furniture before the introduction of French polish, the invention of
which, as its name implies, is due to French cabinet-makers. It was
first introduced into England about seventy years since; some time
elapsed, however, before it was brought to a high state of perfection.
At first apprentices or porters were entrusted with the polishing, they
having been usually called upon to do the wax polishing; but in course
of time it was found that its successful adoption implied the possession
of considerable skill, and it came to be regarded as an art of no little
importance--so much so, that the early polishers who had perfected
themselves used to work in a shop with closed doors, lest the secret of
their success should be discovered. From that time polishing became a
separate branch of the cabinet business.

The following original recipe as first invented has been extracted from
a French work, the _Dictionnaire Technologique_, not, however, for its
usefulness (it having gone into disuse many years ago), but as a matter
of curiosity:--

"_French Polish._"

Gum sandarach 14 ounces 2 drachms
Gum mastic in drops 7 " 2 "
Shellac (the yellower the better) 14 " 2 "
Alcohol of 0.8295 specific gravity 3 quarts and 1 pint.

"Pound the resinous gums, and effect their solution by continued
agitation, without the aid of heat; if the woods are porous, add seven
ounces one drachm of Venice turpentine. If an equal weight of ground
glass be added, the solution is more quickly made, and is also otherwise
benefited by it. Before using, the wood should be made to imbibe a