Palimpsest

Palæographic : “written-over”; used of MSS. having a second inscription laid over a previous one. ⁂ A term signifying “twice-rubbed,” or “scratched,” and applied properly to parchments which, after having been written on, have been prepared for a fresh writing by an erasure of the original one. In the middle ages, when parchment came to be scarce and dear, many valuable MSS. were thus used, and a second worthle writing placed over one infinitely more precious. In some cases the original MS. has been recovered by careful examination, e. g. , the text of Cicero’s treatise, “De Republic a.”     G. R.