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e。 The flowers on the margin were painted by Robert。 Not long ago a French amateur was so lucky as to discover the MS。 book of prayers of Julie's noble mother； the Marquise de Rambouillet。 The Marquise wrote these prayers for her own devotions； and Jarry； the illuminator； declared that he found them most edifying； and delightful to study。 The manuscript is written on vellum by the famous Jarry； contains a portrait of the fair Julie herself； and is bound in morocco by Le Gascon。 The happy collector who possesses the volume now； heard vaguely that a manuscript of some interest was being exposed for sale at a trifling price in the shop of a country bookseller。 The description of the book； casual as it was； made mention of the monogram on the cover。 This was enough for the amateur。 He rushed to a railway station； travelled some three hundred miles； reached the country town； hastened to the bookseller's shop； and found that the book had been withdrawn by its owner。 Happily the possessor； unconscious of his bliss； was at home。 The amateur sought him out； paid the small sum demanded； and returned to Paris in triumph。 Thus； even in the region of manuscriptcollecting； there are extraordinary prizes for the intelligent collector。
TO KNOW IF A MANUSCRIPT IS PERFECT
If the manuscript is of English or French writing of the twelfth； thirteenth； fourteenth； or fifteenth centuries； it is probably either（1） a Bible； （2） a Psalter； （3） a book of Hours； or （4）； but rarely； a Missal。 It is not worth while to give the collation of a gradual； or a hymnal； or a processional； or a breviary； or any of the fifty different kinds of servicebooks which are occasionally met with； but which are never twice the same。
To collate one of them； the reader must go carefully through the book； seeing that the catchwords； if there are any； answer to the head lines； and if there are 〃signatures；〃 that is； if the foot of the leaves of a sheet of parchment has any mark for enabling the binder to 〃gather〃 them correctly； going through them； and seeing that each signed leaf has its corresponding 〃blank。〃
1。 To collate a Bible； it will be necessary first to go through the catchwords； if any； and signatures； as above； then to notice the contents。 The first page should contain the Epistle of St。 Jerome to the reader。 It will be observed that there is nothing of the nature of a titlepage； but I have often seen titlepages supplied by some ignorant imitator in the last century； with the idea that the book was imperfect without one。 The books of the Bible follow in orderbut the order not only differs from ours； but differs in different copies。 The Apocryphal books are always included。 The New Testament usually follows on the Old without any break； and the book concludes with an index of the Hebrew names and their signification in Latin； intended to help preachers to the figurative meaning of the biblical types and parables。 The last line of the Bible itself usually contains a colophon； in which sometimes the name of the writer is given； sometimes the length of time it has taken him to write； and sometimes merely the 〃Explicit。 Laus Deo；〃 which has found its way into many modern books。 This colophon； which es as a rule immediately before the index； often contains curious notes； hexameters giving the names of all the books； biographical or local memoranda； and should always be looked for by the collector。 One such line occurs to me。 It is in a Bible written in Italy in the thirteenth century
〃Qui scripsit scribat。 Vergilius spe domini vivat。〃
Vergilius was； no doubt； in this case the scribe。 The Latin and the writing are often equally crabbed。 In the Bodleian there is a Bible with this colophon
〃Finito libro referemus gratias Christo m。cc。lxv。 indict。 viij。 Ego Lafracus de Pacis de Cmoa scriptor scripsi。〃
This was also written in Italy。 English colophons are often very quaint〃Qui scripsit hunc librum fiat collocatus in Paradisum；〃 is an example。 The following gives us the name of one Master Gerard； who； in the fourteenth century； thus poetically described his ownership：
〃Si Ge ponaturet rar simul associatur Et dus reddaturcui perti ita vocatur。〃
In a Bible written in England； in the British Museum； there is a long colophon； in which； after the name of the writer〃hunc librum scripsit Wills de Hales；〃there is a prayer for Ralph of Nebham； who had called Hales to the writing of the book； followed by a date 〃Fes。 fuit liber anno M。cc。i。 quarto ab incarnatione domini。〃 In this Bible the books of the New Testament were in the following order： the Evangelists； the Acts； the Epistles of S。 Peter； S。 James； and S。 John； the Epistles of S。 Paul； and the Apocalypse。 In a Bible at Brussels I found the colophon after the index： 〃Hic expliciunt interpretationes Hebrayorum nominum Do gris qui potens est p。 sup。 omia。〃 Some of these Bibles are of marvellously small dimensions。 The smallest I ever saw was at Ghent； but it was very imperfect。 I have one in which there are thirteen lines of writing in an inch of the column。 The order of the books of the New Testament in Bibles of the thirteenth century is usually according to one or other of the three following arrangements：
（1。） The Evangelists； Romans to Hebrews； Acts； Epistles of S。 Peter； S。 James； and S。 John； Apocalypse。
（2。） The Evangelists； Acts； Epistles of S。 Peter； S。 James； and S。 John； Epistles of S。 Paul； Apocalypse。 This is the most mon。
（3。） The Evangelists； Acts； Epistles of S。 Peter； S。 James； and S。 John； Apocalypse； and Epistles of S。 Paul。
On the fly leaves of these old Bibles there are often very curious inscriptions。 In one I have this： 〃Haec biblia emi Haquinas prior monasterii Hatharbiensis de dono domini regis Norwegie。〃 Who was this King of Norway who； in 1310； gave the Prior of Hatherby money to buy a Bible； which was probably written at Canterbury？ And e has a Norwegian sound； and reminds us of St。 Thomas of that surname。 In another manuscript I have seen
〃Articula Fidei： Nascitur； abluitur； patitur； descendit at ima Surgit et ascendit； veniens discernere cuncta。〃
In another this：
〃Sacramenta ecclesiae： Abluo； fumo； cibo； piget； ordinat； uxor et ungit。〃
I will conclude these notes on MS。 Bibles with the following colophon from a copy written in Italy in the fifteenth century：
〃Finito libro vivamus semper in Christo Si semper in Christo carebimus ultimo leto。 Explicit Deo gratias； Amen。 Stephanus de Tantaldis scripsit in pergamo。〃
2。 The 〃Psalter〃 of the thirteenth century is usually to be considered a forerunner of the 〃Book of Hours。〃 It always contains； and usually mences with； a Calendar； in which are written against certain days the 〃obits〃 of benefactors and others； so that a well filled Psalter often bees a historical document of high value and importance。 The first page of the psalms is ornamented with a huge B； which often fills the whole page； and contains a representation of David and Goliath ingeniously fitted to the shape of the letter。 At the end are usually to be found the hymns of the Three Children； and others from the Bible together with the Te Deum； and sometimes； in late examples； a litany。 In some