STATE OF LITERATURE
FROM THE
EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE INVENTION OF PRINTING.
BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN ERA.
"The ancient Roman and Greek orators could only speak to the number of citizens capable of being assembled within the reach of their voice; their writings had little effect, because the bulk of the people could not read. Now by the press we can speak to nations; and good books, and well written pamphlets, have great and general influence."—FRANKLIN.
The most ancient library on record was formed by Osymandyas, King of Egypt, at Memphis. He was a contemporary of David, King of Israel.
At a very early date, the Jews attached collections of books to most of their synagogues; and we are told that Nehemiah founded a public library at Jerusalem.
Pisistratus, of Athens, was the first who instituted a public library at Greece; and is supposed to have been the collector of the scattered works which passed under the name of Homer.
When we reflect that copies of books were made by the pen alone, and that their circulation, which seems to have been extensive, could not proceed unless the pen supplied copies. From this single fact, we shall be prepared to expect that the copyists of books must, at all times before the invention of printing, have been very numerous; following a regular business, that afforded full employment, and required experience and skill, as well as legible and expeditious writing.
At Athens copyists by profession were numerous, and gained a steady and considerable livelihood. The booksellers of Athens employed them principally to copy books of amusement, most of which were exported to the adjoining countries on the shores of the Mediterranean and even to the Greek colonies on the Euxine. In many of these places, the business of copying was carried on, and libraries formed. Individuals also employed themselves occasionally in copying; and there are instances recorded of some forming their own libraries by copying every book they wished to put into them. Not long after the death of Alexander, (323) the love of science and literature passed from Athens and Greece generally, to Alexandria, where, patronised by the Ptolemies, they flourished vigorously, and, for a considerable period, seemed to have concentrated themselves.
972. In speaking of Irish manuscripts, Dr. Keating states, the Psalter of Tara was written about this period; and there is an ancient alphabet, called an Irish one, now extant, which is said to have derived its title Babeloth, from the names of certain persons who assisted in forming the Japhetian language.
606, Nov. 6. The 6th day of the Hebrew month Caslew, was observed as a fast, in memory of the Book of Jeremiah, torn and burnt by king Jehoiakim.—Jeremiah xxxvi. 23.
322, Oct. 2. Died Aristotle. He is the first person, on record, who was possessed of a private library.
300. We possess few facts respecting the price of manuscript books among the ancients. Plato, who seems to have spared no trouble or money in order to enrich his library, especially with philosophical works, paid 100 minæ, equal to £375, for three small treatises by Philolaus, the Pythagorean; and after the death of Speusippus, Plato's disciple, his books were purchased by Aristotle; they were few in number; he paid for them three talents, about £675.
300. The Alexandrian library founded by Ptolemy Soter, who reigned about this period. His successors enlarged it; one of them seized all books imported into Egypt, giving copies of them, made by his orders, and at his expense, to the proprietors.
285, Nov. 2. Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt, so memorable as a patron of learning, commenced his reign upon this Julian day. Galen says, in his commentary upon the third of the Epidemics, and upon the first book of the Nature of Man, that Ptolemy Philadelphus gave to the Athenians fifteen talents, with exception from all tribute, and a great convoy of provisions, for the autographs and originals of the tragedies of Eschylus, Sophocles, and Euripedes.
The first national library founded in Egypt seemed to have been placed under the protection of the divinities, for their statues magnificently adorned this temple, dedicated at once to religion and to literature. It was still further embellished by a well-known inscription, for ever grateful to the votary of literature; on the front was engraven "The nourishment of the soul;" or, according to Diodorus, "The medicine of the mind."
The Egyptian Ptolemies founded the vast library of Alexandria, which was afterwards the emulative labour of rival monarchs. Under the same roof with this celebrated library, were exten-
