Pierre-Joseph Buc'hoz - The Toilet of Flora

Take of good French Brandy, a gallon; of the best Virgin Honey and Coriander-seeds, each a pound; Cloves, an ounce and half; Nutmegs, an ounce; Gum Benjamin and Storax, of each an ounce; Vanilloes No. 4; the Yellow Rind of three large Lemons: bruise the Spices and Benjamin, cut the Vanilloes into small pieces, put all into a cucurbit, and pour the Brandy on them. After they have digested forty-eight hours, distil off the Spirit in a retort with a gentle heat.

To a gallon of this water, add of Damask Rose-water and Orange Flower-water, of each a pint and a half; Musk and Ambergrise, of each five grains; first grind the Musk and Ambergrise with some of the water, and afterwards put all into a large matrass, shake them well together, and let them circulate three days and nights in a gentle heat. Then, letting the water cool, filtre and keep it for use, in a bottle well stopped.

It is an antiparalytic, smooths the skin, and gives one of the most agreeable scents imaginable. Forty or sixty drops put into a pint of clear water, are sufficient to wash the hands and face.

Take Orange Flower-water and Rose-water, of each an equal quantity; put them into a large wide-mouthed glass, and strew upon the surface gently as much Jasmine Flowers as will cover it; then tie the mouth of the glass so carefully that the Flowers be not shook down to the bottom. Repeat the process, letting each quantity of the Flowers remain five or six days, until the water is strongly scented with them. Then dissolve Ambergrise and Musk, of each a scruple, in a few ounces of the water, which filtre and put to the rest.

This water may also be made by putting the whole into a retort with a sufficient quantity of Jasmine Flowers, and drawing it off in a vapour bath into a receiver well luted.

This is an excellent perfume, and taken inwardly, is of service in some nervous cases and languors.

Begin with infusing for eight days in two quarts of Vinegar, two handfuls of Lavender Flowers, as many Provence Roses picked from the stalks, Wild Roses, and Elder Flowers. While they stand in infusion prepare a simple odoriferous water as follows: Put into a glass body the Yellow Rind of three Lemons, sweet Marjoram, Lilies of the Valley and Lavender Flowers, of each two handfuls; pour on them a pint of double distilled Rose-water, and a quart of Spring-water. Lute on a bolt-head, place the alembic in a sand heat, fix on a receiver, and leave matters in this state two days, then light a fire under it and distil quick. When you have drawn off a quart, stop your distillation, and keep this simple odoriferous water for the following use.

Take wild Thyme, sweet Marjoram, sweet Basil, and Thyme, of each a handful; Florentine Orrice and Cinnamon, of each half an ounce; Cloves, Mace, purified Storax, and Benjamin, of each three drachms; Labdanum, two drachms; Aspalathum, half an ounce; Socotrine Aloes, half a drachm; put all these ingredients, thoroughly bruised, into a stone jar, and add to them the Vinegar infusion, the distilled odoriferous water, and a quart of Frontiniac, Mountain, or Cowslip Wine. Stir them well together, and leave the whole to digest for fifteen days, at the expiration of which time, empty the infusion into a glass body, large enough to contain a sixth part more liquor; lute on the head, place it in a sand heat, and begin your distillation with a very gentle fire, increasing it gradually. It sometimes happens that the phlegm of the Vinegar comes over the helm first; when that is the case, set it aside as useless. As soon as the Spirit begins to rise, which you will directly perceive by its aromatic flavour, fix a receiver on the beak of the alembic, and distil off about three pints. Keep this by itself as the most spirituous part of your preparation; and continue to draw off the remainder as long as it runs clear.

The German sweet-scented Water is penetrating and incisive, admirably revives the vital spirits, removes headaches, comforts the heart, is excellent against unwholesome air, and of course a preservative from contagion.

Take five quarts of Brandy, in which dissolve an ounce of Frankincense, Mastic, Benjamin, and Gum Arabic; add half an ounce of Cloves and Nutmegs; an ounce and a half of Pine-nut Kernels, and sweet Almonds; with three grains of Musk. Bruise these ingredients in a marble mortar, distil in a vapour bath, and keep the water that is drawn off in a glass bottle, close stopped.

This water takes away wrinkles, and renders the skin extremely delicate; it also whitens the Teeth, and abates the tooth-ache, sweetens the breath, and strengthens the gums. Foreign ladies prize it highly.

Take sweet Basil, Mint, sweet Marjoram, Florentine Orrice-root, Hyssop, Balm, Savory, Lavender, and Rosemary, of each a handful; Cloves, Cinnamon, and Nutmegs, of each half an ounce; three or four Lemons, cut in thick slices; infuse them three days in a good quantity of Rose-water; distil in a water bath with a gentle fire, and add to the distilled water a scruple of Musk.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.