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The MSS。 examples mentioned in the citation； must
of necessity refer to specimens of writing made with
〃vitriolic〃 and even more ancient inks。 They are to
be considered in conjunction with the historical fact
that these cities were buried for more than sixteen
hundred years； counting from the first eruption； before
they were brought to light （Herculaneum was discovered
A。 D。 1713 and Pompeii； forty years later）；
also that they must have been subjected to intense
heat and a long period of decay which could only operate
to rob them of all traces of natural ink phenomena。
Furthermore； the information Mr。 Humphreys
seeks to convey； dates contemporaneously with the first
eruption of Vesuvius； which occurred seventy…nine
years AFTER the Christian era and not seventy…nine
years BEFORE it。
This stupendous blunder involves a period of one
hundred and fifty…eight years； if it is rectified； the
〃early Greek MSS。〃 are shown to emanate from the
second half of the first century following the birth of
Christ and confirming to some extent the deductions
hereinbefore made； although the probabilities are that
they belong to later periods； included in the third and
fourth centuries。
It is affirmed that the eruption of Mt。 Vesuvius
A。 D。 79； did not entirely destroy the cities of Herculaneum
and Pompeii； and that they emerged from their
ruins in the reign of the Emperor Titus。 They are
also mentioned as inhabited cities in the chart of
Peutinger； which is of the date of Constantine。
The next eruption； A。 D。 471； was probably the most
frightful on record if we exclude the volcanic eruption
of Mt。 Pelee； which occurred in Martinique； West
Indies； in 1902； destroying thirty thousand human
beings in fifteen minutes and devastating nearly the
entire island。 From Marcellinus we learn that the
ashes of the Vesuvius volcano were vomited over a
great portion of Europe； reaching to Constantinople；
where a festival was instituted in commemoration of
the strange phenomenon。 After this； we hear no
more of these cities； but the portion of the inhabitants
who escaped built or occupied suburbs at Nola in
Campania and at Naples。 In the latter city； the Regio
Herculanensium； or Quarter of the Herculaneans； an
inscription marked on several lapidary monuments；
indicates the part devoted to the population driven
from the doomed city。
The ancient inkstand found at Herculaneum； said
to contain a substance resembling a thick oil or paint
characteristic of a material which it is alleged； 〃some
of the manuscripts have been written in a sort of
relievo； visible in the letters when a 'leaf' is held to
the light in a horizontal direction；〃 it is not impossible；
indeed it is quite probable； belonged to an era centuries
later than the period to which it has been assigned。
〃No perfect papyri； but only fragments； have been
found at Pompeii。 At Herculaneum； up to the year
1825； 1；756 had been obtained； besides many others
destroyed by the workmen； who imagined them to be
mere sticks of charcoal。 Most of them were found
in a suburban villa； in a room of small dimensions；
ranged in presses round the sides of the room； in the
center of which stood a sort of rectangular bookcase。
〃Sir Humphry Davy； after investigating their
chemical nature； arrived at the conclusion that they
had not been carbonized by heat； but changed by the
long action of air and moisture； and he visited Naples
in hopes of rendering the resources of chemistry
available towards deciphering these long…lost literary
treasures。 His expectations； however； were not fully
crowned with success； although the partial efficacy of
his methods was established； and he relinquished the
pursuit at the end of six months； partly from disappointment；
partly from a belief that vexatious obstacles
were thrown in his way by the jealousy of the
persons to whom the task of unrolling had been intrusted。
About five hundred volumes have been well
and neatly unrolled。 It is rather remarkable that； as
far as can be learned； no manuscript of any known
standard work has been found； nor； indeed； any production
of any of the great luminaries of the ancient
world。 The most celebrated person of whom any
work has been found is Epicurus； whose treatise； De
Natura； has been successfully unrolled。 This and a
few other treatises have been published。 The library
in which this was found appears to have been rich in
treatises on the Epicurean philosophy。 The only
Latin work which it contained was a poem； attributed
to Rabirius； on the war of Caesar and Antony。〃
Beginning with A。 D。 200； the employment of inks
became more and more constant and popular。 Rediscoveries
of ancient formulas belonging to a more
remote antiquity multiplied in number。 Silver ink
was again quite common in most countries。 Red ink
made of vermilion （a composition of mercury； sulphur
and potash） and cinnabar （native mercuric sulphide）
were employed in the writing of the titles as was blue
ink made of indigo； cobalt or oxide of copper。 Tyrian
purple was used for coloring the parchment or vellum。
The 〃Indian〃 inks made by the Chinese were imported
and used in preference to those of similar
character manufactured at home。 The stylus and
waxed tablets though still used； in a measure gave way
to the reawakened interest in ink and ink writings。
A greater facility in writing； due to the gradual
reduction in size of the uncial （inch） letters was
thereby attained。
There were 〃writers in gold〃 and 〃writers in
silver〃 who travelled from the East into Greece and
who bad found their way before the third century
into the very heart of Rome。 Their business was to
embellish the manuscript writings of those times。 It
was considered en regale for authors to 〃illuminate〃
their MSS。 and those who failed to do so suffered in
popularity。
These authors frequently allude to their use of red；
black and secret inks。
Martial in his first epistle points out the bookseller's
shop opposite the Julian Forum where his works may
be obtained 〃smoothed with pumice stone and decorated
with purple。〃 Seneca mentions books ornamented
〃cum imaginabus。〃 Varro is related by the
younger Pliny to have illustrated his works by pictures
of more than seven hundred illustrious persons。
Martial dwells on the edition of Virgil； with his
portrait as a frontispiece。
The earliest recorded instance of the richer adornments
of golden lettering on purple or rose…stained
vellum is given by Julius Capitolinus in his life of the
Emperor Maximinus the younger。 He therein mentions
that the mother of the emperor presented to him
on his return to his tutor （early in the third century）；
a copy of the works of Homer； written in gold upon
purple vellum。
The fugitive character； as before stated； of a great
many of the colored inks； and indeed most of the
black ones which were undoubtedly employed； is t