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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OVIDII OPERA OMNIA. _Printed by Azoguidi_. 1471. Folio. 3 vols. The
supposed FIRST EDITION, and perhaps (when complete)[80] the rarest Editio
Princeps in existence. The copy before me partakes of the imperfection of
almost every thing earthly. It wants two leaves: but it is a magnificent,
and I should think unrivalled, copy--bating such imperfection. It measures
very nearly thirteen inches and a quarter, by little more than eight inches
three quarters. It is bound in red morocco.

AESOPUS. Latine. _Printed by Dom. de Vivaldis, &c_. 1481. Folio. A most
singular volume--in hexameter and pentameter, verses. To every fable is a
wood cut, quite in the ballad style of execution, with a back-ground like
coarse mosaic work. The text is printed in a large clumsy gothic letter.
The present is a sound copy, but not free from stain. Bound in blue
morocco.

AESOPUS. Italice. _Edited by Tuppi_. 1485. Folio. A well known and highly
coveted edition: but copies are very rare, especially when of goodly
dimensions. This is a large and beautiful book; although I observe that the
border, on the right margin of the first leaf, is somewhat cut away. The
graphic art in this volume has a very imposing appearance.

---- Germanice. _Without Date or Name of Printer_. Folio. This edition is
printed in a fine large open gothic type. There is the usual whole length
cut of AEsop. The other cuts are spirited, after the fashion of those in
Boccacio De Malis Mulier. Illust.--printed by John Zeiner at Ulm in 1473.
The present is a fine, sound copy: in red morocco binding.

AESOPUS. Germanice. _Without Date, &c_. Folio. This impression, which, like
the preceding, is destitute of signatures and catchwords, is printed in a
smaller gothic type. The wood cuts are spirited, with more of shadow. Some
of the initial letters are pretty and curious. Some of the pages (see the
last but fifteen) contain as many as forty-five lines. The present is a
fine, large copy.

---- Hispanice. _Printed at Burgos._ 1496. Folio. This is a beautiful and
interesting volume, full of wood cuts. The title is within a broad bold
border, thus: "_Libro del asopo famoso fabulador historiado en romace_."
On the reverse is the usual large wood cut of AEsop, but his mouth is
terribly diminished in size. The leaves are numbered in large roman
numerals. A fine clean copy, in blue morocco binding.

And now, my dear friend, let us both breathe a little, by way of cessation
from labour: yourself from reading, and your correspondent from the
exercise of his pen. I own that I am fairly tired ... but in a few days I
shall resume the BOOK THEME with as much ardour as heretofore.

[43] In his meditated Catalogue raisonne of the books PRINTED UPON VELLUM
in the Royal Library. [This Catalogue is now printed, in 8vo. 5 vols.
1822. There are copies on LARGE PAPER. It is a work in all respects
worthy of the high reputation of its author. A _Supplement_ to it--of
books printed UPON VELLUM in _other_ public, and many distinguished
_private_ libraries, appeared in 1824, 8vo. 3 vols.--with two
additional volumes in 1828. These volumes are the joy of the heart of
a thorough bred Bibliographer.]

[44] The measurement is necessarily confined to the leaves--_exclusively_
of the binding.

[45] See the Art. "_Roman de Jason_"

[46] [There are, now, ten known _perfect_ copies of this book, of
which six are in England. M. Renouard, in his recent edition of the
_Annals of the Aldine Press_, vol. i. p. 36, has been copious and
exact.]

[47] [Since bound in blue morocco by Thouvenin.]

[48] [This anecdote, in the preceding Edition of the Tour, was told,
inaccurately, as belonging to the Caxton's edition of the _Recueil
des Hist. de Troye_: see p. 102 ante. I thank M. Crapelet for the
correction.]

[49] _Bibl. Spenceriana_, vol. i. p. 107, &c.

[50] [The finest copy in the world of the second edition, as to amplitude,
is, I believe, that in the Bodleian library at Oxford. A very singular
piece of good fortune has now made it PERFECT. It was procured by
Messrs. Payne and Foss of M. Artaria at Manheim.]

[51] Nine years ago I obtained a fac-simile of this memorandum; and
published an Essay upon the antiquity of the date of the above Bible,
in the _Classical Journal_, vol. iv. p. 471-484. of Mr. J.A. Valpy.
But latterly a more complete fac-simile of it appeared in the
Catalogue of Count M'Carthy's books.

