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of the Nile or with fine paste made of wheat flour；
after being pressed and dried they were made smooth
with a ruler and then rubbed over with a glass hemisphere。
The size of the paper seldom exceeded two
feet。
Papyrus was also known to the Hebrews。
The Prophet Isaiah （B。 C。 752） refers to this plant
when he says：
〃The paper reeds by the brooks； and everything
sown by the brooks； shall wither； be driven away
and be no more。〃
Which prediction seems to have been long ago fulfilled
as the plant is now exceedingly rare。
The manufacture of Egyptian paper from papyrus
it is said was quite an industry in the ancient city of
Memphis more than six hundred years before the
Christian era。
The Mexicans employed for writing a paper which
somewhat resembled the Egyptian papyrus。 It was
prepared from the aloe； called by the natives Maguey
which grows wild over the tablelands of Mexico。 It
could be easily colored and seemed to bind to ink
very closely。 It could be rolled up in scrolls just like
the more ancient rolls of papyrus。
The following account of an interesting discovery
of a fragment of one of the 〃Orations of Hyperides；〃
by Mr。 Harris； the well…known Oriental scholar； is
derived from the London Athenaeum：
〃In the winter of 1847 Mr。 Harris was sitting
in his boat； under the shade of the well…known
sycamore； on the western bank of the Nile； at
Thebes； ready to start for Nubia； when an Arab
brought him a fragment of a papyrus roll； which
he ventured to open sufficiently to ascertain that it
was written in the Greek language； and which he
bought before proceeding further on his journey。
Upon his return to Alexandria； where circumstances
were more favorable to the difficult operation of
unrolling a fragile papyrus； he discovered that be
possessed a fragment of the oration of Hyperides
against Demosthenes； in the matter of Harpalus；
and also a very small fragment of another oration；
the whole written in extremely legible characters；
and of a form or fashion which those learned in
Greek MSS。 consider to be of the time of the
Ptolemies。 With these interesting fragments of orations
of an orator so celebrated is Hyperides； of whose
works nothing； is extant but a few quotations in
other Greek writers； he embarked for England。
Upon his arrival there he submitted the precious
relics to the inspection of the Council and members
of the Royal Society of Literature； who were unanimous
in their judgment as to the importance and
genuineness of the MSS。； and Mr。 Harris immediately
set to work； and with his own hand made a
lithographic facsimile of each piece。 Of this performance
a few copies were printed and distributed
among the savants of Europe；and Mr。 Harris returned
to Alexandria； whence he has made more
than one journey to Thebes in the hope of discovering
some other portion of the volume； of which
he already had a part。 In the same year （1847）
another English gentleman； Mr。 Joseph Arden； of
London； bought at Thebes a papyrus； which he
likewise brought to England。 Induced by the success
of Mr。 Harris； Mr。 Arden submitted his roll
to the skilful and experienced hands of Mr。
Hogarth； and upon the completion of the operation
of unrolling； the MSS。 was discovered to be the
terminating portion of the very same volume of
which Mr。 Harris had bought a fragment of the
former part in the very same year； and probably of
the very same Arabs。 No doubt now existed that
the volume； when entire； consisted of a collection
of； or a selection from； the orations of the celebrated
Athenian orator； Hyperides。
〃The portion of the volume which has fallen into
the possession of Mr。 Arden contains 'fifteen continuous
columns of the 〃Oration for Lycophron；〃
to which work three of Mr。 Harris's fragments appertained；
and likewise the 〃Oration for Euxenippus；〃
which is quite complete and in beautiful
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；