' _Lac
Virginis_
is
spoken of twice in the _Alchemist_, Act 2, but probably in neither
case is the cosmetic referred to.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
See Massinger, _Unnat.
Combat_ 3. 2; Middleton, _Father Hubburd's Tales_, _Wks._ 8 64, etc.
In the present passage, however, the meaning evidently required
is 'perfect: 'spotless,' and no doubt refers to the comparative
perfection of a sexto decimo, or perhaps to the perfection naturally
to be expected of any work in miniature.
=4. 4. 52 Virgins milke for the face.= Cf. John French, _Art
Distill._. Bk. 5. p. 135 (1651): 'This salt being set in a cold
cellar on a marble stone, and dissolved into an oil, is as good as
any _Lac virginis_ to clear, and smooth the face.
' _Lac
Virginis_
is
spoken of twice in the _Alchemist_, Act 2, but probably in neither
case is the cosmetic referred to.
See Hathaway's edition, p. 293.
Nash speaks of the cosmetic in _Pierce Pennilesse_, _Wks._ 2. 44:
'She should haue noynted your face ouer night with _Lac virginis_.'
=4. 4. 55 Cataputia.= Catapuce is one of the laxatives that Dame
Pertelote recommended to Chauntecleer in Chaucer's _Nonne Preestes
Tale_, l. 145.
=4. 4. 63 Doe not you dwindle.= The use of _dwindle_ in this sense
is very rare. _NED.