forty centuries of ink-第38节

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occupy　hundreds　of　pages。　Those　cited　are　exemplars

indicating　the　trend　of　ideas　belonging　to　different

nations；　epochs；　and　the　diversity　of　materials。　They

can　also　be　considered　as　object　lessons　which　conclusively

demonstrate　the　dissatisfaction　always　existing

in　respect　to　the　constitution　and　modes　of　ink　admixture。

Many　of　them　are　curious　and　are　reproduced

without　any　amendments。



〃Indian　ink　is　a　black　pigment　brought　hither

from　China；　which　on　being　rubbed　with　water；

dissolves；　and　forms　a　substance　resembling　ink；

but　of　a　consistence　extremely　well　adapted　to　the

working　with　a　pencil…brush；　on　which　account　it

is　not　only　much　used　as　a　black　colour　in　miniature

painting；　but　is　the　black　now　generally　made

use　of　for　all　smaller　drawings　in　chiaro　obscuro

（or　where　the　effect　is　to　be　produced　from　light

and　shade　only）。



〃The　preparation　of　Indian　ink；　as　well　as　of

the　other　compositions　used　by　the　Chinese　as

paints；　is　not　hitherto　revealed　on　any　good　authority；

but　it　appears　clearly　from　experiments

to　be　the　coal　of　fish　bones；　or　some　other　vegetable

substance；　mixed　with　isinglass　size；　or　other

size；　and　most　probably；　honey　or　sugar　candy　to

prevent　its　cracking。　A　substance；　therefore；　much

of　the　same　nature；　and　applicable　to　the　same

purposes；　may　be　formed　in　the　following　manner。



〃Take　of　isinglass　six　ounces；　reduce　it　to　a

size；　by　dissolving　it　over　the　fire　in　double　its

weight　of　water。　Take　then　of　Spanish　liquorice

one　ounce；　and　dissolve　it　also　in　double　its　weight

of　water；　and　grind　up　with　it　an　ounce　of　ivory

black。　Add　this　mixture　to　the　size　while　hot；

and　stir　the　whole　together　till　all　the　ingredients

be　thoroughly　incorporated。　Then　evaporate　away

the　water　in　baleno　mariae；　and　cast　the　remaining

composition　into　leaden　molds　greased；　or　make

it　up　in　any　other　form。〃



〃The　colour　of　this　composition　will　be　equally

good　with　that　of　the　Indian　ink：　the　isinglass

size；　mixt　with　the　colours；　works　with　the　pencil

equally　well　with　the　Indian　ink；　and　the　Spanish

liquorice　will　both　render　it　easily　dissolvable　on

the　rubbing　with　water；　to　which　the　isinglass　alone

is　somewhat　reluctant；　and　also　prevent　its　cracking

and　peeling　off　from　the　ground　on　which　it　is

laid。〃

　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*



There　is　found　in　small　currents　near　the　Baltick

Sea；　in　the　Dutchy　of　Prussia　a　certain　coagulated

bitumen；　which；　because　it　seems　to　be　a　juice

of　the　earth　is　called　succinum；　and　carabe；　because

it　will　attract　straws；　it　is　likewise　called　electrum；

glessum；　anthra　citrina；　vulgarly　yellow　amber。



〃This　bitumen　being　soft　and　viscous；　several

little　animals；　such　as　flies；　and　ants；　do　stick　to　it；

and　are　buried　in　it。



〃Amber　is　of　different　colours；　such　as　white；

yellow　and　black。



〃The　white　is　held　in　greatest　esteem　in　physick；

tho'　it　be　opacous；　when　it　is　rubbed　against　anything；

it　is　odoriferous；　and　it　yields　more　volatile

salt　than　the　rest。　The　yellow；　is　transparent　and

pleasant　to　the　eye；　wherefore　beads；　necklaces；

and　other　little　conceits　are　made　of　it。　It　is　also

esteemed　medicinal；　and　it　yieldeth　much　oil。



〃The　black　is　of　least　use　of　all。　（Sometimes

used　by　the　ancients　in　making　ink。）



〃Some　do　think　that　petroleum；　or　Oil　of　Peter；

is　a　liquor　drawn　from　amber；　by　the　means　of　subterrenean

fires；　which　make　a　distillation　of　it；　and

that　jet；　and　coals　are　the　remainders　of　this　distillation。



〃This　opinion　would　have　probability　enough　in

it；　if　the　places；　from　whence　this　sort　of　drogues

does　come；　were　not　so　far　asunder　the　one　from

the　other；　f　or　petroleum　is　not　commonly　found　but

in　Italy；　in　Sicily；　and　Provence。　This　oil　distils

through　the　clefts　of　rocks；　and　it　is　very　likely　to

be　the　oil　of　some　bitumen；　which　the　subterranean

fires　have　raised。〃

　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*



There　are　various　processes　for　obtaining　gallic

acid；　one　of　which　is　to　moisten　the　bruised

galls　and　expose　them　for　four　or　five　weeks　to　a

temperature　of　80　degrees　Fahr。；　by　which　a　mouldy

paste　is　formed；　which　is　pressed　dry　and　then　digested

in　boiling　water；　which　after　evaporation

yields　the　acid；　and　mixed　with　the　solution　of

green　copperas；　makes　the；　ink。　A　quicker　process；

however；　is　to　put　the　bruised　galls　into　a　cylindrical

