Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 8.djvu/199

Rh E N C E N C 189 the nature of the pattern. Where the whole design can be perforated in the. plate without detaching such parts as would represent the ground, only one plate is needed ; but where there are several concentric rings or similar forms, additional plates are required. Into the perforations of each plate metal rams, attached to a flat plate of iron, are accurately fitted. The metal die in which the tiles are pressed is composed of a thick block and a square frame or &quot; box ; &quot; the latter is connected with levers and a balance- weight,, so that it can be raised or depressed, either forming a hollow mould, of which the face of the block above men tioned forms the bottom, or depressed in such a way as to leave the face of the block standing above it, in which latter position it is ready for the commencement of the pro cess. The perforated plates first mentioned are then, in succession, placed upon the face of the block, being kept in position by two pins fixed to the frame of the die, corre sponding with holes made in their margin. The perfora tions of the brass plate being filled with powdered clay of the desired colour, this is so far compressed, by means of the metal ram, as to allow both the ram and the plate to be removed together, leaving the compressed dust (repre senting the pattern of the tile in relief) on the block or face plate. In cases where a number of plates are necessary, the pattern is thus built np, each adding such a part as can be perforated in a single plate. The frame is then raised, so as to form a mould of the required depth, which being filled with powdered clay, intended to form both the ground of the pattern and the substance of the tile, the whole mould or die is slid, in a groove provided for the purpose, under the screw press, to which is attached a plate covering the mould, and resting on the top of the movable frame ; this, on pressure being applied, forces down the frame until the powdered clay is thoroughly con solidated and incorporated with that part forming the design. On the pressure being relieved, the die is drawn from beneath the press, the frame is forced down by means of the levers to which it is attached, and the tile is left resting, face downwards, on the block, when it is ready for the drying-stove, the subsequent treatment being the sarae as in the plastic process. This process affords the advan tage of much greater rapidity in execution than can be effected by the plastic method, and as the tile undergoes little-or no shrinkage in the desiccation of the small amount of moisture which is needed to make the particles of the dust combine under pressure, the risk of distortion in the process of drying is reduced to a minimum, but the heavy prime cost of the perforated brass plates necessarily con fines this otherwise valuable invention to such designs as are most largely in demand. The modern application of encaustic tiles is by no means confined to the ecclesiastical purposes for which they were mainly used in mediaeval times, although for this purpose many of the ancient designs have been reproduced, and the rough execution of the old examples has been imitated with striking fidelity. Some of the most eminent architects of recent years have exercised their skill in the production of designs more suitable for domestic purposes ; and pave ments of these tiles, combined with other kindred manufac tures (ft&amp;gt;r which see MOSAICS and TILES), have become a.n almost universal part of the permanent decoration of the better class of public and private buildings, for which pur pose they are also largely exported to the colonies and foreign countries, superseding the perishable forms of floor ing, and at the same time rendering unnecessary any decora tive coverings. (A. M.) ENCHASING, or CHASING, is the art of producing figures and ornamental patterns, either raised or indented, on metallic surfaces by means of steel tools or punches. It is practised extensively for the ornamentation of ^old and silversmith work, electro-plate, and similar objects, being employed to produce bold flutings and bosses, and in another manner utilized for imitating engraved surfaces. The chaser first outlines the pattern on the surface he is to ornament, after which, if the w r ork involves bold or high embossments, these are blocked out by a process termed &quot; snarling.&quot; The snarling iron is a long iron tool turned up at the and, and made so that when securely fastened in a vice the upturned end can reach and press against any portion of the interior of the vase or other object to be chased. The part to be raised being held firmly against the upturned point of the snarling iron, the workman gives the shoulder or opposite end of the iron a sharp blow, which causes the point applied to the work to give it a percussive stroke, and thus throw up the surface of the metal held against the tool. When the blocking out from the interior is finished, or when no such embossing is required, the object to be chased is filled with molten pitch, which is allowed to harden. It is then fastened to a sandbag, and with hammer and a multitude of small punches of different outline the whole details of the pattern, lined, smooth, or &quot; matt,&quot; are worked out. Em bossing and stamping from steel dies and rolled orna ments are now taking the place of chased ornamentations in the cheaper kinds of plated work. ENCINA or ENZINA, JUAN DEL, the founder of the Spanish drama, was born in 1468 or 14G9, either in the city of Salamanca or more probably in the neighbouring village of Encinas. After studying at the university of Salamanca under the patronage of the chancellor Don Gutierre de Toledo, brother of Don Garcia, count of Alva, he proceeded to Madrid, and became, when about twenty- five years of age, a member of the household of Don Fadrique de Toledo and Dona Isabel Pimental, the first duke and duchess of Alva. In or about the year 1492 the year, that is, in which Columbus added the new world to the dominions of Spain the poet began to entertain his patrons by the representation of comedies of his own composition, in which he sometimes played the part of the Gracioso, or buffoon. In 1496, under the title of Cancionero, he published a collection of nine dramatic and numerous lyrical poems, divided into four parts, dedicated respectively to their Catholic majesties, to the prince Don Juan, to the dukes of Alva, and to Don Garcia de Toledo. Some years afterwards he went to Rome, joined the clerical order, attracted the attention of Leo- X. by his skill in music, and was appointed his maestro di capella. Great praise was bestowed by his contemporaries on a farce, Placida e Victoriano, published by him in 1514 ; but of the justness of their criticism we have no means of judging, since, owing in all probability to its insertion in the Index Expurgatorius, all copies of it have perished. In 1519 the poet went to Jerusalem in company with the marquis of Tarifa, Don Fadrique Enriquez Afan de Riberon ; but he was again in Rome about the middle of 1520, and in the following year published his Trabarjia o Via Sacra de Ilierusalem, a versified account of his journey, which has since been several times reprinted along with the marquis s narrative (Rome, 1721 ; Madrid, 1786). Shortly after wards he was appointed prior of Leon, and returned to Spain. His death took place at Salamanca in 1534, and he was buried in the cathedral of that city. His Cancionero, which was reprinted five times in the course of the 16th century (Seville, 1501 ; Burgos, 1503 ; Salamanca, 1509, in company with the coplas of Zambardo; Saragossa, 1512 and 1516), is preceded by a prose treatise, among the first of its kind, on the condition of the poetic art iu Spain. The dramatic poems, of interest mainly as marking the transition irom the purely ecclesiastical to the secular stage, comprise &quot;mysteries/ as The Passion of Our Precious