CHAPTER II.

ANTIQUITY OF INK.

THE INVENTION OF THE ART OF WRITING--TO WHOM
IT BELONGS--ITS UTILIZATION BY NATIONS AND
INDIVIDUALS--WHEN IT IS FIRST MENTIONED IN THE
BIBLE--CITATIONS FROM THE ENCYCLOPaeDIA BRITANNICA
AND SMITHS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE--SOME
REMARKS BY HUMPHREYS OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS
OF HANDWRITING--COMMENTS BY PLATO AND
THE COLLOQUY BETWEEN KING THAMUS AND THOTH,
THE EGYPTIAN GOD OF THE LIBERAL ARTS--FIRST
APPEARANCE OF INK WRITTEN ROLLS--DESTRUCTION
OF THE TEMPLES WHICH CONTAINED THEM--COMMENTS
OF THE HISTORIAN ROLLINS--DESTRUCTION
OF THE MOST ANCIENT CHINESE INK WRITTEN MSS.

THERE is a difference of opinion as to what nation
belongs the honor of the invention of the art of
handwriting. Sir Isaac Newton observes:

"There is the utmost uncertainty in the chronology
of ancient kingdoms, arising from the vanity
of each claiming the greatest antiquity, while those
pretensions were favoured by their having no exact
account of time."

Its antiquity has been exhaustively treated by many