forty centuries of ink-第15章
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recognition。 It was sorely needed。 The Egyptian
manufacture of papyrus; which was in a state of
decay in the seventh century; ceased entirely in the
ninth or tenth。 Not many books were written during
this period; but there was then; and for at least
three centuries afterwards; an unsatisfied demand
for something to write upon。 Parchment was so
scarce that reckless copyists frequently resorted to
the desperate expedient of effacing the writing on
old and lightly esteemed manuscripts。 It was not
a difficult task。 The writing ink then used was
usually made of lamp…black; gum and vinegar; it
it had but a feeble encaustic property; and it did
not bite in or penetrate the parchment。 The work
of effacing this ink was accomplished by moistening
the parchment with a weak alkaline solution and
by rubbing it with pumice stone。 This treatment
did not entirely obliterate the writing; but made it
so indistinct that the parchment could be written
over the second time。 Manuscripts so treated are
now known as palimpsests。 All the large European
public libraries have copies of palimpsests; which are
melancholy illustrations of the literary tastes of
many writers or bookmakers during the Middle
Ages。 More convincingly than by argument they
show the utility of paper。 Manuscripts of the
Gospels; of the Iliad; and of works of the highest
merit; often of great beauty and accuracy; are
dimly seen underneath stupid sermons; and theological
writings of a nature so paltry that no man
living cares to read them。 In Some instances the
first writing has been so thoroughly scrubbed out
that its meaning is irretrievably lost。
〃Much as paper was needed; it was not at all popular
with copyists; their prejudice was not altogether
unreasonable; for it was thick; coarse; knotty; and
in every way unfitted for the display or ornamental
penmanship or illumination。 The cheaper quality;
then known as cotton paper; was especially objectionable。
It seems to have been so badly made as
to need governmental interference。 Frederick II;
of Germany; in the year 1221; foreseeing evils
that might arise from bad paper; made a decree by
which he made invalid all public documents that
should be put on cotton paper; and ordered them
within two years to be transcribed upon parchment。
Peter II; of Spain; in the year 1338; publicly
commanded the paper…makers of Valencia and
Xativa to make their paper of a better quality and
equal to that of an earlier period。
〃The better quality of paper; now known as
linen paper; had the merits of strength; flexibility;
and durability in a high degree; but it was set aside
by the copyists because the fabric was too thick
and the surface was too rough。 The art of calendering
or polishing papers until they were of a
smooth; glossy surface; which was then practised
by the Persians; was unknown to; or at least
unpractised by; the early European makers。 The
changes or fashion in the selection of writing papers
are worthy of passing notice。 The rough
hand…made papers so heartily despised by the
copyists of the thirteenth century are now preferred
by neat penmen and skilled draughtsmen。
The imitations of mediaeval paper; thick; harsh;
and dingy; and showing the marks of the wires
upon which the fabric was couched; are preferred
by men of letters for books and for correspondence;
while highly polished modern plate papers; with
surfaces much more glossy than any preparation of
vellum; are now rejected by them as finical and effeminate。
〃There is a popular notion that the so…called inventions
of paper and xylographic printing were
gladly welcomed by men of letters; and that the
new fabric and the new art were immediately
pressed into service。 The facts about to be presented
in succeeding chapters will lead to a different
conclusion。 We shall see that the makers of
playing cards and of image prints were the men
who first made extended use of printing; and that
self…taught and unprofessional copyists were the
men who gave encouragement to the manufacture
of paper。 The more liberal use of paper at the
beginning of the fifteenth century by this newly…
created class of readers and book…buyers marks the
period of transition and of mental and mechanical
development for which the crude arts of paper…
making and of black printing had been waiting for
centuries。 We shall also see that if paper had been
ever so cheap and common during the Middle Ages;
it would have worked no changes in education or
literature; it could not have been used by the people;
for they were too illiterate; it would not have
been used by the professional copyists; for they
preferred vellum and despised the substitute。
〃The scarcity of vellum in one century; and its
abundance in another; are indicated by the size
of written papers during the same periods。 Before
the sixth century; legal documents were generally
written upon one side only; in the tenth century
the practice of writing upon both sides of the vellum
became common。 During the thirteenth century
valuable documents were often written upon strips
two inches wide and but three and a half inches
long。 At the end of the fourteenth century these
strips went out of fashion。 The more general use
of paper had diminished the demand for vellum and
increased the supply。 In the fifteenth century;
legal documents on rolls of sewed vellum twenty
