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est to dry. Thus the material itself, was more difficult of preparation and consequently more expensive; besides which it is obvious that a small roll, on account of its less dimensions, could not be so costly as a large one. As then books and libraries were by no means so common among the ancients as in our times, we may safely conclude, that the large volumes would not have been chosen for the preservation of insignificant works. Though it cannot be mathematically demonstrated that every large Herculaneum roll must contain an equally important and valuable performance; still there is the greatest probability that none of them will be found to be occupied with what is absolutely trivial: nay, on the contrary, we may infer with certainty that among the many large rolls there are some which comprize treasures of literature of peculiar value.

If we consult the experiments hitherto made, we shall find that the last Greek manuscript unrolled, serves to confirm the truth of this position. It was the largest of any that has yet been unrolled, and contains the most remarkable and a really instructive work. It treats, as I have already observed, of the Epicurean

system.

If then the importance, of the Herculaneum M. SS. has not hitherto been duly appreciated by us; if the hope of inriching our classic literature and completing by their means the noble fragments left us by the Greeks and Romans, are somewhat abated; we must not lay the blame upon the remains themselves, but partly upon the extremely faulty mode of treatment to which for more than half a century they have been subjected, and also to the very inaccurate accounts that have yet been given us concerning them.* Those who ventured at first to declare,

At Naples itself the Abate Martorelli, who, in Winkelmann's time was professor of the Greck language in the Seminary of that city, and in other respects a man of learning, contributed much by his written and verbal assertions to depreciate the Herculaneum M. SS. He maintained, as we are informed by Winkelmann, that they were nothing but contracts and diplomas, and as his opinion had great influence, the public was thus led to believe that they possessed no literary value. Some of them were even cut in two, a proceeding which Winkelmann justly characterises as barbarous, arbitrary and unpardonable. Not only the business of unrolling, but also that of copying the Greek M. SS. was committed to a certain P. Antonio Piaggi, who knew nothing of Greek, and of whom Winkelmann says:-" The above

[Nov. 1,

this library to be only a parcel of contracts and diplomas, and afterwards the collection of a philosopher, and containing Greek works alone,were grossly mistaken. Time has already shown that it comprizes works of all kinds and even Roman Poets. It must now be ardently desired by every one who is duly impressed with the value of the classic productions of antiquity, from which we have derived so much that is sublime and beautiful, that the precious time which is yet left us to rescue these remains from total destruction may be profitably employed. They must not coatinue in their present state for another century, no; nor half a century: otherwise all further trouble with them would be vain, and the invaluable treasure, converted into dust, would be lost to the present age and to posterity.

In the prosecution of this business, Naples can no longer trust to her own unaided powers; neither ought the guardians of ancient classic literature in Europe to relinquish it as they have hitherto done to Naples alone. How can Naples furnish a society of at least from six to ten distinguished Greek scholars? for such a society must be so considerable, if their operations shall be expéditious and successful. The expence of the undertaking also would probably be found rather oppressive to Naples. Where else but in Germany could we meet with such a number of young literati, bound by no family ties, qualified by suitable philological studies, animated with zeal for the business and preseverance to carry it through? The philological schools of Halle, Berlin, Königsberg, Heidelberg, Göttingen, Leipzig, Jena, and other celebrated universities of Germany are alone capable of furnishing persons of this kind. German princes alone, who

mentioned ecclesiastic, though he knows nothing of Greek, proceeds with making fac-similes of what he has unrolled, and from his copy it is afterwards written out fair." In this point no alteration has since taken place, and such is now the general indifference towards these relics that they are very little thought of either at Naples or in the rest of Italy. Since the year 1764, when Winkelmann published the last particulars concerning them, that is to say for more than sixty years, much less has been done for them than in the ten or fifteen years preceding that period. It cannot be denied, that besides the unfavourable opinion raised against their literary value both at home and abroad, this neglect has been partly owing to the great political troubles which for near twenty years prevailed at Naples.

have done so much for the advancement of classic literature, as the true ground work of science, can, by their union, by their powerful recommendation to the court of Naples, and by their liberal support of the scholars to be employed in the undertaking, give effect to the plan that I have ventured to suggest.

Should this plan meet with support I shall not hesitate to communicate my mode of proceeding in unrolling to a committee of eminent scholars. If I have not here made public this method, it is owing to reasons which may easily be imagined, and which are founded not upon any desire to make a secret of it, but merely upon the wish, that the undertaking may owe its commencement and accomplishment to German enterprize and industry alone.

DR. SICKLER, Scholastic Counsellor and Director at Hildburghausen. [The English scholar will probably smile at the feeling of national pride which led the writer of this interesting paper, to consider none but his own countrymen as qualified for the task of rescuing the literary remains of antiquity discovered at Herculaneum from the destruction which threatens them. Not long after its publication Dr. Sickler submit ted his invention and method for unrolling the M. SS. to the Royal Society of Sciences at Göttingen. The report of the committee appointed by that learned body to examine them, is reserved for our next number.

MR. EDITOR,

EDITOR.]

