Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/79

 1868.] Stained Glass. 59 artist of the present day, produce stained glass equal to the ancient ? The art was said to have been lost. This I be- lieve to have been a mistake, although, no doubt, it fell into disuse for nearly four centuries, yet we have records of various artists, who now and again would be employed, principally in restoring the cathedrals and churches ; and some- times with very poor results. Still it shows the art was not wholly lost, though it is only in the present century that its revival has been a marked success. And, in the early part of the century, hard indeed labored the lover of the art. And he must be, not only a lover, but an enthusiast in the art, to attain any celebrity. He must spend his days and nights with his books and his crucible, seeking into the hidden secrets — melting his gold for purples, his silver for ruby, his cobalt for blue, and so on ; for the art, although not entirely lost, has still, in some of its parts, to be mastered. Such was the task of the rediscovering artist in the beginning of this century, to the writer's personal knowledge. There is much to be said about the gor- geous effect of the ancient windows ; and this all will acknowledge who have had the pleasure of looking upon them ; but a great deal of this has been produced by old Father Time, acting on the outer surface of the glass, which latter, being in fact not so well manufactured as the modern glass, has become corroded and full of small holes, which, being filled up with the dust of ages, give a sparkling brilliancy to the parts that are left clear and clean. We will discuss the cause of the want of success of modern work, in a future communication, which we trust may be instructive and useful. Plumbago Mines of Canada. — In Canada, the production of plumbago, for the purpose of employment in the various arts and manufactures in which it is so extensively used, has already made considerable progress. Several associations, on an extensive scale, are in operation in the county of Ottawa; and it is probable that many others will be set on foot in the course of the ensu- ing season. The extent of the plum- baginous deposits in the crystaline rocks of this part of the province is ascertained to be very large ; and there can be lit- tle room to doubt the means of profita- bly working them. From the facility with which these beds may be worked, and their large area, it is probable the3 r will eventually form the chief mining field. They, in all cases, offer a difficulty in the calcareous mineral which they comprehend, and which is not easily separable. Some samples of this plum- bago, however, have been prepared, and after being subjected to the severest tests, have proved perfectly satisfactory ; so that a stimulus has been given to en- terprise in this direction, which will un- doubtedly result in great advantage to the country. Plumbago is used to an extent not generally known ; and its emploj'ment must be largely increased by even a small reduction in its cost. In New York and Boston alone, it is said, upwards of ten thousand tons are annually imported for the manufactories of New England. Hitherto, these sup- plies have come in great part from Ger- many and Ceylon. For the future, Canada may very well look forward to these markets as her own. It requires only economical arrangements for min- ing on a considerable scale, and some improvement in the processes for freeing the plumbago from its impurities, to render this one of the most important of the mineral productions which the Province possesses.