is cooling, and when
applied to the face, braces up the relaxed fibres of the skin.
271. _Vinegar of the Four Thieves._
Take of the tops of Sea and Roman Wormwood, Rosemary, Sage, Mint and
Rue, of each an ounce and a half; Lavender Flowers two ounces, Calamus
Aromaticus, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, and Garlic, of each a quarter of
an ounce; Camphire, half an ounce; Red Wine Vinegar, a gallon. Choose
all the foregoing ingredients dry, except the Garlic and Camphire; beat
them into gross powder, and cut the Garlic into thin slices; put the
whole into a matrass; pour the Vinegar on them, and digest the mixture
in the sun, or in a gentle sand-heat, for three weeks or a month. Then
strain off the Vinegar by expression, filter it through paper, and add
the Camphire dissolved in a little rectified Spirit of Wine. Keep it
for use in a bottle, tightly corked.
The Vinegar of the Four Thieves is antipestilential, and is used
successfully as a preservative against contagious disorders. The hands
and face are washed with it every day; the room fumigated with it, as
are also the clothes, in order to secure the person from infection.
EYES.
272. _To cure watery Eyes._
Prepare a decoction with the Leaves of Betony, Fennel Roots, and a
little fine Frankincense, which use as an Eye-water.
273. _Or,_
Frequently bathe the Eyes with a decoction of Chervil.
274. _Or,_
Drop into the Eyes now and then a little Juice of Rue, mixed with
clarified Honey.
275. _An excellent Ophthalmic Lotion._
Take White Vitriol and Bay Salt, of each an ounce; decrepitate them
together, and when the detonation is over, pour on them, in an earthen
pan, a pint of boiling Water or Rose-water. Stir them together, and
let them stand some hours. A variously coloured skin will be formed on
the surface, which carefully skim off, and put the clear liquor into a
bottle for use.
This was communicated to the author as a great secret; and indeed he
has found it by experience very safely to cool and repel those sharp
humours that sometimes fall upon the Eyes, and to clear the latter of
beginning films and specks. If too sharp, it may be diluted with a
little Rose-water.
276. _An Ophthalmic Poultice._
Take half a pint of Alum Curd, and mix with it a sufficient quantity
of Red Rose Leaves powdered, to give it a proper consistence. This is
an excellent application for sore moist eyes, and admirably cools and
represses defluxions.
277. _A Poultice for inflamed Eyes._
Take half a pint of a decoction of Linseed in Water, and as much Flour
of Linseed as is sufficient to make it of a proper consistence. This
Poultice is preferable to a Bread and Milk Poultice for inflamed Eyes,
as it will not grow sour and acrid.
278. _Sir Hans Sloane's Eye Salve._
Take prepared Tutty, one ounce; prepared Bloodstone, two scruples;
Aloes in fine powder, twelve grains; mix them well together in a
marble mortar, with as much Viper's Fat as is requisite to bring the
whole to the consistence of a soft salve. It is to be applied with a
hair pencil, the eyes winking or a little opened. It has cured many
whose eyes were covered with opake films and scabs, left by preceding
disorders of those parts.
279. _An Ophthalmic Fomentation._
Take three quarters of an ounce of White Poppy Heads bruised with their
Seeds, and boil them in Milk and Water, of each half a pint, till one
half is wasted away; then dissolve in the strained Liquor a scruple of
Sugar of Lead. This is an excellent application for moist, or inflamed
Eyes.
280. _A Simple Remedy to strengthen the Sight._
Snuff up the Juice of Eyebright, and drop a little into the eyes. It
not only clears and strengthen the sight, but takes off all specks,
films, mists, or suffusions.
Herb Snuffs are also excellent to strengthen and preserve the sight;
various Receipts for making which will afterwards be given.
SUPPLEMENT.
Manner of taking out all Kinds of SPOTS and STAINS
from LINEN and STUFFS; and various other useful
Receipts.
