BOOK OF BLAZONRY, or of ARMS. This is an enormous folio MS. full of heraldic embellishments relating to the HOUSE of Austria.  Among these embellishments, the author of the text—­who lived in the XVIth century, and who was a very careful compiler—­has preserved a genuine, original portrait of LEOPOLD de SEMPACH, of the date of 1386.  It is very rarely that you observe portraits of this character, or form, introduced into MSS. of so early a period.  A nobler heraldic volume probably does not exist.  It is bound in wood, covered with red velvet; and the edges are gilt, over coloured armorial ornaments.

From such a volume, the step is both natural and easy to ROMANCES.  Sir TRISTAN shall lead the way.  Here are three MSS. of the feats of that Knight of the Round Table.  The first is of the XIIIth century; written in three columns, on a small thick gothic letter.  It has some small, and perfect illuminations.  This MS. became the property of Prince Eugene.  It was taken to Paris, but restored:  and has yet the French imperial eagle stamped in red ink.  It is indeed a “gloriously ponderous folio.”

A second MS. of the SAME ROMANCE is written in two columns, in a full short gothic letter.  It is very large, and the vellum is very perfect.  The illuminations, which are larger than those in the preceding MS. are evidently of the early part of the xvth century.  This book also belonged to Prince Eugene.  It is doubtless a precious volume.  A third MS. executed in pale ink, in a kind of secretary gothic letter, is probably of the latter end of the XIVth century.  The illuminations are only slightly tinted.

BRUT D’ANGLETTERRE.  I should apprehend this MS. to be of the early part of the XIVth century.  It is executed in a secretary gothic letter, in double columns, and the ink is much faded in colour.  It has but one illumination, which is at the beginning, and much faded.  This was also Prince Eugene’s copy; and was taken to Paris, but restored.

The last, but perhaps the most valuable in general estimation, of the MSS. examined by me, was the AUTOGRAPH of the GERUSALEMME LIBERATA, or, as formerly called, CONQUISTATA,[116] of Tasso:  upon which no accomplished Italian can look but with feelings almost approaching to rapture.  The MS. is imperfect; beginning with the xxxth canto of the second book, and ending with the LXth canto of the twenty-third book.

The preceding will probably give you some little satisfaction respecting the MSS. in this very precious collection.  I proceed therefore immediately to an account of the PRINTED BOOKS; premising that, after the accounts of nearly similar volumes, described as being in the libraries previously visited, you must not expect me to expatiate quite so copiously as upon former occasions.  I have divided the whole into four classes; namely, 1.  THEOLOGY; 2.  CLASSICS; 3.  MISCELLANEOUS, LATIN; (including Lexicography) 4.  ITALIAN; and 5.  FRENCH and GERMAN, exclusively of Theology.  I have also taken the pains of arranging each class in alphabetical order; so that you will consider what follows to be a very sober, and a sort of bibliopolistic, catalogue.