Dihdins Bibliographical Tour in France and Germany. 



61 



These ornaments are almost uniformly 

 introduced in the fore-edges, or rijjht- 

 side niargius of the leaves; aUhongli 

 occasionally, but rarely, they encircle 

 the text. They are from five to six 

 inches in length, or height ; having the 

 Latin name of tlie plant at top, an(i the 

 Frencli name at the bottom. Piobably 

 the'.«e titles were introduced by a later 

 hand. It is really impossible to de- 

 scribe many of them in terms of ade- 

 quate praise : the downy plumb is al- 

 Uiost bursting M^ith ripeness; the but- 

 terfly's wings seem to be in tremulous 

 luotiou, while they dazzle you by their 

 varied lustre ; the hairy insect puts 

 every muscle and fibre into action, 

 as he insinuates himself witliin the 

 curling of the crisped leaves, wliiie 

 these leaves are sometimes glittering 

 with dew, or coated with tlie finest 

 dawn. The flowers and the vegetables 

 Hre equally admirable, and equally 

 true to nature. To particularise would 

 Ije endless : — assuredly these etforts of 

 art have no rival of' their kind. 



Of the illuminations in tlie calender, 

 <hose representing fhecusloms observed 

 in February and Aprils are painted 

 with tiie most characteristic efl'ect. In 

 jnany of the back-grounds I recognized 

 the style of architecture, whether lor 

 castles or hoiises, which I had observed 

 in my route tlirough Normandy. The 

 Gospel of St. John follows the caleud<ir. 

 The figure of tlie saint, who is sitting, 

 faces the oj>ening of the gospel ; it is 

 about seven inches in height ; the coun- 

 tenance is very expressive; but it has 

 received considerable injury from an 

 apparently wanton smear. Next comes 

 the figure of St, Luke., the saint is sit- 

 ting upon a stone seat, (of which the 

 back is richly carved) and liolding up 

 M-ith bis left hand, slightly supported 

 fay his right, a sort of medallion of the 

 Virgin; of which the back ground is 

 gold. This medallion is about two 

 inches and a half in length ; St. Luke 

 is clothed in a green vest, with a crim- 

 son siircoat; of which the folds and 

 shadows are liappily managed. The 

 countenance has great merit ; it is in a 

 sort of reflected liglit ; perhaps in ra- 

 ther too low a tone, and the features 

 appear rather flat and poor; yet the 

 general efTeet is excellent. I should 

 add, that the saints arc dressed in a 

 sort of Turkish ttirban of a lilac tint. 

 St, Matthew is the next attractive illu- 

 mination, coming quickly after St. 

 Luke. It is in good preservation, as is 

 also an attendant female, v.'ith a glory; 



IMoM'aiiY Mau. No iJJG. 



but the colouring of the whole is in a 

 severe and harsh tone. It remains to 

 notice the Evangelist St. Mark. In re- 

 spect to countenance and composition, 

 this saint is executed in a manner su- 

 perior to either of the preceding. His 

 lace, although it be a little too square 

 and short, is full of expression ; the 

 back ground is appropriate, and adds 

 to the harmony of Viw. whole. It is 

 really a fine production. 



I shall next describe the manner in 

 which some of the m(U'e pojuilar sub- 

 jects of scripture arc executed. First, 

 the Anmtnciatioi). The eflecl is gene- 

 rally rather feeble; but the counte- 

 nance of Mary is very sweet. This 

 illumination has in some places received 

 a slight injury. A series of flowered 

 margins ensue-s ; some of them beau- 

 tifufly done: the gold back ground, 

 shaded with brown are admirably ma- 

 naged. The Fisitalion or Meeting of 

 Eliznlielh and Mart/, is rather indiffer- 

 ent. The opposite" large illumination, 

 " Hoses de la Marque dancongne'''' — 

 '■ Species i-osariim,'''' must originally 

 have been perfectly enchanting: on the 

 reverse, the smaller illumination, enti- 

 tled '■'•spvs tass'' barbaV — PagzeJaulne,'''' 

 has infinite merit. But to particularise 

 these smaller objects would be endless: 

 yet I am persuaded you would stop, for 

 more thau one moment, to gaze upon 

 the " Bee doyseau,'''' and more especi- 

 ally upon the reverse of the leaf con- 

 taining it, entitled Que dieic tiuirch^'so 

 beautiful and so brilliant are these 

 flowered orriameuts ! We come next to 

 the Crucifixion, an illumination full 

 nine inches in height ; but upon the 

 whole it is a failure; so is the next 

 large illumination of the Descent of the 

 Holy Spirit. The Nativity has a sin- 

 gular elYect: the manger is lighted from 

 Joseplfs lantern, wiiich is absolutely 

 in a blaze of gold ; but the eftect, as a 

 whole, is bad. 



The Declaration of the Birih of 

 Christ is the next large illumination ; 

 but it is a failure considered as a piece 

 of composition and colouring. The 

 shepherds are warming themselves 

 louud a fire, of which the colour is 

 sufficiently red. The flowers in the 

 margin ojipositc, are, almost as usual, 

 delieiously touched. The Adoration 

 of the Magi is the next principal illu- 

 mination ; having considerable merit 

 and great eftect. The two male heads, 

 one above the other, have a good deal 

 of expression ; but the countenance of 

 the Virgin has that of insipidity of 

 •4 11 character 



