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and which； indeed； made their invention
possible。
The gall…nut contains gallic and gallo…tannic acid；
and which acids； in conjunction with an iron salt；
forms the sole base of the best ink。 This nut is
produced by the punctures made on the young buds of
branches of certain species of oak trees by the female
wasp。 This same busy little insect was also the
first professional paper maker。 She it was who taught
us not only the way to change dry wood into a suitable
pulp； the kind of size to be used； how to waterproof
and give the paper strength； but many more
marvelous details appertaining to the manufacture
of paper which in their ramifications have proved
of inestimable benefit and service to the human
race。
* * * * * * *
The Greek word 〃Phoenicia〃 means literally 〃the
land of the purple dye；〃 and to the Phoenicians is
attributed the invention of the art of writing。
TO THE PHOENICIAN。
〃Creator of celestial arts；
Thy painted word speaks to the eye；
To simple lines thy skill imparts
The glowing spirit's ecstasy。〃
The oldest piece of literary composition known in
the oldest book （roll） in existence is to be found in
the celebrated papyrus Prisse； now in the Louvre at
Paris。 It consists of eighteen pieces in Egyptian
hieratic writing； ascribed to about the year B。 C。
2500。
While the papyrus plant has almost vanished from
Egypt； it still grows in Nubia and Abyssinia。 It is
related by the Arab traveler； Ibn…Haukal； that in the
tenth century； in the neighborhood of Palermo in
Sicily； the papyrus plant grew with luxuriance in the
Papirito； a stream to which it gave its name。
Du Cange； 1376； cites the following lines from a
French metrical romance； written about that time； to
show that waxen tablets continued to be occasionally
used till a late period：
〃Some with antiquated style
In waxen tablets promptly write；
Others with finer pen； the while
Form letters lovelier to the sight。〃
The laws of Greece were promulgated by means of
MSS。 on linen； as they were also in Rome； and in addition
to linen； cloth and silk were occasionally used。
Skins of various kinds of fish； and even the 〃intestines
of serpents〃 were employed as writing materials。
Zonaras states that the fire which took place
at Constantinople in the reign of Emperor Basiliscus
consumed； among other valuable remains of antiquity；
a copy of the Iliad and Odyssey； and some other ancient
poems； written in letters of gold upon material formed
of the intestines of a serpent。 We are also informed
by Purcelli that monuments of much more modern
dates； the charter of Hugo and Lothaire； A。 D。 933
（kings of Italy）； preserved in the archives of Milan；
are written upon fish skins。
Constantine authorized his soldiers dying on the
field of battle to write their last will and testament with
the point of their sword on its sheath or on a shield。
B。 C。 270。 The Jewish elders； by order of the
high priest； carried a copy of the law to Ptolemy Philadelphus；
written in letters of gold upon skins； the
pieces of which were so artfully put together that the
joinings did not appear。
No monuments of Hebrew writing exist which are
not posterior even to the Christian era； with the exception
of those on the coins of the Maccabees； which
are in the ancient or what is termed the Samaritan
forms of the Hebrew letters。 This coinage took place
about B。 C。 144。
The most ancient specimen of Hebrew ink writing
extant is alleged to have been written A。 D。 489。
It is a parchment roll which was found in a Kariat
synagogue in the Crimea。 Another； brought from
Danganstan； if the superscription be genuine； has a
date corresponding with A。 D。 580。 The date of still
another of the celebrated Hebrew scriptural codices；
about which there is no dispute； is the Hilel codex
written at the end of the sixth century。 Its name is
said to be derived from the fact that it was written at
Hila； a town built near the ruins of the ancient Babel；
some maintain； however； that it was named after the
man who wrote it。
One of the earliest specimens of Greek （wax） writing
is an inscription on a small wooden tablet now in
the British museum。 It refers to a money transaction
of the thirty…first year of Ptolemy Philadelphus； B。 C。
254。
In England the custom of using wooden tallies； inscribed
as well as notched in the public accounts； lasted
down to the nineteenth century。
Gold writing was a practice which died out in the
thirteenth century。
The first discovery of Greek papyri in Egypt took
place in the year 1778。 It is of the （late of A。 D。
191 and outside of Egypt and Herculaneum is the only
place in which the Greek papyri has ever been found。
Square capital ink writing in Latin of ancient date
is found on a few leaves of an MS。 of Virgil； which is
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 Gr