DYEING is an art, into which, since the article in
Dyeing. the Encyclopædia was published, improvements have been introduced of such importance, that it would be unpardonable not to notice them in this Supplement. We accordingly agreed for a new article with a teacher of chemistry, strongly recommended to us as a man who had long directed his attention to that subject; and he solemnly engaged to have the article ready for the press before the 1st of November 1798. It is now the 20th of February 1799; and after amusing us from week to week, and from day to day, till our patience is quite exhausted, he finds himself unable (for we will not attribute his conduct to a worse motive) to fulfil his engagement. In this state of things what are we to do? The subject must not be relinquished, and our nume-
rous presses can no longer stand unemployed. It is fortunate that, by following the arrangement of Chap. I, so well known for the clearness of his method, we have yet an opportunity of treating of dyeing under the article Animal and Vegetable SUBSTANCES referred to from CHEMISTRY. Such of our readers as are acquainted with the business of the press, will deem this short narrative a sufficient apology for our conduct; and even those of them who are in a great measure strangers to that business, will not think us, circumstanced as we are, deserving of much censure for delaying a subject, which we pledge ourselves not to omit under the article to which we have referred.