42(5 QUARANTINE.

his secretary was obliged to direct his hand, whilst he tracedthem.

The most ancient account, which can he safely dependedupon respecting quills, occurs in a passage of Isidore, whodied in 636, who, among other instruments employed inwriting, mentions both reeds and quills ; which might havereference to the monastic practice of using the reed forlarge letters, whilst Ihe pen was applied to the smaller.One more proof is added of quills being used in the seventhcentury. It occurs in a Latin poem written by Aldhelmus,Adelhemus, otherwise Adelmus, of a noble Saxon family, whofirst made the art of Latin poetry known to his countrymen.In a Latin poem, intituled De Pknna scriptoria, foundin Maxima Bibliotheca palnan, tom. xiii. p. 27. The author,however, does not speak of a goose-quill, but of a pelican’s.

More instances might be added about that period, werethey thought necessary.

Reeds are now used by our draughtsmen for making out-lines, as are also crow and raven’s quills. Likewise Turkeyquills are used for strong purposes on parchment, as well asswan quills.

QUARANTINE.

Mr. Antes, a British merchant in Grand Cairo for twelveyears, perfectly acquainted with Egyptian concerns, has, inLis remarks on that dreadful disorder the plague, the fol-lowing observations respecting quarantine. lie confirms agenerally received opinion, when he remarks, that “ Theplague is, without contradiction, the most terrible of alldisorders, to which the human species is subject; at thesame time, it is a disorder from which any one may be per-fectly safe, who has the power to perform a strict quaran-tine, though he be in the midst of a city where it rages withthe utmost fury.” He adds, the general practice of Euro-peans in Turkey will confirm this fact; and proves, by thefollowing observations which he made at Grand Cairo, inthe years 1771 and 1781, when that calamity raged therewith violence, as well as in other parts of the country, parti-cularly in Lower Egypt .

The following appear to be among the observations essen-tial to the performance of quarantine in a country alreadyinfected. “ As soon as it is known,, extreme care must betaken to avoid all association among the common people.When the contagion begins to spread, a close connexion