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amiss； and as many lies as will lie on a sheet of
paper； although the sheet were big enough for
the bed of Ware in England； set 'em down； go；
about it。 Let there be gall enough in thy ink；
though thou write with a goose pen； no matter：
about it。〃
The general black ink conditions for a period of at
least three hundred years； if we exclude the sixteenth
century； had been but repetitions of each other。
They so remained until the year 1626； when the
French government concluded an arrangement with a
chemist by the name of Guyot； for the manufacture
of a 〃gall〃 ink WITHOUT added color and which thereby
guaranteed and insured more sameness in respect to
desirable ink qualities。 That government with a few
modifications relative to the proportions of ingredients
continued its employment； which was followed by the
contemporaneous writers。 Other governments later
partially adopted the French formulas while some of
them gave the matter no attention； although their
records and those of the cities or towns not only of
Europe but early America； the United States and
Canada are found in most instances to have been written
with an ink of this character。
Where prior to 1850； inks containing a different
base （with the single exception of indigo） were used；
they have either disappeared or nearly so and it is not
an infrequent occurrence among those who are accustomed
to examine old records to find that signatures
or dates to valuable instruments； pages of writings and
indeed sometimes the writings in an entire book are
more or less obliterated。
The black inks of a large portion of the seventeenth
century； on documents of every kind； are found to be
nearly perfect as to color conditions； which is evidence
of the extreme care used in their preparation and the
exclusion of 〃added〃 color in ink manufacture。
CHAPTER XI。
ANCIENT INK TREATISES。
INK TREATISES OF THE FIFTEENTH； SIXTEENTH AND
SEVENTEENTH CENTURIESJOHN BAPTISTA PORTA
AUTHOR OF THE FIRSTSECRET INKS…NERI； CANEPARIUS；
BOREL； MERRET； KUNCKEL AND OTHER AUTHORS
WHO REFER TO INK MANUFACTUREPROGRESS OF THE
ART OF HANDWRITING ILLUSTRATED IN THE NAMES OF
OVER A HUNDRED CALLIGRAPHERS CHRONOLOGICALLY
ARRANGED。
THE literature of the fifteenth； sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries on the subject of black and colored
ink formulas； secret inks； etc。； is both diversified and
of considerable importance。 The following authors
and citations are deemed the most noteworthy：
John Baptista Porta； of Naples； born A。 D。 1445
and died A。 D。 1515； is best known as the inventor
of the 〃camera obscuro；〃 was also the author of many
MSS。 books compiled； he says；
〃As the results of discussions of long years held
at my own house which is known as de Secreti；
and into which none can enter unless he claim to be
an inventor of new discoveries。〃
Two of these treatises which were extant in the
first half of the seventeenth century； dated respectively
1481 and 1483； dwell at great length on SECRET
inks and specifically mention as translated into the
English of the time 〃sowre galls in white wine；〃 and
〃vitriol；〃 repeating Italian formulas pertaining to
the 〃Secreta〃 of the twelfth century。
About secret ink he tells us：
〃There are many and almost infinite ways to
write things of necessity； that the Characters shall
not be seen； unless you dip them into waters； or
put them near the fire； or rub them with dust； or
smeer them over。
* * * * * * * *
〃Let Vitriol soak in Boyling water： when it is
dissolved； strain it so long till the water grow clear：
with that liquor write upon paper： when they are
dry they are not seen。 Moreover； grinde burnt
straw and Vinegar： and what you will write in the
spaces between the former lines； describe at large。
Then boyl sowre Galls in white Wine； wet a spunge
in the liquor： and when you have need； wipe it
upon the paper gently； and wet the letters so long
until the native black colour disappear； but the
former colour； that was not seen； will be made
apparent。 Now I will show in what liquors paper
must be soaked to make letters to be seen。 As I
said； Dissolve Vitriol in water： then powder Galls
finely； and soak them in water： let them stay there
twenty…four hours： filtre them through a linen
cloth； or something else； that may make the water
clear； and make letters upon the paper that you
