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the strange phenomenon。 After this； we hear no
more of these cities； but the portion of the inhabitants
who escaped built or occupied suburbs at Nola in
Campania and at Naples。 In the latter city； the Regio
Herculanensium； or Quarter of the Herculaneans； an
inscription marked on several lapidary monuments；
indicates the part devoted to the population driven
from the doomed city。
The ancient inkstand found at Herculaneum； said
to contain a substance resembling a thick oil or paint
characteristic of a material which it is alleged； 〃some
of the manuscripts have been written in a sort of
relievo； visible in the letters when a 'leaf' is held to
the light in a horizontal direction；〃 it is not impossible；
indeed it is quite probable； belonged to an era centuries
later than the period to which it has been assigned。
〃No perfect papyri； but only fragments； have been
found at Pompeii。 At Herculaneum； up to the year
1825； 1；756 had been obtained； besides many others
destroyed by the workmen； who imagined them to be
mere sticks of charcoal。 Most of them were found
in a suburban villa； in a room of small dimensions；
ranged in presses round the sides of the room； in the
center of which stood a sort of rectangular bookcase。
〃Sir Humphry Davy； after investigating their
chemical nature； arrived at the conclusion that they
had not been carbonized by heat； but changed by the
long action of air and moisture； and he visited Naples
in hopes of rendering the resources of chemistry
available towards deciphering these long…lost literary
treasures。 His expectations； however； were not fully
crowned with success； although the partial efficacy of
his methods was established； and he relinquished the
pursuit at the end of six months； partly from disappointment；
partly from a belief that vexatious obstacles
were thrown in his way by the jealousy of the
persons to whom the task of unrolling had been intrusted。
About five hundred volumes have been well
and neatly unrolled。 It is rather remarkable that； as
far as can be learned； no manuscript of any known
standard work has been found； nor； indeed； any production
of any of the great luminaries of the ancient
world。 The most celebrated person of whom any
work has been found is Epicurus； whose treatise； De
Natura； has been successfully unrolled。 This and a
few other treatises have been published。 The library
in which this was found appears to have been rich in
treatises on the Epicurean philosophy。 The only
Latin work which it contained was a poem； attributed
to Rabirius； on the war of Caesar and Antony。〃
Beginning with A。 D。 200； the employment of inks
became more and more constant and popular。 Rediscoveries
of ancient formulas belonging to a more
remote antiquity multiplied in number。 Silver ink
was again quite common in most countries。 Red ink
made of vermilion （a composition of mercury； sulphur
and potash） and cinnabar （native mercuric sulphide）
were employed in the writing of the titles as was blue
ink made of indigo； cobalt or oxide of copper。 Tyrian
purple was used for coloring the parchment or vellum。
The 〃Indian〃 inks made by the Chinese were imported
and used in preference to those of similar
character manufactured at home。 The stylus and
waxed tablets though still used； in a measure gave way
to the reawakened interest in ink and ink writings。
A greater facility in writing； due to the gradual
reduction in size of the uncial （inch） letters was
thereby attained。
There were 〃writers in gold〃 and 〃writers in
silver〃 who travelled from the East into Greece and
who bad found their way before the third century
into the very heart of Rome。 Their business was to
embellish the manuscript writings of those times。 It
was considered en regale for authors to 〃illuminate〃
their MSS。 and those who failed to do so suffered in
popularity。
These authors frequently allude to their use of red；
black and secret inks。
Martial in his first epistle points out the bookseller's
shop opposite the Julian Forum where his works may
be obtained 〃smoothed with pumice stone and decorated
with purple。〃 Seneca mentions books ornamented
〃cum imaginabus。〃 Varro is related by the
younger Pliny to have illustrated his works by pictures
of more than seven hundred illustrious persons。
Martial dwells on the edition of Virgil； with his
portrait as a frontispiece。
The earliest recorded instance of the richer adornments
of golden lettering on purple or rose…stained
vellum is given by Julius Capitolinus in his life of the
Emperor Maximinus the younger。 He therein mentions
that the mother of the emperor presented to him
on his return to his tutor （early in the third century）；
a copy of the works of Homer； written in gold upon
purple vellum。
The fugitive character； as before stated； of a great
many of the colored inks； and indeed most of the
black ones which were undoubtedly employed； is the
principal reason why so few specimens of them remain
to us。 Those which have proved themselves so lasting
in character as to be still extant； bear evidence
of extreme care in the preparation of both the inks
and the materials on which the writings appear。 Perhaps
one of the finest illustrations of this practice is
to be found in a book of the Four Gospels of Italian
origin； discovered in the tenth century （a work of the
fourth century） and deposited in the Harlein Library。
This book is written in 〃Indian〃 ink and possesses
magnificently embellished and illuminated letters at
the beginning of each Gospel； which are on vellum
stained in different colors。
St。 Jerome calls attention to this class of books in
a well…known passage of his preface to the Book of
Job； also written in the fourth century； where he explains
as translated：
〃Let those who will have old books written in
gold and silver on purple parchment； or； as they
are commonly called； in uncial…letters；rather ponderous
loads than books；so long as they permit
me and mine to have copies； and rather correct than
beautiful books。〃
It has been said that the Tanno…gallate of Iron Inks
（iron salts； nut…galls and gum） were first used in the
fourth century。 There is positively no credible authority
for such a statement； nor is there a single
monument in the shape of a documentary specimen
of ink writing of that one or an earlier century made
with such an ink in any public or private library and
as far as known in existence。
About A。 D。 390 the inspired writings （often termed
pagan） of the classical countries； or at least the copies
or extracts of them； upon a special search made by order
of the Roman Senate； including those already mentioned
as of the time of Tarquin （some nine hundred
years earlier）； were gathered up in Greece； Italy and
other parts and destroyed； because； as we are informed；
this Roman Senate had embraced the Christian
faith and furthermore 〃such vanities began to grow
out of fashion； till at last Stilicho burnt them all
under Honorius （a son of Theodosius the Great）； for
which he is so severely censured by the noble poet
Rutilius； in his ingenious itinerary。〃
Not only Roman Arms the Wretch betrayed
To barbarous Foes； before that cursed Deed；
He burnt the Writings of the sacred Maid；
We hate Althaea for the fatal Brand；
When Nisius fell； the weeping Birds complained：
More cruel he than the revengeful Fair；
More cruel heth at Nisius' Murderer。
Whose impious Hands into the Flames have thrown
The Heavenly Pledges of the Roman Crown；
Unrav'lling all the Doom that careful Fate had spun。〃
The destruction of Rome by Alaric； King of the
Western Goths； A。 D。 410； and the subsequent
dismemberment of the entire Roman Empire by the
barbarians of the North who followed in his wake；
announced that ancient history had come to an end。
It may be truly said as well that the ending of the
ancient history of the black and colored writing inks
which began in the obscurity of tradition between
2000 and 1800 B。 C。； a period of some 2200 years；
was also contemporaneous with these events。
The eclipse of ink…written literature for at least
500 of the 1000 years which followed； and known as
the Middle or 〃Dark〃 Ages； except in the Church
alone； who seem to have kept up the production of
manuscript books principally for ecclesiastical and
medical purposes was complete。 Hence； any information
pertaining to those epochs about ink； writing
materials and ink writings； must be sought for in the
undestroyed records and the ink writings themselves
left by the fathers of the Church。 All else is tainted
and of doubtful authority。
* * * * * * * *
〃When waned the star of Greece was there no cry；
To rouse her people from their lethargy？
Was there no sentry on the Parthenon
No watch…fire on the field of Marathon；