America--the
"Complete Body of Divinity," a folio of over nine hundred
double-columned, compactly printed pages! And yet, why should not
Timothy Pitkin live through reading it when Samuel Willard lived through
writing it? Entries of dates in old Bibles frequently show that those
sainted old Christians had read entirely through that holy book ten
times in regular order.

The handwriting in all these ancient books is very different from our
modern penmanship, invariably bearing an appearance not exactly of much
labor, but of much care, as if the writer did not use a pen every
day--did not become too familiar with that weighty implement, and hence
had a vast respect for it when he did take it in hand. Every _t_ is
crossed, every _i_ is dotted, every _a_ and _o_ perfectly rounded, every
tail of every _g_ and _y_ and _z_ is precisely twisted in colonial
script. I think the very trouble and preparation incident to writing
conduced to the finish and elegance of the penmanship. No stylographic
pens were used in those days, but instead, a carefully prepared quill;
and the ink was made of ink-cake or ink-powder dissolved in water; or,
more troublesome still, home-made ink, tediously prepared with nutgalls,
walnut or swamp maple bark, or iron filings steeped in vinegar and
water, or copperas.

Special pains were taken in writing a name in a book. Penmanship was
almost a fine art in colonial days, the one indispensable accomplishment
of a school teacher; and he was often hired to exercise it in writing a
name "perspicuously" in a book. Sometimes the owner's name is seen drawn
with much care in a little wreath or circle of ornamentation. This may
be what Judge Sewall refers to with so much pride when he speaks of
"writing a name" in a gift-book, or it may be what was known as
"conceits" or "fine knotting."

The colonists had a very reprehensible habit, which (save for the pains
taken in writing) might be called book-scribbling. Rude rhymes and
sentiments are often found with the past owner's name, and form a
title-page lore which, ill-spelt and simple as the verses are, have an
interest to the antiquary of which the writer never dreamed. They
consist chiefly of adjurations to honesty, specially with regard to the
special volume thus inscribed:

"Steal not this book my honest friend,
For fear the gallows will be your End."

"If you dare to steal this Book
The Devil will catch you on his Hook."

This was acc