281. _To take Iron Mould out of Linen._
Hold the Iron Mould over the Fume of Boiling Water for some time, then
pour on the spot a little Juice of Sorrel and a little Salt, and when
the cloth has thoroughly imbibed the Juice, wash it in Lee.
282. _To take out Stains of Oil._
Take Windsor Soap shaved thin, put it into a bottle half full of Lee,
throw in the size of a Nut of Sal Armoniac, a little Cabbage Juice, two
Yolks of new-laid Eggs, and Ox-gall at discretion, and lastly an ounce
of powdered Tartar: then cork the bottle, and expose it to the heat of
the noon-day sun four days, at the expiration of which time it becomes
fit for use. Pour this Liquor on the stains, and rub it well on both
sides of the cloth; then wash the stains with clear Water, or rather
with the following soap, and when the cloth is dry, they will no longer
appear.
283. _Scowering Balls._
Take soft Soap, or Fuller's Earth; mix it with Vine Ashes sifted
through a fine sieve, and with powdered Chalk, Alum, and Tartar, of
each equal parts; form the mass into balls, which dry in the shade.
Their use is to rub on spots and stains, washing the spotted part
afterwards in clear Water.
284. _To take out Stains of Coomb._
Put Butter on the stain, and rub it well with a piece of brown paper
laid on a heated silver spoon; then wash the whole in the same manner
as directed for spots of Wax.
285. _To take out Stains of Urine._
Wash the stained place well with boiled Urine, and afterwards wash it
in clear Water.
286. _To take out Stains on Cloth of whatever Colour._
Take half a pound of Honey, the size of a Nut of Sal Armoniac, and the
Yolk of an Egg; mix them together, and put a little of this mixture on
the stain, letting it remain till dry. Then wash the cloth with fair
Water, and the stains will disappear. Water impregnated with mineral
Alkaline Salt or Soda, Ox-gall, and Black Soap, is also very good to
take out spots of grease.
287. _To take out Spots of Ink._
As soon as the accident happens, wet the place with Juice of Sorrel, or
Lemon, or with Vinegar, and the best hard White Soap.
288. _To take out Spots of Pitch and Turpentine._
Pour a good deal of Sallad Oil on the stained place, and let it dry on
it four and twenty hours; then rub the inside of the cloth with the
Scowering Ball and warm Water.
289. _To take out Spots of Oil on Sattin and other Stuffs, and on
Paper._
If the spot be not of long standing, take the Ashes of Sheep's Trotters
calcined, and apply them hot both under and upon the spot. Lay on it
something heavy, letting it remain all night; and if in the morning the
spot is not entirely effaced, renew the application repeatedly till it
wholly disappear.
290. _To take out Spots on Silk._
Rub the Spots with Spirit of Turpentine; this Spirit exhaling, carries
off with it the Oil that causes the Spot.
291. _Balls to take out Stains._
Take an ounce of Quick-lime, half a pound of Soap, and a quarter of a
pound of White Clay; moisten the whole with Water, and make it into
little balls, with which rub the stains, and afterwards wash them with
fair water.
292. _To clean Gold and Silver Lace._
Take the Gall of an Ox and of a Pike, mixed well together in fair
Water, and rub the gold or silver with this composition.
293. _To restore to Tapestry its original Lustre._
Shake well, and thoroughly clean the tapestry; then rub it twice over
with Chalk, which, after remaining seven or eight hours each time, is
to be brushed off with a hard brush; the tapestry being likewise well
beaten with a stick, and shaked.
294. _To clean Turkey Carpets._
To revive the colour of a Turkey Carpet, beat it well with a stick,
till the dust is all got out; then with Lemon or Sorrel Juice take out
the spots of ink, if the carpet be stained with any; wash it in cold
Water, and afterwards shake out all the Water from the threads of the
carpet. When it is thoroughly dry, rub it all over with the Crumb of a
hot Wheaten Loaf; and if the weather is very fine, hang it out in the
open air a night or two.
