Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

SOLUBLE PAPER . By the aid of heat and powerful chemicals , it is possible to dissolve anything , even the hardest rock ; but the material as such is destroyed in the process , being converted into a number of different substances . It is one thing to dissolve a refractory body , and quite another to get it back in the same chemical state as it was at first . Of all the things that we should least expect to dissolve readily cotton , wood , paper , and similar material appear

to be the most insoluble , yet a process has been discovered by three wellknown chemists which permits us to dissolve cotton , wool , & c , and by proper treatment to reproduce it unaltered . By " unaltered " we mean unaltered in a chemical sense . Of course , it would not be possible to reproduce the actual fibres of the original material , but the substance would be recovered in mass . It is just as well before we go any further to get a clear idea of the

substance we are dealing with , when we speak of cotton-wool or raw cotton . Chemists calls the pure substance " cellulose , " because it is the material out of which the cell-walls of plants are built . When we have said this we have said a great deal , for as all the parts of a plant are made up of cells , this cellulose is to us human beings , not to speak of the other animalsone of the most important bodies in the whole of Nature's

labora-, tory . Wood , cotton , linen , straw , grass , hemp , jute , paper , and many other things are all more or less these forms of cellulose . Chemists always mean something by every syllable in their queer language , and the termination ose indicates that cellulose is a close relation to starch and sugar ; also from this it is a second cousin to the alcohols and ethers . Perhaps one of these days chemists will show us how to convert wood and straw into a good nourishing

diet ; wood biscuits have been made in Berlin as food for horses . Plants are able to convert sugar into cellulose and vice versa , and there is no reason why we should not learn to do so , too . Considering the immense number of industries in which paper is employed , a process by which this cellulose could be dissolved up and redeposited in moulds or in any desired shape , has always been much sought after ; but until recently it has not been found .

Various ways of dissolving cotton-wool , the purest form of cellulose , have been known fora long time , and many valuable applications havearisen from them , but dissolved paper could not be reformed in a state capable of use by itself . Black oxide of copper , dissolved in strong ammonia , will dissolve cotton wool , and most forms of cellulose . Advantage is taken of this , in the manufacture of Willesden papers , the copper-ammonia being allowed

to act on the surface of the sheets , so as to partially dissolve the paper , and re-deposit it as a hard waterproof coating . When thick paper is required , one or more sheets are cemented together with the copper-ammonia solution . The dark-green surface of the Willesden paper , is due to the copper it contains ; but by suitable treatment paper dissolved in copper-ammonia solutioncan be obtained white , and free from copper . Strong oil of vitriol

, will dissolve cotton wool , but changes it into grape sugar . Vegetable parchment , so largely used for covering jam pots , and a variety of other purposes , is merely ordinary unsized paper that has been dipped in oil of vitriol for a few minutes . Collodion and gun cotton are both made by treating cotton wool with nitric acid . Gun cotton is one of the principal constituents of cordite and other smokeless powders . Celluloid is gun cotton

mixed with camphor , and , as may be imagined , is highly inflammable . The new soluble paper is made by acting upon cotton . wool with strong alkali , and then treating it with the vapour of that particularly evil-smelling liquid , carbon bisulphide . A golden coloured diugh is the result of these operations . The dough swells enormously on the addition of water , and finally dissolves completely . One curious point about the solution is its wonderful

viscosity , a solution containing seven parts in a hundred being like glycerine . Strong alcohol , or wine , coagulates the solution , and heat produces the same effect . The yellow colour of the dough is due to impurities ; after purificatir n the jt lly and solution being perfectly free from colour . The weakness of the solution capable of forming a jelly is astonishing j a jelly containing only five parts of the sol able paper in a thousand being stiff

enough to be handled ; this is water standing upright , with a vengeance . A ielly containing to parts in a ioo , is quite solid to touch . The alkali and sulphur are easily removed from the jelly by washing , and pure paper or cellulose is left behind . As may be imagined , the applications to which this discovery can be put are immense . When perfectly dry , the cellulose is semi-transparent , resembling horn . It is hard , and can be turned readily

in the lathe , taking an txcellent polish . Although much mty be done with it in this way , it is the direct application of the jelly and solution that will prox e the most valuable . The solution forms a splendid adhesive , and on account of its purity will be of great service in mounting photographs , taking the place of gum , india rubber solution , and glue , if it can be made cheap enough . It has acually been used for book-binding , and for the

rcugher uoik of bill-sticking . Another use will be for ihe sizing of writing and other commercial papers , tie great advantage being that they would not fall to p iices if they happened to get wet . One process it seems to be really designed for , namely , the manufacture ( f artificial silk by means of an apparatus copied from the ' spinnerets of the spider , invented not very long ago . The jelly can be cast in moulds , and takes an excellent impression ol any surfrce wiih which it is in contact . There is thus a probability ol its

temp emplojed for making ornamental mouldings , and as a substitute for papier-mache . A machine has been constructed for making films direct Irom the solution . The films can be made thick or thin , of any width , and in continuous rolls . The material takes up dyes so readily that it can be colouied as it passes throug h the machine without having to undergo a special process . Any graining or pattern can be imparted to ihe paper at ihe same time , so that there are great possibilities of using it in the manulacluie of lestner-papers , ceiling , and other decorative papers .

State Of Painting Under Mary I.

STATE OF PAINTING UNDER MARY I .

