Thomas Frognall Dibdin - A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Two

T >> Thomas Frognall Dibdin >> A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Two

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BOOK OF THE GOSPELS, OF THE EMPEROR LOTHARIUS. Although it is very probable
that this book may be of a somewhat earlier date than the MS. just
described, yet as its original possessor was brother to _Charles the Bald_,
it is but courtesy to place him in the second rank after the French
monarch; and accordingly I have here inserted the volume in the order which
I apprehend ought to be observed. An ancient ms. memorandum tells us that
this book was executed in the 855th year of the Christian era, and in the
15th of the Emperor's reign. On the reverse of the first leaf is the
portrait of the Emperor, with an attendant on each side. The text commences
on the recto of the second leaf. On the reverse of the same leaf, is a
representation of the Creator. Upon the whole, this book may be classed
among the most precious specimens of early art in this library. On the
cover are the royal arms.

LATIN BIBLE. Fol. This MS. of the sacred text is in four folio volumes, and
undoubtedly cannot be later than the thirteenth century. The text is
written with three columns in each page. Of the illuminations, the figures
are sketches, but freely executed: the colouring coarse and slightly put
on: the wings of some of the angels reminded me of those in the curious
_Hyde-Book_, belonging to the Marquis of Buckingham at Stowe; and of which,
as you may remember, there are fac-similes in _the Bibliographical
Decameron_.[32] The group of angels (on the reverse of the fourth leaf of
the first volume), attending the Almighty's commands, is cleverly managed
as to the draperies. The soldiers have quilted or net armour. The initial
letters are sometimes large, in the fashion of those in the Bible of
Charles the Bald, but very inferior in execution. In this MS. we may trace
something, I think, of the decline of art.

PSALTERIUM LATINE, 8vo. If I were called upon to select any one volume, of
given octavo dimensions, I do not know whether I should not put my hand
upon the _present_--for you are hereby to know that this was the religious
manual of ST. LOUIS:--his own choice copy--selected, I warrant, from half a
score of performances of rival scribes, rubricators, and illuminators. Its
condition is absolutely wonderful--nor is the history of its locomotiveness
less surprising. First, for an account of its contents. On the reverse of
the first fly-leaf, we read the following memorandum--in red: "_Cest
psaultier fu saint loys. Et le dona la royne Iehanne deureux au roy
Charles filz du roy Iehan, lan de nres' mil troys cens soissante et neuf.
Et le roy charles pnt filz du dit Roy charles le donna a madame Marie de
frace sa fille religieuse a poissi. le iour saint michel lan mil
iiij^c._" This hand writing is undoubtedly of the time.

A word now about the history of this volume. As this extract indicates, it
was deposited in a monastery at Poissy. When that establishment was
dissolved, the book was brought to M. Chardin, a bookseller and a
bibliomaniac. He sold it, some twenty-five years ago, to a Russian
gentleman, from whom it was obtained, at Moscow, by the Grand Duke
Nicholas.[33] The late King of France, through his ambassador, the Count de
Noailles, obtained it from the Grand Duke--who received, in return, from
his Majesty, a handsome present of two Sevre vases. It is now therefore
safely and judiciously lodged in the Royal Library of France. It is in
wooden covers, wrapped in red velvet. The vellum is singularly soft, and of
its original pure tint.

HISTORICAL PARAPHRASE OF THE BIBLE. Lat. and Fr. Folio. If any MS. of the
sacred text were to be estimated according to the _number of the
illuminations_ which it contained, the present would unquestionably claim
precedence over every other. In short, this is the MS. of which Camus, in
the _Notices et Extraits des MSS. de la Bibliotheque Nationale_, vol. vi.
p. 106, has given not only a pretty copious account, but has embellished
that account with fac-similes--one large plate, and two others--each
containing four subjects of the illuminations. After an attentive survey of
the various styles of art observable in these decorations, I am not
disposed to allow the antiquity of the MS. to go beyond the commencement of
the XVth century. A sight of the frontispiece causes a re-action of the
blood in a lover of genuine large margins. The book is cropt--not _quite_
to the quick!... but then this frontispiece displays a most delicate and
interesting specimen of graphic art. It is executed in a sort of gray
tone:--totally destitute of other colour. According to Camus, there are
upwards of five thousand illuminations; and a similar work, in his
estimation, could not _now_ be executed under 100,000 francs.

A SIMILAR MS. This consists but of one volume, of a larger size, of 321
leaves. It is also an historical Bible. The illuminations are arranged in a
manner like those of the preceding; but in black and white only, delicately
shaded. The figures are tall, and the females have small heads; just what
we observe in those of the _Roman d'Alexandre_, in the Bodleian library. It
is doubtless a manuscript of nearly the same age, although this may be
somewhat more recent.

