able to enter upon fpeculations which might lead to profit by his taking advantage of opportunities which unexpectedly offer themselves), because it would require too much time to bleach the quantity of cloths which he may want. (11.)" The confumer will also find his advantage, as there will not only, in the end, refult fame diminution in the price of cloths and thread, but the new bleaching, when properly executed, &minibes the original strength of flax and hemp much less than the long and often repeated operations of common bleaching. It even appears, by the experiments of M. DECROISILLE, that the oxygenated muriatic acid, by contracting the pores of cotton, gives it more folidity, and alfo communicates to it the property of taking more brilliant colours. (112) "As the cloths are lefs worn, an apparent difadvantage arifes, in the eyes of fome dealers, from this new method; which is, that they do not appear fo fine as cloths of the fame quality bleached in the common manner. M. BONJOUR has even been obliged to contrive methods of wearing the cloths, which had been bleached in the manufactory which he directs. It is evident that fuch methods are not difficult to be found; but thofe who are willing to give up this apparent faenefs, will, of course, have their cloths of greater strength. (13) "Befides, may not thofe vaft meadows, which in very fertile countries are taken up with cloths (which it is neceffary to keep spread over them all the fine weather), be gained for the purpoles of agriculture, to which they are now al 5 001 301 (1.) "If I do not deceive myself, the procefs which I have defcribed ought to be diftinguished from those which inerely contribute to the progrefs of the arts; it deferves to be warmly patronized by thofe whofe duty it is to watch over the public profperity, as, befides its advantage to Commerce, it may directly contribute to improve the country, which, being the primary fource of Our riches, has the strongest claim to our attention. (as) I fhall now proceed to defcribe fome other ufes, in which the oxygenated muriatic acid may be employed. It appears that it may be fuccef fally made ufe of to deftroy the madder ground of printed cloths. When thefe cloths are printed with different corrofives, they are paffed through the madder bath, where the defigns take different ades, according to the nature of the corrofives, the fame time the ground of these cloths take the colour of the madder: this colour, which is much lefs permanent than that which has been fixed by the corrofives, it is neceffary to defroy by means of cow-dung and bran, and by long expofare in the fields. When I first tried, inftead of thefe means, to ufe the oxygenated muriatic a cd, I found that the colours, which ought to be Preferved, were themfelves much injured. 126.) But Mr HENRY, of Manchester, an able chemift, found that mild alkalis, either vegetable or mineral, prevented this bad effect of the liquor, and he has fince that time ufed it with fuccefs; I at not acquainted with the particulars of the method which he follows. M. Decroifille wrote to the, nearly about the fame time, that he had made the fame obfervation, and I foon after was convinced of the truth of it, by making use of the procefs which I defcribed when speaking of the Javelle ley, namely, by weakening, with a great deal of water, the liquor thereby obtained. M. Oberkampf, to whom I communicated this process, and who neglects nothing which may contribute to the perfection of his excellent manufactory at Jouy, immediately began to make fome trials, which he has lately continued with M. ROYER, and which promife to be fuccefsful, except with. refpect to colours in which iron has been employed; for, those are weakened; the reds, on the contrary, become brighter than by the ordinary procefs; but my knowledge of this art is not yet fufficiently perfect to enable me to be more parti cular. (127.) M. Berthollet adds, in a note, "It appears from what I have just learnt from Mr TAYLOR, a celebrated manufacturer at Manchester, where they begin to make ufe of the new method, that there is not always a neceffity for adding alkali to the oxygenated muriatic acid; and that the colours which contain iron are not always weakened. Thefe different effects probably depend upon the various methods used in printing the cloths." (128.) In the trials made at Jouy, the expence has been greater than that of the ordinary procefs, on account of the price of falt; this is a great difadvantage to manufactories of printed cloths eftablished in countries fubject to a tax on falt." (129) As to the preparation of mineral alkali, fome celebrated chemifts have afferted, that the calces of lead, or lead itself, will decompofe feafalt, and thus afford an eafy method of procuring it. On this principle indeed attempts have been made to procure it, but hitherto without fuccefs: and from fuch experiments as we have made, it seems to be totally impracticable. The method of decompofing Glauber's falt and other vitriolic falts by means of charcoal, is perhaps the only one that feems to promife fuccefs. The difficulty here is, that the falt is converted into an hepar fulphuris, which cannot be decompounded but by means of an acid. (130.) A trial has been lately made of applying forrel for this purpofe, and not without a profpect of fuccefs. The particulars hitherto difcovered concerning this method are, 1. Sea-falt yields one half its weight of pure alkali. 