desire to have concealed： send it to your Friend
absent： when you would have them appear； dip
them in the first liquor； and the letters will presently
be seen。
* * * * * * * *
If you write with the juice of Citrons； Oranges；
Onyons； or almost any sharp things； if you make
it hot at the fire； their acrimony is presently discovered：
for they are undigested juices； whereas they
are detected by the heat of the fire； and then they
show forth those colours that they would show if
they were ripe。 If you write with a sowre Grape
that would be black； or with Cervices； when you
hold them to the fire they are concocted； and will
give the same colour they would in due time give
upon the tree； when they were ripe。 Juice of Cherries；
added to Calamus； will make a green： to sow…
bread a red： so divers juices of Fruits will show
divers colours by the fire。 By these means Maids
sending and receiving love…letters； escape from
those that have charge of them。 There is also a
kind of Salt called Ammoniac： this powdered and
mingled with water； will write white letters； and
can hardly be distinguished from the paper； but
hold them to the fire； and they will shew black。〃
With respect to the preparation of black and colored
inks and also colors： Antonio Neri； an Italian author
and chemist who lived in the sixteenth century； in his
treatise seems not only to have laid the foundation
for most of the receipts called attention to by later
writers during the two hundred years which followed；
but to have been the very first to specify a proper
〃gall〃 ink and its formula； as the most worthy of
notice。
Pietro Caneparius； a physician and writer of Venice；
A。 D。 1612； in his work De Atrametis； gives a more
extensive view about the preparation and composition
of inks and adopts all that Neri had given； though he
never quotes his name； and adds〃hitherto published
by no one。〃 He does however mention many valuable
particulars which were omitted by Neri。 Most
of his receipts are about gold； silver and nondescript
inks； with directions for making a great variety for
secret writing and defacing。 This book revised and
enlarged was republished in London； 1660。
In 1653 Peter Borel； who was physician to Louis
XIV； King； of France published his 〃Bibliotheca
Chemica；〃 which contains a large number of ink receipts；
two of which may be characterized as 〃iron
and gall〃 ones。 They possess value on account of
the relative proportions indicated between the two
chemicals。 The colored ones； including gold； silver
and sympathetic inks are mostly repetitions of those
of Neri and Caneparius。 The French writers； though；
speak of his researches in chemistry as 〃somewhat
credulous。〃
Christopher Merret； an English physician and naturalist；
born A。 D。 1614； translated Neri into our
language in 1654； with many notes of his own about
him； his observations have added nothing of value to
the chemistry of inks。
Johann Kunckel； a noted German chemist and
writer in 1657； republished in the German language
Neri's work with Merret's notes； and his own observations
on both。 He also inserted many other processes
as the result of considerable research and seems to
have been thoroughly conversant with the chemistry
of inks； advocating especially the value and employment
of a tanno…gallate of iron ink for record purposes。
Salmon； A。 D。 1665； in his Polygraphics； proceeds
to give instructions relative to inks which notwithstanding
their merit are confounded with so many absurdities
as to lessen their value for those who were
unable to separate truth from falsehood； but he
nevertheless dwells on the virtues of the 〃gall〃 inks。
Jacques Lemort； a Dutch chemist of some note；
issued a treatise； A。 D。 1669； on 〃Ink Formulas and
Colors；〃 seemingly selected from the books of those
who had preceded him。 He expresses the opinion
that the 〃gall〃 inks if properly compounded would
give beneficial results。
Formulas for making inks are found tucked away
in some of the very old literature treating of 〃curious〃
things。 One of them which appeared in 1669 directs：
〃to strain out the best quality of iron employ old and
rusty nails；〃 another one says； that the ink when
made is to remain in an open vessel 〃for thirty days
and thirty nights； before putting it in a parchment
bag。〃
An English compendium of ink formulas； published
in 1693； calls attention to many