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.