SEAL. See KEEPER of the Privy Seal.
SEAL is also used for the wax or lead, and the impression thereon affixed to the thing sealed.
An amalgam of mercury with gold, reduced to the consistence of butter, by straining off part of the mercury through leather, has been recommended as a proper material for taking off the impression of seals in wax. In this state, the compound scarcely contains one part of mercury to two of gold; yet is of a silver whiteness, as if there was none of the precious metal in it. In this state it grows soft on being warmed or worked between the fingers; and is therefore proper for the purpose above mentioned, but is not superior to some amalgams made with the inferior metals, as is well known to some impostors, who have sold for this use amalgams of the base metals as curious preparations of gold.