The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-06

the material which the ancient Egyptians
wrote upon was delicate membrane,
obtained by unrolling the fibrous stem
of the papyrus plant, which was aquatic
and a native of the Nile. 1t was once
very common. but now 1t Is almost ex-
tinct. This material. apparently very del
icate and. fragile. is most enduring. as tho
numerous speS linens extant testify.
George Ebers. the German scholar and
novelist, in essay on the writing ma
terial OF antiquity. says;
In the olden days Egypt cultivated
and prepared the papyrus exclusively for
home consumption, but later, however
under the kings OF the twenty-sixth dyn-
asty Cbefore Christ ga to 525 years.. hav-
ing opened its harbors to foreign ships,
the papyrus became most important
article of commerce. Its use increased
with surprising rapidity in consequence
OF sue cessfh expeditions of Alexander the
Great, introducing Greek culture into Asia
and Egypt. In all Hellenic states writing
was pursued with the greatest zest, and
everywhere on Tapyrus. only at Pergamus
was parchment used later. The library of
Attalus, OF Pergamum, under Eumenes u.
had reached the size OF 10000 volumes.
which - excited the jealousy of Ptolemy
Philometer. king OF Egypt. who devoted
himself to scientific studies and who was
the special patron of the museum and H.
brAry Of Alexandria that he forbade the
expectation Of papyrus to Pergamum. thus
forcing Eumenes 20 devise a new writing
material, With was prepared, from sheep
skin"
II Ebers was not mistaken. then Eu-
menes was the inventor OF parchment.
hut he. IN fact. was mistaken. or he ala
not clearly express himself as Il Is certain
from Heroaotua that the ancient Ionians
wrote on skins many AGES before that
time II IL probable that parchment was
not originated but improved by Eumenes.
AS parchment Is still used 20 some extent
II has never been entirely In ilsuse In. It
Is safe 20 say. 5000 years
Pen. Ink aud Paper.
In the earliest times the Instruments
er,ployed to describe events and 20 con-
vey ideas were the caiscl and the wedge.
Next vas the fescue. which was common
IN made Of iron though the rich had this
te,s made OF ivory copper OF silver. II
had another name. that % stllus. Fescues
~ ivory or bone served for the inscrip-
lions on wax the others were employed
for writing on leaden and copDeT plates.
Tn. size ana form ~ this tool varied con-
s4zernely II was as little as pin ana
"a hig as a dagger indeed. II was some
sf,,.,s turned 10 account Men then slew
~ /, double sense their enemies with the
zen FOR this reason It's use was for
some tlm- forbidden in Rome
Pen Is deemed in the otetloHM'lf- ~ 't'
t,str,,uaept FOR writing with fluid. Pens
~ rod were made at a very early period
nv mo use OF a flId ink upon paPyrus.
IL Was small and hard and about the size
NJ A goose quill The Introduction az pa
49, rendered amer pens necessary, and
5uills ~ the goose and swan next came
irfo use. ana for extremely fine writing
those Of other birds. as Of the crow, where
found adapted. great trade grew up
In these articles and continued for several
centuries Poland and Russia were large
~ engaged On II and immense nccks ~
geese were raised IN those countries chief
IN Tor their quilts Il is related that In
sin gle year st Petersburg furnished over
p 90 100 quilts. Germany and the Neither
lands were also large producers Of the
article To prepare them for use they
were assorted according 30 quality, dried
In hot sand cleaned a. the outer skin and
hardened BY dipping them into boiling
solution Of alum or Of diluted nitric acid.
In iseG Mr. Wise. OF Great Britain, pro-
duced pens OF steel of barrel form, mount
ed in a bone case for carrying In the
rocket These were expensive and little
used Han, Joseph elliott At Birming-
ham. In lS2o, the inventor Of the steel pen
proper commenced it's manufacture, but
sslll its cost was high, and it was not until