Ossian Collection > Thoughts on the origin and descent of the Gael

112
Pliny, applied tlie word charta specially to the
paper made of the plant papyrus. Before the
period when this paper manufacture was invent-
ed, we have the authority of Varro, that the
Egyptians made use of the leaves of the palm
tree, the rinds or barks of certain trees, then of
rolls of lead, linen, or wax.
Plin}. was of opinion, that Varro's account res-
pecting the period whence ought to be dated the
invention of the manufacture of the \)\2inl papy-
rus into charta or paper, was erroneous. " In-
" gentia quidem," says Pliny, " exerapla con-
" tra Varronis sententiam de chartis reperiuntur.
" Namq. Cassius Hemina, vetustissimus auctor
" annalium, quarto eorum libro prodidit, Cn. Te-
" rentium scribam agrum suum in janiculo repas-
•' tinantem, ostendisse arcam, in qua Numa, qui
" Rom£e regnavit, situs fuisset. In eadem libros
" ejus repertos, P. Cornelio, L. F. Cethego, M.
" Bebio, Q. F. Pamphilo, coss. ad quos a regno
" Numae colliguntur anni 535, et hos fuisse e
" charta. Majore etiamnum miraculo, quod tot
" infossi duraverunt annis."
Among a variety of facts mentioned to prove
the mistaken opinion of Varro, Pliny writes :
" Prseterea Mutianus ter consul prodidit nuper se
" legisse, cum prsesideret Lycite, Sarpedonis aTroja
" scriptam in quodam templo epistolas chartamJ'
Melchior Guilandinus, a Prussian physician,
wrote a learned commentary on three chapters
of Pliny's works relative to this subject, and