Continued . It gives one very favourable ideas of the unfortunate young Courtenay of his being naturally accomplished , and of a spirit not easil y to be depressed , when we find that Queen Mary no sooner delivered him from his captivity than she wished to marry him , and that he , conscious of his great blood , and vet void of interested ambition , declined a rrmvn . anrl nrora „„ A

the younger sister , the Princess Elizabeth . For this partiality , and on the rising of the Carews in Devonshire , who were flattered with the hopes of this match , the princess and he were committed to the Tower , and accused by Wyatt as his accomplices . Our historians all reject this accusation , and declare that Wyatt cleared him at his death ; and , indeed , the earl ' s gratitude would not have been very shining had he plotted to dethrone the

Queen , who had delivered him from a prison and offered him a throne . The English who could not avoid feeling partiality to this young prince , " were pleased with King Philip , to whose intercession they ascribed the second release of the earl , as well as the safety of the Lad y Elizabeth . Courtenay asked leave to travel , and died at Padua , not without suspicion of poison which seems more probable than those rumours generally are as he was

suspected of being a Lutheran , and as his epitaph , written in defence of the Spaniards , formally declares that he owed his death to affecting the kingdom and to his ambition of marrying the queen ; the last of which assertions at least is a falsehood , and might be a blunder , confounding the queen and princess . After his death , one Cleybery was executed for pretending to be this earl , and thence endeavouring to raise commotions . There is a

very good portrait of him at the Duke of Bedford ' s , at VVoburn , painted probably , by Sir Antonio More ; in the background , a ruined tower . Two ' painters only of eminence are known to have visited this country during the 12 years in which Edward and his sister Mary were its soverei gns . Holbein was their contemporary , but from all that can be collected , was not sufficiently occupied in painting portraits , to be considered as their rival in

point of employment ; for his own patron , Thomas , Duke of Norfolk , was not released from the Tower , till a year before Holbein ' s death , and More possessed so much greater an interest at Court , that little encouragement was afforded to others , who , it is certain , were neglected by King Philip It is , therefore , not unlikely that the works at the Steel Yard . SurireonV

Hall , and Bridewell , engrossed Holbein s pencil at that period . With respect to architecture—the patronage of John of Padua , by the Protector Duke of Somerset , ushered into notice the Italian , or rather French style ' first adopted in part by Holbein , but now much more divested of the Gothic , or castellated manner . At this period , several royal palaces in France had been recently completed , and were considered bv English

travellers as the perfection of architecture . Imitation , as in every former instance connected with the arts , immediately followed . The first deviations from the Burgundian , or later Gothic , were partial , and mixed with it in a limited degree , and principally in door cases , window frames , and parapets . This innovation first appeared in Somersetshire . It is , therefore , evident " that the novel art of building was brought to us from Italy , through France ' and that John of Padua , the Italian artist from France , had been invited to England . AVENUE THEATRE .

One evening last week we visited the above theatre to see the new nlav entitled " A Message from Mars , " which has had so long and successful a run during the present season . In reviewing this work we shall do it from two aspects—that of the piece as a literary production , and of its interpretation . We regret to say that the play , though possessing much merit is weak in construction , and fails to enforce its raison d ' etre . Whilst the teacher declaims against selfishness , he is himself actuated by the sam °

feeling , and his main object in reclaiming the sinner is that he may return to the planetary abode from which he has for a while been banished the author seems to us to fail in the moral he would convey . And now a ' few words relative to those who interpret the play . Mr . Charles Hawtrey did full justice to the character he represents , fully contrasting the selfishness in the early past with the subsequent conversion ( rather sudden , by the way ) at the conclusion . Mr . Arthur Williams played the character of the tramp with great tact and feeling . The aunt was acted with vigour by Miss Bella Pateman .

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA , COVENT GARDEN . We paid a visit to the Italian Opera on Saturday last . " Tannhauser " which has been so successful , was again represented . The libretto was in German , the original text . It certainly seems to be better suited to the character of the music than Italian , as we have seen it on a previous occasion . The title role was undertaken by Herr Dippel , who evinced great

vigour in the declamatory music . This was especially noticeable in the lournament Song in Act II ., where his clear , ringing voles was of great service in the magnificent concerted music , in which he takes so important a part . Herr Simon , as the King Heimich , sustained the character with great power and dignity . He has a fine voice , whi ^ h he uses judiciously keepintr it well under control . Wolfram , the faithful friend of the umanny hero

lounct a luily capable exponent in Herr Benram . He rendered the music assigned to the part witn great skill . Eliz ibeth was efficientl y represented by Krau Gadski , her beautiful voice doing full justice to the difficult music which falls to her share . As we predicted , s / ie has thoroughl y wo \ the good of the Covent Garden audiencewhich is

graces , disciiminating and onlv recognises undoubted merit . We shall look forward to her re-appearance next stason , with much pleasure . Miss Susan S . rong was the Venus—the music is most trying , and requires the conscientious rendering which it received from the fair artiste . We have seen Miss Strong in other rola suitea to

oeuer ner cultivated voice . Km Hi te ( a shepherd ) was admirablv played by l-raulein Oliizka , her lovely voice like a golden thread embroidered the famed Pilgrim Music in the first act . What a masterpiece of musical composition , the varied lights and shadows are so wonderfully contrasted

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—— AMONG THE LEADING BRANDS OP MM- Blankenhorn ' s "SPORTSMAN" E ^ A l ^ BKJr I \ ENJOYS A REPUTATION OP A QUARTER-OP- A-CENTURY ^•^ fj =- * . J London Offlces-18 , OULLgM STREET LONDON , E . C .