C ”5 ] 
the context. As foon as this roll is finiihed, they ' 
will begin a Latin one. There are fome fo volu- 
minous, and the papyrus fo fine, that unrolled they 
would take up an hundred palms fpace. They tell 
me, that fome of the Latin ones are in a running 
hand j which confirms the opinion of the Marquis 
Maffei, “ That the character, by us abfurdly called 
“ Gothic and Lombard, is the antient running- 
“ hand, corrupted by time.” However, I have not 
feen any of thefe lafi:. The curiofity of thefe pa- 
pyri is, that there is no little ftaff of wood, on 
which they were rolled. 
Thus I have told you all, that I know, concerning 
thefe papyri. 
We may comfort ourfelves, that the affair is in 
good hands; being under the care and condudf of 
fo learned an antiquarian, as the Canonico Mazzocchi, 
and of this able and adroit Father Antonio. 
XXIV. An Account of the feveral Earth- 
quakes of late felt at Conftantinople ; by 
' , his Excellency James Porter, Efq\ his Ma- 
jefys Ambaffador at that Place ; in a 
Letter to the Reverend Mr. Wetftein, 
F. R. S. dated February 15, 1755. 
Read April 17, TJ’Iftorians of the lower empire give 
X jL various accounts of earthquakes, 
which have happened at Conftantinople. Gillius in- 
forms us of many of later date ; and an ancient co- 
0^2 lumn 
