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forty centuries of ink-第2章

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remote history of ink。



The Hebrew word for ink is deyo; so called from its

blackness。 As primitively prepared for ritualistic purposes

and for a continuing period of more than two

thousand years; it was a simple mixture of powdered

charcoal or soot with water; to which gum was sometimes

added。



The Arabian methods of making ink (alchiber) were

more complex。 Lampblack was first made by the

burning of oil; tar or rosin; which was then commingled

with gum and honey and pressed into small wafers or

cakes; to which water could be added when wanted for

use。



About 1200 years before the Christian era; the Chinese

perfected this method and invented 〃Indian Ink;〃

ostensibly for blackening the surface of raised hieroglyphics;

which 〃was obtained from the soot produced

by the smoke of pines and the oil in lamps; mixed

with the isinglass (gelatin) of asses' skin; and musk

to correct the odour of the oil。〃 Du Halde cites the

following; as of the time of the celebrated Emperor

Wu…Wong; who flourished 1120 years before Christ:





〃As the stone Me (a word signifying blackening

in the Chinese language); which is used to blacken

the engraved characters; can never become white;

so a heart blackened by vices will always retain its

blackness。〃



That the art of dyeing was known; valued and applied

among early nations; is abundantly clear。 The

allusions to 〃purple and fine raiment;〃 to 〃dyed garments;〃

to 〃cloth of many colours;〃 &c。; are numerous

in the Bible。 In a note to the 〃Pictorial Bible; after

an allusion to the antiquity of this art; and to the pre…

eminence attached by the ancients to purple beyond

every other color; it is remarked: 〃It is important

to understand that the word purple; in ancient writings;

does not denote one particular colour。〃



Many of the names of the dyestuffs have come down

to us; some of them still in use at this time and others

obsolete。 They were employed sometimes as ink; and

certain color values given to them; of which the more

important were blue; red; yellow; green; white; black;

purple; gold and silver。 Some colors were estimated

symbolically。 White was everywhere the symbol of

purity and the emblem of innocence; and; just opposite;

black was held up as an emblem of affliction and

calamity。



Green was the emblem of freshness; vigor and prosperity。



Blue was the symbol of revelation; it was pre…eminently

the celestial color blessed among heathen

nations; and among the Hebrews it was the Jehovah

color; the symbol of the revered God。 Hence; it

was the color predominant in Mosaic ceremonies。



Purple was associated as the dress of kings; with

ideas of royalty and majesty。



Crimson and scarlet; from their resemblance to

blood; became symbolical of life; and also an emblem

of that which was indelible or deeply ingrained。



Later; in Christian times; only five colors were recognized

as fitting for theological meaning or expression:

white; red; green; violet and black。



White was esteemed as being the union of all the

rays of light; and is often referred to as the symbol of

truth and spotless purity。 Red was emblematic both

of fire and love; while green from its analogy to the

vegetable world; was indicative of life and hope。 Violet

was considered the color of penitence and sorrow。

Blue was forbidden except as a color peculiarly appropriated

to the Virgin Mary; while black represented

universally sorrow; destruction and death。



The art of dyeing was also well understood and

practiced in Persia in the most ancient periods。 The

modern Persians have chosen Christ as their patron;

and Bischoff says at present call a dyehouse Christ's

workshop; from a tradition they have that He was of

that profession; which is probably founded on the old

legend 〃that Christ being put apprentice to a dyer;

His master desired him to dye some pieces of cloth of

different colors; He put them all into a boiler; and

when the dyer took them out he was terribly frightened

on finding that each had its proper color。〃



This; or a similar legend; occurs in the apocryphal

book entitled; 〃The First Gospel of the Infancy of

Jesus Christ。〃 The following is the passage:



〃On a certain day also; when the Lord Jesus

was playing with the boys; and running about; He

passed by a dyer's shop whose name was Salem;

and there were in his shop many pieces of cloth

belonging to the people of that city; which they

designed to dye of several colors。 Then the Lord;

