The dictionary of practical receipts : containing the arcana of trade and manufacture; domestic economy ... etc

Front matter

i- i f"s*AT. GILBERT,^

I BOOKSELLERS,

A COPTHAU. BUILOtMCS.

Preface To The First Edition

In projecting the present volume, the sixteenth that I have now offered to the Public, I especially had in my view the same intention that has guided my former efforts at utility — I have aimed at producing a cheap, correct, and comprehensive collection of Receipts, in reference to Manufacturing Processes, Trade — the Fine and Useful Arts — Chemistry, &c., and, to a certain limited extent, to Medical and Domestic Economy.

I have prepared this Work as one of general reference and universal information ; useful to the Tradesman and the Artist, by informing them of the operations and processes of others — to the Chemist and Druggist as a mde mecum of all his professional formulae; to the Amateur, as a book of constant reference, and to the Manager of a Family, as a faithful synopsis of numerous Operations, and a register of authentic Receipts, valuable to him in saving expense, and procuring or using a material or preparation which most frequently cannot be purchased without much diflBculty and delay. How I have carried out these views the Public will best determine. They will admit, however, that it is difficult, and perhaps impossible, for any person to test the accuracy of all the Receipts herein contained, amounting to about five thousand. Neither is it possible to procure, at all times. Receipts upon many matters of trade — these remain valuable to the possessor only while he keeps the secret to himself, thus it remains perhaps for ever unknown. This is also the particular case with patent medicines ; these for the most part contain some one strong drug as a basis, which is disguised by others of less power, and often by a merely odorous or strongly-tasted ingredient, or more generally a combination of incongruous veget^le matters, which perplexes, if not defies, the tests of the chemist.

_ Another remark I would venture to make relative to the practice of various parties of putting their own names to articles of common use, as implying superiority or change, and also to the variety of names by which drugs and preparations are known in different parts of the kingdom, which often widely differ from the ordinary appellation. Most of these things appear under one name or the other ; they could not have been repeated under their various titles without manifest impropriety.

The most valuable and general receipts, however, are of simple names, understood by aU, and which no one can alter. Of these this Work is full; it contams many hundreds never before published, and for the correctness of which the Author pledges himself. Indeed he may venture to say, that no Rook ot Receipts ever appeared in our language which contained so much that IS original, or so large a mass of generally-useful information.

G. FRANCIS.

Preface To The Second Edition

Edition being disposed of, the Proprietors have taken the • i ^ l^sprintiDg to have the Work carefully revised and considerably

prepared

Preface To This New And Improved Edition

P’lblication of the Second Edition, a?ai^rf ^ ?™P“®tors to reprint the Work ; in doing so, they have

hive led suggestions of many Subscribers and Friends which

have led to further improvements, and the addition of many new Receipts.

August, 1867.