LIBER GENERATIONIS IHI XTI. Of all portions of the sacred text--not
absolutely a consecutive series of the Gospels, or of any of the books of
the Old Testament--the present is probably, not only the oldest MS. in that
particular department, but, with the exception of the well known _Codex
Claromontanus_, the most ancient volume in the Royal Library. It is a
folio, having purple leaves throughout, upon which the text is executed in
silver capitals. Both the purple and the silver are faded. On the exterior
of the binding are carvings in ivory, exceedingly curious, but rather
clumsy. The binding is probably coeval with the MS. They call it of the
ninth century; but I should rather estimate it of the eighth. It is
undoubtedly an interesting and uncommon volume.

EVANGELIUM STI. IOHANNIS. This is a small oblong folio, bound in red
velvet. It is executed in a very large, lower-case, coarse gothic and roman
letter, alternately:--in letters of gold throughout. The page is narrow,
the margin is large, and the vellum soft and beautiful. There is a rude
portrait of the Evangelist prefixed, on a ground entirely of gold. The
capital initial letter is also rude. The date of this manuscript is pushed
as high as the eleventh century: but I doubt this antiquity.

LIBER PRECUM: CUM NOTIS, CANTICIS ET FIGURIS. I shall begin my account of
PRAYER BOOKS, BREVIARIES, &C. with the present: in all probability the most
ancient within these walls. The volume before me is an oblong folio, not
much unlike a tradesman's day-book. A ms. note by Maugerard, correcting a
previous one, assigns the composition of this book to a certain Monk, of
the name of _Wickingus_, of the abbey of Prum, of the Benedictin order. It
was executed, as appears on the reverse of the forty-eighth leaf, "_under
the abbotships of Gilderius and Stephanus_." It is full of illuminations,
heavily and clumsily done, in colours, which are now become very dull. I do
not consider it as older than the twelfth century, from the shield with a
boss, and the depressed helmet. There are interlineary annotations in a
fine state of preservation. In the whole, ninety-one leaves. It is bound in
red morocco.

BREVIARE DE BELLEVILLE: Octavo. 2 volumes. Rich and rare as may be the
graphic gems in this marvellous collection, I do assure you, my good
friend, that it would be difficult to select two octavo volumes of greater
intrinsic curiosity and artist-like execution, than are those to which I am
now about to introduce you:--especially the first. They were latterly the
property of Louis XIV. but had been originally a present from Charles VI.
to our Richard II. Thus you see a good deal of personal history is attached
to them. They are written in a small, close, Gothic character, upon vellum
of the most beautiful colour. Each page is surrounded by a border,
(executed in the style of the age--perhaps not later than 1380) and very
many pages are adorned by illuminations, especially in the first volume,
which are, even now, as fresh and perfect as if just painted. The figures
are small, but have more finish (to the best of my recollection) than those
in our Roman d'Alexandre, at Oxford.

At the end of the first volume is the following inscription--written in a
stiff, gothic, or court-hand character: the capital letters being very tall
and highly ornamented. "_Cest Breuiare est a l'usaige des Jacobins. Et est
en deux volumes Dont cest cy Le premier, et est nomme Le Breuiaire de
Belleville. Et le donna el Roy Charles le vj^e. Au roy Richart Dangleterre,
quant il fut mort Le Roy Henry son successeur L'envoya a son oncle Le Duc
de Berry, auquel il est a present."_ This memorandum has the signature of
"Flamel," who was Secretary to Charles VI. On the opposite page, in the
same ancient Gothic character, we read: "_Lesquelz volumes mon dit Seigneur
a donnez a ma Dame Seur Marie de France. Ma niepce."_ Signed by the same.
The Abbe L'Epine informs me that Flamel was a very distinguished character
among the French: and that the royal library contains several books which
belonged to him.

BREVIARY OF JOHN DUKE OF BEDFORD. Pursuing what I imagine to be a tolerably
correct chronological order, I am now about to place before you this
far-famed _Breviary_: companion to the MISSAL which originally belonged to
the same eminent Possessor, and of which our countrymen[34] have had more
frequent opportunities of appreciating the splendour and beauty than the
Parisians; as it is not likely that the former will ever again become the
property of an Englishman. Doubtless, at the sale of the Duchess of
Portland's effects in 1786, some gallant French nobleman, if not Louis XVI.
himself, should have given an unlimited commission to purchase it, in order
that both _Missal_ and _Breviary_ might have resumed that close and
intimate acquaintance, which no doubt originally subsisted between them,
when they lay side by side upon the oaken shelves of their first
illustrious Owner. Of the _two_ performances, however, there can be no
question that the superiority lies decidedly with the _Missal_: on the
score of splendour, variety, and skilfulness of execution.

