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monument。 The Psalter of Alfred the Great；
written in the 9th century； is in a small Roman
cursive hand； which has induced Casley to consider
it the work of some Italian ecclesiastic。〃
The learned who have made a life study of the history
of the most ancient manuscripts； mention them
specifically in great number and of different countries；
which would seem to indicate that the art of handwriting
had made great strides in the very olden
times； many nations had adopted it； and B。 C。 650 〃it
had spread itself over the （then known） greater part
of the civilized world。〃
We can well believe this to be true in reading about
the ancient libraries； notwithstanding that some rulers
had sought to prohibit its exercise。
Plato； who lived B。 C。 350； expresses his views of
the importance of writing in his imaginary colloquy
between Thamus； king of Egypt； and Thoth； the god
of the liberal arts of the Egyptians； he acquaints us：
〃That the discourse turned upon letters。 Thoth
maintained the value of Writing； as capable of making
the People wiser； increasing the powers of
Memory； to this the king dissented； and expressed
his opinion that by the exercise of this Art the multitude
would appear to be knowing of those things
of which they were really ignorant； possessing only
an idea of Wisdom； instead of Wisdom itself。〃
Pythagoras； B。 C。 532； we are informed by Astle：
〃Went into Egypt where he resided twenty…two
years； he was initiated into the sacerdotal order；
and； from his spirit of inquiry； he has been justly
said to have acquired a great deal of Egyptian
learning； which he afterwards introduced into Italy。
The Pythagorean schools which he established in
Italy when writing was taught； were destroyed
when the Platonic or new philosophy prevailed over
the former。 Polybius （lib。 ii。 p。 175） and Jamblichus
（in vita Pythag。） mention many circumstances；
relative to these facts； quoted from authors now
lost； as doth Porphyry； in his life of Pythagoras。〃
For the hundred years or more following； however；
the dissemination of learning and the transcription of
events was not to be denied。 We find ink…written
volumes （rolls） relating to diverse subjects being loaned
to one another； correspondence by letter to and from
distant lands of frequent occurrence； and the art of
handwriting regularly taught in the schools of learning。
Its progress was to be interrupted by the wars
of the Persians。 Mr。 Astle in calling attention to
events which have contributed to deprive us of the
literary treasures of antiquity thus refers to them：
〃A very fatal blow was given to literature； by
the destruction of the Phoenician temples； and of
the Egyptian colleges； when those kingdoms； and
the countries adjacent； were conquered by the Persians；
about three hundred and fifty years before
Christ。 Ochus； the Persian general； ravaged these
countries without mercy； and forty thousand Sidonians
burnt themselves with their families and riches
in their own houses。 The conqueror then drove
Nectanebus out of Egypt； and committed the like
ravages in that country； afterwards he marched
into Judea； where he took Jericho； and sent a great
number of Jews into captivity。 The Persians had
a great dislike to the religion of the Phoenicians and
the Egyptians； this was one reason for destroying
their books； of which Eusebius （De Preparat。
Evang。） says； they had a great number。〃
These losses； apparently； did not interfere with the
progress of the art in more western countries。 Professor
Rollin in his 〃Ancient History；〃 1823； remarks：
〃Ptolemy Soter； King of Egypt B。 C。 285； had
been careful to improve himself in public literature；
as was evident by his compiling the life of
Alexander； which was greatly esteemed by the ancients；
but is now entirely lost。 In order to encourage
the cultivation of the sciences； which he
much admired； he founded an academy at Alexandria；
called the Museum； where a society of learned
men devoted themselves to philosophic studies； and
the improvement of all other sciences； almost in the
same manner as those of London and Paris。 For
this purpose； he began by giving them a library；
which was prodigiously increased by his successors。
〃His son Philadelphus left a hundred thousand
volumes in it at the time of his death； and the succeeding
princes of that race enlarged it still more； till at
last it consisted of seven hundred thousand volumes。
〃This library was formed by the following
method： All the Greek and other books that were
brought into Egypt were seized； and sent to the
Museum； where they were transcribed by persons
employed for that purpose。 The copies were then
delivered to the proprietors； and the originals were
deposited in the library。
〃As the Museum was at first in that quarter of
the city which was called Bruchion； and near the
royal palace； the library was founded in the same
place； and it soon drew vast numbers thither； but
when it was so much augmented； as to contain four
hundred thousand volumes； they began to deposit
the additional books in the Serapion。 This last
library was a supplement to the former； for which
reason it received the appellation of its Daughter；
and in process of time had in it three hundred thousand
volumes。
〃In Caesar's war with the inhabitants of Alexandria；
a fire； occasioned by those hostilities； consumed
the library of Bruchion； with its four hundred
thousand volumes。 Seneca seems to me to be
out of humour； when； speaking of the conflagration；
he bestows his censures both on the library itself；
and the eulogium made on it by Livy； who styles
it an illustrious monument of the opulence of the
Egyptian kings； and of their judicious attention to
the improvement of the sciences。 Seneca； instead
of allowing it to be such； would have it considered
only as a work resulting from the pride and vanity
of those monarchs； who had amassed such a number
of books； not for their own use； but merely for
pomp and ostentation。 This reflection； however；
seems to discover very little sagacity； for is it not
evident beyond contradiction； that none but kings
are capable of founding these magnificent libraries；
which become a necessary treasure to the learned；
and do infinite honour to those states in which they
are established？
〃The library of Serapion； did not sustain any
damage； and it was undoubtedly there that Cleopatra
deposited those two hundred thousand volumes
from that of Pergamus； which was presented
to her by Antony。 This addition； with other enlargements
that were made from time to time； rendered
the new library of Alexandria more numerous
and considerable than the first； and though it
was ransacked more than once； during the troubles
and revolutions which happened in the Roman empire；
it always retrieved its losses； and recovered
its number of volumes。 In this condition it subsist