The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-07-17
THE FIRST INDIA INK
1T. WAS. Observation-Disclosures BY A.
CHINESE ALcHEMlsT.

], IL WAS ACCIDENT LlY.=nMAQE4aBYas "A
CHINESE ALCHEMlsT.
Liz. man, other Thing. which Have
NOR eiation Whatever to Their
Names, India Ink HIS NoS connec-
titoh with India. "''a'r
For many thousand years india ink
has been to the artist and to the arti-
san the vehicle for the creation OF
much that is interesting and Instructive
and beautiful in the world Of art, and
it has a rather. extraordinary history.
+" Like many other things which have
no relation whatever to their names,
india ink has no relation whatever to
India. The Irish potato, it is said ia
cetiously, is SO called because it was
found first in Peru. Therefore india
ink may have been so named because
it was made first In China, where the
bulk of it has been made ever since.
Also, like most other things of prac-
teal utility to mankind, india ink was
not an invention, but discovery that
is to say, the individual who produced
It first did so entirely by accident,
without the remotest intention Of doing
anything sensible or useful.
t About 5000 years before the Chris
tan era Chinese alchemist, Ten
Tschen by name, while experimenting
upon some nostrum for the eternal
preservation of life or upon some for
mula for converting dirt into gold-it
matters not what-accidentally CON
cocted a black substance in the form
of "a liquid paint or lyarnish. This con-
coction was the first. india ink. 4r
The, black pigment which forms the
base. of the ink was the SCOT obtained
by burning lac and pine charcoal. This
SCOT was powdered finely and mixed
with some kind of size or glue. Fish
glue, or isinglass, was used as well as
bone or horn glue, and sometimes, in
making the finer. qualities of ink, pearls
were boiled in glue. Sometimes dried
OK tongue was added to give the ink q
purple tint and the bark of the pepper
tree was used to- produce tinge Of
blue. The ink was carefully nodded,
with lime or ashes until we'll seasoned.
1t is not stated whether sepia, the
coloring liquid Of the cuttlefsh, was
added to the ink originally or not; but
as the best india ink in use at present
has brownish tint, as If mixed with
sepia, it is evident that sepia is used
now in the manufacture of the ink.
sepia alone is used frequently in China
in preference to the black ink. u
AS soon as twas discovered that in
dia ink WAS likely to be serviceable to
mankind it was perceived by the i'm
perial diet to be dangerous innova-
ton upon the established custom of
mot" having it to use. The empire
had got along very well without india
Ink prior to its discovery, and it was
Chinese public policy ito let we'll
enough alone" Therefore the use Of
the ink WIS declared to be sacrile.
gious, and its manufacture was pro-
hibited. ~ -='
Apparently there were millions" in
india ink in those days. for a sharp
competition in its production arose.
and this was the beginning of trouble
for artists and craftsmen. The market
was glutted with worthless grades. At
first the ink was superfine in quality,
and the lampblack used in it was
ground into an impalpable powder SO
fine that it was as volatile as vapor
and possessed in itself an odor of
musk. Later. when competition cor
fnG ifc
cheaper pigments were substituted for
the fine ones, and the ink was arti-
ticially perfumed with musk in order
to disguise its inferiority.
The Chinese are passionately fond Of
musk. and india ink was used by them
not only as writing material, but
also as favor for their choicest bev
erages. A little india ink rubbed in
water was considered then a delicious
drink, but modern india ink can hard
ly be recommended as a safe medium
for interior decoration Of that sort.
We are informed by the distinguish
ed historian that all good" india ink
is Inhabited by gods. Gin China there
are SO many gods that it is difficult to
INV iooSthSS loi Siieli4 an, lAcy are
billeted, therefore, upon any conven-
lent article, such as a stick of india
ink.) From this startling disclosure of
the historian we might be justified in
presuming that all bad india ink is
inhabited b.; devils. This view of the
matter would account for the multi
] tudinous trials and fluctuations which
beset the un lappy craftsman who tries
to make a drawing with poor india
ink, for certainly in unmitigated wick
| edness and total depravity india ink
has few equals and no superiors.-
Weekly Bouquet.
No Paupers In Wichita.
The board of county commissioners
Of Wichita county, Kan, has just abol-