This book contains several large illuminations, and coloured borders; and I was told, by its owner, that it was the very book upon which the OATHS OF INITIATION INTO THE SPANISH INQUISITION were administered.  Its condition is most perfect.  The first large illumination represents a Saint, with his scull divided by a sword, and blood streaming copiously from him:  a palm, with three crowns, is in his right hand; a book is in his left:  at top we read “Exsurge Domine, et judica Causam tuam.”  The Saint is surrounded by a border of fruits and flowers.  It is the principal embellishment in the volume.  This book is in its original, black leather, stamped binding, with knobs and clasps.  A marginal note thus remarks:  “ynoscan obligados asseruier cargome off^o. de ella salbo si de su voluntad loquisier en servi.”

In my last visit to Denon,[177] I met with ANDRIEU; a name which reflects lustre upon the Fine Arts.  As a medallist, he has no equal, nor perhaps ever had any, among the French.  Our own SIMON enables us to oppose to him a rival of great and unquestionable talents; but we have slept soundly, both in the medallic and numismatic art, since the time of Cromwell:  except that we were shook a little out of our slumbers during the reigns of Anne and George I. Andrieu has more of the pure Greek feeling about him, than Simon ever evinced:  and prefers executing his hair more in masses than in detail.  He is therefore on this head, a copyist; but he transfuses into the countenance that soul and intelligence which we delight to contemplate, and which we are prompt to own, in the countenances upon Greek coins.  The series of Bonaparte-Medals are, almost entirely, I believe, the work of his hand.  But every head is safe with Andrieu.  He had just brought a medal of the present King (Louis XVIII.) to shew Denon.  It was about the size of our half crown, in bronze.  The countenance was in profile:—­an admirable, and a very strong resemblance.  The reverse was the equestrian statue of Henri IV., upon the Pont-Neuf.[178] Upon the whole, quite as good, as an effort of art, as what has been done for Bonaparte.  The artist had well nigh succeeded in drawing me into a sort of half temptation to bespeak an impression of the medal in gold.  “It was but a trifling sum—­some twenty louis, or thereabouts.  It would look so sharp and splendid in gold! and....”  “I thank you much Sir, (replied I) but twenty louis will carry me almost to Strasbourg, whither I am to proceed in about a week or ten days.”  One thing I must add, much to his good sense and pure patriotic feeling:—­he had been indirectly solicited to strike some medals, commemorative of the illustrious achievements of our WELLINGTON:  but this he pointedly declined.  “It was not, Sir, for me to perpetuate the name of a man who had humbled the power, and the military glory, of my own country.”  Such was his remark to me.  What is commendable in MUDIE,[179] would have been ill-timed, if not disgraceful, in Andrieu.