The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-03

present inhabitants. Ills book has added a
great deal to our knowledee Of the, geography
nis i @ateriais Tor a clear andsrsta ndiny Of
the strategical value OF n district which has
l0nF Ssen hrffgSTded as key to
A History OF Paper.
Under the above title Mcssrs. Clark w.
Bryan h Co.. Holyoke. Mass. have published
an interesting monograph. setting forth the
origin and manufacture. the utility and com
mercial value. Of what has come to be an indis-
pensable staple OF the commercial as we'll as
the literary world. Tho author. Mr.. j. Z. A.
SMITH. has shown creditable amount OF re-
search in that part Of the essay which deals
with the ancient and medieval substitutes
for the modern paper manufactured from
vegetable pulp. and appreciates the true rela-
ton Of those materials to the invention OF
printing by means Of movable types. 1t was
De Quincy. we believe. who first pointed out
with an adequate degree OF emphasis that the
true revolutionizing agent was not the dis
placement of the pen by the type but the SUI
persession Of parchment by q cheap hand
made paper. To say nothing Of the fact that
whenever the Egyptians. Greeks. or Romans
used seals to produce Impressions. they had al
ready Grasped tho essential principle of
printing by movable types We now know
from the inscribed bricks unearthed upon
the sites Of Babylon and Nineveh that
long histories were printed thirty CEN
turtles ago by the inheritors OF the Chaldean
civilization. 1t Is true that in the case OF these
bricks the impression was embossed by moulds
instead Of being colored by ink. but. as Mr..
Smith observes. tho process deserves the name
Of printing as truly as does our method of pre-
pairing books for the blind. There is reason t.
believe that the printers of cuneiform characters
upon bricks had movable moulds or types. each
separate character being apparently inscribed
BY q mould provided with a handle whereby 1t
was defty taken from . set which answered the
purpose Of q modern printers case. Mr. Smith
recognizes q still nearer approach to what is
understood In modern times by printing in the
figures and hieroglyphics inscribed with heated
metal brands upon the bands Of red leather
which surround tho foreheads of some
Egyptian mummics. In connection with these
approximations to tho invention Of printing. the
author Of this treatise mentions the suggestive
fact that the ancients who employed papyrus
to write upon had. besides writing ink used
with reed or Quih pen. another more viscous
substance which was applied with a stin brush.
and must have closely resembled printing ink.
Pliny describes 1t as made from SCOT mixed
with burnt pitch and resins. which correspond
very nearly to the lamp black. resin. and vege-
table oils which form the chief ingredients Of
modern printing ink.
for which paper or some substitute therefor
was required was tho transmission OF short and
simple messages. This purpose would be an
swered by any tolerabiy smooth and light sub
stance. and the smooth bark or the broad
leaves OF certain trees would generally. prove
most available. though thin sheets of metal
ivory or leather and painted cloths. stones.
and bricks have been made to serve the same
end. AS the wants OF community became
.rla. ~-A rio o., Al.
well as for messages were desired. inscribed
leaves would be strung upon threads for pres
ervation. tho bark Of trees would be made so
plant rs to admit OF being rolled. and the wood
itself would be cut into thin strips. and some-
times covered with a coating OF wax. On the
American continent the Aztecs. who had at
tanned to a system of hieregyphical writing
not only used cotton cloth and skins for their
manuscripts. but. according to Prescott manu-
featured from the leaves Of the aloe 4 true
paper which. when properly dressed and pol
ished. resembled the Egyptian papyrus. Al
though. however recourse had been made to
numerous other substitutes. papyrus and
parchment were the materials which chiefly
supplied tho place Of paper among those no
tons Of the Mediterranean world from whom
our civilization has been derived-the expert
ence Of China being in respect Of paper. as OF
many other Inventions. isolated and excep-
tional.
The plant which the Egyptian called bublos.
and which We know by tho Latinized Greek
name papyrus. grew to the height of ton feet.
and very apundantly. in the overlooked lands
and marshes OF the Nile. 1t has now become
rare. owing probably to the cessation of culture
and protection. The stalk OF this plant which
ia properly styled reed. is triangular and
bare except near the root. where there arc
some small leaves: the top is surmounted by a
bushy head Of hbrous foliage. spreading out in
the shape Of our common feather dust brush.
The reed was clipped annually. about eighteen
inches Of the lower part OF the stalk being sold
for food. and the remainder being devoted to
the paper manufacture. The stalk consists OF
twenty-three folds varying In fineness of text
ure from the coarse exterior bark, which 10
only used for cordage and the purposes for
which hemp Is now employed. to the delicate
fibre which formed the coating nearest the pith
The manufactured papyrus was of nine differ
ent qualities. distinguished mainly by the raw
material selected The coarser grades wero
sold by weight. and used only for wrapping
paper. while the finer sorts so long AS Egypt
was an independent monarchy. were reserved
for religious books.
The process of manufacturing papyrus III.
volved the use Of no machinery nor did il call
for any intelligent application of chemical
science; it was purely a mechanical prepara-
ton OF tho substance wonderfully adapted by
nature to the purposes for which it was re-
auired. The folds in the tissue of the stalk
were first separated by an instrument some.
lI.Nl.