To get a satisfactory mould, great care in all the processes is essential. Coat a piece of flat metal plate evenly with melted beeswax to a depth of about 1/16in. Before this has got quite hard write slowly what is required; make the pencil or stylus penetrate to the metal, quite through the wax, from end to end of the autograph. Clear out any shavings or chips of wax that may clog the writing. Sift some plaster-of-Paris through fine muslin; dry the powder in an oven, making it hotter than the hand can comfortably bear. Grind it up with a pestle and mortar to remove all traces of lumps, then sift again. Replace in the mortar and add enough water to make a thick cream, using the pestle to get thorough mixture and to leave no unwetted powder. Pour the cream upon the wax autograph and pat it with a light stick, so as to force the cream into the grooves of the writing. When the cream has set quite hard there should be a perfect facsimile. A similar procedure will obtain the true mould from the plaster facsimile.