2. From 20 to 25 pounds of fresh forrel leaves are to be used for every pound of fea-falt. 3. The plant is easily cultivated, yields three crops annually if properly managed, and is fuperior in acidity in its cultivated ftate to the wild forrel. The above calculation was made with wild forrel. 4. An acre of ground will produce as much forrel as is fufficient for making from a ton to a ton and an half of alkali. It will not thrive except in moift ground. (131.) From thefe particulars it is probable, that by combining the process of making dephlogisticated spirit of falt with that of preparing the mineral alkali, bleaching might be performed at an cafier and cheaper rate than has yet been done; though even here there is fome doubt, that without an encouragement from government, by ta king off the duties from falt and fulphur ufed in the the different operations, a project of this kind might miscarry, to the great detriment of the individual who fhould attempt it. quires but a fmall extent of ground, and it occafions but a fmall loss of time. (137.) M. DE CROISILLE, whofe establishment at Rouen is in full vigour, has made many advantageous alterations in the procefs; as indeed might be expected from the attention of fo abie a chemift. I have his permiffion to publish the following extract from one of his letters. We bleach 'here, at about the same price as other bleachers, 'coarfe cotton cloths, fine linen for fhirts, stock (132.) On the whole, the principal objections to the new method of bleaching are, that little or none of the alkali commonly ufed can be faved. The air alfo and light of the fun, which in the common way is had for nothing, muft in the new way be bought at a certain price. The only advantage therefore is, that in the new method, a confiderable portion of time is faved. Hence it is im-ings, caps, &c. of thread and cotton. I flatter poffible to make an exact comparative calculation of the expence of both methods, without estimating how much labour is faved in the new way. If the price of the labour faved exceeds that of the dephlogisticated fpirit of falt, there is no doubt that the use of it will be attended with profit, but not otherwife. It is afferted by M. Berthollet, that in the new way of bleaching, the texture of the cloth is lefs hurt than in the old one: this too must be reckoned an advantage; though by the bleachers, and indeed by the public in general, it will probably be overlooked, unless they are in-called the Turkey red; as, by means of that produced by the cheapnefs to prefer the new to the old procefs. (133.) The following important particulars have been published by M. Berthollet in the Annales de Chimie, in addition to what he had before advinced. (134.) "It was always my intention (fays he), when I published the defcription of the method of bleaching by means of the muriatic acid, to communicate to the public every useful remark I could add to it, whether they arose from my own obfervations, or from thofe of my correfpondents, provided the latter were not made known to me under the tie of fecrecy; for, it is natural that those who devote themselves to the practice of any particular art, fhould wish to keep fecret thofe improvements which they may fucceed in making; and there is no kind of property which ought to be more refpected, than thofe difcoveries which a ife from industry. (135.) M. WELTER has found it of advantage to finish the process of bleaching, by expofing the cloths and thread on the field for 3 or 4 days, durg which they fhould be fometimes wetted, and afterwards wallied in pure water. He thinks that this exposition is abfolutely neceffary, in order to take away a yellow tinge, which they are apt to retain, but he obferves that cotton does not want this operation. (136.) " Others, however, have bleached to the entire fatisfaction of the dealers, without this ex-, pofition, and I have convinced myself, by many experiments, that linen may be brought to the most perfect whitenefs without it; nevertheless, when thread or cloth is preffed together in any parts, during the procefs (which, when a large quantity is bleached at the fame time, it is very difficult to avoid, thofe