262 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION: 



ed of thin leaves or membranes, taken from the 

 branches of a tree, named Papyrus, or Biblum 

 ^Egypthiacum, and which were pafted one 

 over the other with the (lime of the Nile, and 

 >verc prcfled and polifhed with a pumice (lone. 

 This paper was very fcarce, and it was of va- 

 rious qualities, forms and prices, which they 

 diftinguifhed by the names of charta hieratica, 

 luria, augufta, amphuheatrica, faitica, tanirica, 

 empoietica, &c. 1 hey cut this paper into 

 fquare leaves, which they pafted one to the 

 other, in order to make rolls or them ; from 

 whence an irtire book was called volumen, from 

 volvendo ; and the leaves, or which it confiiled, 

 paginre. Sometimes, alfo, they pafted the leaves 

 altogether, by one of their extremities, as is now 

 pra&ifed in binding ; by this method they 

 forme4 t ^ ie back of a book, and thcie the learn- 

 ed call codices. They rolled the volume round 

 a flick, which they named umbilicus, and the 

 two v~ncs, that came out beyond the paper, 

 co: m ,. The title, wrote on parchment, in 

 purple characters, was joined to the laft iheet, 

 and ferved it as a cover. They made ufe of 

 all forts of firings or ribbands, and even fome- 

 times of loi ks, to clofe the book, and fometimes 

 alfo it was put into a cafe. But there is not 

 now to be found, in any library or cabinet what- 

 ever, any one of thefe volumes. We have been 

 afTured, however, by a traveller, that he had 

 icen feveral of them in the ruins of Herculane- 

 um, but fo damaged, the paper fo flirf and brit- 

 tle, 



