174. Paste of dried Almonds to cleanse the Skin.

Beat any quantity you please, of Sweet and Bitter Almonds in a marble mortar, and while beating, pour on them a little Vinegar in a small stream to prevent their turning oily: then add two drachms of Storax in fine powder, two ounces of White Honey, and two Yolks of Eggs boiled hard; mix the whole into a paste.

175. Soft Almond Paste.

Blanch in warm water any quantity of Bitter Almonds, leave them to grow dry, and then beat them in a marble mortar with a little Milk, to form them into a paste. To prevent their turning oily, afterwards add the Crumb of a light White Loaf soaked in Milk. Beat it with the Almonds till they are incorporated into an uniform mass; then put the whole into a kettle, with some fresh Milk, and let them simmer over a gentle fire; keeping the composition stirring, till it is boiled into a soft paste.

176. Paste for the Hands.

Take Sweet Almonds, half a pound; White Wine Vinegar, Brandy, and Spring Water, of each two quarts; two ounces of Crumb of Bread, and the Yolks of two Eggs. Blanch and beat the Almonds, moistening them with the Vinegar; add the Crumb of Bread soaked in the Brandy, and mix it with the Almonds and Yolks of Egg, by repeated Trituration. Then pour in the Water, and simmer the whole over a slow fire, keeping the composition continually stirring, till it has acquired a proper consistence.

177. Or,

Take Bitter and Sweet Almonds blanched, of each two ounces; Pine-nuts, and the four Cold Seeds, of each an ounce; beat the whole together in a marble mortar with the Yolks of two Eggs, and the Crumb of a small Wheaten Loaf. Moisten the mass with White Wine Vinegar, put it into a deep pan, simmer it over a slow fire, and when the paste ceases sticking to the pan, it is sufficiently boiled.

178. Or,

Take blanched Almonds, a pound; Pine-nuts, four ounces; beat them together into a paste with the addition of two ounces of Loaf Sugar, an ounce of the finest Honey, the same quantity of Bean Flower, and half a gill of Brandy. This paste may be scented with the Essences of Cloves, Lemons, Bergamot, Jasmine, Rhodium, Orange Flowers, &c. or with a few grains of Musk, Civet, or a few drops of Essence of Ambergrise, for persons who have no aversion to those perfumes.

179. Or,

Beat half a pound of blanched Almonds, with half an ounce of Yellow Sanders, half an ounce of Florentine Orrice, and an ounce of Calamus Aromaticus, in fine powder; pour on them gradually an ounce of Rose-water, and then add half a Pippin sliced small, a quarter of a pound of stale Crumb of White Bread sifted fine, and knead the whole into a paste with two ounces of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Rose-water.

180. Or,

Beat some peeled apples (having first taken out the Cores) in a marble mortar, with Rose-water, and White Wine, of each equal parts. Add some Crumb of Bread, blanched Almonds, and a little White Soap; and simmer the whole over a slow fire till it acquires a proper consistence.

181. Or,

Infuse some blanched Almonds, two or three hours, in Goat's or Cow's Milk, and beat them into a paste. Strain the infusion through a linen cloth with a strong pressure, and add to the strained Liquor half a pound of the Crumb of White Bread, a quarter of a pound of Borax, and as much Burnt Roch Alum. Simmer the whole together, and when almost boiled enough, add an ounce of Spermaceti. Stir the composition well with a spatula to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the pan; and let it simmer but very gently.

182. Or,

Dry, before the fire, half a pound of Bitter Almonds blanched, then beat them in a marble mortar as fine as possible, and add a little boiled Milk to prevent the Almonds from turning oily. Beat in the same manner the Crumb of two French Bricks, with four Yolks of Eggs boiled hard, and with the addition of some fresh Milk knead them into a paste, which incorporate with that of the Almonds.