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preservation。 Whether； as Mr。 Babington observes
in his preface to the work； any more scraps of
the 〃Oration for Lycophron〃 or of the 〃Oration
against Demosthenes〃 remain to be discovered；
either in Thebes or elsewhere； may be doubtful；
but is certainly worth the inquiry of learned travellers。'
The condition； however； of the fragments
obtained by Mr。 Harris but too significantly indicate
the hopelessness of success。 The scroll had
evidently been more frequently rolled and unrolled
in that particular part； namely； the speech of Hyperides
in a matter of such peculiar interest as
that involving the honor of the most celebrated
orator of antiquity； it had been more read and
had been more thumbed by ancient fingers than any
other speech in the whole volume； and hence the
terrible gap between Mr。 Harris's and Mr。 Arden's
portions Those who are acquainted with the
brittle； friable nature of a roll of papyrus in the dry
climate of Thebes； after being buried two thousand
years or more and then coming first into the hands
of a ruthless Arab； who； perhaps； had rudely
snatched it out of the sarcophagus of the mummied
scribe； will well understand how dilapidations occur。
It frequently happens that a single roll； or possibly
an entire box； of such fragile treasures is
found in the tomb of some ancient philologist or
man of learning； and that the possession is immediately
disputed by the company of Arabs who may
have embarked on the venture。 To settle the dispute；
when there is not a scroll for each member
of the company； an equitable division is made by
dividing the papyrus and distributing the portions。
Thus； in this volume of Hyperides； it seems that
it has fallen into two pieces at the place where it
had most usually been opened； and where； alas！ it
would have been most desirable to have kept it
whole； and that the smaller fragments have been
lost amid the dust and rubbish of the excavation；
while the two extremities have been made distinct
properties； which have been sold； as we have seen；
to separate collectors。 So； at all events； such
matters are managed at Thebes。
〃Mr。 Harris mentions fragments of the 'Iliad；'
which he had purchased of some of the Arab disturbers
of the dead in the sacred cemeteries of
Middle Egypt； most probably Saccara。〃
The oldest known specimens of the Greek papyri
and which were found in Egypt； have a range of one
thousand years； that is； from the third century B。 C。
to the seventh century A。 D。
The first discovery of Greek papyri was made at
Herculaneum in 1752。 Papyrus； however； in the
most ancient； periods was not the only pliable material
used to write on which could be rolled on cylinders。
Linen or cloth； which had been first treated
with substances which filled the interstices and
characteristic of our oil…cloth； the inner bark of certain
trees； or in fact any material which would receive ink
and roll around a cylinder was in vogue。 This form
of manuscript was later termed by the Romans rolles；
to roll round； or more commonly volvere； to roll over。
It is not certain； however； that this character of
manuscript immediately superseded the tablet form
of records inscribed on wood or metal。 Noel Humphreys
is one of several to suggest：
〃The reference to the 'pen of a ready writer；'
mentioned in the Psalms of David （B。 C。 1086…
1016） could scarcely be the sharp point； or stilus；
by means of which characters were engraved upon
wood or metal； but rather the calamus or juncas；
used for writing with a dark fluid upon bark or
linen。 The word volume indeed occurs in Psalms
xxxix。； and these volumina or volumes must have
been either rolls of leaves； or bark； or Egyptian
papyrus。〃
Some writers like Casley； Purcelli； Haygen； Calmet；
and others； who also more or less discuss this subject；
do not view it entirely the same。
CHAPTER XXIX。
ANCIENT INK BACKGROUNDS （PARCHMENT AND VELLUM）。
THE PERGAMUS LIBRARY COMPOSED PRINCIPALLY OF
PARCHMENT VOLUMESCAUSES WHICH CONTRIBUTED
TO THE SUBSTITUTION OF PARCHMENT FOR PAPYRUS
ANECDOTE ABOUT EUMENES AND PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS
INVENTION OF METHOD WHICH MADE SKINS
AVAILABLE FOR FLUID INK WRITINGINTRODUCTION
OF DRESSED SKINS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS THE
MODERN FORM OF BOOKSWHEN PARCHMENT AND
VELLUM SUPERSEDED OTHER SUBSTANCES AS A GENERAL
MATERIAL FOR WRITING UPONMANUFACTURE
OF BARK PAPER PREVIOUS TO THE INTRODUCTION OF
THE LINEN PAPER OF THE EASTSOME OBSERVATIONS
ABOUT CHINESE PAPERALLUSIONS OF CLASSICAL
WRITERS TO INSCRIPTIONS ON SKINS AND DISCOVERY
OF SPECIMENSEMPLOYMENT OF PARCHMENT BY THE
HEBREWSOLD SCRIPTURAL MSS。 DISCOVERED ON
PARCHMENTNAMES OF THE MOST VALUABLE NEW
TESTAMENT CODICESSTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF
THE SINAITIC CODEX AS TOLD BY MADANASSERTION
OF SIMONIDES THAT HE FORGED ITPAMLIMPSESTS
THE LINK BETWEEN CLASSICAL TIMES AND THE MIDDLE
AGESOBSERVATIONS ABOUT THEM AND SOME DISCOVERIES
OF THE MORE FAMOUS ONESUSE OF PAPYRUS；
PARCHMENT AND VELLUM TOGETHER IN MSS。
BOOKSOBSERVATIONS BY THOMPSONCHARACTER
OF THE ROLLS AND RECORDS BELONGING TO EARLY
PARLIAMENTARY TIMES IN ENGLANDCOMPARATIVE
METHODS OF THEIR PREPARATIONMODES OF DEPOSITING
AND CARRYING ANCIENT ENGLISH RECORDS
METHOD OF FINDING PARTICULAR DOCUMENTS
THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HANDLED THE BOOKS OF THOSE
EPOCHSCITATIONS FROM KNIGHT'S 〃LIFE OF
CAXTON〃REMARKS BY WARTONEXPENSE ACCOUNT OF
SIR JOHN HOWARDMETHODS OF THE TRANSCRIBERS
AND LIMNERS OF THOSE TIMESMODERN METHODS
OF PREPARING PARCHMENT AND VELLUMCITATION
FROM THE PENNY CYCLOPaeDIAPASSAGE FROM A
SERMON OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURSANECDOTE
ABOUT THE COUNT OF NEVERS。
THE great abundance of papyrus in Egypt； the
chief source of its supply； the genius and magnificence
of the rulers of that country； and the army of
learned men who resorted thither； caused it to become
the principal home of those immense libraries of antiquity
already mentioned as having perished by fire
and tumults included in periods between B。 C。 48 and
A。 D。 640。
The Pergamus library which was deposited by
Cleopatra； B。 C。 32； in the city of Alexandria； is said
to have been composed almost wholly of parchment
written volumes。 The reason or cause of such employment；
of parchment in preference to papyrus is
attributed to jealousies existing between Eumenes；
King of Pergamus； and Ptolemy Philadelphus； the
ruler of Egypt； contemporaries of each other。
This Ptolemy； B。 C。 202； issued an edict prohibiting
the exportation of papyrus from Egypt； and hoped
thereby to rid himself of foreign rivals in the formation
of libraries； also that he might never be subject
to the inconvenience of wanting paper for the multitude
of scribes whom he kept constantly employed；
both to write original manuscripts as well as to multiply
them by duplication。
Before this period the exportation of papyrus had
been a very considerable article of Egyptian commerce；
b