there the mystical forms of the Evangelists, there an eagle, here a calf, so closely wrought together, that if you look carelessly at them, they would seem rather like a uniform blot than like an exquisite interweavement of figures; exhibiting no perfection of skill or art, where all is really skill and perfection of art.  But if you look closely at them with all the acuteness of sight that you can command, and examine the inmost secrets of this wondrous art, you will discover such delicate, such wonderful and finely wrought lines, twisted and interwoven with such intricate knots and adorned with such fresh and brilliant colours, that you will readily acknowledge the whole to have been the work of angelic rather than human skill.”

At first gold was not used at all in Irish work, but the manuscripts of a slightly later date, and especially of the Anglo-Saxon school, show a superbly decorative use both of gold and silver.  The “Coronation Oath Book of the Anglo-Saxon Kings” is especially rich in this exquisite metallic harmony.  By degrees, also, the Anglo-Saxons became more perfected in the portrayal of the human figure, so that by the twelfth century the work of the Southern schools and those of England were more alike than at any previous time.

[Illustration:  IVY PATTERN, FROM A 14TH CENTURY FRENCH MANUSCRIPT]

In the Northern manuscripts of the eleventh and twelfth centuries it is amusing to note that the bad characters are always represented as having large hooked noses, which fact testifies to the dislike of the Northern races for the Italians and Southern peoples.

The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries may be considered to stand for the “Golden Age” of miniature art in all the countries of Europe.  In England and France especially the illuminated books of the thirteenth century were marvels of delicate work, among which the Tenison Psalter and the Psalter of Queen Mary, both in the British Museum, are excellent examples.  Queen Mary’s Psalter was not really painted for Queen Mary; it was executed two centuries earlier.  But it was being sent abroad in 1553, and was seized by the Customs.  They refused to allow it to pass.  Afterwards it was presented to Queen Mary.

At this time grew up a most beautiful and decorative style, known as “ivy pattern,” consisting of little graceful flowering sprays, with tiny ivy leaves in gold and colours.  The Gothic feeling prevails in this motive, and the foliate forms are full of spined cusps.  The effect of a book decorated in the ivy pattern, is radiant and jewelled as the pages turn, and the burnishing of the gold was brought to its full perfection at this time.  The value of the creamy surface of the vellum was recognized as part of the colour scheme.  With the high polish of the gold it was necessary to use always the strong crude colours, as the duller tints would appear faded by contrast.  In the later stages of the art, when a greater realism was attempted, and better drawing had made it necessary to use quieter tones, gold paint was generally adopted instead of leaf, as being less conspicuous and more in harmony with the general scheme; and one of the chief glories of book decoration died in this change.