The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-06-20
Writing Materials.
INTERESTING INFORMATION

The most ancient writings Of which We
have information, were upon hard sub.
stances-stonc, brick, metals, wood. The
Decalogue was engraved on stone. In
Greece, Italy, and Egypt, marble, brass
and wood were used for historical records
monumental Inscriptions, laws, and treaties
llesiod wrote on leaden plates. The an.
cicnt Chinese used wooden tablets, as did
the Greeks before Homcrs time. After
ward their plates Of wood were coated
with wax, and written with the StyluS.
These tablets were used by the Roman
boys at school. According to Plautus,
one of the boys used one to break the
schoolmaster's head. They were some-
times fastened together forming a book or
code.r, from resemblance to the trunk of a
tree. Hence the term code.
The cdicts of the Roman cmperors, sem
ate, and magistrates, were on plates of
ivory. Leaves of trees Of plants were
written upon, also, particularly in the
East. Hence, the origin Of the phrase
"the leaceS Of a book :" "the Sibyllnc
leaves; )" .tolioS, etc., from tolium. Linen,
also, Was used, as is seen in the wrappers
Of mummies.
The bark of trees was aiterward used,
and is still common in Asia. The inner
bark, or HJer, was used whence the Latin,
Fiber"-a book, and the English, III
brary." A library altogether of bark
was recently discovered in Russia. The
Saxons used the bark of the beech; and
from 'boc," the Saxon for beech, came
our word, book.
Next was used the papyrus of Egypt;
whence our word paper. This is kind of
rush growing in marshy places. 1t was
used not only for paper, but for making
cloth, ropes, lamp wcks, and boats. Moses
was placed by his mother in an ark or
boat made Of it. TO make paper, the
outer rim was peeled off, and the inner
coats or layers beneath were placed cross
wise, moistened, pressed smoothed, and
polished Rice paper is made similarly
from the iilmy membranes of the bread
fruit tree.
Parchment and vellum were aiterward |
introduced, the former made of sheep and
goat skins, the latter of the skins of young
calves. There is preserved at Upsal, in
Sweden, manuscript copy of the Gospels
in the Gothic translation of Ulphilas, first
bishop of thej Goths, on violet colored
vellum lettered in silver and gold, and
bound in massive silver. Most ofthe an
cient manuscripts cXtant are on parch-
ment.
Paper made of cotton was introduced
by the Arabs into Spain. How long it
had been used in the Fast is unknown.
About the middle of the nth century,
linen paper was substituted, which also
was introduced into Europe from the
East, where it had been used for centur-
les. Most of the old Oriental manu-
scripts are upon such paper. The oldest
English manuscript on linen paper is dat
ed 1910.
The chisel was used to engrave Oh stone.
TO write on bark, soft wood, or waxed
tablets, the stylus was used Whence our
word style. This was made of iron, sharp
1t one end to mark with, and fiat at the
'ther to rub out or erase. They were en-
'loyed sometimes as daggcrs. Cesar
when attacked by his murderers, defended
himself with one Of them. The boys at
chool sometimes rose on their masters
With them. Some persons derive the
Italian word ailetto from the stylus.
Reeds or canes were used to write on
OTTER substances-the Egyptian calamus
'eing preferred 1t was pointed out and
plit like a pen, and left the writing rough
md uneven. Pens made of qulls came :
,ext, their use originating in Europe, and
irst mentioned in the seventh century.
Reeds and canes are still used by some
writer's in the East, but the goosequill
vas the pre-eminent instrument of mod
'rn times until the steel pen came into
'ogue.
The ancient inks were superior to the
modern in beauty and variety of color
Besides inks of all colors, the ancients
lsed gold and silver inks, in which capi
ais, titles, and emphatic words were {
written in most manuscripts of the middle l
yes. Most old manuscripts are without
,oints or spaces between the words; but
here are many exceptions, and sometimes
here is period after every word.
Originally, they wrote from right to 4
eft, instead of as in the present way, I
which is called the Ionic method. After |
ward, they wrote backward and forward !
ostrophedon, as the OK plows. The c
jhlnese write perpendicularly down, in S
Columns Of single words. '
The form of letters varied in different I
centuries. At first all the letters were {
apitals. Small letters were introduced !
n the fourth, but were not ingeneral use '
'efore the tenth century. BY the peculiar 1
orm of the letters, the age of manuscripts t
5 distinguished with great accuracy from
entury to century. a
The parchment, paper, or other flexible
Material of ancient writing was rolled up t
nto scroll or roiumen-w hence the word s
olume. The sheets. written only ON one II
ide, were united so as to form one long v
trip, rolled up on'a stick, like map. |,
)f every work, only one book was includ.
in each volume and in general one of i,
ur modern volumes would include many n
ncient ones. Hence, the great number $,
volumes in the ancient Libraries. S,