[52] "_Iste liber illuminatus, ligatus & completus est per Henricum
Cremer vicariu ecclesie sancti Stephani Maguntini sub anno dni
Millesimo quatringentesimo quinquagesimo sexto, festo Assumptionis
gloriose virginis Marie. Deo gracias. Alleluja_."

[53] [This copy having one leaf of MS.--but executed with such
extraordinary accuracy as almost to deceive the most experienced
eye--was sold in 1827, by public auction, for 504_l_. and is now
in the collection of Henry Perkins, Esq.]

[54] _Bibl. Spenceriana_; vol. i. p. 85-89.

[55] _Bibl. Spenceriana_; vol. i. p. 103-4; where there is also an
account of the book itself--from the description of Camus. The work is
entitled by Camus, The ALLEGORY OF DEATH.

[56] This subject is briefly noticed in the _Bibliographical Decameron_,
vol. i. 371; and the book itself is somewhat particularly described
there. I think I remember Lord Spencer to have once observed, that
more than a slight hope was held out to him, by the late Duke of
Brunswick, of obtaining this typographical treasure. This was before
the French over-ran Prussia.

[57] See _Bibl. Spenceriana_; vol. iii. p. 129, vol. iv. p. 500.

[58] Vol. iii. p. 484.

[59] [I had said "De Rome"--incorrectly--in the previous edition. "M.
Dibdin poursuit partout d'un trait vengeur le coupable Derome: mais
ici c'est au relieur CHAMOT qu'il doit l'addresser." CRAPELET; vol.
iii. p. 268.]

[60] [The very sound copy of it, upon paper, belonging to the late Sir M.M.
Sykes, Bart. was sold at the sale of his library for 100 guineas.]

[61] That sigh has at length ceased to rend my breast. It will be seen,
from the sequel of this Tour, that a good, sound, perfect copy of it,
now adorns the shelves of the _Spencerion Library_. The VIRGILS
indeed, in that library, are perfectly unequalled throughout Europe.

[62] [There is a fine copy of this very rare edition in the Public Library
at Cambridge.]

[63] [Fine as is this book, it is yet inferior in _altitude_ to the
copy in the Public Library at Cambridge.]

[64] [There was another copy of this edition, free from the foregoing
objections, which had escaped me. This omission frets M. Crapelet
exceedingly; but I can assure him that it was unintentional; and that
I have a far greater pleasure in describing _fine_, than
_ordinary_, copies--be they WHOSE they may.]

[65] [Not so. There was another copy upon vellum, in the library of Count
Melzi, which is now in that of G.H. Standish, Esq. I _know_ that
500 guineas were once offered for this most extraordinary copy, bound
in 3 volumes in foreign coarse vellum.]

[66] Vol. ii. p. 11: or to the _Bibliotheca Spenceriana_; vol. iv. p.
385.

[67] Now in Lord Spencer's Collection.

[68] Vol. i. p. 281-2.

[69] [To the best of my recollection and belief, the finest copy of this
most estimable book, is that in the Library of the Rt. Hon. Thomas
Grenville.]

[70] [The finest copy of this valuable edition, which I ever saw, is that
in the Public Library at Cambridge.]

[71] _See Bibl. Spenceriana_; vol. i. page 272.

[72] [I had called it a UNIQUE copy; but M. Crapelet says, that there was a
second similar copy, offered to the late Eugene Beauharnais.]

[73] [It is the Edition of Verard, of the date of 1504. The copy looks as
if it had neither Printer's name or date, because the last lines of
the colophon have been defaced. See _Cat. des Livr. Iniprim. sur Velin
de la Bibl. du Roi_. vol. iii. p. 35. CRAPELET.]

[74] At page 599, &c.

[75] [See _Cat. des Livr. sur Velin_, vol. iv. No. 236.]

[76] Vol. iii. p. 176.

[77] [Mr. Hibbert's beautiful copy, above referred to, is about to be sold
at the sale of his library, in the ensuing Spring; and is fully
described in the Catalogue of that Library, at p. 414: But the
fac-simile portrait of Francis Sforza, prefixed to the Catalogue,
wants, I suspect, the high finished brilliancy, or force, of the
original.]

