Penny Dreadfuls, 1684 · page 3 of 3
An Account of a Sort of Paper Made of Linum Asbestinum Found in Wales — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This is a page of running prose—specifically, a letter or detailed account. The text describes an experimental attempt to manufacture paper from an unusual material (apparently ashy residue from burned Cyprus wood mixed with oil). The writer details the process: pounding the substance in a mortar, sifting it to remove earthy matter, mixing it with water at a paper mill, and having workers attempt papermaking using standard moulds. The resulting paper was coarse and prone to tearing, but the writer expresses hope for improvement with longer pounding time and offers this "superficial account" as a token of gratitude. The letter is signed "E. LLOYD."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
[ 824 ] of Cyprus before, and dipping it in Oylit gaveas good a flame as other Weeds, till the Oy wasconfumd; the Wee& remaining in the fame proportion asatfirft. Being fa- tished it was encombultable, and inftrucied by one of your Chymical Lectures inthe Natural Fefory Schoole, that Pa- perhad, and might be made of it, Trefolydto try whe- ther any could be made of toe 3 which if not ufetul, might at leaft prove furprizing to fuch as knew not the material of it, by its not vielding to the fre end I pounded fome quantity of itin a Stone Mortar, tll it became a downy fubftance and feem‘d very fit for that purpofe. Then IJ fifted it through a fine Searce by which means I pure’d it indifferent well from its terrene parts 5 for what Earth or Stones! could not pick out of it be- fore, or at the pounding, being reduced to apoucer came through the Searce , the Linumremaining. Hav- ing thus pounded it and cleanfed it, [brought it to the Paper-mil ; and putting it in water in aveffel juft ca- pacious enough to make Paper with fuch aquaatity; I itirred it pretty much, and defired the workmen to pro- ceed with ict in their ufual method of making Pefer, with their wreteng-paper Mould: onely to ftir it about ever before they put their Mould in; conhdering itasa iar more ponderous fubftance than what they uied ; and that confequently if not immediatly taken up after it was agitated, it would fubfide. Paper made of it proved but very courfe and too apt totear ,whercot I havetent you aSheet. But this being the firfttryal, Ihave fome reafonsto bclieve it may be much improved; nor did the workmen doubt but in cafeit were pounded in one oftheir Mortars tor 20 Hours fpace it would make good writing-paper; which, when I fhall receive a fufficient quantity of it, Idefign to try. In the mean while be pleafed to accept of this fuperficial account of it, In roken of gratitude from - Your moft obliged Servant BE LLOYD. ; to which Comiclooo S CO