Cauldrons.

21

Chap. 3.j

rise are directed towards the centre, where their force is expended againsteach other. Dyers, brewers, distillers, &c. are well aware of this fact.The remote ancients had therefore observed the inefficiency of straightsided boilers, and applied a simple and beautiful remedy; one whch waspossibly suggested by the previous use of natural vessels, as the gourd,&c. This is no mean proof of their sagacity, and of the early progress ofthe arts of founding and moulding. From the extreme antiquity of thesecauldrons, it is not improbable that their form is similar to the pattern,which Tubal-Cain himself used, and which he taught his pupils to Imitate.Similar vessels are found in the workshops of Vulcan. See plate 20,Painting , in D’Agincourt’s Storia Dell’Arte, Prato, 1827. Brasen caul-drons were formerly considered suitable presents for kings—rewards ofvalor—prizes in the games, &c. Of the gifts offered by Agamemnon toto appease the wrath of Achilles , were—

Seven tripods, never sullied yet by fire;

Of gold, ten talents; twentv cauldrons bright.”

lliad, ix, 150. Cowper.

They were among the goods which Priam took to redeem the body ofHector.

He also took ten talents forth of gold,

All weighed; two splendid tripods ; cauldrons four;

And after these a eup of matchless worth. Ib. xxiv. 294.

The prizes at the funeral games on the death of Patrocles , were—

‘ Capaeious cauldrons, tripods bright.’

In the 17th Century, they were considered suitable presents to a PersianEmir—“ At length he came, and was presented by the caravan-Bashiwith a piece of satin, half a piece of scarlet cloth, and two large coppercauldrons.” Tavernier’s Trav. Lon. 1678. 61.

These unobtrusive vessels are now used without exciting a thought oftheir worth, or of the ingenuity of those to whom we are indebted forthem; although they have contributed infinitely more to the real comfortand innocent gratification of man, than all the splendid vases that wereever made. These have always had their admirers and historians. Vo-lumes embellished with costly illustrations, have been written on theirforms, materials, ages and authors; but no modern Hamilton, has enteredthe kitchen to record and illustrate the origin, improvement, modificationsand various uses of the cauldron. This vessel, like a despised but ne-cessary attendant, has been the inseparable companion of man in his pro-gress from barbarism to refinement, and has administered to his necessi-ties at every stage: yet it has ever been disregarded, while literary cuisi-niers have expatiated in numerous treatises on the virtues of meats pre-pared in it. Endless are the essays on sauces, but the history of the moreuseful sauce-pan is yet to be written. An account of this vessel and ofthe cauldron, would place in a very novel and instructive light, the do-mestic manners of the world; and an examination of the various modesof heating the latter, would bring to view many excellent devices foreconomizing fuel. a

Vases used by oriental women to convey water from public wells andfountains for domestic purposes, are often referred to, by sacred and pro-fane authors. Figure No. 5, represents a female of Hindostan, bearing

a See the ancient Peruvian furnaee in Frezier’s Voyage to the South Seas, by whichthree cauldrons were heated by a very small pot of lama’s düng, or of the plant icho ;which were used for want of other fuel.