forty centuries of ink-第41章

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on　tiles　was　common　in　Egypt；　Assyria　and

Palestine　（Ezekiel　iv。　I）。　Such　handwritings　were　on

tablets　of　terra…cotta　or　common　baked　clay　bricks。

One　of　the　kind　was　fashioned　by　inscribing　directly

with　a　〃stylus〃　on　the　clay；　before　baking。　Another；

were　〃moulds〃　made　from　older　inscriptions　or　duplicates

from　the　first　kind。



The　Hebrew　term　sepher；　translated　into　English

means　a　〃book；〃　and　some　authorities　claim　it　is　derived

from　the　same　root　as　the　Greek　；　a　stone；

which　would　seem　to　point　to　engraved　stones　as　the

earliest　kinds　of　records。　Indeed　nearly　all　the　passages

in　the　Five　Books　of　Moses；　in　which　writing　is

mentioned；　refer　to　records　of　this　kind；　or　to　tablets

of　lead　or　wood；　occasionally　described　as　coated　with

wax。



Long　before　the　use　of　papyrus；　or　any　like　substance

was　known　as　a　material　for　writing　on；　thin

bricks　were　frequently　utilized　for　such　purposes。

The　Chinese　wrote　on　slips　of　bamboo　which　had

been　previously　scraped　to　be　afterwards　submitted　to

intense　heat　which　so　hardened　them；　that　a　graver

would　cut　lines　with　the　same　facility；　as　could　be

accomplished　on　soft　metal　like　lead。　These　bamboo

tablets　were　joined　together　by　means　of　cords　made

of　bark　and　when　folded　formed　a　〃book。〃　Different

nations　adopted　other　modes　in　their　preparation

of　surfaces　to　engrave　on。　Many　original

specimens　have　come　down　to　us　which　present　definite

evidence　of　the　variety　of　materials　and　methods

employed　in　their　manufacture。



Hilprecht；　〃Explorations　in　Bible　Lands；〃　1903；

mentions　many　discoveries　of　such　specimens。　He

says　that　more　than　four　thousand　clay　tablets　were

discovered　during　the　excavations　of　1889　and　1900。



These　relics　call　attention　only　to　a　very　few

discoveries　of　this　character。　There　were　other　explorers

who　preceded　Hilprecht　in　this　direction；　and

who　with　him　have　thus　secured　tangible　evidence

which　fully　confirms　all　that　has　been　said　about　the

employment　of　the　most　ancient　of　writing　instruments；

the　〃stylus。〃



The　diamond　is　also　to　be　classified　under　the　head

of　〃scratching　implements〃　and　many　historical

incidents　are　recorded　of　its　use。　One　of　the　most

interesting　relates　to　Sir　Walter　Raleigh　and　Queen

Elizabeth　and　to　be　found　in　Scott's　〃Kenilworth。〃

Sir　Walter；　using　his　diamond　ring；　wrote　on　a　pane

of　glass　in　her　summer…house　at　Greenwich：



　　　　　　　　　　〃Fain　would　I　climb；　but　that　I　fear　to　fall。〃



The　maiden　Queen　adding　the　words：



　　　　　　　　　　〃If　thy　mind　fail　thee；　do　not　climb　at　all。〃



Biblical　mention　of　the　diamond；　employed　as　a　pen；

is　found　in　Jeremiah　xvii。　1。



　　　　　　　　　　〃The　sin　of　Judah　is　written　with　a　pen　of　iron；

　　　　　　　　　　and　with　the　point　of　a　diamond。〃



It　has　not　always　been　possible　to　decipher　and　interpret

the　character　values　of　the　most　ancient　hieroglyphics

or　picture　writings　inscribed　on　bricks；　stone

and　metal　slabs；　and　the　Egyptian　monuments。　The

means　to　do　so　were　furnished　as　the　result　of　a　very

fortunate　accident　or　〃find。〃



A　French　artillery　officer　in　1799　while　excavating

the　foundations　for　a　fortification　near　the　Rosetta

mouth　of　the　Nile；　found　a　curious　black　tablet　of

stone。　On　it　were　engraved　three　inscriptions；　each

of　different　characters　and　dialects。



The　first　of　the　three　inscriptions　was　in　hieroglyphic；

then　unreadable；　the　second　in　demotic　or

shorter　script；　also　unknown；　and　the　third　in　a　living

language　pertaining　to　the　time　of　Ptolemy　Epiphanes；

who　reigned　about　200　B。　C。



