cal authors and other _editiones principes_ received this
sumptuous treatment, but even such books as grammars and theological
treatises. A copy of the _Grammatica_ of Alexander Gallus (or _De
Villa Dei_) was lately offered for sale by auction, and realised L23;
it was printed on vellum of excellent character and colour about 1480.

A visit to the galleries where the show-cases are ranged at the
British Museum in intelligible order, is by no means the worst method
of arriving at an introductory or general acquaintance with this
aspect of the matter. For there examples of printing on parchment or
vellum in all countries from the earliest period are conveniently
grouped together. The National Library is fairly rich in treasures of
the present class, partly owing to the two facts, that it has
inherited a good deal from the old royal collections and the Grenville
one, and that it was already in the field when prices were more
consistent with the financial resources of the institution. Among the
productions on vellum here to be found are the Gutenberg, and Fust
and Schoeffer, Bibles (1455-62); the Psalters of 1457 and 1459; the
Cicero of 1465; the Livy of 1469; the _Book of St. Albans_, 1486; one
of the two known Caxtons on vellum (the _Speculum Vitae Christi_,
bought of Mr. Maskell in 1864); the Sarum Missals of 1492 and 1497;
the Great Bible of 1540; and the Works of Aquinas, in seventeen folio
volumes, formerly belonging to Pope Pius V. and Philip III. of Spain.
A curious episode is connected with the last item. In the time of
Panizzi the copy was offered for sale, and the Museum commission
(L300, we believe) was topped; but the book occurred again, and was
acquired by Coventry Patmore, who presented it to the establishment,
where he had for many years been an officer.

On the whole, there is no doubt that the English, and much more the
Scotish, printers employed this costly and durable substance far more
sparingly than those of the Continent. Of many no specimens whatever
have descended to us; and the circumstances render it improbable that
we shall hereafter add sensibly to our stores in this direction. In
the case even of the Romish service-books, printed on paper, it is a
matter of common knowledge among book-lovers that the _Canon Missae_,
which was subject to exceptional wear and tear, is usually on vellum.

In our own language, works which we are accustomed to view as
essentially popular were occasionally struck