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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 subsisted
for many ages； displaying its treasures to the
learned and curious； till the seventh century； when
it suffered the same fate with its parent； and was
burnt by the Saracens； when they took that city in
the year of our Lord 642。 The manner by which
this misfortune happened is too singular to be passed
over in silence。
〃John； surnamed the Grammarian； a famous
follower of Aristotle； happened to be at Alexandria；
when the city was taken； and as he was much esteemed
by Amri Ebnol As； the general of the Saracen
troops； he entreated that commander to bestow
upon him the Alexandrian library。 Amri replied；
that it was not in his power to grant such a request；
but that he would write to the Khalif； or emperor
of the Saracens； for his orders on that head； without
which he could not presume to dispose of the
library。 He accordingly wrote to Omar； the then
Khalif； whose answer was； that if those books contained
the same doctrine with the Koran； they could
not be of any use； because the Koran was sufficient
in itself； and comprehended all necessary truths；
but if they contained any particulars contrary to
that book； they ought to be destroyed。 In consequence
to this answer； they were all condemned to
the flames； without any further examination； and；
for that purpose； were distributed among the public
baths； where； for the space of six months； they
were used for fuel instead of wood。 We may from
hence form a just idea of the prodigious number of
books contained in that library； and thus was this
inestimable treasure of learning destroyed！
The Museum of Bruchion was not burnt with
the library which was attached to it。 Strabo acquaints
us； in his description of it； that it was a
very large structure near the palace； and fronting
the port； and that it was surrounded with a portico；
in which the philosophers walked。 He adds； that
the members of this society were governed by a
president； whose station was so honourable and important；
that； in the time of the Ptolemies； he was
always chosen by the king himself； and afterwards
by the Roman emperor； and that they had a hall
where the whole society ate together at the expense
of the public； by whom they were supported in a
very plentiful manner。〃
Among the other events contributing to the deplorable
losses which mankind has sustained in this respect；
a sad one was when the most ancient ink writings of the
Chinese were ordered to be destroyed by their emperor
Chee…Whange…Tee； in the third century before
Christ； with the avowed purpose that everything
should begin anew as from his reign。 The small portion
of them which escaped destruction were recovered
and preserved by his successors。
CHAPTER III。
CLASSICAL INK AND ITS EXODUS。
THE MATERIALS AND METHODS EMPLOYED IN PREPARING
THE INK MSS。 OF ANTIQUITYTHE INTRODUCTION
OF PARCHMENT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR
PAPYRUSMODE OF WRITING ON PARCHMENTHOW
SEPARATE PIECES WERE FIRST JOINED INTO BOOK
FORMEVIDENCE OF THE CHARACTER OF WRITING
UTENSILS TO BE FOUND IN ANCIENT PICTURESSOME
FORMULAS BY THE YOUNGER PLINY AND HIS CONTEMPORARY
DIOSCORIDESHOW THE GREEKS AND
ROMANS KEPT THEIR PAPYRI FROM BREAKINGWHEN
BLACK INK BEGAN TO FALL INTO DISUSE AND ITS
CAUSETHE ADOPTION OF THE STYLUS AND ITS ACCOMPANYING
SHEETS OF LEAD； IVORY； METAL AND
WOOD COATED WITH WAXTHE EFFORTS MADE TO
RESUME THE USE OF SOME INK WHICH WOULD BIND
TO PARCHMENTWHY THERE ARE NO ORIGINAL MSS。
EXTANT BELONGING TO THE TIME OF CHRISTTHE
INVENTION OF THE VITRIOLIC INKSHUMPHREY'S
BLUNDER IN LOCATING DATES OF EARLY GREEK
MSS。THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES OF HERCULANEUM
AND POMPEIIAWAKENING OF INTEREST
AGAIN ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT OF INKSREDISCOVERIES
OF SOME OF THE MORE REMOTE ANCIENT
RECIPESTHE WRITERS IN GOLD AND SILVERRECORDED
INSTANCES OF ILLUMINATED MSS。PASSAGE
FROM THE BOOK OF JOB WRITTEN BY ST。
JEROMEDENIAL OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF TANNO…
GALLATE OF IRON INK IN THE FOURTH CENTURY
DESTRUCTION OF THE INSPIRED WRITINGS BY ORDER
OF THE ROMAN SENATETHE ECLIPSE OF CLASSICAL
LITERATURE AND DISMEMBERMENT OF THE
ROMAN EMPIREPOEM ON THE THOUSAND YEARS
KNOWN AS THE DARK AGES WHICH FOLLOWED。
THEOPHRASTUS says that the papyrus books of the ancients
were no other than rolls prepared in the following
manner： Two leaves of the rush were plastered together；
usually with the mud of the Nile； in such a
fashion that the fibres of one leaf should cross the fibres
of the other at right angles； the ends of each being
then cut off； a square leaf was obtained； equally capable
of resisting fracture when pulled or taken hold of
in any direction。 In this form the papyri were exported
in great quantities。 In order to form these
single leaves into the 〃scapi；〃 or rolls of the ancients；
about twenty were glued together end to end。 The
writing was then executed in parallel columns a few
inches wide； running transversely to the length of the
scroll。 To each end of the scrolls were attached round
staves similar to those we use for maps。 To these
staves； strings； known as 〃umbilici；〃 were attached；
to the ends of which bullae or weights were fixed。
The books when rolled up； were bound up with these
umbilici； and were generally kept in cylindrical boxes
or capsae； a term from which the Mediaeval 〃capsula；〃
or book…cover was derived。 〃The mode in which the
students held the rolls in order to read from them is
well shown in a painting in the house of a surgeon at
Pompeii。 One of the staves； with the papyrus rolled
round it； was held in each hand； at a distance apart
equal to the width of one or more of the transverse
columns of writing。 As soon as the eye was carried
down to the bottom of a column； one hand rolled up
and the other unrolled sufficient of the papyrus to
bring a fresh column opposite to the reader's eye； and
so on until the whole was wound round one of the
staves； when； of course； the student had arrived at the
end of his book。〃
Eumenes； king of Pergamus； being unable to procure
the Egyptian papyrus； through the jealousy of
one of the Ptolemies； who occupied himself in forming
a rival library to the one which subsequently
became so celebrated at Pergamus； introduced the
use of Parchment properly 〃dressed〃 for taking
ink and pigments and hence the derivation of the
word 〃pergamena〃 as applied to parchment or vellum；
the former substance being the prepared skin
of sheep； and the latter of calves。
The sheets of parchment were joined end to end； as
the sheets of papyrus had been； and when written
upon； on one side only； and in narrow columns across
the breadth of the scroll； were rolled up around staves
and bound with strings； to which seals of wax were
occasionally attached； in place of the more common
leaden bullae。
The custom of dividing wax； ivory； wood and metal
MSS。 into pag