THE REDISCOVERY OF ENAMEL 51

his o^yn hands, carrying the bricks from the
brick-field upon his back. He was bricklayer,
labourer and all. From seven to eight more
months passed. At last the furnace was built
and ready for use, Palissy had in the meantime
fashioned a number of vessels of clay in readi-
ness for the laying on of the enamel. After being
subjected to a preliminary process of baking, they
were covered with the enamel compound, and
again placed in the furnace for the grand crucial
experiment. Although his means were nearly ex-
hausted, Palissy had been for some time ac-
cumulating a great store of fuel for the final ef-
fort, and he thought it was enough. At last the
fire was lit, and the operation proceeded. All
day he sat by the furnace, feeding it with fuel*
He sat there watching and feeding all through
the long night. But the enamel did not melt.
The sun rose upon his labours. His wife brought
him a portion of the scanty morning meal—for
he would not stir from the furnace, into which
he continued from time to time to heave more
fuel. The second day passed, and still the enamel
did not melt. The sun set, and another night
passed* The pale, haggard, unshorn, baffled yet
not beaten Palissy sat by his furnace eagerly
looking for the melting of the enameL A third
day and night passed—a fourth, a fifth, and.
even a sixth~«yes» for six long days and nights