n
_Evangelistarium_, or excerpts from the four Gospels. The writing is a
small roman lower-case. The illuminations, like those in the Bible, are
rubbed and faded, and they are smaller. The exterior ornament of the
binding, in the middle, contains a group of ivory figures--taken from the
_original_ covering or binding.

BOOK OF THE GOSPELS, OF THE EMPEROR LOTHARIUS. Although it is very probable
that this book may be of a somewhat earlier date than the MS. just
described, yet as its original possessor was brother to _Charles the Bald_,
it is but courtesy to place him in the second rank after the French
monarch; and accordingly I have here inserted the volume in the order which
I apprehend ought to be observed. An ancient ms. memorandum tells us that
this book was executed in the 855th year of the Christian era, and in the
15th of the Emperor's reign. On the reverse of the first leaf is the
portrait of the Emperor, with an attendant on each side. The text commences
on the recto of the second leaf. On the reverse of the same leaf, is a
representation of the Creator. Upon the whole, this book may be classed
among the most precious specimens of early art in this library. On the
cover are the royal arms.

LATIN BIBLE. Fol. This MS. of the sacred text is in four folio volumes, and
undoubtedly cannot be later than the thirteenth century. The text is
written with three columns in each page. Of the illuminations, the figures
are sketches, but freely executed: the colouring coarse and slightly put
on: the wings of some of the angels reminded me of those in the curious
_Hyde-Book_, belonging to the Marquis of Buckingham at Stowe; and of which,
as you may remember, there are fac-similes in _the Bibliographical
Decameron_.[32] The group of angels (on the reverse of the fourth leaf of
the first volume), attending the Almighty's commands, is cleverly managed
as to the draperies. The soldiers have quilted or net armour. The initial
letters are sometimes large, in the fashion of those in the Bible of
Charles the Bald, but very inferior in execution. In this MS. we may trace
something, I think, of the decline of art.

PSALTERIUM LATINE, 8vo. If I were called upon to select any one volume, of
given octavo dimensions, I do not know whether I should not put my hand
upon the _present_--for you are hereby to know that this was the religious
manual of ST. LOUIS:--his own choice copy--selected, I warrant, from half a
score of performances of ri