bEPABTMENT OF MSS. 31 



The most interesting acquisition during 1910 is the autograph 

 memorandum of Lord Nelson, 9 Oct. 1805, explaining for the 

 instruction of his captains his plan for attacking the French 

 fleet, as acted upon at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 Oct. 

 This was sold by auction in 1905 for a very large sum and was 

 shortly after purchased by the late Mr. Benjamin Minors 

 Woollan, who was patriotically anxious that it should not 

 leave the country and provided that on his death, which 

 happened on 5 Dec. 1909, it should come to the British 

 Museum. It is now exhibited in the Manuscript Saloon in 

 a glazed frame made of oak from the " Victory " presented 

 by the Lords of the Admiralty. Another donation of con- 

 siderable interest was received from Mr. Roland Stuart, viz. 

 a volume of fifty-five original letters of " George Eliot," the 

 novelist, addressed to his mother Mrs. Elma Stuart, 1872-1880, 

 together with others from George Henry Lewes, 1872-1878. 



Among the MSS. purchased during the year at public 

 sales the majority came from the Blathwayt and Polwarth 

 collections and from the great Phillipps collection, a further 

 portion of which was sold on 6-9 June. They include most 

 of the state-papers and diplomatic correspondence and of the 

 other MSS., except donations, in the list which follows : — 



Lives of saints, in Latin, including an unidentified Primianus 

 and others of rare occurrence : a large folio volume, written in 

 South Italian minuscules of Beneventan type, late 11th or 

 early 12th cent. 



Two treatises on music, in Latin, anonymous and appar- 

 ently otherwise unknown ; 12th cent. With curious coloured 

 diagrams and ornamental initials. 



Revelations of St. Bridget of Sweden (d. at Rome, 1372), 

 translated from Latin into Italian ; circ, 1400. 



Sermones dominicales of Jacobus de Voragine ; written at 

 Wiirm in Baden, 1421. From the monastery of St. Barbara, 

 Cologne. 



Breviary, in Latin, of Cologne use; 1436. With a fine 

 contemporary stamped leather binding. 



Speculum Sapientiae, a 13th cent, collection of fables in 

 Latin, usually attributed in MSS. to St. Cyril; 15th cent. 

 With initials and borders of Dutch style. 



Sermons of Caesarius of Heisterbach, in Latin, including a 

 large number of illustrative tales and allusions to contemporary 

 history ; 15th cent. Bound in stamped pigskin. 



Homilies on the Sunday Gospels, etc., in English octosyllabic 

 verse, with illustrative tales; middle of the 15th cent. 



The collection of Latin Aesopic fables known as the 

 Anonymus Neveleti, translated into a northern dialect of 

 Italian ; 1449. 



Rules for the conduct of a steward, marshal, usher and 

 other ofiicers of a great household, in English ; late 15th cent. 