Jesus; going into the dyer's shop; took all the cloths

and threw them into the furnace。 When Salem

came home and saw the cloth spoiled; he began to

make a great noise and to chide the Lord Jesus;

saying: 'What hast Thou done; unto me; O thou

son of Mary? Thou hast injured both me and my

neighbors; they all desired their cloths of a proper

color; but Thou hast come and spoiled them all。'

The Lord Jesus replied: 'I will change the color

of every cloth to what color thou desirest;' and

then He presently began to take the cloths out of

the furnace; and they were all dyed of those same

colors which the dyer desired。 And when the Jews

saw this surprising miracle they praised God。〃



The ancients used also a number of tinctures as

ink; among them a brown color; sepia; in Hebrew

tekeleth。 As a natural ink its origin antedates every

other ink; artificial or otherwise; in the world。 It is a

black…brown liquor; secreted by a small gland into an

oval pouch; and through a connecting duct is ejected

at will by the cuttle fish which inhabits the seas of

Europe; especially the Mediterranean。 These fish

constantly employ the contents of their 〃ink bags〃

to discolor the water; when in the presence of enemies;

in order to facilitate their escape from them。



The black broth of the Spartans was composed of

this product。 The Egyptians sometimes used it for

coloring inscriptions on stone。 It is the most lasting

of all natural ink substances。



So great is the antiquity of artificial ink that the

name of its inventor or date of its invention are alike

unknown。 The poet Whitehead refers to it as follows:



     Hard that his name it should not save;

     Who first poured forth the sable wave。〃





The common black ink of the ancients was essentially

different in composition and less liable to fade

than those used at the present time。 It was not a

stain like ours; and when Horace wrote



     〃And yet as ink the fairest paper stains;

     So worthless verse pollutes the fairest deeds;〃



he must have had in mind the vitriolic ink of his own

time。



But little information relative to black inks of the

intermediate times has come down to us; and it is conveyed

through questioned writings of authors who

flourished about the period of the life of Jesus Christ;

the Younger Pliny and Dioscorides are the most prominent

of them。 They present many curious recipes。

One of these; suggested by Pliny; is that the addition

of an infusion of wormwood to ink will prevent the

destruction of MSS。 by mice。



From a memoir by M。 Rousset upon the pigments

and dyes used by the ancients; it would appear that

the variety was very considerable。 Among the white

colors; they were acquainted with white lead; and for

the blacks; various kinds of charcoal and soot were

used。 Animal skins were dyed black with gall apples

and sulphate of iron (copper)。 Brown pigments were

made by mixing different kinds of ochre。 Under the

name of Alexander blue; the ancientsEgyptians as

well as Greeks and Romansused a pigment containing

oxide of copper; and also one containing cobalt。



Fabrics were dyed blue by means of pastel…wood。



Yellow pigments were principally derived from weld;

saffron; and other native plants。



Vermilion; red ochre; and minium (red lead) were

known from a remote antiquity; although the artificial

preparation of vermilion was a secret possessed

only by the Chinese。



The term scarlet as employed in the Old Testament

was used to designate the blood…red color procured

from an insect somewhat resembling cochineal; found

in great quantities in Armenia and other eastern

countries。 The Arabian name of the insect is Kermez

(whence crimson)。 It frequents the boughs of a species

of the ilex tree: on these it lays its eggs in groups;

which become covered with a sort of down; so that

they present the appearance of vegetable galls or

excrescences from the tree itself and are described as

such by Pliny XVI; 12; who also gave it the name of

granum; probably on account of its resemblance to a

grain or berry; which has been adopted by more recent

writers and is the origin of the term 〃ingrain color〃

as now in use。 The dye is procured from the female

grub alone; which; when alive is about the size of the

kernel of a cherry and of a dark red…brown color; but

when dead; shrivels up to the size
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