The appliances for making lozenges on the large scale, and the processes through which the materials pass, are in many respects similar to those used in biscuit baking. The fine loaf sugar is ground to an impalpable powder between a pair of millstones, after which it is mixed with dissolved gum arabic sufficient to form a very stiff dough, and the whole is thoroughly incorporated in a mechanical mixer similar to Vicker s dough-mixing machine (see Baking.) The doughy mass is then rendered homogeneous and reduced to a uniform cake by repeatedly passing pieces backward and forward between a pair of heavy metal rollers, the sur faces being kept from adhering by being dusted with starch flour. The cake, when sufficiently spread out, is transferred to a piece of tough web paper, and passed by an intermit tent motion under a frame of cutters of the size and form of. the lozenges to be formed. These punch out and take up the lozenges, and when the tube of the cutters is well filled, the whole frame is turned over, and the cut out lozenges emptied into a tray. The scrap passes along on the web, and is again rolled out into cakes with the paste from the mixer. Nothing further is done with the lozenges than allowing them to dry and harden on trays in racks in a heated apartment. Lozenges are coloured and flavoured with a great variety of ingredients, which are added in proper proportions with the dissolved gum. Medicated lozenges of many kinds are in extensive use, the various medicinal ingredients being similarly incorporated
with the gum.
Hard confections, or comfits, constitute the second leading variety of confectionery. To make these a core or centre of some kind is required, and this may consist either of a seed or fruit, as a coriander or an almond ; or it may be a small lozenge, as in the case of pan drops. Around such a core are deposited successive layers of sugar, and there is no limit to the size to which such comfits may be made. The cores are placed in large copper pans or vessels, which are geared to revolve at an inclined angle, so that by their revolution their contents keep constantly in motion, tumbling over each other. The copper pans are revolved by steam or other power, and they are kept hot by a steam jacket or double casing, into which steam is admitted through the centre on which the pans revolve. A pure strained syrup of sugar is prepared, a quantity of which is periodically applied to the contents of the pan as they appear to get dry, and after receiving a certain coating, the comfits in progress of manufacture are removed to dry and harden for some time. The comfits thus receive alternate coatings in the pan and dryings till they attain the size wanted, when they are finished with a coating of thin syrup, which may be coloured if required, and long con tinued friction in the pan. After hardening in a drying apartment these comfits are ready for use. A great variety of seeds and fruits are used as cores, the principal of which are almonds, caraways, corianders, cloves, cassia, pistachios, and perfumed cherry kernels.
Many forms of confection are prepared from solutions of sugar, which are boiled up to the point of crystallization. Of these ordinary sugar candy, or crystallized sugar, may be taken as the type. It is prepared from solutions of either brown or refined sugar, to the latter of which cochi neal or some other colouring ingredient is frequently added. These solutions, when boiled to a proper degree, are poured into moulds across which at sufficient intervals are stretched pieces of string. The sugar gradually crystallizes from its solution on the sides of the mould and on the string, it being in the meantime kept in an apartment heated from 90 to 100 Fahr. When sufficiently deposited, the remaining liquor is drained off, and the crystals removed and dried in a high uniform heat. Fondants, in the pre paration of which the French confectioners excel, are made from solutions boiled to the point of crystallization, properly coloured and flavoured, and cast into moulds made of starch. Sugar drops are made from fine sugar mixed with a small proportion of water and colouring and flavouring material as desired. The mixture is dissolved by heat without allowing it to boil, and it is then poured in separate drops on a sheet of paper, on which they quickly set and harden.
What is termed boiled sugar, that is sugar which has been boiled till, on cooling and hardening, it assumes a glassy appearance and fracture, is the basis of another ex tensive variety of confectionery. Of this class barley sugar is the type and simplest example. It merely consists of sugar boiled as above indicated, flavoured with a little oil of lemon, poured on a marble slab, cut into strips, and rolled or twisted into sticks. Boiled sugar is prepared in innumerable fanciful forms by passing it, while still in a viscous condition, through small machines in which pairs of brass rollers, having patterns sunk in their surface, stamp these patterns in the plastic material. It is also worked up into the form of balls, plaited into coils, and formed into party-coloured stalks, &c. By vigorous and long-continued drawing out of boiled sugar, while it is in a plastic condi tion, the molecular structure of the material is changed, and from being glassy and transparent it becomes opaque, porous, and granular in appearance. In this way the pre paration known as rock is manufactured. Various prepara tions of chocolate are largely used as confectionery (see Chocolate).
CONFESSION is a verbal acknowledgment of sin. Among the Jews it was the custom, on the annual feast of expiation, for the high priest to make confession of sins to God in the name of the whole people. Besides this general confession, the Jews were enjoined, as a first principle of their religion, to confess their sins individually to God. Herein, indeed, lay one marked and leading feature of difference between their creed and that of the heathen around them. The Jew was taught to regard his Maker as a merciful God, who forgives sin (Mic. vii. 18, 19 ; Isa. Ivii. 16-19). While, however, the contrite heart was insisted on as the all-important element on man s part, outward signs of humiliation were valued as tokens and manifestations of the inward sentiment, as is seen in such cases as those of David, Ahab, and the captives who returned from Babylon (2 Sam. xii. 16 1 Kings xxii. 27; Neh. ix. 2, 3). Such conduct implied admission of wrong doing before man as well as before heaven. In some cases, as in that of Achan (Josh. vii. 19), acknowledgment before man was demanded. In others, as in those involving sin or trespass offerings, some degree of acknowledgment to the priest seems to be implied (Lev. iv. v.). Restitution of things stolen, and general reparation for injustice were also enjoined (Ezek. xxxiii. 15, &c.) as evidences of sincerity.
early period put to open penance. We find St Paul en joining this, but subsequently interceding that the offender be not dealt with too severely (1 Cor. v. 2 ; 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7). The growth of private (or awiciilar) confession is more diffi cult to trace. Even those who would be most inclined to represent it as primitive admit that for the first three centuries little or no mention is made of any such practice ; and though they would fain attribute such silence to per secution, or to the reserve known as the disciplina arcani, they seem inclined to admit that private confession was a development, and grew up gradually. Passages from the fathers, such as St Cyprian, St Basil, St Gregory of Nyssa, and others, recommending the practice, have to be confronted with the small prominence given to it in the works of St Augustine and the strong declarations of St
Chrysostom on the sufficiency of confession to God. But