Style

STYLE, to write with. It is universally known, that the Antients often made use of Styles or Bodkins to write with upon Tables done over with Wax. These Styles were of Iron, Brass, or Bone, with a sharp Point at one End, and flat at the other, or pointed at one End, and the other form’d like a little round Spoon or Spatula. The sharp End was us’d for writing and making of Letters, and the other expung’d them. This was a great Convenience to the Writer; for he could put out again what he pleased, and yet no Erasure should appear. The flat Part of the Style left no Footsteps of what had been written, and they could write anew as they pleas’d upon the same Place. And this they could do as often as they found Occasion. Upon this was founded that Advice of Horace, of turning the Style, and blotting out often, if you would write what might deserve to be read:

Sæpe stylum vertas iterum quæ digna legi sint Scripturus.

2 Kings xxi. 13.The Scripture alludes to the same Custom in these Words; Delebo Jerusalem sicut deleri solent tabulæ, & delens vertam, & ducam crebrius stylum super faciem ejus: I will blot out Jerusalem as Men blot out Writing from their Writing-tables. I will turn and often rub the Style upon the Wax, till nothing shall appear. I will not leave the least Footsteps of that devoted City.

Isai. viii. 1.Isaiah received Orders from the Lord to write in a great Roll of Parchment, with the Style of a Man, Stylo hominis, what should be dictated to him. ‘Tis asked, What is meant by that Style of a Man? Sure it is, it could not be one of those Styles of Metal that we are speaking of. They were not us’d for writing upon Parchment or Vellum, but upon Wood, Ivory, or Wax. It is therefore probable, that the Style of a Man, in this Place, signifies a Manner of Writing, which is easy, simple, natural, and intelligible, without Figures or any enigmatical Expressions. For generally the Prophets express’d themselves in a parabolical, enigmatical, and obscure Style. Here God intended that Isaiah should not speak or write after the Manner of the Prophets, but as other Men us’d to do.

Job wishes that his Discourses were written or engraved in a Book; with a Style of Iron; or upon a Plate of Lead, or on a Stone, with a Chisel or Engraver: Quis mihi det ut exarentur in libro stylo ferreo & plumbi lamina, vel celte sculpantur in silice? The antient Latin Manuscripts vary about the Word celte. The best and oldest generally read certè, the others celte. Now celte See our Commentary upon Job viii. 24.signifies an Engraver, which is not mention’d in the Hebrew Text, which is thus; Oh that my Words were now written, O that they were printed in a Book! That they were graven with an Iron Pen and Lead, in the Rock for ever! The Iron Pen or Style served also to write upon Lead, as well as upon Wax and Ivory.

Jer. viii. 8.Jeremiah says, that the Style of the Doctors of the Law, is truly a Style of Error, and which writes nothing but Lyes. The Hebrew has it literally; The Pen of the Scribes is in vain. They have promis’d you Peace, but behold War. Elsewhere he says; a The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron, and with the Point of a Diamond. It is graven upon the Table of their Heart; or it is engraven upon their Heart, as upon Writing-tables. Instead of the Point of a Diamond, the Hebrew says, a Graver of Shamir. The Shamir is a Stone call’d Smyris, which was made use of to polish precious Stones, and to cut Glass¹. See SHAMIR. All these Passages clearly shew the Use that was made of Styles and Writing-tables.

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