A bibliographical, antiquarian and picturesque tour in France and Germany . to anticipate whatever is wonderful inFrancesco Veronese and gorgeous in Girolamo deiLiBRi.* Perhaps, however, this is not the most happyillustration of the art which it displays. Let us begin at the beginning. You, who have atlast become a most determined convert to the bibhope-gistic skill of Charles Lewis — you, who almost feela variety of contending twitches and pulsations, if avolume be not coated in the binding of that able artist—will be shocked, even to agony, on viewing the blackfish skin cover, with lining of
A bibliographical, antiquarian and picturesque tour in France and Germany . to anticipate whatever is wonderful inFrancesco Veronese and gorgeous in Girolamo deiLiBRi.* Perhaps, however, this is not the most happyillustration of the art which it displays. Let us begin at the beginning. You, who have atlast become a most determined convert to the bibhope-gistic skill of Charles Lewis — you, who almost feela variety of contending twitches and pulsations, if avolume be not coated in the binding of that able artist—will be shocked, even to agony, on viewing the blackfish skin cover, with lining of blotches of red, blue,and gilt paper (such as of old, in our infantine days,used to distinguish the butterfly-speckled httle tomesthat came flying all abroad from the manufactoryof Dan Newbery, of St. Pauls Church-yard celebrity)which protects this book. The first view of this ma-gical volume is doubtless rather disheartening: but thesight of the original silver clasps (luckily still pre-served) will operate by way of a comforter. Uponthem you observe this ornament:. denoting, by the letter and the ducal crown, tliat the • For an account of these ancient worthies in the art of illumination jconsult the Bibliographical Decameron, vol. i. p. cxlii-clxiv. 190 THE ROYAL LIBRARY. book belonged to Anne, Duchess of Brittany. Thestamp of its being national property — the yet iinsup-pressed badge of the foppery of the Revolution—is onthe recto of the first leaf; while the initials L. A. andA. L. (denoting the union of Anne with Louis XIL)with the arms of Anne in the centre, are on the reverseof the same leaf. These clasps and these latter marks areoriginal: the covers and the lining are modern. Nowfor the pleasing task of describing the the reverse of the second leaf we observe the DeadCkirst and the three Maries. The figures are about sixinches in height. They are executed with great deli-cacy, but in a style somewhat too feeble for their or two of
Size: 1395px × 1791px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectbibliography, booksubjectlibraries
