第 3 节
作者:辩论      更新:2021-02-27 01:30      字数:9318
  kernel of a cherry and of a dark red…brown color; but
  when dead; shrivels up to the size of a grain of wheat
  and is covered with a bluish mold。 It has an agreeable
  aromatic smell which it imparts to that with which
  it comes into contact。 It was first found in general
  use in Europe in the tenth century。 About 1550;
  cochineal; introduced there from Mexico; was found
  to be far richer in coloring matter and therefore gradually
  superseded the older dyestuff。
  Indigo was used in India and Egypt long before the
  Christian era; and it is asserted that blue ribbons
  (strips) found on Egyptian mummies 4500 years old
  had been dyed with indigo。 It was introduced into
  Europe only in the sixteenth century。
  The use of madder as a red dyestuff dates from very
  early times。 Pliny mentions it as being employed by
  the Hindoos; Persians and Egyptians。 In the middle
  ages the names sandis; warantia; granza; garancia;
  were applied to madder; the latter (garance) being
  still retained in France。 The color yielding substance
  resides almost entirely in the roots。
  Chilzon was the name given by the ancient Hebrews
  to a blue dye procured from a species of shell…fish。
  Herodotus; B。 C。 443; asserts that on the shores of
  the Caspian Sea lived a people who painted the forms
  of animals on their garments with vegetable dyes:
  〃They have trees whose leaves possess a peculiar
  property; they reduce them to powder; and then
  strip them in water; this forms a dye or coloring
  matter with which they paint on their garments the
  figures of animals。 The impression is such that it
  cannot be washed out; it appears; indeed; to be
  woven into the cloth; and wears as long as the garment
  itself。〃
  We are informed by another ancient writer that the
  pagan nations were accustomed to array the images
  of their gods in robes of purple。 When the prophet
  Ezekiel took up a lamentation for Tyre; he spoke of
  the 〃blue and purple from the isles of Elishah〃 in
  which the people were clothed。 This reference is said
  to doubtless refer to the islands of the Aegian Sea;
  from whence many claim ; the Tyrians obtained the
  shell…fish;the murex and papura; which produced the
  dark…blue and bright…scarlet coloring materials; the
  employment of which contributed so much to the fame
  of ancient Tyre。
  Pliny the younger confirms this statement:
  〃The Tyrian…purple was the juice of the Purpurea;
  a shell…fish; the veins of its neck and jaws
  secreting this royal color; but so little was obtained
  that it was very rare and cost one thousand
  Denarii (about 150。00) per pound。〃
  A more modern writer in discussing a crimson or
  ruby color says:
  〃By a mistaken sense the Latin word purpurus;
  has been called purple; by all the English and
  French writers。〃
  Arbuthnot; London; 1727; in his book 〃Ancient
  Coins; Weights and Measures;〃 as the result of his
  examinations of the most ancient records estimates:
  〃The Purple was very dear; there were two
  sorts of Fishes whereof it was made; the Pelagii;
  (which were those that were caught in the deep)
  and the Buccini。 The Pelagium per Pound was
  worth 50 Nummi; (8 s。 10 3/4 d。); and the Buceinunt
  double that; viz。 17 s。 8 3/4 d。 (Harduin
  reads a hundred Pounds at that price。) The Tyrian
  double Dye per Pound could scarce be bought
  for L35 9 s。; 1 3/4 d。〃
  The very ancient writers state that the most esteemed
  of the Tyrian purples were those which compared
  in color with 〃coagulated bullocks' blood。〃
  This estimation seems to go back to the time of the
  Phoenicians; who were excessively fond of the redder
  shades of purple which they obtained also from several
  varieties of shell…fish and comprehended under two
  species; one (Buccinum) found in cliffs; and the other
  (Pelagia) which was captured at sea。 The first was
  found on the coasts of the Mediterranean and Atlantic。
  The Atlantic shells afforded the darkest color; while
  those of the Phoenician coast itself yielded scarlet
  shades of wonderful intensity。
  Respecting the cost and durability of the Tyrian
  purple; it is related that Alexander the Great found in
  the treasury of the Persian monarch 5;000 quintals of
  Hermione purple of great beauty; and 180 years old;
  and that it was worth 125 of our money per pound
  weight。 The price of dyeing a pound of wool in the
  time of Augustus is given by Pliny; and that price is
