out many erasures and corrections. At last the use of paper(383) was
introduced, and this was made of the bark of Papyrus, divided into thin
flakes or leaves, which were very proper for writing; and this Papyrus was
likewise called Byblus.

Nondum flumineas Memphis contexere byblos
Noverat.

Lucan.

Memphis as yet knew not to form in leaves
The wat'ry Byblos.

Pliny calls it a wonderful invention,(384) so useful to life, that it
preserves the memory of great actions, and immortalizes those who achieved
them. Varro ascribes this invention to Alexander the Great, when he built
Alexandria; but he had only the merit of making paper more common, for the
invention was of much greater antiquity. The same Pliny adds, that
Eumenes, king of Pergamus, substituted parchment instead of paper, in
emulation of Ptolemy, king of Egypt, whose library he was ambitious to
excel by this invention, which had the advantage over paper. Parchment is
the skin of a sheep dressed and made fit to write upon. It was called
Pergamenum from Pergamus, whose kings had the honour of the invention. All
the ancient manuscripts are either upon parchment, or vellum, which is
calf-skin, and a great deal finer than the common parchment. It is very
curious to see white fine paper wrought out of filthy rags picked up in
the streets. The plant Papyrus was useful likewise for sails, tackling,
clothes, coverlets, &c.(385)

Linum. Flax is a plant whose bark, full of fibres or strings, is useful in
making fine linen. The method of making this linen in Egypt was wonderful,
and carried to such perfection, that the threads which were drawn out of
them, were almost too small for the observation of the sharpest eye.
Priests were always habited in linen, and never in woollen; and all
persons of distinction generally wore linen clothes. This flax formed a
considerable branch of the Egyptian trade, and great quantities of it were
exported into foreign countries. The manufacture of flax employed a great
number of hands in Egypt, especially of the women, as appears from that
passage of Isaiah, in which the prophet menaces Egypt with a drought of so
terrible a nature, that it should interrupt every kind of labour.
"Moreover, they that work in fine flax, and they that weave network, shall
be confounded."(386) We likewise find in Scripture, that one effect of the
plague of hail, called down by Moses upon Egypt, was the destruction of
all the flax whi