Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/494

41 G NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. Mr. Loftie in this Journal,* is a magnificent specimen; and several, including an almost unique Parisian Missal, ]>rinted on vellum by Jean du Pre, in 1489, and a precious buok uf Hours ])riuted by Pigoucliet and Vostre in 14t»G, were exhibited at the rooms of the Institute in 1871. Pivssing on fnua the AiWo/'v to the si/mfnilisni of illuminated MSS., Mr. Kershaw remarks that Christians at fii^st "restricted their visible repre- sentations of sacred pei-souages and actions to mystic emblems. Thus the Cros« expressed Redemption; the Fish, Baptism; a Ship, the Church; the Serpent, Sin or the Spirit of Evil." The relation between Pagan and Christian art, he thinks, "holds a strong place in the history of svmbolism, and shows that I'agau forms adapted to Christian meanings have been the great key to chissic-Christiau art." Of this connection, he observes, " the walls and ceilings of the catacombs in Rome offer many illustrations, in which almost the first outlines of sacred art" ajipear "clothed in the classic garb which continued to exist, jtossibly, till the twelfth century." The phases of symbolism are too numerous to allow more than the mention, on the jiart of Mr. Kei-shaw, of a few leading examples, as, e. g., the jialm branch, assigned to martyrs; the crown, to royal saints; the roll, to prophets; the book, to Apostles and Evange- lists; the nimbus, aureole, triangle, circle, and stjuare either accompany- ing or typifying events and persons. Mr. Kershaw's observations on the practical uses of illmninated MSS. are l>rief, but to the purpose, and we agree with his assertion that those ])recious monuments of mediicval piety and skill " are a key to interpret the phases of national character, costume, mannei-s, life and thought of our ancestors." To ado] )t the words of Lady b^istlake, "through them history has lieeu transmitted with a continuity and fulness not to be found in any other forms of art, or, it may be said, in any forms of literature." There are al)out thirty illuminated MS. volumes in the Lambeth Liltnny, and of these at least foiu'teen present superior sjiecimens of art, from the eighth to the sixteenth century. These are arranged under conntrifii and in order of date, and minutely described by Mr. Kershaw. In an Old Testament (S. Jerome's Latin version) beginning with Oenesis and ending witii the Hook of Job, the Library jiossesses an unusually fine example of (Jerman art c)f the twelfth centuiy. The huge folio con- tains six full or three-tpiarter ]>ago illuniiniitions, and the cml)ellished lettere (a lithographed outline copy of one of which from Mr. Kershaw's Mauuiil, by the kindness of the Archbishop of (,';uiterl)ury, is here given), occupying a fonilh of the page, arc composed of bmnches interlacing each other in griicefnl symmetrical forms, combined with grotesipies as <lragon.V head.s, d'c, a style of ornament chamcteristic of the illinnina- tions of that jtcriod. Of portions of the New Testament, the Libraiy lia.s, among others, the venerable " (JoK|»els of .Mac Dnrnan,'* an cxceed- inglv rare an<l interesting specimen of " liiberno-Saxon art," ]iractiKed in Ireland!iH e:irly as the fifth century. Each (lospel is precedi-d by a Kfuted figure of its author, " mont grutescpiely dtliueated," ami is written in an exquisitely clear and sharp minuscule hand. This liook appears MtipfMiMTcl iii:vir I'jijk ii> II IiiiimL without with trarM." a |iiovi<Min )<niyir, iu<vt>r |t)iiiiU»l n «:iii- ' Ante, pp. ^•12-8. cilix williout hathing liiit own clio. kii