forty centuries of ink-第53章
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attributed to the close of the fourth century； and the
first rustic MS。 to which an approximate date can be
given； belongs to the close of the fifth century。
The most ancient uncial ink writing extant； belongs
to the fourth century； whilst the earliest mixed uncial
and miniscule writing pertains to the sixth century。
The oldest extant Irish MS。 in the round Irish
hand is ascribed to the latter part of the seventh century；
while the earliest specimen of English writing
of any kind extant dates about the beginning of the
eighth century。
The gold pen won by Peter Bales in his trial of
skill with Johnson； during the reign of Queen Elizabeth；
if really made for use； is probably the first
modern example of such pens。 Bales was employed
by Sir Francis Walsingham； and afterwards kept a
writing school at the upper end of the Old Bailey。
In 1595； when nearly fifty years old； he had a trial of
skill with one Daniel Johnson； by which he was the
winner of a golden pen； of a value of L20； which； in
the pride of his victory； he set up as his sign。 Upon
this occasion John Davis made the following epigram
in his 〃Scourge of Folly：〃
〃The Hand and Golden Pen； Clophonion
Sets on his sign； to shew； O proud； poor soul；
Both where he wonnes； and how the same he won；
From writers fair； though he writ ever foul；
But by that Hand； that Pen so borne has been；
From place to Place； that for the last half Yeare；
It scarce a sen'night at a place is seen。
That Hand so plies the Pen； though ne'er the neare；
For when Men seek it； elsewhere it is sent；
Or there shut up as for the Plague or Rent；
Without which stay； it never still could stand；
Because the Pen is for a Running Hand。〃
The sign of the 〃Hand and Pen〃 was also used by
the Fleet street marriage…mongers； to denote 〃marriages
performed without imposition。〃
Robert More； a famous writing master； in 1696
lived in Castle street； near St。 Paul's churchyard；
London； at the sign of the 〃Golden Pen。〃
The ink horn in Queen Elizabeth's time was in popular
use as a receptacle for holding writing ink； and
Petticoat lane in London was the great manufacturing
center for them。 Bishops Gate in the same vicinity
was known as the 〃home of the scribblers。〃
Beginning with 1560 and for many years thereafter
the sign of the Five Ink Horns was appropriately
displayed by Haddon on the house in which he dwelt。
Away back in the time of King Edward III （1313…
1377）； royalty was employing the pen； both quill and
gold； as badges。 This is indicated in the accompanying
interesting list to be found in the Harlein library：
〃King Edward the iii。 gave a lyon in his proper
coulor； armed； azure； langue d'or。 The oustrich
fether gold； the pen gold； and a faucon in his
proper coulor and the Sonne Rising。
〃The Prince of Wales the ostrich fether pen and all arg。
〃Henry； sonne of the Erl of Derby； first Duk
of Lancaster； gave the red rose uncrowned； and
his ancestors gave the Fox tayle in his prop。 coulor
and the ostrich fether ar。 the pen ermyn。
〃The Ostrych fether silver； the pen gobone
sylver and azur； is the Duk of Somerset's bage。
〃The ostrych fether silver and pen gold ys the
kinges。
〃The ostrych fether pen and all sylver ys the
Prynces。
〃The ostrych fether sylver； pen ermyn is the
Duke of Lancesters。
〃The ostrych fether sylver and pen gobone is
the Duke of Somersets。〃
〃What's great Goliath's spear； the sevenfold shield；
Scanderbeg's sword； to one who cannot wield
Such weapons？ Or； what means a well cut quill；
In th' untaught hand of him that's void of skill？〃
COCKER； A。 D。 1650。
The oldest ink （Russian） documents that exist in
Russia are two treaties with the Greek emperors； made
by Oleg； A。 D。 912； and Igor； A。 D。 943。 Christianity；
introduced into Russia at the beginning of the eleventh
century by Vladimir the Great； brought with it many
words of Greek origin。 Printing was introduced there
about the middle of the sixteenth century。 The oldest
printed book which has been discovered is a Sclavonic
psalter； the date Kiev； 1551； two years after a press
was established in Moscow。
It is said that the skins of 300 sheep were used in
every copy of the first printed Bible。 Hence the old
saying； 〃It takes a flock of sheep to write a book。〃
What would have been the comment in olden times；
to learn that it takes almost a forest of trees to print
the Sunday edition of some of our great newspapers？
Wax （shoemakers'） was first employed on
documents A。 D。 1213； although it was white wax which
was used to seal the magna charta； granted to the
English barons by King John； A。 D。 1215。 In 1445
red wax was much employed in England； but the earliest
specimen of red sealing wax extant is found on
a letter dated August 3； 1554。
Pliny enumerates and describes eight different
kinds of papyrus paper：
1。 Charter hieraticasacred paper； used only for
books on religion。 From adulation of Augustus it
was also called charta augusta and charta livia。
2。 Charta amphitheatricafrom the place where it
was fabricated。
3。 Charta fanniafrom Fannius； the manufacturer。
4。 Charta saiticafrom Sais in Egypt。 This appears
to have been a coarser kind。