parts are apt to preferve a yellow tinge, which it would perhaps require feveral operations to efface equally throughout; thefe repeated operations would increase the charge, and tend to weaken the texture of the linen; whereas a fhort expolition on the field entirely takes away that tinge. This practice, therefore, feems to me proper to be adopted with respect to linen; it re myfelf, that I have improved upon your difcovery my great recipient, in the diftilling apparatus, is of a kind entirely new; I have no wood in any part of it, and each of my diftilling mat'raffes contains 60lb. of vitriol acid, &c. I have 'alfo left off ufing wood for thofe veffels in which the fubjects to be bleached are plunged; and the whiteness of our goods is now efteemed to be fuperior to that produced by the English before your discovery. Cotton yarn bleached by your procefs takes, very advantageously, the red dye 'cefs, about one third of the ufual labour is ipa'red; lefs oil is required in the preparation; and your ley, employed in certain ftages of the ope ration, in concurrence with the other ingredients, produces a much more beautiful colour. Your difcovery will be particularly ufeful to our city, many merchants finding it worth while to give us dyed cloths to have their colours difcharged; no colour refifts, and we return them their cloths as found and as white as if they had never 'been dyed or printed.' 6 (138.) "The making ufc, inftead of wood (for the pneumatic tub, and troughs), of a matter which is not acted upon by the liquor, is certainly of great advantage to the success of this method of bleaching; as, by that means, we not only avoid the lofs of that portion of the liquor, which exerts its action upon the wood, but we alfo fave expence in repairing the veffels, which are very foon worn out. (139.) "I have faid that the cloths, when taken out of the water acidulated with vitriolic acid, ought to be plunged into common water; but that precaution is not fufficient, they must be plunged into a weak cauftic ley, moderately warm, and kept in it during fome minutes. (140.) "When the liquor is immediately drawn off into the troughs, as I directed, we must take care that it is firft well ftirred with the agitator; otherwife, that which is at the bottom of the tub, and is moft faturated with acid, would first run off, and would act too ftrongly upon the cloths. We may, indeed, omit the ufe of the agitator, by drawing off only half, or three quarters, of the liquor, which muft afterwards be mixed with a proper quantity of water, according to the proportions I have pointed out; and the rest of the liquor, which is but weakly impregnated, may ferve, with an additional quantity of water, for another diftillation. (141.) "Many persons have attempted to execute this procefs without having any knowledge of chemistry, and without attending to the quali ty of the thread and cloth they meant to bleach; and it either did not fucceed with them, or the expence expence of it, according to their calculation, was (142.) “No one muft flatter himself that he can A ABSORBENT EARTHS produced ACETOUS FERMENTATION takes place on steeping litten, 29, 64. appearance, 5. ed on the operation of, 40. ex- cuting it in an place and feafons, and the dim- (143.) It is imposible to establish data upon 53, 54. CHRISTIE, Mr, his method of managing leys, 38. his obfer- bleached by the new method, tening, 4-17. HAND-RUBBING with foap and HENRY, Mr, his discoveries, 126. wax, 36-42. with ley, 43- I SPRAT defined, 88. STARCHING and blueing, an o peration in bleaching, 26, 85. STEEPING defcribed, 4, 5, 27— 31. object of, 28. and effects, 29, 30. liquor proper for, 31. SUN-SHINE, the best weather for bleaching, 56. To make his bleak winds kifs my parched lips, And comfort me with cold. Shakespeare. The goddefs that in rural fhrine Dwells here with Pan, or Sylvan, by blest song Forbidding every bleak unkindly fog To touch the profperous growth of this tall wood. Milton. -Her defolation prefents us with nothing but bleak and barren profpects. Addison. Say, will ye blefs the bleak Atlantick fhore, Or bid the furious Gaul be rude no more? Pope. (2.) BLEAK. . f. [alburnus, from his white or bleak colour.] A fmall river fifh.--The bleak, or freshwater fprat, is ever in motion, and therefore called by fome the river fwallow. His back is of a pleasant, fad fea water green; his belly white and thining like the mountain fnow. Bleaks are excellent meat, and in beft season in Auguft. Walton. (3.) BLEAK, in ichthyology. See ALBURNOS and CYPRINUS. The French call it the ABLETTE, BLEAKLY, adv. Palcly; coldly. Afh. * BLEAKNESS. n. f. [from bleak.] Coldnefs; chilnefs. The inhabitants of Nova Zembla go naked, without complaining of the bleakness of the air; as the armies of the northern nations keep the field all winter. Addifon. BLEAKSWARE, a village in Herefordshire, near Ware. *BLEAKY. adj. [from bleak.] Bleak; cold; chill.