frequent opportunities of appreciating the splendour and beauty than the
Parisians; as it is not likely that the former will ever again become the
property of an Englishman. Doubtless, at the sale of the Duchess of
Portland's effects in 1786, some gallant French nobleman, if not Louis XVI.
himself, should have given an unlimited commission to purchase it, in order
that both _Missal_ and _Breviary_ might have resumed that close and
intimate acquaintance, which no doubt originally subsisted between them,
when they lay side by side upon the oaken shelves of their first
illustrious Owner. Of the _two_ performances, however, there can be no
question that the superiority lies decidedly with the _Missal_: on the
score of splendour, variety, and skilfulness of execution.

The last, and by much the most splendid illumination, is _that_ for which
the artists of the middle age, and especially the old illuminators, seem to
have reserved all their powers, and upon which they lavished all their
stock of gold, ultramarine, and carmine. You will readily anticipate that I
am about to add--the _Assumption of the Virgin_. One's memory is generally
fallacious in these matters; but of all the exquisite, and of all the
minute, elaborate, and dazzling works of art, of the illuminatory kind, I
am quite sure that I have not seen any thing which _exceeds_ this. To
_equal_ it--there may be some few: but its superior, (of its own particular
class of subject) I think it would be very difficult to discover.

HORAE BEATAE MARIAE VIRGINIS. This may be called either a large thick octavo,
or a very small folio. Probably it was originally more decidedly of the
latter kind. It is bound in fish skin; and a ms. note prefixed thus informs
us. "_Manuscrit aqui du C^{en} Papillon au commencement du mois de Frimaire
de lan XII. de la Republique."_ This is without doubt among the most superb
and beautiful books, of its class, in the Royal Library. The title is
ornamented in an unusual but splendid manner. Some of the larger
illuminations are elaborately executed; especially the first--representing
the _Annunciation_. The robe of the Angel, kneeling, is studded with small
pearls, finished with the minutest touches. The character of ART, generally
throughout, is that of the time and manner of the volume last described:
but the present is very frequently inferior in merit to what may be
observed in the Bedford Breviary. In regard to the number of decorations,
this