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the catalogue 〃ninth or tenth century；〃 but was in reality of the end of the
tenth or beginning of the eleventh； was sold for 565 pounds to a dealer。
It found its way into Mr。 Bragge's collection； at what price I do not know；
and was resold； three years later； for 780 pounds。
Any person desirous of making a collection of illuminated MSS。；
should study seriously for some time at the British Museum； or some such
place； until he is thoroughly acquainted （1） with the styles of writing in
use in the Middle Ages； so that he can at a glance make a fairly accurate
estimate of the age of the book submitted to him； and （2） with the proper
means of collating the several kinds of service…books； which； in nine cases
out of ten； were those chosen for illumination。
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A knowledge of the styles of writing can be acquired at second hand in
a book lately published by Mr。 Charles Trice Martin； F。S。A。； being a new
edition of 〃Astle's Progress of Writing。〃 Still better； of course； is the
actual inspection and comparison of books to which a date can be with
some degree of certainty assigned。
It is very common for the age of a book to be misstated in the
catalogues of sales； for the simple reason that the older the writing； the
plainer； in all probability； it is。 Let the student compare writing of the
twelfth century with that of the sixteenth； and he will be able to judge at
once of the truth of this assertion。 I had once the good fortune to 〃pick up〃
a small Testament of the early part of the twelfth century； if not older；
which was catalogued as belonging to the fifteenth； a date which would
have made it of very moderate value。
With regard to the second point； the collation of MSS。； I fear there is
no royal road to knowing whether a book is perfect or imperfect。 In some
cases the catchwords remain at the foot of the pages。 It is then of course
easy to see if a page is lost； but where no such clue is given the student's
only chance is to be fully acquainted with what a book OUGHT to contain。
He can only do this when he has a knowledge of the different kinds of
service…books which were in use； and of their most usual contents。
I am indebted to a paper； read by the late Sir William Tite at a meeting
of the Society of Antiquaries； for the collation of 〃Books of Hours；〃 but
there are many kinds of MSS。 besides these； and it is well to know
something of them。 The Horae； or Books of Hours； were the latest
development of the service…books used at an earlier period。 They cannot；
in fact； be strictly called service…books； being intended only for private
devotion。 But in the thirteenth century and before it； Psalters were in use
for this purpose； and the collation of a Psalter is in truth more important
than that of a Book of Hours。 It will be well for a student； therefore； to
begin with Psalters； as he can then get up the Hours in their elementary
form。 I subjoin a bibliographical account of both kinds of MSS。 In the
famous Exhibition at the Burlington Club in 1874； a number of volumes
was arranged to show how persistent one type of the age could be。 The
form of the decorations； and the arrangement of the figures in borders；
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once invented； was fixed for generations。 In a Psalter of the thirteenth
century there was； under the month of January in the calendar； a picture of
a grotesque little figure warming himself at a stove。 The hearth below；
the chimney…pot above； on which a stork was feeding her brood； with the
intermediate chimney shaft used as a border； looked like a scientific
preparation from the interior anatomy of a house of the period。 In one of
the latest of the MSS。 exhibited on that occasion was the self…same design
again。 The little man was no longer a grotesque； and the picture had all
the high finish and completeness in drawing that we might expect in the
workmanship of a contemporary of Van Eyck。 There was a full series of
intermediate books； showing the gradual growth of the picture。
With regard to chronology； it may be roughly asserted that the earliest
books which occur are Psalters of the thirteenth century。 Next to them
come Bibles； of which an enormous issue took place before the middle of
the fourteenth century。 These are followed by an endless series of books
of Hours； which； as the sixteenth century is reached； appear in several
vernacular languages。 Those in English； being both very rare and of
great importance in liturgical history； are of a value altogether out of
proportion to the beauty of their illuminations。 Side by side with this
succession are the Evangelistina； which； like the example mentioned
above； are of the highest merit； beauty； and value； followed by sermons
and homilies； and the Breviary； which itself shows signs of growth as the
years go on。 The real Missal； with which all illuminated books used to
be confounded； is of rare occurrence； but I have given a collation of it also。
Besides these devotional or religious books； I must mention chronicles and
romances； and the semi…religious and moral allegories； such as the
〃Pelerinage de l'Ame；〃 which is said to have given Bunyan the machinery
of the 〃Pilgrim's Progress。〃 Chaucer's and Gower's poetry exists in many
MSS。； as does the 〃Polychronicon〃 of Higden； but； as a rule； the
mediaeval chronicles are of single origin； and were not copied。 To
collate MSS。 of these kinds is quite impossible； unless by carefully
reading them； and seeing that the pages run on without break。
I should advise the young collector who wishes to make sure of
success not to be too catholic in his tastes at first； but to confine his
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attention to a single period and a single school。 I should also advise him
to make from time to time a careful catalogue of what he buys； and to
preserve it even after he has weeded out certain items。 He will then be
able to make a clear comparative estimate of the importance and value of
his collection； and by studying one species at a time； to become
thoroughly conversant with what it can teach him。 When he has； so to
speak； burnt his fingers once or twice； he will find himself able to
distinguish at sight what no amount of teaching by word of mouth or by
writing could ever possibly impart to any advantage。
One thing I should like if possible to impress very strongly upon the
reader。 That is the fact that a MS。 which is not absolutely perfect； if it is
in a genuine state； is of much more value than one which has been made
perfect by the skill of a modern restorer。 The more skilful he is； that is to
say the better he can forge the style of the original； the more worthless he
renders the volume。
Printing seems to have superseded the art of the illuminator more
promptly and completely in England than on the Continent。 The dames
galantes of Brantome's memoirs took pleasure in illuminated Books of
Hours； suited to the nature of their devotions。 As late as the time of
Louis XIV。； Bussy Rabutin had a volume of the same kind； illuminated
with portraits of 〃saints；〃 of his own canonisation。 The most famous of
these modern examples of costly MSS。 was 〃La Guirlande de Julie；〃 a
collection of madrigals by various courtly hands； presented to the
illustrious Julie； daughter of the Marquise de Rambouillet； most
distinguished