REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECKETARV. 107 



edge of the outliiios without in any in.stauce imi)inging npon them. In no case is 

 the clearness of the outline interfered with, thougli it is rare to find an instance of 

 the glaze being otherwise than close to its edge. The glazes are thick and heavy, 

 probably with a base of tin, and the colors used are rich and full — amber, green, 

 slaty blue, yellow, and manganese. The collection comjirises five large dishes, 

 twenty-four small, an oviform vase, two large panels with the arms of Castile-Leon 

 and Aragon-Sicily, as well as tiles. The designs of the dishes are vigorously, if 

 somewhat coarsely drawn, and include a head of a young man in the costume of the 

 late fifteenth century, a deer and other animals, heraldic lions, and motives derived 

 from plants and trees. Some of the tiles have inscriptions in black letter, and the 

 oviform vase bears the legend, ^fj€l rosado coad (Honey of roses). It may be of inter- 

 est to mention that this ware is being imitated in Spain at the present time, and a 

 good many examples of these imitations are to be found in the 8h()}>s in Madrid; 

 and though the character of the work lends itself easily to imitation, there are essen- 

 tial ditlerences between the old and the new." 



There were few musical instruments. Two organs of Charles V, shown for their 

 artistic cases; a Moorish rebeek of four strings, and a clavichord may be mentioned. 

 The latter is one of the most curious musical instruments belonging to the history 

 of music in the seventeenth century. The instrument exhibited is said to have been 

 made in 1625 by Fraz Raymundo Truchado. I heard several performances upon this 

 instrument and found the music not unpleasing. 



Of music books there was a great uuniber, the ponderous illuminated missals of 

 the Escorial and other cathedrals forming an attractive exhibit. . A MSS. of the 

 thirteenth century, entitled "Himnos Religiosos,'' is interesting as showing early 

 part music. The MSS. is preserved in the National Library. Another folio in vellum 

 from the Cathedral of Tuy contains the psalms of St. Augustine, with the first page 

 of ancient music without the pentagram ( Sin penta(irama). 



There were in the exposition numerous documents relating to the history of the 

 discovery of America, consisting of letters, charts, books, etc. The Papal exhibit 

 contained two famous charts on vellum of the Old and New Worlds, made in the 

 third decade of the sixteenth century. The better preserved map measures 85 centi- 

 meters in height and 2.09 meters in width. It bears the inscription : " Carta Vniver- 

 sal en que se contiene todo lo que del mundo se ha descuhierto fasta ayova, hizola Diego 

 Bibera, cosmographo de Su Majestad, ano de 1529, en Serilla. La qual se devide en dos 

 partes cotiforme la capitulacion que hicieron Jos Catholicos Ecyes de Espaiia e el Bey Juan 

 de Fortogual en Tordesillas, ano de 1494.'' On either side of the line showing the 

 division of the New World between Spain and Portugal are the banners of these 

 countries. In Peru the concjucst had extended to Sierra Morcna, on whose southern 

 border is written in red ink the name of the last peo]iIe then known, Chincax Cibad — 

 that is, the city of Chincha, founded by Almagro. 



The other chart is perhai>s older. It bears the famous line of Alexander VI. It 

 shows the plan of the City of Mexico and the illuminated portraits of Montezuma, 

 Atahualpa, and Prestcr John, of the Indias. 



The National Library exhibited 1.50 manuscripts comprising Greek, Persian, 

 Hebrew, and Arab codices, bililes, liturgical, and devotional works; works on 

 science, art, history, geograjjhy, literature, and the theater, autographs and codices 

 notable for the importance of the text, binding, ornamentation, etc. 



Among the Hebrew manuscripts is an interesting Book of Esther, which the Jews 

 read on feast days. It is a roll of parchment 3.50 meters long and 29 centimeters 

 wide, dating from the beginning of the fourteenth century, written in 24 columns of 

 22 lines each. 



Among the numerous Arabic manuscripts was the book of Alfarabi, entitled 

 "Music," which explains the beginning of music, voices, tones, and instruments. It 

 contains drawings of instruments and figures of music. This remarkable codex of 

 the fourteenth century is the best of the three existing in Europe, one being in the 

 Ambrosiana at Milan and the other in Leiden. 



