Of course, here are some specimens of illuminated Hours, both in manuscript and print.  In the former, I must make you acquainted with a truly beautiful volume; upon the fly leaf of which we read as follows:  “I 3 F, RT, lo Fortitudo Eius Rhodum tenuit Amadeus Graff^{9} Sauoia.”  Below, “Biblioth:  Sem:  Mergenth:”  then, a long German note, of which I understood not one word, and as M. Le Bret was not near me, I could not obtain the solution of it.  But although I do not understand one word of this note, I do understand that this is one of the very prettiest, and most singularly illuminated Missals, which any library can possess:  broad margins:  vellum, white as snow in colour, and soft as that of Venice in touch!  The text is written in a tall, close, gothic character—­between, as I should conceive, the years 1460 and 1480.  The drolleries are delightfully introduced and executed.  The initial letters are large and singular; the subject being executed within compartments of gothic architecture.  The figures, of which these subjects are composed, are very small; generally darkly shaded, and highly relieved.  They are numerous.  Of these initial letters, the fifth to the ninth, inclusively, are striking:  the sixth being the most curious, and the ninth the most elaborate.  The binding of this volume seems to be of the sixteenth century.  This is as it should be.

But, more precious than either, or than both, or than three times as many of the preceding illuminated volumes—­in the estimation of our friend * * * would be a MS. of which the title runs thus:  “Libri Duo de Vita S. WILLIBROORDI Archiepiscopi autore humili de vita ALCUINI cum prefat. ad Beonradum Archiepiscopum.  Liber secundus metrice scriptus est."[17] Then an old inscription, thus:  “Althwinus de vita Willibrordi Epi.”  There can be no doubt of this MS. being at least as old as the eleventh century.

The PRINTED BOOKS—­at least the account of such as seemed to demand a more particular examination, will not occupy a very great share of your attention.  I will begin with a pretty little VELLUM COPY of the well-known Hortulus Animae, of the date of 1498, in 12mo., printed by Wilhelmus Schaffener de Ropperswiler, at Strasbourg.  The vellum is excellent; and the wood cuts, rather plentifully sprinkled through the volume, happen fortunately to be well-coloured.  This copy appears to have come from the “Weingarth Monastery", with the date of 1617 upon it—­as that of its having been then purchased for the monastery.  It is in its original wooden binding:  wanting repair.  Here are a few Roman Classics, which are more choice than those in the Public Library:  as Reisinger’s Suetonius, in 4to. but cropt, and half bound in red morocco, with yellow sprinkled edges to the leaves—­a woful specimen of the general style of binding in this library. Lucretius, 1486:  Manilius, 1474:  both in one