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The Lord Jesus replied： 'I will change the color
of every cloth to what color thou desirest；' and
then He presently began to take the cloths out of
the furnace； and they were all dyed of those same
colors which the dyer desired。 And when the Jews
saw this surprising miracle they praised God。〃
The ancients used also a number of tinctures as
ink； among them a brown color； sepia； in Hebrew
tekeleth。 As a natural ink its origin antedates every
other ink； artificial or otherwise； in the world。 It is a
black…brown liquor； secreted by a small gland into an
oval pouch； and through a connecting duct is ejected
at will by the cuttle fish which inhabits the seas of
Europe； especially the Mediterranean。 These fish
constantly employ the contents of their 〃ink bags〃
to discolor the water； when in the presence of enemies；
in order to facilitate their escape from them。
The black broth of the Spartans was composed of
this product。 The Egyptians sometimes used it for
coloring inscriptions on stone。 It is the most lasting
of all natural ink substances。
So great is the antiquity of artificial ink that the
name of its inventor or date of its invention are alike
unknown。 The poet Whitehead refers to it as follows：
Hard that his name it should not save；
Who first poured forth the sable wave。〃
The common black ink of the ancients was essentially
different in composition and less liable to fade
than those used at the present time。 It was not a
stain like ours； and when Horace wrote
〃And yet as ink the fairest paper stains；
So worthless verse pollutes the fairest deeds；〃
he must have had in mind the vitriolic ink of his own
time。
But little information relative to black inks of the
intermediate times has come down to us； and it is conveyed
through questioned writings of authors who
flourished about the period of the life of Jesus Christ；
the Younger Pliny and Dioscorides are the most prominent
of them。 They present many curious recipes。
One of these； suggested by Pliny； is that the addition
of an infusion of wormwood to ink will prevent the
destruction of MSS。 by mice。
From a memoir by M。 Rousset upon the pigments
and dyes used by the ancients； it would appear that
the variety was very considerable。 Among the white
colors； they were acquainted with white lead； and for
the blacks； various kinds of charcoal and soot were
used。 Animal skins were dyed black with gall apples
and sulphate of iron （copper）。 Brown pigments were
made by mixing different kinds of ochre。 Under the
name of Alexander blue； the ancientsEgyptians as
well as Greeks and Romansused a pigment containing
oxide of copper； and also one containing cobalt。
Fabrics were dyed blue by means of pastel…wood。
Yellow pigments were principally derived from weld；
saffron； and other native plants。
Vermilion； red ochre； and minium （red lead） were
known from a remote antiquity； although the artificial
preparation of vermilion was a secret possessed
only by the Chinese。
The term scarlet as employed in the Old Testament
was used to designate the blood…red color procured
from an insect somewhat resembling cochineal； found
in great quantities in Armenia and other eastern
countries。 The Arabian name of the insect is Kermez
（whence crimson）。 It frequents the boughs of a species
of the ilex tree： on these it lays its eggs in groups；
which become covered with a sort of down； so that
they present the appearance of vegetable galls or
excrescences from the tree itself and are described as
such by Pliny XVI； 12； who also gave it the name of
granum； probably on account of its resemblance to a
grain or berry； which has been adopted by more recent
writers and is the origin of the term 〃ingrain color〃
as now in use。 The dye is procured from the female
grub alone； which； when alive is about the size of the
kernel of a cherry and of a dark red…brown color； but
when dead； shrivels up to the size of a grain of wheat
and is covered with a bluish mold。 It has an agreeable
aromatic smell which it imparts to that with which
it comes into contact。 It was first found in general
use in Europe in the tenth century。 About 1550；
cochineal； introduced there from Mexico； was found
to be far richer in coloring matter and therefore gradually
superseded the older dyestuff。
Indigo was used in India and Egypt long before the
Christian era； and it is asserted that blue ribbons
（strips） found on Egyptian mummies 4500 years old
had been dyed with indigo。 It was introduced into
Europe only in the sixteenth century。
The use of madder as a red dyestuff dates from very
early times。 Pliny mentions it as being employed by
the Hindoos； Persians and Egyptians。 In the middle
ages the names sandis； warantia； granza； garancia；
were applied to madder； the latter （garance） being
still retained in France。 The color yielding substance
resides almost entirely in the roots。
Chilzon was the name given by the ancient Hebrews
to a blue dye procured from a species of shell…fish。
Herodotus； B。 C。 443； asserts that on the shores of
the Caspian Sea lived a people who painted the forms
of animals on their garments with vegetable dyes：
〃They have trees whose leaves possess a peculiar
property； they reduce them to powder； and then
strip them in water； this forms a dye or coloring
matter with which they paint on their garments the
figures of animals。 The impression is such that it
cannot be washed out； it appears； indeed； to be
woven into the cloth； and wears as long as the garment
itself。〃
We are informed by another ancient writer that the
pagan nations were accustomed to array the images
of their gods in robes of purple。 When the prophet
Ezekiel took up a lamentation for Tyre； he spoke of
the 〃blue and purple from the isles of Elishah〃 in
which the people were clothed。 This reference is said
to doubtless refer to the islands of the Aegian Sea；
from whence many claim ； the Tyrians obtained the
shell…fish；the murex and papura； which produced the
dark…blue and bright…scarlet coloring materials； the
employment of which contributed so much to the fame
of ancient Tyre。
Pliny the younger confirms this statement：
〃The Tyrian…purple was the juice of the Purpurea；
a shell…fish； the veins of its neck and jaws
secreting this royal color； but so little was obtained
that it was very rare and cost one thousand
Denarii （about 150。00） per pound。〃
A more modern writer in discussing a crimson or
ruby color says：
〃By a mistaken sense the Latin word purpurus；
has been called purple； by all the English and
French writers。〃
Arbuthnot； London； 1727； in his book 〃Ancient
Coins； Weights and Measures；〃 as the result of his
examinations of the most ancient records estimates：
〃The Purple was very dear； there were two
sorts of Fishes whereof it was made； the Pelagii；