204 Sir Humphry Davy on the papyri 
former methods, or, to use their own word, disperati; and 
the efficacy and use of the new processes were fully allowed 
by the Svolgatori or unrollers of the Museum ; and I was 
for some time permitted to choose and operate upon the 
specimens at my own pleasure. When, however, the Re- 
verend Peter Elmsley, whose zeal for the promotion of 
ancient literature brought him to Naples for the purpose of 
assisting in the undertaking, began to examine the fragments 
unrolled, a jealousy, with regard to his assistance, was im- 
mediately manifested ; and obstacles, which the kind inter- 
ference of Sir William A’Court was not always capable of 
removing, were soon opposed to the progress of our enquiries ; 
and these obstacles were so multiplied, and made so vexatious 
towards the end of February, that we conceived it would be 
both a waste of the public money, and a compromise of our 
own characters, to proceed. 
4thly. Some general observations. 
The Roman MSS. found in the Museum, are in general 
composed of papyrus of a much thicker texture than the 
Greek ones, and the Roman characters are usually larger, 
and the rolls much more voluminous ; the characters of the 
Greek MSS., likewise, with a few exceptions, are more per- 
fect than those of the Latin ones. 
From the mixture of Greek characters in several fragments 
of Latin MSS., and from the form of the letters and the state 
of decomposition in which they are found, it is extremely 
probable that they were of a very ancient date when buried. 
I looked in vain amongst the MSS. and on the animal char- 
coal surrounding them, for vestiges of letters in oxide of 
