184 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



the chief difficulties arose from the adhesion of 

 the folds, as if they had been gummed together ; 

 and to conquer this Sir Humphry applied the 

 resources of his profound chemical knowledge. 

 He exposed some of the fragments to the action 

 of chlorine, and to the vapour of iodine, and suc- 

 ceeded to a considerable extent in loosening and 

 detaching the folds ; but the jealousy of the 

 Neapolitans prevented his further progress, and 

 he left them to pursue their own plans. Unfor- 

 tunately, the best specimens were operated on 

 long ago, and those that now remain are in too 

 mutilated a state to afford much hope for the 

 futu.-e." 



" But," said Caroline, " as they are rapidly 

 unburying Pompeii, perhaps some manuscripts 

 may be found there and in a much more per- 

 fect state ; for Pompeii was covered with mud 

 and ashes, and not with burning lava like Her- 

 culaneum." 



*' Several rolls of papyrus," my uncle replied, 

 (i have been already found in the houses of Pom- 

 peii, but all in a far worse condition than those 

 of Herculaneum, having nearly the appearance 

 of the white ashes produced by burning common 

 paper." 



" Then, uncle," said I, " to what quarter do 

 you look for the lost books of Livy ?" 



" To the vast collections of vellum manu- 

 scripts^' he answered^ " which have for centu 



