Chapter 2

"THE DANGER OF MODELLING IN WAX.--Few persons, especially, perhaps, of the many young ladies who are now practising the very pleasing art of modelling fruits, flowers, &c., in wax, at all suspect the great danger in which they are placed from the poisonous nature of the colouring matter of the wax which they handle so unsuspectingly. The white wax, for instance, contains white lead; the green, copper; the yellow, chrome yellow and vermilion--strong poisons all; while many other kinds of wax are equally poisonous, and, therefore dangerous. There are very many persons who are aware of the intense sufferings, for very many years past, of Mr. W. Bally, phrenologist and modeller in wax, in which latter branch he has laboured for 24 or 25 years, three of them as teacher of the art, at the Manchester Mechanics' Institution. Mr. Bally has been at times completely paralysed, and is now and has long been very nearly so, especially in the hands and arms; and he has also been afflicted with extensive ulceration of the throat, and has almost totally lost his voice. Both himself and his medical adviser, after a long attention to his symptoms, are satisfied that the primary cause of his affliction is the extent to which the subtle poisons in the wax with which he has worked have been absorbed into his system through the pores of his hands, while the disease has been generally strengthened, and one part of it accounted for, by the occasional application of his fingers to his lips while at work. Mr. Bally says, that he has known several cases in which young ladies have been attacked with partial paralysis of the hands and arms, after having devoted some time to the practice of modelling; but at the time he had no suspicion of the cause. As all the requisite colours can be obtained from vegetable matter, and as the use of mineral colouring seems to lead to such deplorable results, the subject should be carefully investigated by those working with coloured wax."--_Manchester Examiner._

It is not my intention to contradict an assertion so boldly set forth. I have no doubt the editor of the _Manchester Examiner_ had some grounds for the article; but I think it right to state _that_ which I can prove--namely, that the wax _artistically manufactured by me_ is so perfectly harmless, that for the last fourteen years I have had it in my hands, upon an average from twelve to fourteen hours every day (Sunday excepted), and never in the slightest degree experienced any inconvenience or ill effects.

The small portion of colour I introduce undergoes a chemical process, which neutralizes entirely any deleterious properties appertaining to the few colours required to be used. It is quite unnecessary to introduce white lead at all. I was assisted by a practical German chemist to prepare borax, in such a manner, as to entirely supersede white lead. Now most of my readers will be able to testify how perfectly harmless must be borax, it being one of the drugs so constantly used with honey, and recommended by the faculty as an excellent remedy for canker in the mouth. I am, as I have previously stated, the daughter of a medical man, and am perfectly acquainted with the danger attending the absorption of mineral colours into the system: under these circumstances, it is not likely that I should myself use that which would be injurious. Ladies, who desire to enjoy the recreation of wax flower modelling, may indulge in the amusement with perfect safety, if they purchase the wax of me. At the same time, I wish it to be perfectly understood, that I do not insinuate, or attribute aught against any other person or persons who prepare wax for sale.

I DECIDEDLY OBJECT to the dry colours being rubbed into the wax with the fingers. I invariably apply the colours with a brush. It must be injurious to close the pores of the skin, even were the powders so used innocuous; but to say nothing of the danger of the method alluded to, it is a most dirty occupation, and ladies would not like to see their hands dyed with carmine, Prussian blue, or chromes. Such a method of tinting is likely to prejudice ladies against the work altogether; besides which, it renders the flowers much more fragile. The only time I ever use dry powder is in the form of bloom (peculiarly prepared arrowroot), which I throw on lightly, but never rub in. Having endeavoured to prove that there are no dangerous results likely to accrue from this pleasing occupation, I will proceed to shew

THE ADVANTAGE OF WAX MODELLING, OVER OTHER FANCY WORK.

And one great consideration is that the sight is not likely to be injured. The eye does not require to be fixed; it does not occupy so much attention as to prevent conversation, nor need the _body be bent_,--a matter of much importance with growing girls, many having suffered affections of the chest, and others disfigured for life, through continually stooping to frame work.

