Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/31

13&#93; INK IKK, a black fluid employed hi "writing, and usually prepared v/ith an infusion of galis, copperas, and gum-arabic. The chief requisites for the mak- ing of good in r, are, 1. Limpidity, so that it may tiow freely from the pen. 2. A deep, uniform and black colour. 3. Durability, so that the letters be not liable to be effaced by age ; and 4, It should be divested of any corrosive qua- lity, by which the substance of the paper may be destroyed, or the writing rendered in any degree il- legible. No ink, however, hitherto used, possesses all these proper- ties ^ liedice several ingenious che- mists have been induced to make experiments, in order to render it more perfeft. M, RiBAUCouRT, ui the " An- Tiales de Chimin," directs eight ounces of Aleppo galls, and four ounces of logwood, to be boiled in twelve pounds of water, till the quan- tity is reduced to one halfj when the liquor should be strained tii rough a linen or hair sieve into a proper vessel. Four ounces of sulphate of iron (green vitriol) ; three ounces of gum-arabic ; one ounce of sul- phate of copper (blue vitriol) ; and a similar quantity of sugar-cand)% are now to be added : the liquid should be frequently shaken, to facilitate the solution of the salts. As soon as these ingredients are perfectly dissolved, die composition is sutTered to subside for twenty- four hours ; when the ink may be decanted from the gross sediment, and preserved for use in glass or stone bottles, well stopped. This ink exliibits a purplish- black colour in the bottles ; but the writing performed with it, is 'said to be of a beautiful black cast, 'Which it retains; unaltered, for a I NK [13 considerable length of time. Each quart of the pveparatloa coatalas : ex. dij. f;r<:. Ofg.^lls - - 2 5 20 Green vitriol 1 2 40 Logwood - 1 2 40 Gum - - ] O O Blue vitriol - 2 40 Sugar-candy O 2 40 M. RiBAUcouRT is of opinloH, that ink thus prepare.!, may be preserved several years in a state of pcrfeetion, without depositing cither galls or iron. The ink commonly used, is ma- nutactured by stationers, accoid- ing to Dr. Lewis's recipe 3 but it is ill calculated for keeping, as it deposits a black sediment, while the fluid itself is of a pale colour. Each quiU't of this ink contains ; 03. drs. gfs. Of galls - -30 O Green vitriol 10 I;Ogwood - O 5 24 Gum - - 1 O Neither blue vitriol nor sugar are employed in this preparation. As, however, both the ink made after the latter method, and that com- pounded according to other re- cipes, are not adapted to resist the ett'ects of acids, and are conse- quently by no means tit for records, deeds, and other documents, M. Westrumb reconmiends the fol- lowino^ingreriients, as being well calculated to remedy this inconve- nience. He directs one ounce of Brazil-wood, and a similar quan- tity of gall-nuts, to be boiled in forty-six ounces (somewhat less tlian three pints) of water, till the whole be reduced to thirty-two ounces, or about two quarts. 1 his decodion is to be poured, whil(liotj upon half an ouocc oi' copperas, or