- On fhrubs they browze, and, on the bleaky top Of rugged hills, the thorny bramble crop. Dryd. BLEANE, a village in Kent, 4 miles N. W. of Canterbury. *BLEAR. adj. \blaer, a blifter, Dutch.] 1. Dim with rheum, or water; fore with rheum.-It is a tradition that blear eyes affect found eyes. Bacon. it is no more in the power of calumny to blast the dignity of an honest man, than of the blear eyed owl to caft feandal on the fun. L'Estrange.His blear eyes ran in gutters to his chin; His beard was ftubble, and his cheeks were thin. Dryden When When thou shalt fee the blear ey'd fathers teach Their fons this harsh and mouldy sort of speech. Dryden. 2. Dim; obfcure in general; or that which makes My dazzling fpells into the fpungy air, T BLEAR. v. a. (from the adjective.] 1. To make the eyes watry, or fore with rheum.- All tongues fpeak of him, and the bleared fights Are spectacled to fee him. Shakespeare. The Dardanian wives, With bleared vifages, come forth to view Shakespeare. When I was young, I, like a lazy fool, Would bear my eyes with oil to stay from school; Averfe to pains. Dryden. 1. To dim the eyes.-This may ftand for a pretty fuperficial argument, to blear our eyes, and hull us afleep in fecurity. Raleigh. *BLEAREDNESS. n. J. [from bleared.] The fate of being bleared, or dimmed with rheum.The defluxion falling upon the edges of the eyelids, makes a blearedness. Wifeman. BLEAR-EYED, adj. having the eyes dim with theem. ELECHINGLEY, an ancient town of Surry in Engad, which fends two members to parliament; and has done fo ever fince parliaments exifted. The bailiff who returns the members is chofen anFeatly at the lord of the manor's court. The town fands on a hill, and has a fine profpect as far as the South Downs in Suffex. Lon. o. 15. W. Lat. 51.10. N. BLECHINGTON, a town 6 m. from Oxford. BLECK-HALL, the name of two English villages; viz. 1. in Cumberland, S. of Carlisle: 2. in Middlefex, on the Lee, oppofite to Chigford. BLECTINUM, in botany, a genus of plants of the clafs of the cryptogamia filices; the fluctifica tions of which are disposed in parallel lines on the fides of the leaves. *BLED. preterite and particip. [from To bleed.] BLEDDINGTON, a village in GENEVA, BLEDES, Los, an ifland near Majorca. BLEDLOW, a village in Buckinghamshire, between Prince's Risborough and Oxfordshire. BLEE, n. f. obf. Corn. Chauc. (1.) *To BLEED. v. a. To let blood; to take blood from. That from a patriot of distinguish'd note, Have bled and purg'd me to a fimple vote. Pope. (2.) To BLEED. v. n. pret. I bled; I have bled. [bladan, Saxon.] 1. To lofe blood; to run with * blood. Shakespeare. I bleed inwardly for my lord. Bleed, bleed, poor country! Great tyranny, lay thou thy bafis fure; For goodnefs dare not check thee! Shakefp. Many, upon feeing of ethers bleed, or ftrangled, or tortured, themselves are ready to faint, as if they bled. Bacon. 2. To die a violent death.The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day; Had he thy reafon, would he skip and play? Pope. 3. To lofe blood medicinally; as he bled for a fe4. To drop, as blood. It is applied to any thing that drops from fome body on incision, as ver. blood from an animal. For me the balm fliall bleed, and amber flow, The coral redden, and the ruby glow. Pope. (1.) BLEEDING, a hæmorrhage or flux of blood from a wound, aupture of a veffel, or other accident. See HÆMORRHAGE. (2.) BLEEDING, in farriery. See FARRIERY. (3.) BLEEDING, in furgery. See SURGERY, IN DEX. (4.) BLEEDING, in therapeutics. See MEDICINE, INDEX. (5.) BLEEDING AT THE NOSE, or EPISTAXIS. See MEDICINE, INDEX. (6.) BLEEDING OF A CORPSE is a phenomenon faid to have frequently happened in the bodies of perfons murdered, which, on the touch, or even the approach, of the murderer, began to bleed at the note, ears, and other parts. It was formerly admitted in Ergland, and is ftill allowed in some other places, as a detection of the criminal, and proof of the fact. Numerous instances of these pofthumous hæmorrhages are given by writers. But this kind of evidence ought to be of small weight: for it is to be obferved, that this bleeding does not ordinarily happen, even in the prefence of the murderer; although fometimes it happens even in that of the nearest friends, or perfons moft innocent; and fometimes without the prefence of any, either friend or foe. In effect, where is the impoffibility that a body, especially if full of blood, upon the approach of external heat, having been confiderably stirred or moved, and a putrefaction coming on, fome of the blood-veffels fhould burft, as it is certain they all will in time. (7.) BLEEDING OF PLANTS, drawing out the fap of plants, otherwife called tapping. See TAP |