and deciphering the Herculmeum Manuscripts, 249 



Prince Regent : referring, at the same time, for a declared opi- 

 nion upon tliis method, to a Report of the Royal Society of Arts 

 at Gottingen, made on the 9th of Novemher 1814, and to the 

 testimony of Professor Millin, of the Royal Library at Paris, re- 

 specting his character and literary acquirements. 



The Report of the Royal Society of Gottingen, which was 

 founded upon the evidence of an experiment upon one of the 

 manuscripts at Naples (a detached column of which Dr. Sickler 

 had laid before the Society), as well as upon experiments made 

 in the presence of a committee of tliat learned body, upon rolll 

 of paper, prepared for that purpose, seemed to afford consider- 

 able grounds for a belief, that the matenal difficulties which had 

 hitherto occurred could be subdued by the application of a li- 

 quid, discovered by Dr. Sickler, and by a system of manipulation 

 altogether nevv. Under these circumstances the following pro- 

 positions, grounded upon a prospectus transmitted by Dr. 

 Sickler in the mouth of January last, were authorized by His 

 Majesty's Government to be made to that gentleman: — 



1 . That Dr. Sickler should come to England, and reside here 

 as long as might be thought necessary for bringing his projects 

 to a decided result. 



2. That his expenses to England with his family should be 

 paid, as well as of his residence while in England, either in Lon- 

 don or Oxford. 



3. That eitha- before he left the continent, or within one month 

 after his arrival, he should convince a Committee of gentlemen, 

 named for the purpose*, that his scli-.ne was available, and one 

 for which theGovernment would be warranted in incurring further 

 expense. 



4. That in case of failure, in so far sati^^fying the Committee, 

 Dr. Sickler should clearly understand that lie was to expect from 

 the Government no further pecuniary aid than the expenses of 

 his return to Hildburghausen: — And 



5. That in the event of the Committee making a report which 

 should authorize the Govenmient to proceed. Dr. Sickler should, 

 in that case, receive one hundred pounds for every manuscript; 

 which he should succeed in unrolling to the satisfaction of the 

 Committee; and that when the Committee, who must, in the 

 firet instance, have been put in possession of the whole of the 

 secret, whether in preparation or manipulation, should judge that 



• The Earl of Aberdeen, Pi'esident of the Society of Antiqiiancs ; the 

 Lord GreriNiJle, Chancf llor of tiie Univer.siiy of Oxford ; the Lord < 'olches- 

 tfir ; the Right Honourable Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. G.C.B. President of the 

 Royal Society j Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, Knt.; Sir Humphry Davy, Knt. Fel- 

 low oftht; Royal Society; the Rev. Charles Burney, D.D.; William Hamil- 

 ton, Esq. His Meqesty'-s Unjler Secretaey of State for Foreign Affeirs. 



there 



