WHO WAS THE FIRST PAPER-MAKER?

CHAPTER I.

APA," said Freddy Alford, a bright, intelligent lad of ten years old"papa, who first invented paper?

"You ask me a question, Freddy,

that is not easily answered; at least, if you want to know what man first invented paper. Paper, such as we now use for writing purposes, was certainly manufactured by the Chinese, perhaps as long ago as the birth of our Saviour; and it is believed they made it out of the bark of various kinds of trees, the soft pith of bamboos, and cotton. rags. The Chinese taught the art to the

6

years ago.

ON PAPER-MAKING.

Arabians, who founded a manufactory at Samarcand—once a place of great wealth and renown, though now scarcely known by name to any but school-boys learning geography -about 706; that is, nearly twelve hundred When the Moors, who were descendants of the Arabians, conquered Spain, they introduced all the useful inventions and sciences with which they were acquainted, and among these the art of paper-making; and from Spain it was carried into France and Holland; and from France and Holland, about 1665, into our own country."

Frederick. But I have read somewhere about paper being made out of papyrus.

Mr. Alford. True; but that was a very different sort of paper to any now in use. The Egyptians were the first manufacturers of this kind of paper, which was made, as you say, from the papyrus.

Frederick. What was the papyrus?

Mr. Alford. A genus of plants including several species or varieties-

GENUS AND SPECIES.

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Frederick. Excuse my interrupting you, рара; but I don't quite understand what you mean by a genus of plants, and several species.

Mr. Alford. Come here to the window, Freddy, and look out into the garden. What do we call that circle of roses which encloses the central bed on the lawn with such a delicate ring of beauty and fragrance?

Frederick. China roses, I think, papa. Mr. Alford. And yonder rose against the wall, which bears so exquisite a blossom? Frederick. Oh, mamma says it is a blush

rose.

Mr. Alford. Look again: here, under the window, grows a rose, whose buds and flowers are wrapped in a coat of moss, like an infant in a robe of lace. That is-

Frederick. A moss rose, papa.

Mr. Alford. Well, then the moss rose, the China rose, the blush rose, all belong to the genus rose, because all three have certain When we look at them

features in common.

AN OBJECT-LESSON.

we know them to be roses, though differing in some important particulars; but these

differences we recognize by dividing them in

to species. Though

the moss rose belongs to the genus rose, it is not exactly like the China rose; therefore we say that the moss rose is one species, and the China rose is another species. Do you understand, me, Frederick?