76 THE BOX. 



unnatural are the kings and queens depicted on them, that 

 it is scarcely possible they can be anything else than tra- 

 ditional absurdities. 1 A modern playing-card may there- 



fatiem ftte (I'laruninie turn's /Hillwi'mo CffC 

 fills nempe titc morte mala 11011 monci ts. 2 XX temo. 



fore be considered as affording a fair specimen of the 

 perfection of wood-engraving in the fifteenth century. 

 The next step in advance was the delineation of figures of 



1 A similar instance of obstinate adherence to an old and there- 

 fore familiar pattern, a long way behind the existing state of the 

 arts, may be observed in the never-ending "willow pattern" 

 on earthenware. 



2 Translation : 



Gaze on the face of Christopher every day, . . 

 So on that day thuu bhalt not die au evil death. 



