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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；
but thereafter it became much curtailed； and
about A。 D。 950 had ceased altogether。
Eumenes； it appears； was not to be deterred from
his favorite study and pastime； so lie contrived a peculiar
mode of dressing skins； which seems to have
answered very fully the requirements of fluid…ink
writing methods and thus avoiding the necessity of
employing paints； the only material which would
〃bind〃 to undressed parchment （skins）。
That the refined and luxurious Romans； after the
introduction of parchment； vellum； and paper； insisted
on an improvement in quality and appearance is certain。
This appears from various passages in their best authors。
Ovid； writing to Rome from his place of exile；
complains bitterly that his letter must be sent plain；
simple； and without the customary embellishments。
We can safely date the first step towards the modern
form of books to the introduction of dressed skins
（parchment and vellum）； as surfaces to receive ink
writing。 These materials could be formed into leaves；
instead of metal； wood； ivory； or wax tablets； a use to
which papyrus could not be put on account of its brittleness。
Thus originated the libri quadrali； or square
books； which eventually superseded the ancient volumina
（rolls）。
Parchment and vellum gradually superseded all
other substances in Europe as a general material
for writing upon； after the third or fourth century。
The employment of papyrus； however； in ecclesiastical
centers continued even as late as the eleventh
century。
A kind of bark paper was manufactured in Europe
previous to the introduction of linen （〃cotton；〃
〃Bombycina〃） paper from the East。 The ancient Chinese
made various kinds of paper and had a method of producing
pieces sometimes forty feet in length。 The
Chinese record； called 〃Sou kien tchi pou；〃 states
that a kind of paper was made from hemp； and another
authority （Du Halde） observes； 〃that old pieces
of woven hemp were first made into paper in that
country about A。 D。 95； by a great mandarin of the
palace。〃 Linen rags were afterwards employed by
the Chinese。
The introduction of 〃linen〃 paper into Europe
did not materially affect or interfere with the use of
parchment or vellum until after the invention of
printing in the fifteenth century。
The class of substances to which parchment and
vellum belong has already received some consideration
but is a subject well worth some further discussion。
Allusions are found in some of the classical writers
to inscriptions written on the skins of goats and
sheep； it has； indeed； been asserted by some scholars
that the Books of Moses were written on such skins。
Dr。 Buchanan many years ago discovered； in the
record chest of some Hebrews at Malabar； a manuscript
copy of the greater part of the Pentateuch；
written in Hebrew on goat's skins。 The goat skins
were thirty…seven in number； dyed red； and were
sewn together； so as to form a roll forty…eight feet in
length by twenty…two inches in width。 At what date
this was written cannot be now determined； but it is
supposed to be extremely ancient。
The Hebrews began； early after the invention of
parchment； to write their scriptures on this material；
of which the rolls of the law used in their synagogues
are still composed。
Scriptural； like many other classes of MSS。 originating
previous to the eighth century and ink written
either on parchment or vellum； or both； are in
capital letters without spaces between words and
exceedingly rare。 The more important and valuable of
them which apply to the New Testament are respectively
known as the Sinaitic； the Vatican and the
Alexandrian； many of whose various translations and
readings are incorporated by Tischendorf in his
Leipzig edition of the English New Testament。 The
stories relating to the discovery and obtaining of
these relics of the first centuries of our era are
startling ones。 The reputation and standing； however；
of the discoverers； and the investigations
subsequently made by known scholars of their time；
serves to invest them with a certain degree of truthfulness。
The most interesting is the story about the
Sinaitic codex； the oldest of any extant and which is
best told by Madan：
〃The story of the discovery of this famous
manuscript of the Bible in Greek； the oldest existing
of all the New Testament codexes； and in
several points the most interesting； reads like a
romance。 Constantine Tischendorf； the well…
known editor of the Greek Testament； started on
his first mission litteraire in April； 1844； and in
the next month found himself at the Convent of
St。 Catherine； at the foot of Mount Sinai。 There；
in the middle of the hall； as he crossed it； he saw
a basket full of old parchment leaves on their way
to the burning； and was told that two baskets had
already gone！ Looking at the leaves more closely；
he perceived that they were parts of the Old Testament
in Greek； written in an extremely old handwriting。
He was allowed to take away forty…three
leaves； but the interest of the monks was aroused；
and they both stopped the burning； and also refused
to part with any more of the precious fragments。
Tischendorf departed； deposited the forty…
three leaves in the Leipsig Library； and edited
them under the title of the Codex Friderico…Au…
gustanus； in compliment to the King of Saxony； in
1846。 But he wisely kept the secret of their provenance；
and no one followed in his track until he
himself went on a second quest to the monastery in
1853。 In that year he could find no traces whatever
of the remains of the MSS。 except a few fragments
of Genesis； and returned unsuccessful and disheartened。
At last； he once more took a journey
to the monastery； under the patronage of the
Russian Emperor； who was popular throughout the
East as the protector of the Oriental Churches。
Nothing could he find； however； and he had
ordered his Bedouins to get ready for departure；
when； happening to have taken a walk with the
steward of the house； and to be invited into his
room； in the course of conversation the steward
said： 'I； too； have read a Septuagint；' and produced
out of a wrapper of red cloth； 'a bulky
kind of volume；' which turned out to be the whole
of the New Testament； with the Greek text of the
Epistle of Barnabas； much of which was hitherto
unknown； and the greater part of the Old Testament；
all parts of the very MSS。 which had so long
been sought！ In a careless tone Tischendorf
asked if he might have it in his room for further
inspection； and that night （February 4…5； 1859）
it 'seemed impiety to sleep。' By the next morning
the Epistle of Barnabas was copied out； and a
course of action was settled。 Might he carry the
volume to Cairo to transcribe？ Yes； if the Prior's
leave was obtained； but； unluckily the Prior had