DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES.
No. 1.—A fac simile of the oldest Hieratic writing extant–about the 15th century B. C. The hawk (the emblem of Divinity) and the man stand on something that "teters"—the circle between them (a serpent biting its own tail) is the ancient symbol of eternity. The Deity overbalances the man.
No. 2.—From a Greek MS. buried at Herculaneum in the year 29 B. C.
No. 3.—Written on papyrus in Egypt; in the 3d century B. C.
No. 4.—Written on papyrus 260 years B. C.
No. 5.—Specimen of a Palimpsest copy of Cicero's "Republic" in the Vatican Library.
No. 6.—Phœnician writing on papyrus.
No. 7.—From a Pentateuch in the Bibe. Nate. Paris, A. D. 450.
No. 8.—From a Greek Copy of the Book of Genesis, written in gold on purple vellum, A. D. 400.
No. 9.—From a MS. on papyrus written in Egypt 3d century B. C.
No. 10.—From a Charter of Childebert III. A. D. 703.
No. 11.—From a Charter of Charlemagne; about A. D. 785.
No. 12.—From a Charter of the Emperor Conrad I. A. D. 988.