[78] [Not so: see the _Introduction to the Classics_, vol. 1. p. 313. edit.
1827 The _only known_ copy of the first volume, UPON VELLUM, is that
in the Library of New College, Oxford.]

[79] See the _Bibliographical Decameron_; vol. iii. p. 165.

[80] [The only ENTIRELY PERFECT copy in Europe, to my knowledge, is that in
the library of the Right Hon. Thomas Grenville.]

_LETTER VI._

CONCLUSION OF THE ACCOUNT OF THE ROYAL LIBRARY. THE LIBRARY OF THE ARSENAL.

My last letter left me on the first floor of the Royal Library. I am now
about to descend, and to take you with me to the ground floor--where, as
you may remember I formerly remarked, are deposited the _Aldine Vellums_
and _Large Papers_, and choice and curious copies from the libraries of
_Grolier, Diane de Poictiers_, and _de Thou_. The banquet is equally
delicious of its kind, although the dishes are of a date somewhat more
remote from the time of Apicius.

Corresponding with the almost interminable suite of book-rooms above, is a
similar suite below stairs: but the general appearance of the latter is
comparatively cold, desolate, and sombre. The light comes in, to the right,
less abundantly; and, in the first two rooms, the garniture of the volumes
is less brilliant and attractive. In short, these first two lower rooms may
be considered rather as the depot for the cataloguing and forwarding of all
modern books recently purchased. Let me now conduct you to the _third room_
in this lower suite, which may probably have a more decided claim upon your
attention. Here are deposited, as I just observed, the VELLUM ALDUSES and
other curious and choice old printed volumes. I will first mention nearly
the whole of the former.

HOMERI OPERA. Gr. _Printed by Aldus. Without Date_. 8vo. 2 vols. A white
and beautiful copy--with large, and genuine margins--printed UPON VELLUM.
In its original binding, with the ornaments tolerably entire:--and what
binding should this be, but that of Henry the Second and Diane de
Poictiers? Let me just notice that this copy measures six inches and a
half, by three inches and six eighths.

EURIPIDIS OPERA. Gr. 1503. 8vo. 2 vols. A fair and desirable copy UPON
VELLUM; but a little objectionable, as being ruled with red lines rather
unskilfully. It is somewhat coarsely bound in red morocco, and preserved in
a case. This vellum treasure is among the desiderata of Earl Spencer's
library; and I sincerely wish his Lordship no worse luck than the
possession of a copy like that before me.[81]

HECUBA, ET IPHIGENIA IN AULIDE. Gr. and Lat. 1507. 8vo. A very rare book,
and quite perfect, as far as it goes. This copy, also UPON VELLUM, is much
taller than the preceding of the entire works of Euripides; but the vellum
is not of so white a tint.

ANTHOLOGIA GRAECA. Gr. 1503. 8vo. A very fine genuine copy, upon excellent
VELLUM. I suspect this copy to be a little broader, but by no means taller,
than a similar copy in Lord Spencer's collection.

HORATIUS. 1501. 8vo. UPON VELLUM: a good, sound copy; although inferior to
Lord Spencer's.

MARTIALIS. 1502. 8vo. Would you believe it?--here are _two_ copies UPON
VELLUM, and _both_ originally belonged to Grolier. They are differently
illuminated, but the tallest--measuring six inches three eighths, by three
inches six eighths--is the whitest, and the preferable copy,
notwithstanding one may discern the effects of the nibbling of a worm at
the bottom corner. It is, however, a beautiful book, in every respect. The
initial letters are gold. In the other copy there are the arms of Grolier,
with a pretty illumination in the first page of the text. It is also a
sound copy.

LUCRETIUS. 1515. 8vo. This copy, UPON VELLUM, is considered to be unique.
It is fair, sound, and in all respects desirable.

CICERO DE OFFICIIS. _Without Date_. 8vo. This is but a moderate specimen of
the Aldine VELLUM, if it be not a counterfeit--which I suspect.[82]

CICERONIS ORATIONES. 1519. 8vo. UPON VELLUM. Only the first volume, which
however is quite perfect and desirable--measuring six inches and a quarter,
by very nearly four inches. But prepare for an account of a perfect, and
still more magnificent, vellum copy of the Orations of Cicero--when I
introduce you to the _Library of St. Genevieve_.