copper　of　a　depth　equal　to　its　diameter；　and

boil　them　in　nine　gallons　of　watertaking　care　to

replace　the　water　lost　by　evaporation。　The　decoction

to　be　emptied　into　a　tub；　allowed　to　settle；

and　the　clear　liquid　being　drawn　off；　the　lees　are

emptied　into　another　tub　to　be　drained。　The　green

copperas　must　be　separately　dissolved　in　water；

and　then　mixed　with　the　decoction　of　the　galls。　A

precipitate　is　then　formed　in　the　state　of　a　fine

black　powder；　the　subsidence　of　which　is　prevented

by　the　addition　of　the　gum；　which；　separately　dissolved

in　a　small　quantity　of　hot　water；　combines

with　the　clear　black　liquid。　Besides　its　effect　in

keeping　the　fine　insoluble　particles　in　suspension；

the　gum　mucilage　improves　the　body　of　the　ink；

prevents　its　spreading　or　sinking　too　much　into

the　paper　in　writing；　and　also　acts　beneficially　by

forming　a　sort　of　compact　varnish　in　it；　which

tends　to　preserve　its　colour；　and　shield　it　from　the

action　of　the　air。　If；　however；　too　much　mucilage

is　used；　the　ink　flows　badly　from　quill　pens；　and

still　more　so　from　steel　pens；　which　require　a　very

limpid　ink。　The　addition　of　sugar　increases　the

fluidity　of　ink；　and　permits　the　quantity　of　gum　to

be　increased　over　what　it　would　bear　without　it；

but；　on　the　other　hand；　it　causes　it　to　dry　more

slowly；　and　besides　it　frequently　passes　into　vinegar；

when　it　acts　injuriously　on　the　pens。　The　dark…

coloured　galls；　known　as　the　blue　Aleppo　ones；　are

said　by　Ribaucourt；　and　others　who　have　given

much　attention　to　the　ingredients　for　ink…making

to　be　the　best　for　that　purpose；　and　they　are

generally　used　by　the　best　makers。



〃From　their　high　price；　however；　and　that　of

galls　generally；　sumach；　logwood；　and　even　oak

bark　are　too　frequently　substituted　in　the　manufacture

of　inks；　but　it　need　scarcely　be　said　always

injuriously。　Ink　made　according　to　the　receipt

given　above　is　much　more　rich　and　powerful　than

many　of　those　commonly　made。　To　reduce　it　to

their　standard　one　half　more　water　may　be　safely

added；　or　even　twenty　gallons　of　tolerable　ink　may

be　made　from　the　same　weight　of　materials。

Sumach　and　logwood　admit　of　only　about　one…half

or　less　of　the　green　copperas　that　galls　will　take；

to　bring　out　the　maximum　amount　of　black　colour。

The　colour　of　black　ink　gradually　darkens　in

consequence　of　the　peroxidation　of　the　iron　in　it　on

exposure　to　the　air；　but　it　affords　a　more　durable

writing　when　used　pale；　its　particles　being　then

finer；　penetrate　the　paper　more　intimately；　and　on

its　oxidation　is　mordanted　into　it。　It　is　advisable

so　soon　as　the　ink　has　acquired　a　moderately　deep

tint；　to　draw　it　off　clear　into　bottles　and　cork　them

well。



〃According　to　the　most　accurate　experiments

on　the　preparation　of　black　writing　inks；　it　appears

that　the　proportion　of　the　green　copperas　ought　to

be；　and　not　to　exceed；　a　third　of　the　decoction　of

galls　used；　but　the　proportions　used　vary　according

to　the　practical　experience　of　ink…makers；　who

have　all　receipts　of　their　own；　which　they　deem

best；　and；　of　course；　keep　secret。　In　the　precipitate

an　excess　of　colouring　matter；　which　is　necessary

for　its　durability；　is　preserved　in　it。　The

blue　galls　alone　ought　to　be　employed　in　making

the　best　quality　of　black　ink。　Logwood　is　a　useful。

ingredient；　because　its　colouring　matter　unites

with　the　sulphate　of　iron　and　renders　it　not　only　of

a　very　dark　colour；　but　also　less　capable　of　change

from　the　action　of　acids　or　of　the　atmosphere。

Many　attempts　have　been　made　by　amateurs　to

make　a　good　permanent　black　ink。　A　good　story

is　told　of　Professor　Traill。　He　had　succeeded；

after　a　long　series　of　experiments；　in　producing　an

ink　which　he　deemed　to　be　in　all　respects　A　1；

and　which　resisted　the　action　of　all　acids　and

alkalies　alike。　The　pleased　savant　sent　samples

of　it　for　trial　to　several　banks　and　schools；　where

it　gave　general　satisfaction；　but；　alas；　an　experimenting

scribbler；　thoughtlessly　or　otherwise；　applied

a　simple　test　undreamt　of　by　the　Professor；

and　with　a　wet　sponge　completely　washed　off　his

'indelible；'　and　thereby　finished　his　career　as　an

amateur　ink…maker！〃

　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*



〃Nicholson；　in　his　Dictionary　of　Chemistry；　an

old　but　valuable　work；　says　that　Ribaucourt　found

vitriol　of　copper；　in　a　certain　proportion；　to　give

depth　and　firmness　to　the　colour　of　black　ink；

but；　from　whatever　cause；　this　has　not　taken　a

place　among　the　commonly…used　ink…maki