Fuller makes some exceedingly curious observations respecting the paper of his time, which may, perhaps, be introduced here with advantage. He says—“Paper participates in some sort of the character of the country which makes it; the Venetian being neat, subtile, and court like; the French light, slight, and slender; and the Dutch thick, corpulent, and gross, sucking up the ink with the sponginess thereof.” He complains that the paper manufactories were not then sufficiently encouraged, considering the vast sums of money expended in our land for paper out of Italy, France, and Germany, which might be lessened, were it made in our nation. “To such who object,” says he, “that we can never equal the perfection of Venice paper, I return, neither can we match the purity of Venice glasses, and yet many green ones are blown in Sussex, profitable to the makers, and convenient to the users, our home-spun paper might be found beneficial.” With reference to any particular _time_ or _place_ at which this inestimable invention was first adopted in England, all researches into existing records contribute little to our assistance. The first paper mill erected here is commonly attributed to Sir John Spielman, a German, who established one in 1588, at Dartford, for which the honour of knighthood was afterwards conferred upon him by Queen Elizabeth, who was also pleased to grant him a license “for the sole gathering for ten years of all rags, &c., necessary for the making of such paper.” It is, however, quite certain that paper mills were in existence here long before Spielman’s time. Shakspeare, in the second part of his play of Henry the Sixth, the plot of which appears laid at least a century previously, refers to a paper mill. In fact, he introduces it as an additional weight to the charge which Jack Cade is made to bring against Lord Saye, “Thou hast most traitorously corrupted,” says he, “the youth of the realm, in erecting a grammar school, and whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used, and contrary to the king, his crown and dignity, thou hast built a paper mill.”