The last, and by much the most splendid illumination, is _that_ for which
the artists of the middle age, and especially the old illuminators, seem to
have reserved all their powers, and upon which they lavished all their
stock of gold, ultramarine, and carmine. You will readily anticipate that I
am about to add--the _Assumption of the Virgin_. One's memory is generally
fallacious in these matters; but of all the exquisite, and of all the
minute, elaborate, and dazzling works of art, of the illuminatory kind, I
am quite sure that I have not seen any thing which _exceeds_ this. To
_equal_ it--there may be some few: but its superior, (of its own particular
class of subject) I think it would be very difficult to discover.

HORAE BEATAE MARIAE VIRGINIS. This may be called either a large thick octavo,
or a very small folio. Probably it was originally more decidedly of the
latter kind. It is bound in fish skin; and a ms. note prefixed thus informs
us. "_Manuscrit aqui du C^{en} Papillon au commencement du mois de Frimaire
de lan XII. de la Republique."_ This is without doubt among the most superb
and beautiful books, of its class, in the Royal Library. The title is
ornamented in an unusual but splendid manner. Some of the larger
illuminations are elaborately executed; especially the first--representing
the _Annunciation_. The robe of the Angel, kneeling, is studded with small
pearls, finished with the minutest touches. The character of ART, generally
throughout, is that of the time and manner of the volume last described:
but the present is very frequently inferior in merit to what may be
observed in the Bedford Breviary. In regard to the number of decorations,
this volume must also be considered as less interesting: but it possesses
some very striking and very brilliant performances. Thus, _St. Michael and
the Devil_ is absolutely in a blaze of splendor; while the illumination on
the reverse of the same leaf is not less remarkable for a different effect.
A quiet, soft tone--from a profusion of tender touches of a grey tint, in
the architectural parts of the ornaments--struck me as among the most
pleasing specimens of the kind I had ever seen. The latter and larger
illuminations have occasionally great power of effect, from their splendid
style of execution--especially that in which the central compartment is
occupied by _St. George and the Dragon_. Some of the smaller illuminations,
in which an Angel is shewing the cruelties about to be inflicted on the
wicked, by demons, are terrific little bits! As for the vellum, it is "de
toute beaute."

HISTORIA BEATAE MARIAE VIRGINIS. Folio. This is briefly described in the
printed catalogue, under number 6811. It is a large and splendid folio, in
a very fine state of preservation; but of which the art is, upon the whole,
of the ordinary and secondary class of merit. Yet it is doubtless a volume
of great interest and curiosity. Even to English feelings, it will be
gratifying to observe in it the portrait of _Louisa of Savoy_, mother of
Francis I. That illustrious lady is sitting in a chair, surrounded by her
attendants; and is in all probability a copy from the life. The performance
is a metrical composition, in stanzas of eleven verses. I select the
opening lines, because they relate immediately to the portrait in question.

_Tres excellente illustre et magnificque
Fleur de noblesse exquise et redolente
Dame dhonneur princesse pacifique
Salut a ta maieste precellente
Tes seruiteurs par voye raisonnable
Tant iusticiers que le peuple amyable.
De amyens cite dicte de amenite
Recomandant sont par humilite
Leur bien publicque en ta grace et puissance
Toy confessant estre en realite
Mere humble et franche au grant espoir de France_.

The text is accompanied by the common-place flower Arabesques of the
period.

HOURS OF ANNE OF BRITTANY. The order of this little catalogue of a few of
the more splendid and curious ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS, in the Royal Library
of France, has at length, my worthy friend, brought me in contact with the
magical and matchless volume usually designated by the foregoing title. You
are to know--in the first place--that, of ALL the volumes in this most
marvellous Library, the present is deemed THE MOST PRECIOUS. Not even the
wishes and regulations of Royalty itself allow of its migration beyond the
walls of the public library. There it is kept: there it is opened, and
shewn, and extolled beyond any limits fixed to the admiration of the
beholder. It is a rare and bewitching piece of art, I do assure you: and
so, raising your expectations to their highest pitch, I will allow you to
anticipate whatever is wonderful in FRANCESCO VERONESE and gorgeous in
GIROLAMO DEI LIBRI.[35] Perhaps, however, this is not the most happy
illustration of the art which it displays.