feet in length were not uncommon。 All the valuable
books of the fourteenth century were written on
vellum。 In the library of the Louvre the manuscripts
on paper; compared to those on vellum; were
as one to twenty…eight; in the library of the Dukes
of Burgundy; one…fifth of the books were of paper。
The increase in the proportion of paper books is a
fair indication of the increasing popularity of paper;
but it is obvious that vellum was even then considered
as the more suitable substance for a book of value。〃
The curious contract belonging to the fourteenth
century which follows; is a literal copy of the original。
It does not seem to specify whether the book is to be
made of vellum or paper。 In other respects the minute
details no doubt prevented any misunderstanding between
the contracting parties。
〃August 26th; 1346There appeared Robert
Brekeling; scribe; and swore that he would observe
the contract made between him and Sir John Forber;
viz。; that the said Robert would write one Psalter
with the Kalender for the work of the said Sir
John for 5 s。 and 6 d。; and in the same Psalter; in
the same character; a Placebo and a Dirige; with a
Hymnal and Collectary; for 4 s。 and 3 d。 And
the said Robert will illuminate ('luminabet') all
the Psalms with great gilded letters laid in with
colours; and all the large letters of the Hymnal
and Collectary will he illuminate with gold and
vermillion; except the great letters of double feasts;
which shall be as the large gilt letters are in the Psalter。
And all the letters at the commencement of the
verses shall be illuminated with good azure and vermillion;
and all the letters at the beginning of the
Nocturns shall be great uncial (unciales) letters; containing
V。 lines; but the Beatus Vir and Dixit Dominus
shall contain VI。 or VII。 lines; and for the
aforesaid illumination and for colours he 'John'
will give 5 s。 6 d。; and for gold he will give 18 d。;
and 2 s。 for a cloak and fur trimming。 Item one
robeone coverlet; one sheet; and one pillow。〃
CHAPTER IX。
END OF MEDIAEVAL INK。
THE SECRETAS PRECEDE ALCHEMY AND CHEMISTRYEFFORT
TO IMPROVE GALL INKSVARIATIONS IN INK
COLORSTHE USE OF RED INK IN THE NINTH AND
TENTH CENTURIESCOLOR COMPARISONS BETWEEN INK
WRITINGS OF ITALY; GERMANY; FRANCE; ENGLAND AND
SPAINHOW TO DETERMINE THE ANTIQUITY OF
MSS。PRACTICES WHICH OBTAINED IN MONASTIC LIBRARIES
OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES…KINDS OF INK EMPLOYED
IN LITURGICAL WRITINGSTHE PUBLIC SCRIBES
AND THEIR EMPLOYMENTSEFFORTS TO COUNTERFEIT
OLD SCRIPT IN EARLY PRINTED BOOKSWHEN THEY
WERE ABANDONED。
IT is well known that alchemy preceded chemistry
and hence the Secreta came first。 When the formula
for making a real 〃gall〃 ink had ceased to be a secret;
chemistry was then but little understood。 It is not a
matter for wonder; therefore; to learn that 〃gall〃 ink
of the first half of the twelfth century was low in
grade and poor in quality。 It was a muddy fluid
easily precipitated and it deteriorated quickly。 A
century or more of experimenting was needed to
modify or overcome defects; as well as to gain
information about the chemical value of the different
tannins; the relative proportions of each constituent
and the correct methods in its admixture。
There is no written account of this ink being manufactured
as an industry until over three hundred years
later。 Hence; as it appears so frequently of varying
degrees of color on documents of the intervening
centuries; we are compelled to assume that it was
compounded by individuals who had neither chemical
knowledge; nor who had made a study or a business
of ink…making。 Notwithstanding which; its progress
seems to have been comparatively rapid and like the
same ink of the present day was to be obtained of any
quality or kind; whether unadulterated or containing
some added color。
Intense black or a black tinged with red…brown
characterizes the color of the inks found on the very
earliest MSS。 Their lasting color phenomena; due to
the employment of lampblack and kindred substances
even after a lapse of so many ages; is at this late day
of no particular moment as they but prove the virtues
of the different types of 〃Indian〃 inks。
A different set of facts are evident in the inks of
mediaeval times which are found to greatly vary according
to their ages and locality。 But few black
inks of the ninth and tenth centuries remain to us。
In the MSS。 of those centuries a red ink was the prevailing
one even to the extent of entire volumes being
written with it。 In Italy and many other portions of
Southern Europe specimens now extant; when compared
with those belonging to Germany and other
more northern countries; are seen to be blacker and
this is also true when those of France and England
are compared; the blacker inks belonging to France。
With the gradual disappearance of the so…called
〃Dark Ages;〃 the ink found on Spanish written MSS。
of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; are notedly
of intense blackness while those of some of the other
countries appear of a rather faded gray color; and in
the sixteenth century; this gray color effect prevailed
all over the Christian world。
To revert again to the ink phenomena of the fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries which are of Italian
origin。 In no section of that country or of Europe
during those centuries do ink creations possess; in so
marked a de