5。 Charta toenioticafrom the place where made；
now Damietta。 This was also of a less fine quality。
6。 Charta claudia。 This was an improvement of
the charta hieratica； which was too fine。
7。 Charta emporitica。 A coarse paper for parcels。
There was also a paper called macrocollum； which
was of a very large size。
Of all these； he says； the charta claudia was the best。
The ink…written rolls of papyrus were placed vertically
in a cylindrical box called capsula。 It is very
evident that a great number of such volumes might
be comprised in this way within a small space； and
this may tend to explain the smallness of the rooms
which are considered to have been used for containing
the ancient libraries。
At Mentz； in Upper Germany； is a leaf of parchment
on which are fairly written twelve different kinds of
handwritings in six different inks also a variety of
miniatures and drawings curiously done with a pen
by one Theodore Schubiker； who was born without
hands and performed the work with his feet。
In Rome the very plate of brass on which the laws
of the ten tables are written is still to be seen。
Stylographic inks should not be used upon records；
most of them are aniline。 The absence of solid matter；
which makes them desirable for the stylographic
pen； unfits them for records。
Never add water to ink。 While an ink which has
water as its base might； under certain conditions bear
the addition of an amount equal to that lost by evaporation；
as a rule the ink particles which have become
injured will not assimilate again。
One of the best methods to cleanse a steel pen after
use； is to stick it in a raw （white） potato。
Inks which are recommended as permanent； because
water will not remove them； while it does immediately
obliterate others； may not be permanent as against
time。 These inks may be the best for monetary purposes；
but； owing to an excess of acid in them； may
be dangerous in time to the paper。
It is interesting； since coal tar has acquired so important
a position in the arts； to trace how its various
products successively rose in value。 The prices in
Paris； as given by M。 Parisal in 1861； are as follows：
Coal；。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 1/4 c。 per lb。
Coal tar；。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 3/4 〃 〃
Heavy coal oil；。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 2 1/2 a 3 3/4 〃 〃
Light coal oil；。。。。。。。。。。。。。 6 3/4 a 10 1 /4 〃 〃
Benzole；。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 10 1/2 a 13 〃 〃
Crude nitro…benzole；。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 57 a 61 〃 〃
Rectified nitro…benzole；。。。。。。。。。。。。 82 a 96 〃 〃
Ordinary aniline；。。。。。。。。。。。。。 3。27 a 4。90 〃 〃
Liquid aniline violet；。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 28 a 41 〃 〃
Carmine aniline violet；。。。。。。。 32 c。 a 1。92 〃
Pure aniline violet； in powder；。。。。 245 a 326。88 〃
The last is equal to the price of gold。 And so； says
M。 Parisal； from coal； carried to its tenth power； we
have gold； the diamond is to come。
Modern chemistry offers many formulas and
methods of rendering visible secret or sympathetic
inks。 Writing made with any of the following solutions；
and permitted to dry； is invisible。 Treatment
by the means cited will render them visible。
Solution。 After treatment。 Color produced。
Acetate of lead。 Sulphuret of potassiurin。 Brown。
Gold in nitrohydroChloric acid。 Tin in same acid。 Purple。
Nut…galls。 Sulphate of iron。 Black。
Dilute sulphuric acid。 Heat。 Black。
Cobalt in dilute Heat。 Green。
nitrohydrochloric acid。
Lemon juice。 Heat。 Brown。
Oxide of copper in Heat。 Blue。
acetic acid and salt
Nitrate of bismuth。 Infusions of Nutgalls。 Brown。
Common starch。 Iodine in alcohol。 Purple。
Colorless iodine。 Chloride of lime。 Brown。
Phenolphtalin。 Alkaline solution。 Red。
Vanadium。 Pyrogallic acid。 Purple。
The Patent Office at Washington； D。 C。； for more
than forty years employed a violet copying ink made
of logwood。 From 1853 until 1878 it was furnished
by the Antoines of Paris； of the brand termed
〃Imperial；〃 in later years it was supplied by the Fabers。
Since 1896 they have been using 〃combined〃 writing
fluids。
The following facts elicited by the unrollment of a
mummy at Bristol； England； in 1853； were communicated
to the Philosophical Magazine； by Dr。 Herapath。
He says：
〃On three of the bandages were hieroglyphical
characters of a dark color； as well defined as if
written with a modern pen； where the marking fluid
had flowed more copiously than the characters required；
the texture of the cloth had become decomposed
and small holes had resulted。 I have no
doubt that the bandages were genuine； and had
not been disturbed or unfolded； the color of the
marks were so similar to those of the present
'marking ink；' that I was induced to try if they
were produced by silver。 With the blowpipe I
immediately obtained a button of that metal； the
fibre of the linen I proved by the microscope； and
by chemical reagents； to be linen； it is therefore
certain that the ancient Egyptians were acquainted
with the means of dissolving silver； and of applying
it as a permanent ink； but what was their solvent？
I know of none that would act on the
metal and decompose flax fibre but nitric ac