There is no monotony in this agreeable employment, for new varieties are continually springing up in nature; and a visit to the Botanical Gardens at Kew, or the Regent's Park, will at all seasons afford some fresh specimen. In referring to the former gardens, I cannot forbear expressing the deep sense of obligation I feel due from the public, and artists particularly--being myself one of them,--for the boon bestowed upon us by those powers who afford such facility for inspecting--free of charge--all that is lovely, choice, and rare. It is perfectly clear, according to my method, that the most elegant drawing room might be used, without suffering in its appearance during its operations. I would merely recommend that the table should be covered with paper, so that all small pieces might be kept together, and easily removed.

I will now proceed to name the

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR WAX FLOWER MODELLING.

WAX--white, yellow, orange, pink, and several shades of green.

Two steel pins with china heads (different sizes).

One ivory pin, with large head.

Eleven bottles of powder; consisting of scarlet, bright crimson, dark crimson, lemon, yellow, orange, dark orange, light blue, middle blue, dark blue, and white.

Twelve large brushes.

Two small brushes.

Twelve saucers.

Three skeins of white wire.

Two skeins of green do.

Two pieces of white marble, 3 to 4 inches square, 3/4 inch thick.

One pair of sharp pointed scissors.

One cake of smalt.

One cake of sepia.

One cake of crimson lake.

One bottle of down.

Having given a list of the materials required for the elegant and charming amusement of "Wax Flower Modelling," I deem it expedient to make a few remarks relative to the properties of, and

PURPOSES TO WHICH THE MATERIALS ARE APPLIED.

Without wishing to derogate from the merit of others, or retaining to myself the exclusive ability of vending the purest wax and the best of other articles to be used in obtaining a faithful representation of nature, I think it necessary to state, that I offer to the public materials only of the very best quality; consequently, I take the prices of other persons' goods as no criterion or standard for mine. The wax is manufactured under my own immediate superintendence; soft, and perfectly dull on one side. It is sufficiently opaque of itself not to require being painted on the wrong side for white flowers, which is the case with common wax. I likewise prepare wax, called "double wax," it is twice as thick as the ordinary wax. When the single wax is used double, the two shining sides should be placed together. It has sheets of tissue paper placed between it to keep each sheet of wax smooth and straight (a great advantage,) for when this is not done (though the wax may be good), the edges are often wrinkled, and a great deal of waste is the consequence.

THE COLOURS--eleven in number, submitted for sale on my counters, 160, 161, 162, 163, Soho Bazaar, are of the very best quality, and ground down particularly fine in spirits. I recommend saucers instead of a flat pallet, as it is not necessary to use up at once all the colour that is mixed; and by keeping each colour distinct in separate saucers, much waste is prevented.

Twelve brushes are indispensable; each to be confined to the use of one colour. Two small sable brushes are for veining, as in geraniums.

The large ivory pin is required for the Victoria Regia, water-lily, and other large flowers.

The two smaller pins are to be used for similar purposes, on flowers of less magnitude.

The cake colours are never to be used alone, but rubbed down with the powder, as will be shown in my instructions for mixing colours.

The large white wire is to be used as stems for flowers, such as dahlia, camellia, &c.

The second and finest white wire to support the petals.

The green wire, Nos. 1 and 2, are for stems of various flowers.

The square pieces of marble are of great utility in rolling fine filaments, or rays, for the various kinds of passion flowers. It is a much quicker and cleaner method than rolling them with the fingers.

I think it necessary to give some

DIRECTIONS FOR MIXING COLOURS.

Place the powder required in a saucer: add a few drops of water, and rub the same with a brush for some time; as friction materially improves the brilliancy of tint. The colour should be mixed as thick as cream, but a very small portion taken into the brush at one time. As the brushes are large, they absorb a large quantity of colour; consequently, the brush used to mix the colour with, must be pressed upon the edge of the saucer several times to cleanse it.

