he piece of glass softens to
receive it and lets it right down into itself. You should never be
satisfied with the firing of your glass unless it presents two
qualifications: first, that the surface of the glass has melted and
begun to run together; and second, that the fused pigment is quite
glossy and shiny, not the least dull or rusty looking, when the glass is
cool.

"What one would like to have."

And can you not get it?

Well, yes! but you want experience and constant watchfulness--in short,
"rule of thumb." For every different glass differs in hardness, and you
never know, except by memory and constant handling of the stuff, exactly
what your materials are going to do in the kiln; for as to
standardising, so as to get the glass into any known relation with the
pigment in the matter of fusing, the thing has never, as far as I know,
been attempted. It probably could not be done with regard to all, or
even many, glasses--nor need it; though perhaps it might be well if a
nearer approach to it could be achieved with regard to the manufacture
of the lighter tinted glasses, the "whites" especially, on which the
heads and hands are painted, and where consequently it is of such vital
importance that the painting should have careful justice done to it, and
not lose in the firing through uncertainty with regard to conditions.

Nevertheless, if you observe the rule to fire sufficiently, the worst
that can happen is a disappointment to yourself from the painting having
to an unnecessary extent "fired away" in the kiln. You must be patient,
and give it a second painting; and as to the "rule of thumb," it is
surprising how one gets to know, by constant handling the stuff, how the
various glasses are going to behave in the fire. It was the method of
the Middle Ages which we are so apt to praise, and there is much to be
said for practical, craftsmanly experience, especially in the arts, as
against a system of formulas based on scientific knowledge. It would be
a pity indeed to get rid of the accidental and all the delight which it
brings, and we must take it with its good and bad.

The second rule with regard to the question of firing is to take care
that the work is not "stale" when it goes into the kiln. Every one will
tell you a different tale about many points connected with glass, just
as doctors disagree in every affair of life. In talking over this matter
of keeping the colour fresh--even talking it over with one's pr