The first view of this magical volume is doubtless rather disheartening:
but the sight of the original silver clasps (luckily still preserved) will
operate by way of a comforter. Upon them you observe this ornament:

[Illustration.]

denoting, by the letter and the ducal crown, that the book belonged to
Anne, Duchess of Brittany. On the reverse of the second leaf we observe the
_Dead Christ_ and the _three Maries_. These figures are about six inches in
height. They are executed with great delicacy, but in a style somewhat too
feeble for their size. One or two of the heads, however, have rather a good
expression.

Opposite to this illumination is the _truly invaluable_ PORTRAIT OF ANNE
herself: attended by two females, each crowned with a glory; one is
displaying a banner, the other holding a cross in her hand. To the left of
these attendants, is an old woman, hooded, with her head encircled by a
glory. They are all three sweetly and delicately touched; but there are
many evident marks of injury and ill usage about the surface of the
colouring. Yet, as being _ideal_ personages, my eye hastily glided off them
to gaze upon the illustrious Lady, by whose orders, and at whose expense,
these figures were executed. It is upon the DUCHESS that I fix my eye, and
lavish my commendations. Look at her[36] as you here behold her. Her gown
is brown and gold, trimmed with dark brown fur. Her hair is brown. Her
necklace is composed of coloured jewels. Her cheek has a fresh tint; and
the missal, upon which her eyes are bent, displays highly ornamented art.
The cloth upon the table is dark crimson.

The _Calendar_ follows; in which, in one of the winter months, we observe a
very puerile imitation of flakes of snow falling over the figures and the
landscape below. The calendar occupies a space of about six inches by four,
completely enclosed by a coloured margin. Then begins a series of the most
beautiful ornaments of FLOWERS, FRUITS, INSECTS, &C. for which the
illuminators of this period were often eminently distinguished. These
ornaments are almost uniformly introduced in the fore-edges, or right-side
margins, of the leaves; although occasionally, but rarely, they encircle
the text. They are from five to six inches in length, or height; having the
Latin name of the plant at top, and the French name at the bottom. Probably
these titles were introduced by a later hand. It is really impossible to
describe many of them in terms of adequate praise. The downy plum is almost
bursting with ripeness: the butterfly's wings seem to be in tremulous
motion, while they dazzle you by their varied lustre: the hairy insect puts
every muscle and fibre into action, as he insinuates himself within the
curling of the crisped leaves; while these leaves are sometimes glittering
with dew, or coated with the finest down. The flowers and the vegetables
are equally admirable, and equally true to nature. To particularise would
be endless. Assuredly these efforts of art have no rival--of their kind.
_Scripture Subjects. Saints, Confessors, &c._ succeed in regular order,
with accompaniments of fruits and flowers, more or less exquisitely
executed:--the whole, a collection of peculiar, and, of its kind,
UNRIVALLED ART. This extraordinary volume measures twelve inches by seven
and a half.

HOURS BELONGING TO POPE PAUL III. 8vo. The portrait of the Pope is at the
bottom of the first ornament, which fixes the period of its execution to
about the middle of the sixteenth century. Towards the end the pages are
elaborately ornamented in the arabesque manner. There are some pleasing
children: of that style of art which is seen in the Missal belonging to Sir
M.M. Sykes, of the time of Francis I.[37] The scription is very beautiful.
The volume afterwards belonged to Pius VI., whose arms are worked in
tambour on the outside. It is kept in a case, and is doubtless a fine book.

MISSALS: numbers 19-4650. Under this head I shall notice two pretty volumes
of the devotional kind; of which the subjects are executed in red, blue,
&c.--and of which the one seems to be a copy of the other. The borders
exhibit a style of art somewhat between that of Julio Clovio and what is
seen in the famous Missal just mentioned.

MISSAL OF HENRY IV. No. 1171. This book is of the end of the XVIth century.
The ground is gold, with a small brilliant, roman letter for text. The
subjects are executed in a pale chocolate tint, rather capricious than
tasteful. It has been cropt in the binding. The name and arms of Henry are
on the exterior.

Thus much, my dear friend, for the SACRED TEXT--either in its original,
uninterrupted state--or as partially embodied in _Missals_, _Hours_, or
_Rituals_. I think it will now be but reasonable to give you some little
respite from the toil of further perusal; especially as the next class of
MSS. is so essentially different. In the mean while, I leave you to carry
the image of ANNE OF BRITTANY to your pillow, to beguile the hours of
languor or of restlessness. A hearty adieu.

[30] _Bibliographical Decameron_, vol. i. p. xxxi.