The cake paint is used with the powder colours for fine veining, and when a second colour is required to be placed over another; as I shall show in my instruction for the rich dahlia purpurea. I have a great objection to mixing gum water with the colours. I use it only previous to throwing on down, such as in the calyx of geranium, primrose, &c.

A rich crimson is produced by the application of the crimson powder upon pink wax.

A darker crimson, by adding a little of the darkest crimson powder to the former. If a deeper crimson still be required, add a little of the middle blue.

A pale pink is obtained by applying crimson powder with a small portion of white, laid on the wax very thin.

A light orange scarlet, as in fuchsia fulgens, is acquired by mixing a minute portion of scarlet powder with the bright crimson.

Scarlet for geranium; a larger portion of the scarlet with the crimson.

Different shades of scarlet are also produced by laying the crimson powder upon different shades of wax, namely, lemon, yellow, and orange.

A purple (as in violet), is produced by mixing the second blue with a lesser portion of the bright crimson powder.

A deeper purple, as in the centre of the anemone, is obtained by the combination of the crimson powder with the deepest blue.

Various shades of lilac and peach colours are produced by a careful admixture of the bright crimson, middle blue, and white.

A primrose colour is obtained by using my lemon powder (a beautiful preparation), upon white wax.

A rich brown, as in wall-flower, requires a mixture of cake sepia with bright crimson.

The dark velvet-purple-looking spot seen in geraniums is obtained from mixing the cake smalt with a little bright crimson powder.

A similar tint may be obtained by mixing crimson lake, in cake, with the middle blue.

Various shades of green are procured by combining the first or second yellow with the darkest blue.

In noticing the

USE OF CURLING PINS AND SCISSORS,

I beg to remind my readers that these are the only instruments I deem requisite for modelling wax flowers. Both these require to be moistened before they are applied to the wax. Warmth as well as moisture is essential for these. A glass of lukewarm water will answer the purpose; but great care must be taken to shake off the surplus water; for if the globules were to fall upon the petal, it would occasion the colour to run.

THE METHOD OF APPLYING BRUSHES

requires to be stated; for they must not be held as a pen or pencil, but perfectly perpendicular. Commence a short distance from the lower end of the petals--for where the paint is applied the wax will not adhere. When the petal is all one colour, pass the brush from you quickly and lightly off the same on to the paper. If it is a variegated petal, bring the brush towards you. This will enable you to soften off the edges of the spots which are to be left free from colour. When moisture is required in the brush, the latter must not be plunged into water, but a small drop taken up by the handle on to the paper.

TO CLEANSE THE SCISSORS, PINS, AND MARBLES.

Dip either into boiling water, and wipe them immediately. The marbles require to be used warm.

EXPLANATION OF BOTANICAL WORDS.

Although I do not pretend to put this forth as a "Botanical work," I deem it necessary that I should make use of certain words in application to forming the different parts of a flower; I shall give an explanation of such botanical words as I must occasionally make use of in the course of my instructions.

COROLLA signifies a flower deprived of its centre. For example: the corolla of a rhododendron falls from its position, leaving the interior of the flower pendent to the stem. The convolvulus has a funnel-shaped corolla.

PETAL. This is part of the corolla, and what is termed, by the uninformed--leaf; for instance, we hear of drying rose leaves, when in fact it is the petals that are alluded to. The term leaf should only be applied to the foliage.

PISTIL, or PISTILLUM, is that part of a flower which projects directly from the centre, and is longer than the rest; we observe it in the white lily, fuchsia, honeysuckle, etc. The enlargement at the end of the pistil is termed stigma.

STAMENS, or STAMINA, signify the filaments that surround the pistil; and the enlarged part at the end of each filament is called anther.

FARINA is the fine dust which is contained in the anther, and which shows itself also outside.

CALYX is applied to the green attached to the flower. For example: the part that is covered with moss about the rose is the calyx. Sometimes the calyx is covered with down, as in geranium, primrose, etc.

