The Portland daily press., 1891-11-02
Odd Books.
TSt. Methodist


In some countries leaves of trees are still
used for books. In Ceylon the leaves of the
TALBOT, a tree common on that island, are
used for a similar purpose. The TALBOT tree
belongs to the Palm family. 1t grows t6
about hundred feet high, is straight, and
has no real branches. When very old the
tree blossoms and dies after ripening its
fruit The tree never blooms but once. The
leaves used for books are cut by the natives
before they spread open, and are of a pale
broWnish-yellew, a color they retain for
ages. The characters are impressed upon
the leaf. and are rubbed over with charcoal
to make them show more plainly. The
leaves are then strung together between COW
ers of board, or of some less common mater
ial.
Early writers made use of linen or cotton
fabrics, of skins, and even of scales of fishes,
for writing. For long period papyrus was
used, the books being made in rolls, being
about one and a half feet long. Papyrus was
a flag, or bulrush growing eight or ten
feet high, found in the marshes of
Egypt: from its inner pith the form of
paper called papyrus was made. A most
extraordinary papyrns was discovered at Men,
phis, supposed to be more than 5000 years
old. 1t measured 100 feet In length 1t is
funeral roll, and is preserved in the Brit
ish Museum. Papyrus sheets were neatly
joined, attached to a stick, and rolled upon
the Latin volyere, to r0lD. The titles were
written on tags attached to the sticks. or in
scribed on the out side of the roll. The rolls
were kept in round wooden boxes resemb-
ling the old-fashioned bandboxes, and could
easily be carried about.
When the literary Jealousy of the Egpy-
tians caused them to stop the supply of papy-
rus, the King of Pergam0s, a city in Asia
Minor introduced the use of sheep skin in a
form called from the place of its invention,
nQrQam0na whpnna word onarQhmQnt'
is believed to be derived. Vellum, finer
article made from calfskin, was also used.
Many of the books done ON vellumin the
middle ages were Transcribed by monks, and
Often 1t took years to complete single copy,
Books consisting of two or three leaves of
lead, thiny covered with wax, on which they
wrote with an iron pen or stylus the leaves
being joined by iron rings or by ribbons,
were also used by the ancients.
Books remained very scarce and expensive
until after the introduction of paper made
from linen, and the invention of printing.
When the first libraries were established
In England, books were so rare and valuable
that they were usually attached to the
shelves by iron chains to prevent their being
stolen.
A fashion of expensive bindings prevailed
for long time, and great skill was exhibited
in bindings ornamented by embroidery and
various styles of needlework, as well as in
blndingsIstudded with precious stones. Queen
LHzaDtIu uSeu W CARRY dpout Will neIs SuS-
pended by a golden chain, book called
"The Golden Manual of Prayer" bound in
solid gold. On one side was a representa-
of {" rhe Judgement of Solomon" on the
other the braz3n serpent with the wonderful
1sraelites looking at ii. In the Jewel House
of the Tower of London is book bound in
gold and enamel, clasped with ruby; on
one side is cross of diamonds with other
diamonds around 1t; on the other flower
de-luce in diamonds. and the arms of Eng.
land. The book is enriched with small
rubies and emeralds.