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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