[31] Earl Vivian, and eleven monks, in the act of presenting the volume to
Charles.

[32] Vol. i. p. lvi.-vii.

[33] The present Emperor of Russia.

[34] A very minute and particular description of this Missal, together with
a fac-simile of the DUKE OF BEDFORD kneeling before his tutelary SAINT
GEORGE, will be found in the _Bibliographical Decameron_, vol. i.
p. cxxxvi-cxxxix.

[35] For an account of these ancient worthies in the art of illumination,
consult the _Bibliographical Decameron_, vol. i. p. cxlii.-clxiv.

[36] See the OPPOSITE PLATE. [The beautiful copy of the Original, by Mr. G.
Lewis, from which the Plates in this work were taken, is now in the
possession of Thomas Ponton, Esq.]

[37] [It was bought at Sir Mark's sale, by Messrs. Rivington and Cochrane.
See a fac-simile of one of the illuminations in the _Bibliographical
Decameron_, vol. i. p. clxxix.]

_LETTER IV._

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

Are you thoroughly awake, and disenchanted from the magic which the
contents of the preceding letter may have probably thrown around you?
Arouse--to scenes of a different aspect, but of a not less splendid and
spirit-stirring character. Buckle on your helmet, ... for the trumpet
sounds to arms. The _Knights of the Round Table_ call upon you, from their
rock-hewn, or wood-embowered, recesses, to be vigilant, faithful,
enterprising, and undaunted. In language less elevated, and somewhat more
intelligible, I am about to place before you a few illuminated MSS.
relating to HISTORY and ROMANCE; not without, in the first place, making a
digression into one or two volumes of MORALITIES, if they may be so called.
Prepare therefore, in the first place, for the inspection of a couple of
volumes--which, for size, splendor, and general state of preservation, have
no superior in the Royal Library of France.

CITE DE DIEU: No. 6712: folio. 2 vols. These are doubtless among the most
magnificent _shew-books_ in this collection; somewhat similar, in size and
style of art, to the MS. of _Valerius Maximus_, in our British Museum--of
which, should you not have forgotten it, some account may be read in the
_Bibliographical Decameron_.[38] At the very first page we observe an
assemblage of Popes, Cardinals, and Bishops, with a King seated on his
throne in the midst of them. The figures in the fore-ground are from four
to five inches high; and so in gradation upwards. The colouring of some of
the draperies is in a most delightful tone. The countenances have also a
soft and quiet expression. The arms of _Graville_ (Grauille?) are in the
circular border. Three leaves beyond, a still larger and more crowded
illumination appears--in a surprising state of freshness and beauty;
measuring nearly a foot and a half in height. It is prefixed to the _First
Book_, and is divided into a group in the clouds, and various groups upon
the earth below. These latter are representations of human beings in all
situations and occupations of life--exhibiting the prevalence both of
virtues and vices. They are encircled at bottom by a group of Demons. The
figures do not exceed two inches in height. Nothing can exceed the delicacy
and brilliancy of this specimen of art about the middle of the fifteenth
century:---a ms. date of 1469 shewing the precise period of its execution.
This latter is at the end of the first volume. Each book, into which the
work is divided, has a large illumination prefixed, of nearly equal beauty
and splendor.

LES ECHECS AMOUREUX. Folio. No. 6808. The title does not savour of any
moral application to be derived from the perusal of the work. Nevertheless,
there are portions of it which were evidently written with that view. It is
so lovely, and I had almost said so matchless, a volume, that you ought to
rejoice to have an account of it in any shape. On the score of delicate,
fresh, carefully-executed art, this folio may challenge comparison with any
similar treasure in the Bibliotheque du Roi. The subjects are not crowded,
nor minute; nor of a very wonderful and intricate nature; but they are
quietly composed, softly executed, and are, at this present moment, in a
state of preservation perfectly beautiful and entire.

BOCCACE; DES CAS DES NOBLES HOMMES ET FEMMES: No. 6878. The present seems
to be the fit place to notice this very beautiful folio volume of one of
the most popular works of Boccaccio. Copies of it, both in ms. and early
print--are indeed common in foreign libraries. There is a date of 1409 at
the very commencement of the volume: but I take the liberty to question
whether that be the date of its actual execution. The illuminations in this
manuscript exhibit a fine specimen of the commencement of that soft, and as
some may think woolly, style of art, which appears to so much advantage in
the _Bedford Missal and Bedford Breviary_; and of which, indeed, a choice
specimen of circular ornaments is seen round the first large illumination
of the creation and expulsion of Adam and Eve. These illuminations are not
of first rate merit, nor are they all by the same hand.

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