A peculiar use for ceramics should here be noticed; it has not before been spoken of in any work upon pottery. I allude to hand-grenades, two of which, preserved in the Leicester Museum, are here engraved (Figs. 334 and 335). These were found in the Old Magazine, or Newarke, Gateway at Leicester. They are formed of red clay, and fired in the kiln in the usual manner, and they have fuse-plugs of wood fitted into the opening at the top. CHAPTER V. Pottery in England in the eighteenth century--Delft ware--Posset pots--Billin’s patent--Redrich and Jones’s patent--Benson’s patents--Ralph Shawe’s patents--Trial of right--The Bow works--Heylyn and Frye’s patents--The Fulham works--White’s patent--The Count de Lauraguais’ patent--Staffordshire wares--The Plymouth works--William Cookworthy’s patent--Josiah Wedgwood--Crease’s, and other patents--Ralph Wedgwood’s patents--Progress of the art during the century. [Illustration: Fig. 336.--Posset Pot.] [Illustration: Fig. 337.] At the commencement of the eighteenth century, the ceramic art in this country was beginning to expand in a remarkable degree, and many important strides for its improvement were taken. The brown-ware dishes, tygs, and other vessels for domestic use, were still made as before, and stoneware bottles, ale pots, and other articles continued to be produced; but, beyond these, some much finer kinds of earthenware were introduced, which gradually took their place. Among these were Delft ware and Crouch ware, to which I have referred, and the white ware, which has frequently, but erroneously, been called “Elizabethan ware,” which was probably introduced about this time. A good specimen of the brown ware of this period, which will be seen to be identical in character with the dishes and tygs and cradle before spoken of, is the posset pot shown on Fig. 336. It bears the loyal motto, “GOD : SAVE: THE : QVEEN : 1711,” and is ornamented in the usual way with slip. It is of much the same character as a wassail or gossips’ bowl, bearing the name “RICHARD MEIR,” in the Liverpool Museum. It is shown on Fig. 337. The form of Fig. 336 is somewhat different from the usual later shape of posset pots, as will be shown on engravings which will follow. As posset and posset pots are local matters, a few words concerning them will here be interesting. Posset pots have been made and regularly used in Derbyshire and the neighbouring counties from an early period until the present time. “Posset” is an excellent mixture of hot ale, milk, sugar, spices, and sippets, or, perhaps, more correctly speaking, dice, of bread or oat-cake. In these counties this beverage was formerly almost, if not quite, universal for supper on Christmas-eve; and the “posset pot” was thus used but once a year, and often became an heirloom in the family. A small silver coin and the wedding-ring of the mistress of the family were generally dropped into the posset when the