Writing inks

The following quote is from Chapter 10 of "My Lady Ludlow" written by
Elizabeth Gaskell.  The scene is set in about 1790 England although the
story was first published in book form in 1861.

   "As for ink, I'm thankful to say, that's always ready: an ounce
    of steel filings, an ounce of nut-gall, and a pint of water
    (tea, if you're extravagant, which, thank Heaven! I'm not); put
    all in a bottle, and hang it up behind the house door, so that
    the whole gets a good shaking every time you slam it to--and
    even if you are in a passion and bang it, as Sally and I often
    do, it is all the better for it--and there's my ink ready for
    use; ready to write my lady's will with, if need be."

Cathy Atwood
Local Records Program, Missouri Secretary of State

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:82
                 Distributed: Thursday, March 20, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-82-019
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