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cotton； by their conquests in Tartary。
〃A。 D。 706。 Casiri； a Spanish author； attributes
the invention of cotton paper to Joseph Amru； in
this year； at Mecca； but it is well known that the
Chinese and Persians were acquainted with its
manufacture before this period。
〃A。 D。 900。 The bulls of the popes in the eighth and ninth
centuries were written upon cotton paper。
〃A。 D。 900。 Montfaucon； who on account of
his diligence and the extent of his researches is
great authority； wrote a dissertation to prove that
charta bombycine； cotton paper； was discovered in
the empire of the east toward the end of the ninth
or beginning of the tenth century。
〃A。 D。 1007。 The plenarium； or inventory； of
the treasure of the church of Sandersheim； is written
upon paper of cotton； bearing this date。
〃A。 D。 1049。 The oldest manuscript in England
written upon cotton paper； is in the Bodleian collection
of the British Museum； having this date。
〃A。 D。 1050。 The most ancient manuscript on
cotton paper； that has been discovered in the
Royal Library at Paris having a date； bears record
of this year。
〃A。 D。 1085。 The Christian successors of Moorish
paper…makers at Toledo in Spain； worked the
paper…mills to better advantage than their predecessors。
Instead of manufacturing paper of raw
cotton； which is easily recognized by its yellowness
and brittleness； they made it of rags； in moulds
through which the water ran off； for this reason it
was called parchment cloth。
〃A。 D。 1100。 The Aphorisms of Hippocrates； in
Arabia； the manuscript of which bears this date；
has been pronounced the oldest specimen of linen
paper that has come to light。
〃A。 D。 1100。 Arabic manuscripts were at this
time written on satin paper； and embellished with
a quantity of ornamental work； painted in such
gay and resplendent colors that the reader might
behold his face reflected as if from a mirror。
〃A。 D。 1100。 There was a diploma of Roger；
king of Sicily； dated 1145； in which be says that
he had renewed on parchment a charter that had
been written on cotton paper in 1100。
〃A。 D。 1102。 The king of Sicily appears to
have accorded a diploma to an ancient family of
paper…makers who had established a manufactory
in that island； where cotton was indigenous； and
this has been thought to point to the origin of cotton
paper； quite erroneously。
〃A。 D。 1120。 Peter the Venerable； abbot of
Clum； who flourished about this time； declared
that paper from linen rags was in use in his day。
〃A。 D。 1150。 Edrisi； who wrote at this time；
tells us that the paper made at Xativa； an ancient
city of Valencia； was excellent； and was exported
to countries east and west。
〃A。 D。 1151。 An Arabian author certifies that
very fine white cotton paper was manufactured in
Spain； and Cacim aben Hegi assures us that the best
was made at Xativa。 The Spaniards being acquainted
with water…mills； improved upon the Moorish
method of grinding the raw cotton and rags； and
by stamping the latter in the mill； they produced a
better pulp than from raw cotton； by which various
sorts of paper were manufactured； nearly equal to
those made from linen rags。
〃A。 D。 1153。 Petrus Mauritius （the Abbi de
Cluni）； who died in this year； has the following
passage on paper in his Treatise against the Jews；
'The books we read every day are made of sheep；
goat； or calf skin； or of rags （ex rasauris veterum
pannorum）；' supposed to allude to modern paper。
〃A。 D。 1178。 A treaty of peace between the
kings of Aragon and Castile is the oldest specimen
of linen paper used in Spain with a date。 It
is supposed that the Moors； on their settlement in
Spain； where cotton was scarce； made paper of
hemp and flax。 The inventor of linen…rag paper；
whoever he was； is entitled to the gratitude of
posterity。
〃A。 D。 1200。 Casiri positively affirms that
there are manuscripts in the Escurial palace near
Madrid； upon both cotton and hemp paper； written
prior to this time。〃
Abdollatiph； an Arabian physician； who visited
Egypt in 1200； says that the linen mummy…cloths
were habitually used to make wrapping paper for the
shopkeepers。
A document with the seals preserved dated A。 D。
1239 and signed by Adolphus； count of Schaumburg
is written on linen paper。 It is preserved in the
university of Rinteln； Germany； and establishes the
fact that linen paper was already in use in Germany。
Specimens of flax paper and still extant are quite
numerous； a very few of them having dates included
in the eighth and ninth centuries。
The charta Damascena； so…called from the fact of
its manufacture in the city of Damascus； was in use in
the eighth century。 Many Arabian MSS。 on such a
paper exist dating from the ninth century。
The charta bombycina （bombyx； a silk and cotton
paper） was much employed during mediaeval periods。
The microscope； however； has demonstrated conclusively
many things formerly in doubt and relating
particularly to the matter of the character of fibre
used in paper…making。 One of the most important
is the now established fact that there is no difference
between the fibres of the old cotton and linen papers；
as made from rags so named。
To ascertain the precise period and the particular
nation of Europe； when and among whom the use of
our common paper fabricated from linen rags first
originated； was a very earnest object of research
with the learned Meerman； author of a now exceedingly
rare work on this subject and published in 1767。
His mode of inquiry was unique。 He proposed a
reward of twenty…five golden ducats； to whoever
should discover what on due examination should appear
to be the most ancient manuscript or public
document inscribed on paper manufactured from
linen rags。 This proposal was distributed through
all parts of Europe。 His little volume contains the
replies which Meerman received。 The scholars who
remitted the result of their investigations were unable
to distinguish between what they estimated as
cotton or linen rags。 They did； however； establish
the fact that paper made of linen rags existed before
1308； and some of them even sought to give the
honor of the invention to Germany。 They also asserted
that the most ancient English specimen of
such a paper belonged to the year 1342。
The transformation of paper made from every conceivable
fibrous material into what is commonly
known as 〃linen〃 or true paper was of slow growth
until after the invention of printing。 Following that
great event it is surprising； how； in so short a period；
the manufacturers of paper improved its quality and
the degree of excellence which it later attained。
They imitated the old vellum so closely that it was
even called vellum and is so known to this day。
This class of paper was employed both for writing
and printing purposes and has never been excelled；
surpassing any