295. _To refresh Tapestry, Carpets, Hangings, or Chairs._
Beat the dust out of them on a dry day as clean as possible, and brush
them well with a dry brush. Afterwards rub them well over with a good
lather of Castile Soap, laid on with a brush. Wash off the froth with
common Water; then wash the tapestry, &c. with Alum Water. When the
cloth is dry, you will find most of the colours restored. Those that
are yet too faint, touch up with a pencil dipped in suitable colours,
and indeed you may run over the whole piece in the same manner with
water colours, mixed with weak gum water, and, if well done, it will
cause the tapestry, &c. to look at a distance like new.
296. _To take Wax out of Silk or Camblet._
Take Soft Soap, rub it well on the spots of wax, dry it in the sun till
it grows very hot, then wash the spotted part with cold Water, and the
wax will be entirely taken out.
297. _To take Wax out of Velvet of all Colours except Crimson._
Take a Crummy Wheaten Loaf, cut it in two, toast it before the fire,
and while very hot, apply it to the part spotted with wax. Then apply
another piece of toasted Bread hot as before, and continue to repeat
this application till the wax is entirely taken out.
298. _To wash Gold or Silver Work on Linen, or any other Stuff, so as
to look like new._
Take a pound of Ox-gall; Honey and Soap, of each three ounces;
Florentine Orrice in fine powder, three ounces; mix the whole in a
glass vessel into a Paste, and expose it to the sun during ten days;
then make a decoction of Bran, and strain it clear. Plaster over with
your bitter Paste, the places you want to clean, and afterwards wash
off the Paste with the Bran-water, till the latter is no longer tinged.
Then wipe with a clean linen cloth the places you have washed; cover
them with a clean napkin, dry them in the sun, press and glaze, and the
work will look as well as when new.
299. _To take Spots out of Silken or Woollen Stuffs._
Take a sufficient quantity of the finest Starch, wet it in an earthen
pipkin with Brandy, rub a little on the spots, let it dry on them, and
then brush it off; repeat this operation till the spots are wholly
taken out. You must be careful to beat and brush well the place on
which the Starch was applied.
300. _To take Stains of Oil out of Cloth._
Take Oil of Tartar, pour a little on the spot, immediately wash the
place with warm Water, and two or three times after with cold Water,
and the spot will entirely disappear.
301. _To take Stains out of White Cloth._
Boil an ounce of Alum in a gallon and a half of Water, for half an
hour, then add a piece of White Soap, and half a ounce more of Alum,
and after it has stood in cold infusion two days, wash with this
mixture stains in any kind of white cloth.
302. _To take Stains out of Crimson Velvet, and coloured Velvets._
Take a quart of strong Lee made with Vine Ashes, dissolve in it half
an ounce of Alum; and when the mixture has settled, strain it through
a linen cloth. Then take half a drachm of soft Soap, and the same
quantity of Castile Soap, a drachm of Alum, half a drachm of Crude Sal
Armoniac, a scruple of common Salt, a little Loaf Sugar, Juice of
Celandine, and the Gall of a Calf; mix the whole well, and strain off
the Liquor. When you want to use it, take a little Brazil Wood Shavings
with some Scarlet Flocks, boil them in this Liquor, and when strained
off, it will be very good to take spots or stains out of crimson velvet
or cloth. For velvets or cloths of other colours, you dye your Liquor
of the proper colour, by boiling in it some Flocks of the same colour
as the cloth you intend to clean.
303. _A Soap that takes out all manner of Spots and Stains._
Take the Yolks of six Eggs, half a table spoonful of bruised Salt,
and a pound of Venetian Soap; mix the whole together with the Juice
of Beet-roots, and form it into round balls, that are to be dried in
the shade. The method of using this Soap is to wet with fair Water
the stained part of the cloth, and rub both sides of it well with this
Soap; then wash the cloth in Water, and the stain will no longer appear.
304. _Another Method to take Spots or Stains out of White Silk or
Crimson Velvet._
First soak the place well with Brandy or Spirit of Wine, then rub it
over with the White of a new-laid Egg, and dry it in the sun. Wash
it briskly in cold Water, rubbing the place where the spot is, hard
between the fingers; and repeat this operation a second and even a
third time, if it has not previously succeeded.
