Alice and her Pencils
"Lapis, aromatum de rubrica sic vulgo vocant, liber Toscani quam vidistis in tenues frusta oblonga et acutus factus est: et de variis, ut color plumbi, et Lapis Plumbinum appellatur; et nigro, et nigrum Lapis appellationes. "
(Caietanus Volpi, MDCCLVI)
* "Lapis, so called vulgarly some spices of red earth, called by 'Toscani book, which you saw in thin oblong pieces, and they become acute is written: and it is of various sorts, such as color of lead, and is called Lapis Piombino, and black, black and Lapis appeals. "
(Gaetano Volpi, 1756)
* See http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matita