Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 50564-h.htm or 50564-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50564/50564-h/50564-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50564/50564-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/historyofinkincl00davi Transcriber's note: Words in fonts different from the main text, used to denote emphasis, have been surrounded by _underscores_. Superscripts have been indicated by preceding the superscripted letters with ^. When more than one character in a row is superscripted, the letters have been surrounded by {}. An attempt has been made to transcribe the handwritten text in plates used to show the different kinds of ink. Where the original text was unclear, dots have been used to mark illegible letters, [] surround illegible but obvious letters, and <> surround letters deleted by the original scribe. Hyphens have been added at the end of lines where appropriate. Macrons and tildes on consonants within the plates have not been reproduced. Longer illegible sections were replaced by [illegible]. In some cases, a descriptive word or phrase has been added and surrounded by square brackets, for example [Hieratic text]. Some corrections have been made to the original. These are described in a second transcriber's note at the end of the text. [Illustration: THE History OF INK VOX DICTA PERIT, LITERA SCRIPTA MANET. THADDEUS DAVIDS & CO. NEW YORK. SNYDER, BLACK & STURM, LITHOGRAPHERS, 92 WILLIAM ST. N.Y.] THE HISTORY OF INK Including Its Etymology, Chemistry, and Bibliography. New-York; Thaddeus Davids & Co. 127 William Street. [Illustration: FRANCIS HART & CO. Printers, 63 Cortlandt St. N.Y.] The History of Ink. Ink IS history, in the common acceptation of the word; for, what is generally denominated history—is ink diffused on paper in certain definite lines. Yet ink has no history written or composed hitherto. In view of this deficiency—which betrays a singular negligence (on the part of historians and all literary men) and a thoughtless ingratitude to this indispensable means of accomplishing and preserving their work—we propose to supply the desideratum, by furnishing, on these little pages, what is indicated by the above title, in the fullest sense and widest scope of the term, including its etymology, its chemistry, and all that can be suggested and justified by the title, or fairly demanded under it, or claimed from it.