STIGMA. The enlargement at the end of the pistillum.

HOW TO COPY FROM NATURE.

To take the pattern of a natural flower, you must remove the petals carefully, sorting out how many there are of an equal size. Take the shape of one out of each set, in the following manner: Place the petal upon a sheet of writing paper, holding it firmly to the paper with the point of the fore finger of the left hand. Take a large brush containing a very little colour and pass it round the edge. The exact form will be left upon the paper without tearing the edges of the petal, even though it were unusually fragile. When the requisite flower cannot be procured, a proper pattern can be obtained at Soho Bazaar, or at my residence, 35, Rathbone Place, where I am happy to receive visitors, daily, from ten in the morning till six o'clock in the evening. Place the pattern upon the dull side of the wax, and as the grain runs the length of the same, cut each petal accordingly, for the wax takes the paint much better in that direction.

VARIOUS FLOWERS TO BE DESCRIBED.

FLORAL LIFE.

"Lord, what is life? 'Tis like a flower That blossoms, and is gone! We see it flourish for an hour, With all its beauty on; But death comes, like a wintry day, And cuts the pretty flower away."

THE FLOWERING SEASONS.

"Say, what impels, amid surrounding snow Congealed, the CROCUS' flowery bud to glow? Say, what retards, amid the summer blaze, The autumnal bud, till pale declining days?

"The God of seasons, whose pervading power Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy shower; He bids each flower His quickening word obey, Or to each lingering bloom enjoins delay." H. KIRKE WHITE.

As it will be impossible in a small volume to give instructions in all Flowers, I shall endeavour to select such as will produce a pleasing contrast of form and colour; at the same time, including flowers of every season, commencing with Spring--and who does not hail the early Flowers with delight? After a long and severe winter, the appearance of the golden crocus and the modest snowdrop, peeping from the earth, convey to the mind a glow of unspeakable pleasure.

"Then wherefore had they birth? To minister delight to man-- To beautify the earth."

INSTRUCTION HOW TO FORM THE CROCUS.

(CROCUS LUTEUS.) _Youthfulness._

Prepare the petals (from pattern) in double wax, choosing a bright orange, but not too dark. Place the two shining sides of the wax together. The inner petals are not striped, but the three outer ones have eight or ten pencil strokes of a middle shade of green, broad towards the lower end, and carried off to fine points; these strokes do not extend beyond two thirds of the flower, and laid on with the sable brush. Cup the petals very much with a large head pin (this is why they require to be cut from double wax) so firmly that each petal produces an egg-shaped form when united. Double a hem in a piece of wax the same as that from which you have previously cut the petals. Prepare the stamina from this piece of wax by snipping the proper number. The hem at the edge of the wax is to represent the anthers; affix the stamina when so prepared to the end of a piece of strong wire, and cover them with farina (my second yellow powder). Place the petals round the stamina--first, the three not painted--and the remaining three in the intervening spaces.

The calyx is prepared in lemon wax, tinged with a little brown, and is passed round the end of the flower. The stem covered with pale lemon wax. The leaves narrow strips of double wax (dark green), strongly indented with the point of the pin, and a white stripe laid smoothly on with the small sable brush.

The above directions will answer for the crocus susianus, the cloth of gold, striped orange, and very dark purple; besides the Scotch crocus, striped, white, and purple.

THE SNOWDROP.

(GALANTHUS NIVALIS.) _Consolation._

"The snowdrop, and then the violet, Arose from the ground with warm rain wet; And their breath was mixed with fresh odour sent From the turf, like the voice and the instrument."

