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more durable。
Some inks which are fairly permanent against time
if not tampered with； can be removed with water。
This is true of the most lasting of inks；the old
〃Indian。〃
In ancient Latin MSS。 the words fuco； fucosus
and fucus are found to be frequently employed。 It
is interesting to note the variations in their meaning：
FUCO。To color； paint or dye a red color。
FUCOSUS。Colored； counterfeit； spurious； painted； etc。
FUCUS。Rock lichen （orchil） red dye。 Red or
purple color。 The （reddish） juice with which bees
stop up the entrance to their hives。 Bee glue。
FUCUS。A drone。
In Japan the word 〃ink〃 possesses more than
one meaning Four hundred Inksone degree of
sixty miles。〃 （See Geographical Grammar； of 1737； page 3。）
〃Say what you will Sir； but I know what I know；
That you beat me at the Mart； I have your hand to show；
If the skin were Parchment； and the blows you gave were Ink；
Your own Hand…writing would tell you what I think。〃
Comedy of Errors； iii； 1。
The first book ever printed in Europe； to wit； a
copy of 〃Tully's Offices；〃 is carefully preserved in Holland。
White's Latin…English Dictionary； 1872； distinguishes
the words Atramentum and Sutorium in their interpretations。
ATRAMENTUM。The thing serving for making
black。 A black liquid of any kind。 A writing ink。
Shoemaker's black。 Blue vitriol。
SUTORIUM。Belonging to a shoemaker。
Before the employment of blotting paper a pounce…
box which contained either powdered gum sandarach
and ground cuttle…fish bones； or powdered charcoal； sand
and like materials was used by shaking it like a pepper…
box on freshly written manuscripts。
Blotting paper as first employed consisted of very
thin sheets and of a dark pink color； which fashion
changed to blue in later years。
Good blotting paper of the present time removes
fully two thirds of fresh ink when used on HARD
finished paper。
Blotting paper should not be used upon records。
Its use removes the body of the ink； leaving discoloration；
but nothing for penetration。 In inks intended
for copying； the employment of blotting paper is
especially bad。
〃Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of
the realm in erecting a Grammar School； and
whereas； before； our forefathers had no other
books but the score and the tally； thou hast
caused printing to be used； and contrary to the
King； his crown and dignity； thou hast built a
paper mill。〃
2 King Henry VI； iv； 5。
Mr。 Knight relates a conversation between Dr。 Gale
and a gentlemen from the West relative to the introduction
of some material into ink to prevent moulding。
Dr。 Gale had astonished his friend by stating
〃will prevent the deposition of the ova of infusoria
animalcutae；〃 when it was suggested that he add
〃and the sporadic growths of thallogenic cryptograms
and be fatal to the fungi。〃
The University of Pennsylvania claims to possess
the oldest piece of writing in the world and which is
on a fragment of a vase found at Nippur。 It is an
inscription in picture writing supposed to have been
made 4；500 years before Christ。
Wafers were not introduced until the close of the
sixteenth century。
The Persians in ancient times； some 800 years
B。 C。； were in the habit of celebrating certain festivals
and it is related that in the month of December one
of their ceremonies was that of driving the Dives
（spirits） out of their houses。
For this purpose the Magi wrote certain words
with saffron on skins； papyrus or wood and then
smoked it over a fire。 The spell thus prepared was
glued or nailed to the inside of the door； which was
painted red。 The priest then took sand； which he
spread with a long knife； whilst he muttered certain
prayers and then throwing it on the floor the enchantment
was complete； and the Dives were supposed
immediately to vanish； or at least to be deprived of
all malignant influence。
Aristotle's work on the Constitution of Athens；
B。 C。 340； or probably the copy made by Tyrannio；
was discovered transcribed underneath farm accounts
of land in the district of Hermopolis in Egypt in the
reign of Vespasian； A。 D。 9 to 79。
In MSS。 written before the invention of printing
and indeed for many years after； the title page if any；
will be found on the last page with the date。
〃Let lawyers bawl and strain their throats；
'Tis I that must the lands convey；