305. _A Receipt to clean Gloves without wetting._
Lay the Gloves upon a clean board; and mix together Fuller's Earth and
Powder of Alum very dry, which lay over them on both sides with a
moderately stiff brush. Then sweep off the Powder, sprinkle them well
with Bran and Whiting, and dust them thoroughly. If not very greasy,
this will render them as clean as when new; but if they are extremely
greasy, rub them with stale Crumb of Bread, and Powder of burnt Bones,
then pass them over with a woollen Cloth dipped in Fuller's Earth or
Alum Powder.
306. _To colour Gloves._
If you want to colour them of a dark colour, take Spanish Brown and
Black Earth; if lighter, Yellow Ochre and Whiting, and so of the rest;
mix the colour with Size of a moderate strength, then wet the Gloves
over with the Colour, and hang them to dry gradually. Beat out the
superfluous Colour, smooth them over with a sleeking stick, and reduce
them to a proper size.
307. _To wash Point Lace._
Draw the Lace pretty tight in a frame, then with a lather of Castile
Soap a little warm, rub it over gently by means of a fine brush. When
you perceive it clean on one side, turn it, and rub the other in the
same manner; then throw over the Lace some Alum-water, taking off the
Suds, and with some thin Starch go over the wrong side of the Lace;
iron it on the same side when dry, and raise the flowers with a bodkin.
308. _To clean Point Lace without washing._
Fix the lace in a frame, and rub it with Crumb of stale Bread, which
afterwards dust out.
309. _To wash black and white Sarcenet._
Lay the silk smooth upon a board, spread a little Soap over the dirty
places, make a lather with Castile Soap, and with a fine brush dipped
in it, pass over the silk the right way, viz. lengthways, and continue
so to do till that side is sufficiently scowered. Then turn the silk,
scower the other side in the same manner, and put the silk into boiling
Water, where it must lie some time; afterwards rince it in thin Gum
Water; if white silk, add a little Smalt. This being done, fold the
silk, clapping or pressing out the water with your hands on a dry
Carpet, till it become tolerably dry; if white, dry it over the Smoak
of Brimstone till ready for smoothing, which is to be done on the right
side with an Iron moderately hot.
310. _A Soap to take out all Kinds of Stains._
Boil a handful of Strawberries or Strawberry Leaves in a quart of Water
and a pint of Vinegar, adding two pounds of Castile Soap; and half a
pound of Chalk in fine powder; boil them together till the water has
evaporated. When you use it, wet the place with the sharpest Vinegar or
Verjuice, and rub it over with this Soap; dry it afterwards before the
fire or in the sun.
311. _An expeditious Method to take Stains out of Scarlet, or Velvet of
any other Colour._
Take Soapwort, when bruised strain out its Juice, and add to it a small
quantity of black Soap. Wash the Stain with this Liquor, suffering it
to dry between whiles; and by this means, in a day or two the Spots
will disappear.
DIFFERENT WAYS OF PREPARING SNUFF.
312. _Method of making Snuff._
First strip off the Stalks and large fibres of the Tobacco, then spread
the Leaves on a mat or carpet to dry in the sun, afterwards rub them
in a mortar, and sift the powder through a coarse or fine sieve,
according to the degree of fineness you would have your snuff; or
grind the Tobacco Leaves, prepared in the manner before directed, in a
snuff-mill, either into a gross or fine powder, according as you press
close or ease the mill-stone.
313. _Method of cleansing Snuff in order to scent it._
Fix a thick linen cloth in a little tub that has a hole in the bottom,
stopped with a plug that can easily be taken out, to let the water run
off when wanted. This cloth must cover the whole inside of the tub,
and be fastened all round the rim. Put your Snuff in it, and pour on
the Water. When it has been steeped twenty-four hours, let the Water
run out, and pour on fresh; repeat this operation three times, if you
would have the Snuff thoroughly cleansed, and every time squeeze the
Snuff hard in the cloth, to discharge the Water entirely from it. Then
place your Snuff on an ozier hurdle covered with a thick linen cloth,
and let it dry in the sun; when it is thoroughly dry, put it again
into the tub, with a sufficient quantity of Angelic, Orange Flower, or
Rose-water. At the expiration of twenty-four hours take the Snuff out
of the water, and dry it as before, frequently stirring it about, and
sprinkling it with the same sweet-scented Water as was used at first.
