SECTION IV.
Of ftaining alabafter, marble and other
ft ones, of various colours.
ALABASTER, marble, and other ftoo.es, may be ftained of a yellow, red, green, blue, purple, black, or any of the compound colours, by the means above given for ftaining
wood: but it is better, when a ftrong tinge iswanted, to pour the tindture, if made in wa- ter, boiling hot on the alabafter, &c. fpreading it equally on every part, than to brufh it over only ; though that may be fufficient where a flighter dye will fuffice. When tindlures in fpirit of wine are ufed, they muft not be heat- ed) as the fpirit would evaporate, and.leave the tinging gums in an undiflolved ftate.
.Where ftones are not perfe&ly white, but partake of brownnefs or greynefs, the colour produced by the tinges will be proportionally wanting in brightnefs : becaufe the natural colour of die Hone is not hid or covered by thefe tinges; but combines with them: and, for the fame reafoo, if the done be of any of the pure colours, the refiilt will be a compound of fuch colour and that of the tinge.