Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-15
THE USE OF SEALS.
The Sign of Authority Is as Old As
Civilization.

nc Ol9n OI HuInOTlIy lS dS Sio ~
Civilization.
AS the world progresses some Of the
simpler instruments made use Of by
our forefathers gradually pass into OBJ
livion and are forgotten in favor Of
more up to- date" and convenient ar
ticles, which fulfill, their purpose more
easily and with a smaller expenditure
Of time. Thus, in the farmyard, how
often will you come across the fail,
which for so many centuries performed
all the threshing? And, to come near
er - the present theme, how rarely is
thr oil quill pen to be found in use,
save in .n: law courts, where its pres
cnce may be put down more to Gus
tom than anything else? And instances
such as these may be multiplied ad in
finitum. But, on the other hand, there
are instruments and devices which give
no evidence of being forgotten, though
at times they may sink into partial dis
use, and among them Is one Of most an
cient origin, that continues to hold it's
place Of honor even perhaps more ten
aciously than in the very early days Of
its history.
The seal originated at a period,
when the memory Of man goeth not
to the contrary" and yet where is the
official document Of the present day
that Is innocent of 1t. 1t had no par
ticular birthplace; where civilization
took root there use was made Of 1t to
indicate authority. It's constant en-
ployment necessitated that 1t should be
made Of durable material and stone or
metal answered this stipulation, and
secondly, it must bear some mark or
design that authenticated it's posses
sorship, and this fact, though at first
the designs employed were very rough
and verging on the grotesque, gradual
with art, until among the ancient
Greeks the practice of gem (seal) en-
craving attained almost to perfection.
It was much the same under the Ro-
mans, but with the fall Of that empire
the art relapsed nearly to its primitive
barbarity, and so remained for many
years. But though the actual number
Of seals grew less through the waste
Of years, the need Of them increased by
reason of the increase of business, and
this was met by the bull" or a disk
Of metal oval or round in shape, which
vas used as a means Of verification by
the Byzantine emperors, popes and
eastern patriarchs. These were very
rudely cut or stamped, and attached by
cords to the documents, and gave the
designation Of "Papal bulls"
Cut-stone seals were used by the
Anglo Saxon kings, and the first au-
the Abbey Of st. Denis, France, by
Offa, king of the Merclans, in the year
100. The metal matrix, however, grad
ually took their place, and it was to the
Capet Henry l., who ascended the
throne Of France A. D. 1893, that the
adoption was probably due. From that
country the custom came to England,
and 1t was not until the reign Of Rich
ard II. that the sovereign confirmed by
signature. The cutting of the matrices
in time became an art, and whereas at
first they were of the toughest de-
scription, they gradually, as they were
brought into use by the general public
more and more, exhibited greater beau
ty in design and execution.
In the twelfth century, by which time
mobiles, knights and even private per-
sons had their seals, these were orna-
mented chiefly with the representation
of saints, animals, birds, flowers and
stars and crescents; and in the next
these were frequently augmented by
so popular at the period; while
merchants and artificers constantly
adopted badges indicating their call
ings. Then came heraldry into being.
affording armigerous persons a fund
of design and fashion that has exist
ed to the present day.
OF the royal series 1t is needless to
speak here, 1t is so we'll known. Fine
in design and execution as some Of
them are, it is in the monastic seal that
we find the best and most artistic
work In 1907 Edward I. declared that
all conventional establishments should
use a common seal, but before this
most monastic houses were in posses
sion of one; and the engravers of these
seals were probably to be found among
the inmates Of the houses, the most
cultured and highly educated persons
of the time. At first these seals were
crude and simple in design,
but as the art in our land grew so the
artistic nature Of the work improved;
the anatomy of the figure, the drapery,
the artistic feeling and the decorations
all advanced till they became veritable
works of art. But it is not only as
such that they are interesting, for WOW
en- into the design Of many Of them we
find pictorial representations of some
event in the life of the patron saints
of the house to which they belonged,
or of an incident connected with the
house itself, while others, owing to the
inclusion Of the armorial bearings Of
the prior or other head, afford heraldic
that otherwise would have
been lost. Limited space precludes
anything but the barest mention Of the
interest attaching to these seals, but
to any one inspecting the collection Of
casts in the British Museum they will
present a rich treasure field Of infor-
nation and delight-London Globe.
WATCH TO Coz Mt PULsE.-A new
watch has been invented for the use
the pulse. The watch indicates, with