HIST. AUGUST. SCRIPTORES. 1521. 8vo. 2 vols. A sound and fair copy--of
course UPON VELLUM--but too much cropt in the binding. The foregoing are
all the _Aldine, Greek and Latin Classics_, printed UPON VELLUM, which the
liberal kindness of M. Van Praet enabled me to lay my hands upon. But here
follows another membranaceous gem of the Aldine Family.

PETRARCHA. 1501. 8vo. A beautiful, white copy, measuring six inches and a
half, by three and three quarters. It is, however, somewhat choked in the
binding, (in blue morocco) as too many of Bozerian's performances usually
are.[83] Close to this book is the Giunta reprint of 1515--ALSO UPON
VELLUM: but of a foxy and unpleasing tint. Now for a few LARGE PAPER
ALDUSES--of a variety of forms and of characters. But I must premise that
the ensuing list of those upon vellum, is very far indeed from being
complete.

HORAE. Gr. 1497. 12mo. A beautiful copy, among the very rarest of books
which have issued from the Aldine press. Here is also _one_ volume of the
Aldine ARISTOTLE, upon _large paper_: and only one. Did the _remaining_
volumes ever so exist? I should presume they did.

BIBLIA GRAECA. 1518. Folio. Upon _thick paper_. Francis the First's own
copy. A glorious and perhaps matchless copy. Yet it is rebacked, in modern
binding, in a manner ... almost shameful!

PLAUTUS. 1522. Small quarto. A very fine copy; in all appearance large
paper, and formerly belonging to Grolier.

AUSONIUS. 1517. 8vo. Large paper; very fine; and belonging to the same.

VALERIUS MAXIMUS. 1534. 8vo. The same--in _all_ respects.

PRISCIANUS. 1527. 8vo. Every characteristic before mentioned.

SANNAZARII ARCADIA. _Ital_. 1514. 8vo. The same.

---- _De Partu Virginis_. 1533. 8vo. An oblong, large paper Grolier, like
most of the preceding.

ISOCRATES. Gr. 1534. Folio. EUSTRATIUS IN ARISTOT. Gr. 1536. Both upon
_large paper_, of the largest possible dimensions, and in the finest
possible condition; add to which--rich and rare old binding! Both these
books, upon large paper, are wanting in Lord Spencer's collection; but
then, as a pretty stiff set-off, his Lordship has the THEMISTIUS of 1534--
which, for size and condition, may challenge either of the preceding--and
which is here wanting.

GALENUS. 1525. Gr. Folio. 5 vols. A matchless set, upon _large paper_. The
binding claims as much attention, before you open the volumes, as does a
finely-proportioned Greek portico--ere you enter the temple or the mansion.
The foregoing are all, doubtless, equally splendid and uncommon specimens
of the beauty and magnificence of the press of the _Alduses_: and they are
also, with very few exceptions, as intrinsically valuable as they are fine.
I shall conclude my survey of these lower-book-regions by noticing a few
more uncommon books of their kind.

CATHARIN DE SIENA. 1500. Folio. This volume is also a peculiarity in the
Aldine department. It is, in the first place, a very fine copy--and
formerly belonged to Anne of Brittany. In the second place, it has a
wood-cut prefixed, and several introductory pieces, which, if I remember
rightly, do not belong to Lord Spencer's copy of the same edition.

ISOCRATES. Gr. _Printed at Milan_. 1493. Folio. What is somewhat singular,
there is another copy of this book which has a title and imprint of the
date of 1535 or 1524; in which the old Greek character of the body of the
work is rather successfully imitated.[84]

BIBLIA POLYGLOTTA COMPLUTENSIA. 1516-22. Fol. 6 vols. I doubt exceedingly
whether this be not the largest and finest copy in existence. It may
possibly be even _large paper_--but certainly, if otherwise, it is among
the most ample and beautiful. The colour, throughout, is white and uniform;
which is not the usual characteristic of copies of this work. It measures
fourteen inches and three quarters in height, and belonged originally to
Henry II. and Diane de Poictiers. It wanted only _this_ to render it
unrivalled; and it now undoubtedly _is_ so.