This　relic　of　antiquity　is　called　the　Rosetta　stone。



Jean　Francois　Champollion；　who　with　Dr。　Thomas

Young　studied　the　intricacies　of　these　writings；　first

established　the　fact　that　the　three　inscriptions　on　this

stone　were　translations　of　each　other。　Dr。　Young's

investigations　caused　him　to　study　the　language　included

in　the　second　inscription；　and　made　his　deductions；

it　is　said；　〃by　dint　of　thousands　of　scientific

guesses；　all　but　a　few　of　which　were　eliminated　by

tests　which　he　invented　and　applied；　he　at　last　discovered

and　put　together　the　set　of　fundamental　principles

that　govern　the　ancient　writings。〃



Champollion；　however；　began　at　the　bottom　and

having　successfully　translated　the　LIVING　language；

established　a　〃key〃　or　alphabet。　Hence　it　became

possible；　although　requiring　some　years；　to　solve　the

mystery　of　writings　of　4000　or　more　years　old。



Champollion　pursued　his　discoveries　so　thoroughly

in　this　direction　as　to　be　able　to　complete　in　1829　an

Egyptian　vocabulary　and　grammar。



The　Rosetta　stone　after　remaining　in　the　possession

of　the　French　for　many　years　was　captured　by　the

English　on　the　defeat　of　the　French　forces　in　Egypt

and　is　now　in　the　British　museum。



As　writing　with　liquid　colors　on　papyrus　or　analogous

materials　which　could　be　used　in　the　form　of　rolls；

gradually　came　into　vogue；　the　calamus　or　reed　pen；

pencil　brush　（hair　pencil）；　or　the　juncas；　a　pen　formed

from　a　kind　of　cane；　were　more　or　less　employed。



The　〃calamus〃　followed　the　〃brush；〃　just　as



phonographic　writing　which　denotes　arbitrary　sounds

or　the　language　of　symbols；　came　after　the　picture　or

ideographic　writing。



The　places　where　the　calamus　grew　and　the　modes

of　preparing　them　are　variously　discussed　by　different

ancient　and　modern　writers。　Some　claim　that　the

best　reeds　for　pen　purposes　formerly　grew　near

Memphis　on　the　Nile；　near　Cnidus　of　Caria；　in　Asia

Minor；　and　in　Armenia。　Those　grown　in　Italy　were

estimated　to　have　been　of　but　poor　quality。　Chardin

calls　attention　to　a　kind　to　be　found；　〃in　a　large　fen

or　tract　of　soggy　land　supplied　with　water　by　the

river　Helle；　a　place　in　Arabia　formed　by　the　united

arms　of　the　Euphrates　and　Tigris。　They　are　cut　in

March；　tied　in　bundles；　laid　six　months　in　a　manure

heap；　where　they　assume　a　beautiful　color；　mottled

yellow　and　black。〃　Tournefort　saw　them　growing　in

the　neighborhood　of　Teflis　in　Georgia。　Miller　describes

the　cane　as　〃growing　no　higher　than　a　man；

the　stem　three　or　four　lines　in　thickness　and　solid

from　one　knot　to　another；　excepting　the　central　white

pith。〃　The　incipient　fermentation　in　the　manure

heap　dries　up　the　pith　and　hardens　the　cane。　The

pens　were　about　the　size　of　the　largest　swan's　quills。

They　were　cut　and　slit　like　a　quill　pen　but　with

much　larger　nibs。



In　the　far　East　the　calamus　is　still　used；　the　best

being　gathered　in　the　month　of　March；　near　Aurac；

on　the　Persian　Gulf；　and　still　prepared　after　the　old

method　of　immersing　them　for　about　six　months　in

fermenting　manure　which　coats　them　with　a　sort　of

dark　varnish　and　the　darker　their　color　the　more

they　are　prized。



The　〃brush〃　also　holds　its　career　of　usefulness；

more　especially　in　China　and　Japan。



The　earliest　examples　of　reed　pen　writing　are　the

ancient　rolls　of　papyrus　which　have　been　found

buried　with　the　Egyptian　dead。　Some　of　these　old

relics　of　antiquity　are　claimed　to　have　been　prepared

fully　twenty　centuries　or　more　before　the

Christian　era。



The　〃reed〃　pen　for　ink　writing　held　almost　undisputed

sway　until　the　sixth　century　after　the　Christian

