Camillo Paderni
[3][5] In a letter from 1752 to Richard Mead, Paderni wrote:[6] It is not a month ago, that there have been found many volumes of papyrus, but turn'd to a sort of charcoal, so brittle, that, being touched, it falls readily into ashes.
Nevertheless, by his majestys orders, I have made many trials to open them, but all to no purpose; excepting some words §, which I have picked out intire, where there are divers bits by which it appears in what manner the whole was written.
The form of the characters, made with a very black tincture, that overcomes the darkness of the charcoal, I shall here, to oblige you, imitate in two short lines (see reference) [..] my fidelity to the king not permitting me to send you any more.In 1754 Paderni wrote a letter to Thomas Hollis, briefly describing the discoveries at the Villa of the Papyri:[7] In one of these buildings there has been found an entire library composed of volumes of the Egyptian Papyrus, of which there have been taken out about 250; and the place is not yet clear'd or emptied, it having been deem'd necessary to erect props first, to keep the earth, which lies above it, from falling in upon it.
These volumes of Papyrus consist of Latin and Greek manuscripts but from their brittleness, occasion'd by the fire and time, it is not possible to unroll them, they being now decayed, and rotten.
His majesty however has done his parts having sent for a certain monk from Rome [Abbot Piaggio], who belonged to the Vatican library, in hopes, by his means, to have unfolded them; but hitherto in vain.In another letter from 1754, to Hollis, Paderni wrote:[8] I shall now proceed to give you some little account of our late discoveries at Herculaneum.
We are going on to dig in two places, one towards the road della Torre del Greco; and the other nearer to the neighbourhood of the royal palace at Portici, directly under the wood belonging to the church of the Augustines.
This second vase was square on the outside, and circular within, where it had the appearance of a scallop-shell; in the centre whereof was the spout, which threw up the water, that was supplied by leaden pipes inclosed within the balustrades.
The artist has chosen to represent him in all those agonies, which the poor man must have suffered when ready to expire; for one perceives in it every passion, that would naturally arise in the countenance of a person in that situation.
We are likewise in hopes that in a short time the catalogue of the paintings will be published to which, it is not unlikely, will be added that of the statues and bronzes, if the volume admit of it; in order thereby to unite them into one work, and better satisfy the curious.
The first papyri, of which I formerly acquainted you, were in a separate room, adjoining to the before mentioned palace.In 1755, Paderni wrote two more letters to Thomas Hollis, briefing him on the excavation and scroll transcription progress.
