THE 



GALLERY 



OF 



NATURE AND ART. 



PART II. 



ART. 



BOOK IV. 

 POLITE ARTS, or those connected with LITERATURE. 



CHAP. I. 



PAPER MAKING. 



IAPER is well known to be a thin flexible leaf, usually white, ar- 

 tificially prepared of some vegetable substance, cliiefly to write 

 upon with ink. 



The word is formed from the Greek ma.itvpQs, papyrus, the 

 name of an Egyptian plant, called also /3i?Ao;, biblus, whereon 

 the ancients used to write. 



Various are the materials, on which mankind in different ages 

 and countries hare contrived to write their sentiments ; as on 

 stones, bricks, the leaves of herbs and trees, and tht ir rinds or 

 barks ; also on tables of wood, wax, and ivory ; to which may be 

 added plates of lead, linen rolls, &c. At length the Egyptian pa. 

 pyrus was invented ; then parchment, then cotton paper, and lastly, 

 the common, or linen paper. 