The whole of this preparation is absolutely necessary to render Snuff
fit to receive the scent of Flowers.
If the Snuff is not required to be of a very excellent quality, and
you are unwilling to waste more of it than can possibly be avoided,
wash it only once, and slightly cleanse it. This purgation may the
better suffice, if while drying in the sun, you take care to knead
the Snuff into a cake several times, and often sprinkle it with some
sweet-scented Water.
314. _Method of scenting Snuff._
The Flowers that most readily communicate their flavour to Snuff are
Orange Flowers, Jasmine, Musk Roses, and Tuberoses. You must procure
a box lined with dry white paper; in this strow your Snuff on the
bottom about the thickness of an inch, over which place a thin layer of
Flowers, then another layer of Snuff, and continue to lay your Flowers
and Snuff alternately in this manner, until the box is full. After they
have lain together four and twenty hours, sift your Snuff through a
sieve to separate it from the Flowers, which are to be thrown away,
and fresh ones applied in their room in the former method. Continue
to do this till the Snuff is sufficiently scented; then put it into a
canister, which keep close stopped.
315. _Or,_
Put your Flowers that are placed over each layer of the Snuff, between
two pieces of white paper pricked full of holes with a large pin, and
sift through a sieve the Snuff that may happen to get between the
papers. To scent the Snuff perfectly it is necessary to renew the
Flowers four or five times. This method is the least troublesome of the
two.
A very agreeable scented Snuff may be made with Roses, by taking
Rose-buds, stripping off the green cup, and pistil that rises in the
middle, and fixing in its place a Clove; being careful not to separate
the Leaves that are closed together. The Rose-buds thus prepared, are
to be exposed to the heat of the sun a whole month, inclosed in a glass
well stopped, and are then fit for use.
To make Snuff scented with a thousand Flowers, take a number of
different Flowers, and mix them together, proportioning the quantity of
each Flower, to the degree of its perfume, so that the flavour of no
one particular Flower may be predominant.
316. _Perfumed Snuff._
Take some Snuff, and rub it in your hands with a little Civet, opening
the body of the Civet still more by rubbing it in your hands with fresh
Snuff; and when you have mixed it perfectly with the Snuff, put them
into a canister. Snuff is flavoured with other perfumes in the same way.
317. _Or,_
Perfume your Snuff by mixing it well with the hands, in a heated iron
or brass mortar, besmeared with a few grains of Ambergrise.
318. _Snuff after the Maltese Fashion._
Perfume with Ambergrise, in the manner already described, some Snuff
previously scented with Orange Flowers. Then grind in a mortar a little
Sugar with about ten grains of Civet, and mix by little and little with
about a pound of the foregoing Snuff.
319. _The Genuine Maltese Snuff._
Take Roots of Liquorice, and Roots of the Rose-bush, peel off their
outer skin, dry them, powder them, and sift the powder through a fine
sieve, then scent them according to your fancy, or in the same manner
as French Snuff, adding a little White Wine, Brandy, or a very little
Spirit of Wine, and rubbing the Snuff well between your hands.
320. _Italian Snuff._
Put into a mortar, or other convenient vessel, a quantity of Snuff
already scented with some Flower, pour on it a little White Wine, and
add, if agreeable, some Essence of Ambergrise, Musk, or any other
Perfume you like best; stir the Snuff and rub it well between your
hands. Scent Snuff in this manner with any particular flavour, and put
the different scented Snuffs in separate boxes, which are to be marked,
to prevent mistakes.
321. _Snuff scented after the Spanish Manner._
Take a lump of double-refined Sugar, rub it in a mortar with twenty
grains of Musk; add by little and little a pound of Snuff, and grind
the whole with ten grains of Civet, rubbing it afterwards well between
your hands.
