Having now gone through the HISTORY of the works, it only remains to speak of the artists employed, and of one branch of the manufacture, that of “Biscuit,” which requires more than a passing notice. This material was a discovery of, and quite peculiar to, the Derby Works, and the secret of its composition is still preserved. To it the beautiful material Parian thus owes its origin. One of the Derby workmen having engaged himself to Mr. Copeland, was trying experiments to recover the secret of the biscuit composition, when instead of it he produced accidentally that which has been named “Parian,” and in which all the exquisitely beautiful figures and groups that characterise their, and other equally admirable, productions have since, with modifications and improvements, been worked. It is pleasant thus to know, that although the art of making Derby biscuit figures has been discontinued, the Parian has sprung from it, and was first produced by a Derby man. Nothing could exceed the sharpness and beauty of the biscuit figures as produced in the best days of the Derby Works, and some examples, for delicacy and fineness of modelling, and for sharpness of touch, have never, in any ceramic material, been surpassed, or scarcely equalled. Transfer printing on china appears to have been introduced at Derby in 1764--some years before even Wedgwood printed his own ware, but while he was in the habit of sending it off to Liverpool to be printed by Messrs. Sadler and Green. The process, however, did not obtain much favour at Derby, and Mr. Duesbury evidently found it better, and more satisfactory, to adhere to hand-work in all his goods. The person who introduced the process, and whom he engaged to carry it on, was Richard Holdship, of Worcester, who, by deed, covenanted for the sum of £100 paid down, and a yearly sum of £30 so long as the works continued on his process, to impart in writing to Messrs. Duesbury and Heath his secret process for making china according to proofs already made by him at the Derby Works; to supply them with all sufficient quantities of soapy rock at fair prices; and to print all the china or porcelain ware which might have occasion to be printed. The engagement with Holdship lasted, at all events, many years, but during that time the printing evidently was not much followed, as in his letters to his employers he is constantly complaining of having no work for his presses, and in having no goods made according to his process. He had an assistant named William Underwood, and in one of his letters he values his press at ten guineas in cash, and his copper-plates at a large amount, while he says “for his process for Printing Enamell and Blew, he hath been offered several Hundred Pounds.” His stock of enamel colours, 151 lbs. in weight, he offers to sell for £35. It is needless to write more in this place of Holdship’s connection with Derby, as I have already given more full particulars in the first volume, page 232. At one time