This charming, pensive little flower should be prepared from double white wax. It consists of six petals, like its companion the crocus. The longest are left perfectly white, the others striped upon the inside with very light green paint; and upon the opposite or exterior side of the petal is placed a triangular green spot, near the off end. Cut a fine green wire, three inches long, cover it with a strip of light green wax, affix to the end the stamina, cut from yellow wax. Place round these the striped petals, and those that are quite white immediately between; finish off the same by placing a little double green wax at the end of the flower, which forms the calyx; the flower-stalk is then to be attached to a stronger stem. Where they are united place a small sheath, cut from lemon wax, tinge round the edge with light green. The leaves are rather narrow, not so dark as the crocus; made from double wax. The head of the pin is merely rolled down the centre: they are attached a short way down the stem.

THE PRIMROSE.

(PRIMULA.) _Forsaken._

"Look on these flowers! as o'er an altar, shedding On Milton's page soft light from coloured urns-- They are the links man's heart to nature wedding, When to her breast the prodigal returns.

"They are from lone, wild places--forests, dingles, Fresh banks of many a low-voiced hidden stream; Where the sweet star of eve looks down and mingles Faint lustre with the water-lily's gleam." MRS. HEMANS.

This unassuming pretty flower has a salver-shaped corolla; but in modelling it, I advise its being formed of five petals. Prepare the latter in double white wax, colour them upon both sides with my lemon powder (this is a most beautiful preparation), taking the precaution not to carry the same to the end, or it would prevent adhesion of the wax. With a small sable brush, form a triangular spot of deep yellow at the lower end of the broad part of the petal. Attach to the end of a second-size wire a piece of lemon wax, extending the same half an inch down the stem; this is to form a foundation: the point is to be neatly moulded, and to be seen peeping, as it were, from the centre of the flower. The petals are curled in the following manner;--rest the petal in the palm of the left hand, placing the side that has the triangular spot downwards, press the third finger of the right hand in the centre, and then upon the opposite side strongly indent with the point of the pin. Place the five petals thus prepared round the stem previously formed, press the petals neatly together, flattening them down a little to give the appearance of being formed in one piece. The calyx is cut in very light green wax, it is in one piece, vandyked at the top into five points; in each point press the pin, and attach it afterwards round the neck or tube of the flower. Wash the calyx with a weak solution of gum water, using for the purpose a sable brush. Sprinkle it over, while moist, with a little of my prepared down. The stem should look transparent, consequently the wire must be covered with very light green or lemon wax. For the leaf, see my general instructions upon foliage.

VIOLET.

(VIOLA ODORATA.) _Modesty._

"As the dew that moistens the rose at dawn, Gives the VIOLET many a tear, So bright in the morning of life she shone, That her fragrance still lives while her spirit is gone, Embalming her memory here." M'COMB.

"Sweet flower! spring's earliest, loveliest gem; While other flowers are idly sleeping, Thou rear'st thy purple diadem, Meekly from thy seclusion peeping.

"Thou, from the little secret mound, Where diamond dew-drops shine above thee, Scatterest thy modest fragrance round; And well may nature's poet love thee!

"Thine is a short, swift reign, I know, But love, thy spirit still pervading, New violet tufts again shall blow, Then fade away as thou art fading;

"And be renewed;--the hope how blest, (Oh, may that hope desert me never!) Like thee, to sleep on nature's breast, And wake again, to bloom for ever!" BOWRING.

"A violet, by a mossy stone-- Half hidden from the eye; Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky." WORDSWORTH.

Prepare the petals in white wax: there are five in number. Pass the head of a large pin firmly down the centre, so as to cup each. Cover a fine green wire with a strip of light green wax; at the end of this affix a small piece of orange wax, and mould it to a point, not allowing it to be larger than a carraway seed. Dip the point of this foundation in water, and then into the second yellow powder, which gives it the appearance of farina. Place three petals under the foundation, and the remaining two on the top, turning them back; bend the stalk up, and under the three petals place a small piece of white wax, which is to be coloured purple after it is attached. The calyx consists of five points, and are placed round the neck of the flower.

PURPLE VIOLETS.

"Violets, sweet tenants of the shade, In purple's richest pride arrayed, Your errand here fulfil; Go, bid the artist's simple stain Your lustre imitate in vain, And match your Maker's skill."