ON turning over the pages of your very useful miscellany for June last, I was much pleased with seeing a "Suggestion for a Bible with a reference from each verse, or text, to every English homily or sermon that has been published upon it. This, without note or explanation, would, to the biblical student and reader, afford the best means of solving bis doubts or assisting his inquiries.' But, Sir, I would submit to your correspondent T. whether, as many of these homilies or sermons are extremely difficult to be procured, the wavering having a reference to books which he rarely has the means of consulting, from their scarcity, he may not be more tantalized and perplexed, than assisted in his research, by such means; and whether a concise summary of the opinions contained in each of the comments upon particular passages, made by a judicious and unbigotted observer, having leisure, and access to our great theological libra

ries, would not be much more acceptable and generally useful, than a bare dry reference to the title-page of each enlightened expositor. The laboriousness of such an undertaking might at first sight deter any one from entering upon it, but upon a closer view it will be found imperceptibly to engage the attention, and the great progress made by a gentleman of fortune in such a work purely for his own amusement and improvement, at once shews me the practicability and importance of the suggestion. S.

London, Sept. 10, 1816.

MR. EDITOR,

YOU are probably aware that the public liberality was very generally solicited during the last year on behalf of the Convent of Grand St. Bernard, by two individuals, who represented themselves to be members of that establishment. As my suspicions respecting the veracity of their statements had, in numerous circonstances, been strongly excited, I embraced the opportunity which a tour through Switzerland during the summer afforded me, of visiting that convent, with the view of ascertaining the nature and extent of the commission entrusted to those individuals. For this purpose I freely and fully conversed with two members of the society, one of whom was a Superior, respecting their finances. I found that its revenues arising from the rent of land, as well as from the voluntary contributions of pilgrims and travellers (together with the free-will offerings of the numerous peasants who resort to the convent on Sundays and on holidays to perform their devotions.) are fully adequate to the expenses of the establishment, amounting to 10,000 francs per annum, and that on no occasion had they applied for or received foreign aid. They also informed me that an Oxonian who visited the convent in May had apprized them of the imposi tion practised on the British public; and that in consequence they had requested him to insert a letter in the English papers, (whether it was signed by the monks, or was only dictated by them, I am not certain,) in order to prevent the recurrence of a similar imposition. Since my return to England, I have made cumerous inquiries respecting this letter, but without obtaining any information on the subject. As the majority of the contributors to the money thus obtained are still deceived as to the application of it, I trust that the gentleman who pos

sesses the document above referred to will assent to its publication in your widely circulated miscellany. The funds thus obtained were, I know, considerable, and the imposition practised on the public must necessarily have been extensive. I am, &c. A CANTAB.

MR. EDITOR,

I BEG the favour of your correcting an erroneous statement which has by some means crept into your last number, of the death of Captain John Garland, 73rd reg. He is, I am happy to say, in excellent bodily health, and fast recovering from the severe wound he received on the glorious 18th of June. Yours, &c. GEO. CLARK.

Dorchester, Sept. 12, 1816.

MR. EDITOR,

MY last communication ended with the observations of Iamblichus on prayer, and the present is a continuation of what he most admirably says on the same subject in cap. xv. sect. 1, De Mysteriis, and is as follows: "That which in our nature is divine, intellectual, and one, or (as you may be willing to call it) intelligible, is perfectly excited by prayer from its dormant state; and when excited vehemently seeks that which is similar to itself, and becomes copulated to perfection itself. But if it should seem incredible that incorporeal natures can be capable of hearing sounds, and it is urged, that for this purpose the sense of hearing is requisite, that they may understand our supplications; such objectors are unacquainted with the excellency of primary causes, which consists in both knowing and comprehending in themselves at once, the universality of things. The Gods, therefore, do not receive prayers in themselves through any corporeal powers or organs, but rather contain in themselves the energies of pious invocations; and especially of such as through sacred eultivation are consecrated and united to the Gods. For, in this case, a divine nature is evidently present with itself, and does not apprehend the conceptions of prayers as different from its own. Nor are supplications to be considered as foreign from the purity of intellect: but since the Gods excel us in power, purity, and all other advantages, we shall act in the most opportune manner by invoking them with the most vehement supplications. For a consciousness of our own nothingness, when we compare ourselves

with the Gods, naturally leads us to the exercise of prayer. But through the benefits resulting from supplication, we are in a short time brought back to the object of supplication; acquire its similitude from intimate converse; and gradually obtain divine perfection instead of our own imbecility and imperfection.

"Indeed, he who considers that sacred prayers are sent to men from the Gods themselves, that they are certain symbols of the divine natures, and that they are only known to the Gods, with whom, in a certain respect, they possess an equal power;-he, 1 say, who considers all this, cannot any longer believe, that supplications are of a sensible nature, and that they are not very justly esteemed intellectual and divine, and must acknowledge it to be impossible that any passion should belong to things, the purity of which the most worthy of men cannot easily equal.

"Nor ought we to be disturbed by the objection, which urges, that material things are frequently offered in supplications, and this as if the Gods possessed a sensitive and animal nature. For, indeed, if the offerings consisted solely of corporeal and composite powers, and such as are only accommodated to organical purposes, the objection would have some weight; but since they participate of incorporeal forms, certain proportions, and more simple measures; in this alone the correspondence and connection of offerings with the Gods ought to be regarded. For whenever any attinity and similitude is present, whether greater or less, it is sufficient to the connection of which we are now speaking; since there is nothing that approaches to a kindred alliance with the Gods, though in the slightest degree, to which the Gods are not immediately present and united. A connection, therefore, as much as is possible, subsists between prayers and the Gods. At the same time, prayers do not regard the Divinities as if they were of a sensitive or animal nature; but they consider them, as they are in reality, and according to the divine formns which their essences con

tain."

My next communication will be the last on this subject, and will contain the observations of Herocks ou prayer, and also of the pseudo-Dionysius, the pretended contemporary with the Apostle Paul. THOMAS TAYLOR. Manor Place, Walworth.