  equal to about 160 of our money。 It is probable
  that his remarks refer to some particular tint or quality
  of color easily distinguished; although not at all clearly
  defined by Pliny。 He also mentions a sort of purple;
  or hyacinth; which was worth; in the time of Julius
  Caesar; 100 denarii (about 15 of our money) per
  pound。
  The best authorities of the present day; however;
  are of opinion that the celebrated Tyrian…purple was
  extracted from a mollusk known as the Janthina prolongata;
  a shell abundant in the Mediterranean and
  very common near Narbonne; where the Tyrian purple
  dye…works were in operation at least six hundred
  years before Christ。
  The price current of some of the inks and colors of
  antiquity; as quoted by Arbuthnot; are cited herewith:
  Armenian purple 30 hs。=4 s。 10 1/3 d。
  India purple from one Denarius; or 7 3/4 d。 to 30
  Denarii; 19 s。 4 1 2 d。
  Pelagium; the juice of one sort fishes that dyed
  purple; 50 hs。=8 s。 0 7/8 d。
  Buccinum the juice of the other fish that dyed
  purple; 100 hs。=16 s。 1 3/4 d。
  Cinnabar 50 hs。=8 s。 0 7/8 d。
  Tarentine red purple; price not mentioned。
  Melinum; a sort of colour that came from Melos;
  one Nummus;=1 15/16 d。
  Paretonium; a sort of colour that came from aegypt;
  very lasting; 6 Denarii;=3 s。 10 1/2 d。
  Myrobalanus; 2 Denarii;=1 s。 3 1/2 d。
  The last…named substance is the fruit of the Termi…
  nalia; a product of China and the East Indies; best
  known as Myrabolams and must have been utilized
  solely for the tannin they contain; which Loewe
  estimates to be identical with ellago…tannic acid; later
  discovered in the divi…divi; a fruit grown in South
  America; and bablah which is also a fruit of a species
  of Acacia; well known also for its gum。
  No monuments are extant of the ancient Myrabolam ink。
  Antimony and galls were used by the Egyptian
  ladies to tint their eyes and lashes and (who knows)
  to write with。
  Many of the dyes employed as ink were those occurring
  naturally as animal and vegetable products; or
  which could be produced therefrom by comparatively
  simple means; otherwise we would not be confronted
  with the fact that no specimens of ink writing of
  natural origin remain to us。
  The very few specimens of ink writing which have
  outlasted decay and disintegration through so many
  ages; are found to be closely allied to materials like
  bitumen; lampblack obtained from the smoke of oil…
  torches or resins; or gold; silver; cinnabar and
  minium。
  Josephus asserts that the books of the ancient Hebrews
  were written in gold and silver。
  〃Sicca dewat〃 (A silver ink standeth); as the ancient
  Arabic proverb runs。
  Rosselini asserts:
  〃the monumental hireoglyphics of the Egyptians
  were almost invariably painted with the liveliest
  tints; and when similar hireoglyphics were executed
  on a reduced scale; and in a more cursive
  form upon papyri or scrolls made from the leaves
  of the papyrus the pages were written with both
  black and colored inks。〃
  The early mode of ink writing in biblical times
  mentioned in Numbers v。 23; where It is said 〃the
  priest shall write the curses in a book; and blot them
  out with the bitter water;〃 was with a kind of ink
  prepared for the purpose; without any salts of iron or
  other material which could make a permanent dye;
  these maledictions were then washed into the water;
  which the woman was obliged to drink; so that she
  drank the very words of the execration。 The ink
  still used in the East is almost all of this kind; a wet
  sponge will obliterate the finest of their writings。
  In the book of Jeremiah; chap。 xxxvi。 verse 18; it
  says: 〃Then Baruch answered; He pronounced all
  these words unto me with his mouth; and I wrote
  THEM with ink in the book;〃 and in Ezek。 ix。 2; 3; 11;
  〃Ink horn〃 is referred to。
  Six hundred years later in the New Testament is
  another mention of ink 〃having many things to write
  unto you。 I would not write with paper and Ink;〃
  &c。; second epistle。 of John; 12; and again in his
  third epistle; 13; 〃I had many things to write; but
  I will not with pen and Ink write unto thee。〃
  The illustrative history of the ancient Egyptians
  does not point to a time before the reed was used as a
  pen。 The various sculptures; carvings; pottery and
  paintings; exhibit the scribes at work in their avocations;
  recording details about the hands and ears of
  slaughtered enemies; the numbers of captives; the
  baskets of wheat; the n