第 67 节
作者:辩论      更新:2021-02-27 01:31      字数:9322
  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