TESTAMENTUM NOVUM. Gr. _Printed by R. Stephen_. 1550. Folio. Another
treasure from the same richly-fraught collection. It is quite a perfect
copy; but some of the silver ornaments of the sides have been taken off.
Let me now place before you a few more testimonies of the splendour of that
library, which was originally the chief ornament of the _Chateau
d'Anet_,[85] and not of the Louvre.

HERODOTUS. Gr. _Printed by Aldus_, 1502. Folio. I had long supposed Lord
Spencer's copy--like this, upon LARGE PAPER--to be the finest first Aldine
Herodotus in existence: but the first glimpse only of the present served to
dissipate that belief. What must repeated glimpses have produced?

LUCIANUS. Gr. _Printed by the Same_. 1503. Folio. Equally beautiful--large,
white, and crackling--with the preceding.

SUIDAS. Gr. _Printed by the Same_. 1503. Folio. The same praise belongs to
this copy; which, like its precursors, is clothed in the first mellow and
picturesque binding.

EUSTATHIUS IN HOMERUM. 1542. Folio. 3 vols. A noble copy--eclipsed perhaps,
in amplitude only, by that in the collection of Mr. Grenville.

DION CASSIUS. Gr. 1548. Folio. APPIANUS. Gr. 1551. Folio. DIONYSIUS
HALICARNASSENSIS. 1546. Folio. These exquisitely well printed volumes are
from the press of the Stephens. The present copies, clothed in their
peculiar bindings, are perhaps the most beautiful that exist. They are from
the library of the Chateau d'Anet. Let it not be henceforth said that the
taste of Henri II. was not _well_ directed by the influence of Diane de
Poictiers, in the choice of BOOKS.

CICERONIS OPERA OMNIA. _Printed by the Giunti_, 1534. Folio. 4 vols. I
introduce this copy to your notice, because there are four leaves of
_Various Readings_, at the end of the fourth volume, which M. Van Praet
said he had never observed, nor heard of, in any other copy.[86] I think
also that there are two volumes of the same edition upon LARGE PAPER:--the
rest being deficient. Does any perfect copy, of this kind, exist?

POETAE GRAECI HEROICI. 1556. _Printed by H. Stephen._ Folio. De Thou's own
copy--and, upon the whole, perhaps MATCHLESS. The sight of this splendid
volume would repay the toil of a pilgrimage of some fourscore miles, over
Lapland snows. There is another fine copy of the same edition, which
belonged to Diana and her royal slave; but it is much inferior to De
Thou's.

The frequent mention of DE THOU reminds me of the extraordinary number of
copies, which came from his library, and which are placed upon the shelves
of the _fourth_ or following room. Perhaps no other library can boast of
such a numerous collection of similar copies. It was, while gazing upon
these interesting volumes along with M. Van Praet, that the latter told me
he remembered seeing the ENTIRE LIBRARY of De Thou--before it was dispersed
by the sale of the collection of the Prince de Soubise in 1788--in which it
had been wholly embodied, partly by descent, and partly by purchase. And
now farewell ... to the BIBLIOTHEQUE DU ROI. We have, I think, tarried in
it a good long time; and recreated ourselves with a profusion of RICH AND
RARE GEMS in the book-way--whether as specimens of the pencil, or of the
press. I can never regret the time so devoted--nor shall ever banish from
my recollection the attention, civility, and kindness which I have
received, from all quarters, in this magnificent library. It remains only
to shake hands with the whole _Corps Bibliographique_, who preside over
these regions of knowledge, and whose names have been so frequently
mentioned--and, making our bow, to walk arm in arm together to the

LIBRARY OF THE ARSENAL.

The way thither is very interesting, although not very short. Whether your
hackney coachman take you through the _Marche des Innocents_, or straight
forward, along the banks of the Seine--passing two or three bridges--you
will be almost equally amused. But reflections of a graver cast will arise,
when you call to mind that it was in his way to THIS VERY LIBRARY--to have
a little bibliographical, or rather perhaps political, chat with his
beloved Sully--that Henry IV. fell by the hand of an Assassin.[87] They
shew you, at the further end of the apartments--distinguished by its
ornaments of gilt, and elaborate carvings--the _very boudoir_ ... where
that monarch and his prime minister frequently retired to settle the
affairs of the nation. Certainly, no man of education or of taste can enter
such an apartment without a diversion of some kind being given to the
current of his feelings. I will frankly own that I lost, for one little
minute, the recollection of the hundreds and thousands of volumes--
including even those which adorn the chamber wherein the head librarian
sits--which I had surveyed in my route thither. However, my present object
must be exclusively confined to an account of a very few choice articles of
these hundreds and thousands of volumes.

