( m5^ 
Then fourthly, there is a Urge fat Letter in the MS JRi/;^ ^ 
ah and Liturgies^ befides the Rahhinkal Letters of Italy and 
Germany^ with their Offfpring the Litters Coronat^,^ aiad 
perhaps others that I never faw t ( Not to mention here 
• the ^ewifh Cuftom of writing the Vulgar Language of the 
Country wherein they live, with Hebrew Letiers. ) Ip 
feems a hard matter, my Lord, to trace the Original and 
Progrefr of all thefe ways of Writing, fo^ as upon the 
bare fight of a MS. written in the Hebrew Language or 
Charafter, to fay, by the fhape of the Letters of this Book tt 
af pears to be fo old : and it feems much more difficult toaf- 
fign the particular Pr<?z;mre or G^^^^rej* wherein eachjife- 
brew Book was written^ as for example, in Italy^ France^ 
Spain^ Portugal J England^ Holland^ Germany^ Poland^ Bar^ 
hary, Perjia^hdia, in the feveral Provinces of Turkey, &c. 
The fame almoft may be faid of the Greek Manufcri^s^ 
in which Language there has been a great diverfity of 
Writing, according to the different hnmonrs of the Scrlh^: , 
th.Q Fajldion then in nfe^ ox the Manmr of that partk -. \:' 
Province, in which fuch a Book was writ^n. Nor 
ea/e (tho ®ne would be apt to take fuch Differences icv 
many Land- marks, ) to tell the Age of a Greek MS. wi b ^ 
out the Date 5 and I never yet faw flich a Date fo high 
the year 6400, according to the Greek Cbraputation. A 
it is ftill much harder, from any Remarks about the C/ 
rdUer^ lUuminaXton^ Inkj Parchment^ Papsr^ Bindings d^^ . 
to find out what *^ Country^ Province, 
or Band, fuch 2l Greek Book (hould ¥ ' «^^" '\^?''' C^^y 
1 /-» wnfcs a Book m snother, keeping itul 
be written m, or wh2it Lmniry-man to th^ chav^Ber tindn^mnsrcf Writing viUd 
in his own Country , 1 look upon ic as the 
futae thing as if Iifl wrote It «t home. And therefore I look upon tiie Greek MSS. which jla-- 
gdus Bergtcius wrote at Pani, as if chcy were Wfitten mCitvdy, ;»hcie he wss Born- An4 fo 
(amongd many Oth«u) to inftance in a Ltttin MS, I look upon t Copy of Pope Gregorys 
Faftorsl Cftrc) (now temaining in che Ba^/e/tf» Libraiy) as a noble Monument ofotir > 
Anccftors: Tho St WiUibt^ld y^iot^it^ pe?hapi?, sit Mount CaJ]im^pt in Icaly^ and afierwaras {^S 
k is p*obab!e} carried it with him into Germany^ where iK remained at Wmuhurg till that Ci^y 
W4$ plundered by the Swfda about 7oyeJ»f» ago/ 
FfffHfffftf 2 
the 