era；　when　the　quill　（penna）　came　into　vogue。



Reed　pens　preserved　in　excellent　condition　were

found　in　the　ruins　of　Herculaneum。



〃When　he　had　finished；　he　dried　the　bamboo…pen

on　his　hair；　and　replaced　it　behind　his　ear；　saying；

'Yak　pose'　（That　is　well）。　'Temou　chu'　（Rest　in

peace）；　we　replied；　and；　after　politely　putting　out

our　tongues；　withdrew。〃　Abbe　Hue　at　Lha…Ssa。







CHAPTER　XXVI。



INK　UTENSILS　（QUILL　PEN　STEEL　PEN）。



THE　QUILL　PEN　THE　MOST　SUCCESSFUL　AND　FITTING　OF

ALL　WRITING　INSTRUMENTSTENDENCY　TO　〃WEAR〃

OUTTHE　SOMETIMES　AFFECTION　FOR　OLD　PENSDR。

HOLLAND'S　LINES　ON　THE　PENSELECTION　OF　QUILLS

TO　BE　MADE　INTO　PENSMETHOD　OF　PREPARING

THEMBYRON'S　ESTIMATION　OF　HIS　QUILL　PENITS

INVENTION　BEFORE　THE　SIXTH　CENTURY　UNCERTAIN

EMPLOYMENT　OF　THE　REED　AND　QUILL　PEN

TOGETHER　UNTIL　THE　TWELFTH　CENTURYWHEN

THE　STEEL　PEN　CAME　INTO　VOGUEWHO　WAS　ITS

INVENTORSOME　OBSERVATIONS　ABOUT　ITQUANTITY

OF　MATERIAL　SIXTY　YEARS　AGO　CONSUMED　IN　PEN

MANUFACTUREA　FEW　REMARKS　ABOUT　GOLD；　FOUNTAIN

AND　STYLOGRAPHIC　PENSMORE　STEEL　USED　IN

THE　MANUFACTURE　OF　PENS　THAN　IN　THAT　OF　SWORDS

AND　GUNSPOETICAL　LINES　ABOUT　THE　PEN。



THE　quills　belonging　to　the　feathers　of　birds　seem

to　have　been　the　most　successful　and　fitting　of　all　materials

for　pens；　for；　though　steel　and　other　metals　are

now　used　for　this　purpose　to　an　immense　extent；　there

is　a　power　of　adaptation　in　a　quill　pen　which　has　never

yet　been　equalled　in　metal。　Quills；　however；　like

other　things；　have　a　tendency　to　〃wear　out；〃　and　the

trouble　resulting　from　the　necessity　of　frequently

mending　quill　pens　and　a　desire　to　write　with　more

rapidity　have　been　the　main　causes　of　the　introduction

of　steel　substitutes。　A　kind　of　affection　has　often

been　felt　by　an　author　or　official；　or　their　admirers；

for　the　pen　with　which　he　has　written　any　large　or

celebrated　work　or　signed　some　important　document；

old　worn…out　pens；　as　well　as　new　ones；　have　been　preserved

as　memorials　in　connection　with　such　matters；

and　Dr。　Holland；　who　translated　Pliny's　〃Natural

History〃　in　the　sixteenth　century；　recorded　an　exploit

connected　with　it　in　the　following　lines：



　　　　　〃With　one　sole　pen　I　wrote　this　book；

　　　　　　　　　　Made　of　a　gray　goose…quill：

　　　　　A　pen　it　was　when　it　I　took

　　　　　　　　　　A　pen　I　leave　it　still。〃



The　quills　employed　for　pens　were　generally　those

of　the　goose；　although　the　crow；　the　swan；　and　other

birds　yielded　feathers　which　were　occasionally　available

for　this　purpose。　Each　wing　produced　about　five

good　quills；　but　the　number　thus　yielded　was　so　small

that　the　geese　reared　in　England　could　not　furnish

nearly　enough　for　the　demand；　hence　the　importation

of　goose　quills　from　the　Continent　was　very　large。

The　process　surrounding　the　manufacture　of　a　quill

pen　proves　of　considerable　interest。



〃The　geese　are　plucked　of　their　feathers　three

or　four　times　a　year；　the　first　time　for　the　sake　both

of　the　quills　and　the　feathers；　but　the　other　times

for　the　feathers　only。　The　pen　quills　are　generally

taken　from　the　ends　of　the　wings。　When　plucked

the　quills　are　found　to　be　covered　with　a　membranous

skin；　resulting　from　a　decay　of　a　kind　of

sheath　which　had　enveloped　them；　the　interior

vascular　membrane；　too；　resulting　from　the　decay

of　the　vascular　pith；　adheres　so　strongly　to　the　barrel

of　the　quill　as　to　be　with　difficulty　separated；

while；　at　the　same　time；　the　barrel　itself　is　opaque；

soft；　and　tough。　To　remove　these　various　defects

the　quills　undergo　several　processes。　In　the　first

instance；　as　a　means　of　removing　the　membraneous

skin；　the　quills　are　plunged　into　heated　sand；　the

hi