In former times soda was
chiefly obtained from natural deposits and from the incineration
of various plants growing by the sea-shore.
chiefly obtained from natural deposits and from the incineration
of various plants growing by the sea-shore.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
I find no trace of _Abezzo_, which may of course be a
misprint for Arezzo. The meanings assigned to _Pol-dipedra_ and
_Porcelletto Merino_ are unsatisfactory. Florio gives '_Zucca_:
a gourd; a casting bottle,' but I have been unable to discover
_Mugia_. The loss of these words is, to be sure, of no moment. Two
things illustrative of Jonson's method are sufficiently clear.
(1) The articles mentioned are not, as they seem at first, merely
names coined for the occasion. (2) They are a polyglot jumble,
intended to make proficiency in the science of cosmetics as
ridiculous as possible. It is worth while to notice, however, that
this list of drugs is carefully differentiated from the list at
4. 4. 142 f. , which contains the names of sweetmeats and perfumes.
=4. 4. 32, 3 Soda di leuante, Or your Ferne ashes. = Soda-ash is still
the common trade name of sodium carbonate.
In former times soda was
chiefly obtained from natural deposits and from the incineration
of various plants growing by the sea-shore. These sources have
become of little importance since the invention of artificial soda
by Leblanc toward the end of the eighteenth century (see _Soda_
in _CD. _). Florio's definition of soda is: 'a kind of Ferne-ashes
whereof they make glasses. ' Cf. also W. Warde, Tr. _Alessio's Secr. _,
Pt. 1 fol. 78^{m} 1? : 'Take an vnce of Soda (which is asshes made
of grasse, whereof glassemakers do vse to make their Cristall). '
In Chaucer's _Squire's Tale_ (11. 254 f. ) the manufacture of glass
out of 'fern-asshen' is mentioned as a wonder comparable to that of
Canacee's ring.
=4.
misprint for Arezzo. The meanings assigned to _Pol-dipedra_ and
_Porcelletto Merino_ are unsatisfactory. Florio gives '_Zucca_:
a gourd; a casting bottle,' but I have been unable to discover
_Mugia_. The loss of these words is, to be sure, of no moment. Two
things illustrative of Jonson's method are sufficiently clear.
(1) The articles mentioned are not, as they seem at first, merely
names coined for the occasion. (2) They are a polyglot jumble,
intended to make proficiency in the science of cosmetics as
ridiculous as possible. It is worth while to notice, however, that
this list of drugs is carefully differentiated from the list at
4. 4. 142 f. , which contains the names of sweetmeats and perfumes.
=4. 4. 32, 3 Soda di leuante, Or your Ferne ashes. = Soda-ash is still
the common trade name of sodium carbonate.
In former times soda was
chiefly obtained from natural deposits and from the incineration
of various plants growing by the sea-shore. These sources have
become of little importance since the invention of artificial soda
by Leblanc toward the end of the eighteenth century (see _Soda_
in _CD. _). Florio's definition of soda is: 'a kind of Ferne-ashes
whereof they make glasses. ' Cf. also W. Warde, Tr. _Alessio's Secr. _,
Pt. 1 fol. 78^{m} 1? : 'Take an vnce of Soda (which is asshes made
of grasse, whereof glassemakers do vse to make their Cristall). '
In Chaucer's _Squire's Tale_ (11. 254 f. ) the manufacture of glass
out of 'fern-asshen' is mentioned as a wonder comparable to that of
Canacee's ring.
=4.