And strip their clients to their coats；
Nay； give their very souls away！〃
DEAN SWIFT； 〃On ink。〃
〃It is certain that in their treaties with the
European Greeks of Constantinople the Arabs
always stipulated for the delivery of a fixed number
of manuscripts。 Their enthusiasm for Aristotle is
equally notorious； but it would be unjust to imagine
that； in adopting the Aristotelian method； together
with the astrology and alchemy of Persia；
and of the Jews of Mesopotamia and Arabia； they
were wholly devoid of originality。〃
The 〃Arabic〃 numerals which we now employ are
probably of Indian origin； having been brought by
Arab traders from the East and introduced by them
into Spain in the middle ages； whereas they spread
over Europe coming in use in England perhaps about
the eleventh century。 But whether India invented
them or borrowed from Greek or other traders from
the West is unknown。
The ancient writing implement known as the stylus
was made of every conceivable material； sometimes
with the precious metals； but usually of iron； and on
occasion might be turned into formidable weapons。
It was with his stylus that Caesar stabbed Casca in the
arm； when attacked in the senate by his murderers；
and Caligula employed some person to put to death a
senator with a like instrument。
In the reign of Claudius women and boys were
searched to ascertain whether there were any styluses
in their pen cases。 Stabbing with the pen； therefore；
is not merely a metaphorical expression。
Sir William Gore Ouseley； a famous diplomat and
savant； who was living at the beginning of the nineteenth
century； during his long residence in India
spent a fortune in the collection of ancient Persic and
Arabic MSS。 In 1807 he permitted them to be examined
by Beloe； whose description of a few will bear
repeating：
〃No。 1。 A Koran； in the Cufi or Cufic character；
said to be written by Ali； the son…in…law of
Mahammed； the Arabian prophet。 The substance
upon which this curious manuscript is written
appears to be a fine kind of asses' skin or vellum；
and the ink of a red； brownish colour。 The ends
of verses are marked by large stars of gold。 If
written by Ali； it must be nearly twelve hundred
years old； but at all events may be considered as
very ancient； many hundred years having elapsed
since the use of the Cufi character has given way
to the Neskh； Suls； etc。； etc。 This manuscript is
still in excellent preservation。〃
〃No。 4。 Beharistan； 'The Garden of Spring。'
A book on ethics and education； illustrated by interesting
anecdotes and narratives； written both in
verse and prose； in imitation of the Gulistan； or
'Rose garden' of Saadi； and like it divided into
eight chapters； composed by Nuruddin； Abdurrahman
Jami； ben Ahmed of the village of Jam； near
Herat。 He was born A。 H。 817 and died at the
age of 81 years （about A。 D。 1492）。 As a grammarian；
theologist and poet he was unequalled； and
his compositious are as voluminous as they are
excellent。 The enormous expense which people
have incurred to possess accurate copies of and to
adorn and embellish his works； is no small proof
of the great estimation in which they were held by
the literati of the East。〃
〃This volume is a small folio； consisting of 134
pages； written in the most beautiful Nastilik
character； by the famous scribe Mohammed Hussein；
who； in consequence of his inimitable penmanship；
obtained the title of Zerin Kalm； or 'Pen of
Gold。' The leaves are of the softest Cashmirian
paper； and of such modest shades of green； blue；
brown； dove； and fawn colors； as never to offend
the eye by their glare； although richly powdered
with gold。 The margins； which are broad； display
a great variety of chaste and beautiful delineations
in liquid gold； no two pages being alike。 Some
are divided into compartments； others are in running
patterns； in all of which the illuminations
show the most correct； and at the same time fanciful
taste。 Many are delineations of field sports；
which； though simple outlines of gold； are calculated
to afford the highest gratifications to the lover of
natural history； as well as the artist； from the
uncommon accuracy with which the forms of the
elephant； rhinoceros； buffalo； lion； tiger； leopard；
panther； lynx； and other Asiatic animals are portrayed。
It appears； by the names which a