After having found a great number of volumes of papirus in Herculaneum;
many pugillaries, styles, and stands with ink in them, as formerly
mentioned; at length, in the month of August, upon opening a small box,
we also found, to our exceeding great joy, the instrument, with which
they used to write their manuscripts. It is made of wood, of an oblong
form, but petrified, and broke into two pieces. There is no slit in it,
that being unnecessary, as the ancients did not join their letters in
the manner we do, but wrote them separate.
In September were discovered eight marble busts, in the form of terms.
One of these represents Vitellius, another Archimedes; and both are
of the finest workmanship. The following characters, in a black tint,
are still legible on the latter, namely, ΑΡΧΙΜΕΔ which is all the
inscription that now remains.
In October was dug up a curious bust of a young person, who has a
helmet on his head, adorned with a civic crown, and cheek-pieces
fastened under his chin. Also another very fine bust of a philosopher,
with a beard, and short thick hair, having a slight drapery on his left
shoulder. Likewise two female busts; one unknown, in a veil; the other
Minerva, with a helmet; both of middling workmanship.
In November we met with two busts of philosophers, of excellent
workmanship, and, as may be easily perceived, of the same artist; but
unfortunately, like many others, without names.
In January was found a small, but most beautiful eagle, in bronze.
It hath silver eyes, perches on a _praefericulum_, and holds a fawn
between its talons.
In the same month we discovered, at Stabiæ, a term six palms high, on
which is a head of Plato, in the finest preservation, and performed in
a very masterly manner. Also divers vases, instruments for sacrificing,
scales, balances, weights, and other implements for domestic uses, all
in bronze.
At length I have finished, with much labour, the examination and
arrangement of the scales, balances, and weights, which are very
numerous in this museum; and, what is remarkable, many of the former,
with all the weights, exactly answer those now in use at Naples.
At present I am considering the liquid measures; and also engaged
in disposing the paintings in the new apartment allotted for them.
These affairs, with my usual province of inspecting the workmen, who
are busied in digging; my being obliged to keep an exact register of
every thing, that is discovered; besides other daily and accidental
occurrences; employ my time so intirely, that I have not a moment’s
repose, but in my bed.
The square belonging to the palace, in which the museum is deposited,
will be finished, and completely ornamented, by Easter. In the center
of it I have placed the bronze horse, which was broken in many pieces,
and restored by me, as mentioned in my last. In the walls of the
colonades are affixed all the inscriptions hitherto discovered: and I
shall yet adorn them with altars, curule chairs, and other antiquities
proper for such places. The principal entrance into the museum hath
been made to correspond with the grand stair-case. On the right side
of it stands the consular statue of Marcus Nonius Balbus, the father;
and on the left, that of Marcus Nonius Balbus, the son; with two
inscriptions relating to, and found near them. Upon the stair-case
are placed eight antique statues in bronze, on beautiful pedestals
of polished marble. In an opening in the center of the right hand
colonade is fixed the statue of the wife of the elder Balbus, with the
antique inscription belonging to it. At the entrance of the square,
a magnificent pair of iron gates, with palisades, are just put up,
ornamented with many bronzes, which are gilt; and on the sides of these
gates are two other consular statues of persons unknown.
The whole day and night of the 24th of last month it seemed as if Mount
Vesuvius would again have swallowed up this country. On that day it
suffered two internal fractures, which intirely changed its appearance
within the crater, destroying the little mountain, that had been
forming within it for some years, and was risen above the sides; and
throwing up, by violent explosions, immense quantities of stones, lava,
ashes, and fire. At night the flames burst out with greater vehemence,
the explosions were more frequent and horrible, and our houses shook
continually. Many fled to Naples, and the boldest persons trembled.
For my own part, I resolved to abide the event here at Portici, on
account of my family, consisting of eight children, and a very weak
and aged mother, whose life must have been lost by a removal in such
circumstances, and so rigorous a season. But it pleased God to preserve
us; for the mountain having vented itself that night and the succeeding
day, is since become calm, and throws out only a few ashes.
LXXXV. _A further Attempt to facilitate the Resolution of
Isoperimetrical Problems. By Mr._ Thomas Simpson, _F.R.S._
[Read April 13, 1758.]
ABOUT three years ago I had the honour to lay before the Royal
Society the investigation of a general rule for the resolution of
isoperimetrical problems of that kind, wherein one, only, of the two
indeterminate quantities enters along with the fluxions, into the
equations expressing the conditions of the problem. Under which kind
are included the determination of the greatest figures under given
bounds, lines of the swiftest descent, solids of the least resistance,
with innumerable other cases. But altho’ cases of this sort do, indeed,
most frequently occur, and have therefore been chiefly attended to by
mathematicians, others may nevertheless be proposed, such as actually
arise in inquiries into nature, wherein _both_ the flowing quantities,
together with their fluxions, are jointly concerned. The investigation
of a _rule_ for the resolution of these, is what I shall in this paper
attempt, by means of the following