BIBLIA LATINA. _Printed by Fust and Schoiffher_, 1462. 2 vols. There are
not fewer than _three_ copies of this edition, which I shall almost begin
to think must be ranked among books of ordinary occurrence. Of these three,
two are UPON VELLUM, and the third is upon paper. The latter, or paper
copy, is cruelly cropt, and bad in every respect. Of the two upon vellum,
one is in vellum binding, and a fair sound copy; except that it has a few
initials cut out. The other vellum copy, which is bound in red morocco--
measuring full fifteen inches and a half, by eleven inches and a quarter--
affords the comfortable evidence of ancient ms. signatures at bottom. There
are doubtless some exceptionable leaves; but, upon the whole, it is a very
sound and desirable copy. It was obtained of the elder M. Brunet, father of
the well-known author of the Manuel du Libraire. M. Brunet senior found it
in the garret of a monastery, of which he had purchased the entire library;
and he sold it to the father of the present Comte d'Artois for six hundred
livres ... only!

ROMAUNT DE JASON, _Supposed to be printed by Caxton_. Folio. _Without
date_. This is a finer copy than the one in the Royal Library; but it is
imperfect, wanting two leaves.

Here is a copy of the very rare edition of the MORLINI _Novella Comoediae et
Fabulae_, printed in 1520 in 4to.:--also of the _Teatro Jesuitico--impresso
en Coimbra_, 1634, 4to.:--and of the _Missa Latina_, printed by Mylius in
1557, 8vo. which latter is a satire upon the mass, and considered
exceedingly rare. I regretted to observe so very bad a copy of the original
_Giunta_ Edition of the BOCCACCIO of 1527, 4to.

MISSALE PARISIENSE. 1522. Folio. A copy UPON VELLUM. I do not think it
possible for any library, in any part of the world, to produce a more
lovely volume than that upon which, at this moment, I must be supposed to
be gazing! In the illuminated initial letters, wood-cuts, tone and quality
of the vellum, and extreme skilfulness of the printer--it surely cannot be
surpassed. Nor is the taste of the binding inferior to its interior
condition. It is habited in the richly-starred morocco livery of Claude
d'Urfe: in other words, it came from that distinguished man's library.
Originally it appears to have been in the "_Bibliotheque de l'Eglise a
Paris_."

_Mozarabic Missal and Breviary_. 1500, 1502. Folio. Original Editions.
These copies are rather cropt, but sound and perfect.

THE DELPHIN STATIUS. Two copies: of which that in calf is the whitest, and
less beaten: the other is in dark morocco. The Abbe Grosier told me that De
Bure had offered him forty louis for one of them: to which I replied, and
now repeat the question, "where is the use of keeping _two_?" Rely upon it,
that, within a dozen years from hence, it will turn out that these Delphin
Statiuses have never been even _singed_ by a fire![88] I begin to suspect
that this story may be classed in the number of BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DELUSIONS--
upon which subject our friend * * could publish a most interesting crown
octavo volume: meet garniture for a Bibliomaniac's breakfast table.

Here is the ALDINE BIBLE of 1518, in Greek, upon _thick paper_, bound in
red morocco. Also a very fine copy of the _Icelandic Bible_ of 1644, folio,
bound in the same manner. Among the religious formularies, I observed a
copy of the _Liturgia Svecanae Ecclesiae catliolicae et orthodoxae conformis_,
in 1576, folio--which contains only LXXVI leaves, besides the dedication
and preface. It has a wood-cut frontispiece, and the text is printed in a
very large gothic letter. The commentary is in a smaller type. This may be
classed among the rarer books of its kind. But I must not forget a MS. of
_The Hours of St. Louis_--considered as _contemporaneous_. It is a most
beautiful small folio, or rather imperial octavo; and is in every respect
brilliant and precious. The gold, raised greatly beyond what is usually
seen in MSS. of this period, is as entire as it is splendid. The miniature
paintings are all in a charming state of preservation, and few things of
this kind can be considered more interesting.

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