Seville Snuff is scented with twenty grains of Vanilloes only. Keep
your Snuff in canisters closely stopped, to prevent the scent from
exhaling.
As Spanish Snuff is very fine and of a reddish colour, to imitate it
nicely, take the best Dutch Snuff, well cleansed, granulated, and
coloured red; beat it fine, and sift it through a very fine lawn sieve.
After it has been cleansed according to the foregoing directions, it is
fit to take any scent whatever.
There is no risk in using a sieve that retains the scent of any Flower,
to perfume your Snuff with the flavour of Musk, Ambergrise, or any
other Perfume. On the contrary, the Snuff receives the Perfume the more
readily, and preserves its flavour the longer on that account.
322. _Method of dying Snuff Red or Yellow._
Take the size of a nut or two of Yellow or Red Ochre, and to temper
the colour mix with it a little White Chalk. Grind these colours
on a marble, with a little less than half an ounce of Oil of Sweet
Almonds, and moisten with as much Water as the colour will take up,
till it becomes a smooth Paste. Then mix it with a thin Mucilage of
Gum Tragacanth to a proper consistence, and put it into an earthen
dish, stirring into it about a pint more of Water. Afterwards take any
quantity of cleansed Snuff you please, throw it upon the colour, and
rub it well between your hands. When the Paste is thoroughly tinged
with the colour, leave it till next morning to settle, then spread it
thin on a cloth to dry, and place it in the sun, stirring it about
every now and then that it may dry equally. When dry, gum it with a
very thin Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth made with some sweet-scented
Water. To gum the Snuff as equally as possible, wet the palms of
your hands with this Gum Water, and rub the Snuff well between them.
Afterwards dry it in the sun, and sift the colour that does not adhere
to it through a very fine sieve. The Snuff is then properly prepared to
receive any flavour you choose.
323. _Herb Snuff._
Take Sweet Marjoram, Marum Syriacum Leaves, and Lavender Flowers dried,
of each half an ounce, Asarabacca Leaves, a drachm. Rub them all into a
powder.
324. _Or,_
Take Betony Leaves and Marjoram, of each half an ounce; Asarabacca
Leaves, a drachm. Beat them together into a powder.
325. _Or,_
Take Marjoram, Rosemary Flowers, Betony, and Flowers of Lilies of the
Valley, of each a quarter of an ounce; Nutmegs, a drachm and a half;
Volatile Salt, forty drops. Powder, and keep the mixture in a phial,
close stopped.
326. _Or,_
Take Flowers of Lavender, and Clove-july-flowers, of each a quarter
of an ounce; Lilies of the Valley, Tiel-tree Flowers, Flowers of
Sage, Betony, Rosemary, and Tops of Marjoram, of each half a drachm;
Cinnamon, Aloes-wood, Yellow Sanders, and White Helebore-root, of each
a drachm; Oil of Nutmegs and Oil of Lemons, of each three drops; mix
them into a powder.
A pinch or two of any of these Snuffs may be taken night and morning
medicinally, or at any time for pleasure. Used externally, they are
serviceable for weak eyes and many disorders of the organs of sight and
hearing. They also relieve headaches, giddiness, palsies, lethargies,
besides a variety of other complaints; and are, though agreeable and
simple, far superior to what is sold under the name of Herb Snuff.
FINIS.
Transcriber's Notes.
There were large number of printing errors in this publication. The
following words have been changed:
Eition is now edition
To it is now it to
Receips is now receipts
Cassolete is now cassolette
Whitloes is now whitlows
With with was repeated and amended
Fisrt is now first
Aftewards is now afterwards
Died is now dyed
Magisterail magisterial
Gont is now gout
Agrreeable is now agreeable
Viguor is now vigour
Suprisingly is now surprisingly
Chich is now chick
Squeese is now squeeze
Quantiiy is now quantity
Aud is now and
Cloaths is now clothes
Und is now and
Plantane is now plantain
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