UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 185 



ries been accumulating in public and private libra- 

 ries. It has been discovered, that many of these 

 have been twice written upon, and some even 

 three times. In the middle ages the art of reading 

 and writing was almost entirely confined to the 

 monks ; and all true taste for literature being 

 suspended, it was natural that they should con- 

 sider the finest effusions of the ancient poets, or 

 the most important records of profane history, 

 as of little value, in comparison with the statutes 

 of their own order, or the histories of their ge- 

 neral councils. It appears, therefore, to have 

 been a common practice of those times, to ex- 

 punge the writing on the parchment manuscripts 

 in their possession, in order to substitute copies 

 of those works which they estimated so much 

 more highly; and in some instances the former 

 characters have been discovered, and successfully 

 traced." 



" But,, papa, if the original writing was ex- 

 punged, how is it now legible?" Frederick 

 asked. 



<; The ink," said my uncle, " in general use 

 among the ancients, was merely a mixture of 

 lamp-black and gum ; and, as that did not sink 

 into the parchment, a wet cloth in the hands of 

 a monk did the business as effectually and 

 finally as your sponge, Frederick, annihilates 

 your most elaborate calculations from a slate. 

 But the injury to which writing, with such ma- 



R 3 



