New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-30
"CRISS- CROSS-ROW
IT'S ORIGIN IN THE QUATNTEST OF
QUAINT BOOKS.


VI. Tuer F. s. A. Illustrated. In Two Vol
umes. octave PIP. xiv. l79; tx, 27s Charles Scrb-
ners Sons.
Charles Lamb would have reshed this book
1t is with no disrespect to Mr.. Tuer that the
reader wishes that Ella might have written It.
The theme is one upon which dscursve, fanci-
full and whimsical writer might wreak himself
to the delight Of his public. and this no less be-
cause Of horn book ana" there is little enough.
One does not want facts alone in the history Of
this curious instrument OF old rudimentary
learning. Facts are valuable, but the elusive
poetry Of the thing is. If anything, moe impor-
tant What pathos hangs about these relics Of
school children centuries ago. and. sometimes,
what romance In Mr. Tuer's first volume there
is a hOrn-book reproduced of which the back
and handle are covered with the most exquisite
fligree OF silver Queen Elizabeth owned It,
perhaps had learned her letters from It, and she
gave il to Lord Chancellor Eyer ton. Of Tatton.
1t is pretty TO think of the virgin queen as using
this patrician horn-book in her childhood, pref
tier TO think of her loyal preservation OF it. the
latter circumstance throwing light on n side OF
her nature which is rot often apprehended or
considered by her biographers. The sovereign
who could treasure up the book from which she
had learned the alphabet and the Lords Prayer,
who could present it as mark Of her conf
dence TO one of the eminent MOBILES Of her court.
must have had a subtler strain OF sentiment in
her than even the student Of her courtships.
such as Mr. Martin Hume would be apt to sus-
pect
There is nothing Of the whimsical writer about
Mr. Tuer: he proved that long ago when he pub
lished his useful work Bartolozzi. but he
proved then. also that he was an antiquarian Of
endless patience and scrupulous accuracy.
The two beautiful volumes which he de-
votes to the horn-book will confirm his
reputation for thorouEhness and discreet en-
thusiasm. The books packed with out-of
the-way fragments of horn-book erudtion and
the opposite citations are countless He saw at
the beginning, as Hone Of Everyday Book
fame had seen before him. that the horn-book
had never been regarded of enough mpor-
lance foe its history to have been written during
its palmy days: but he has spared no pains to as
semble such fugitive bits of alluson as remain
in old English literature. As far back as the
fifteenth century a Book of Curtesye.' dedicat-
ed to the exposition OF good manners. contained
a verse which Mr.. Tuer rightly calls suggest
i've. e. in connection with his subject proba-
bic indication that the horn-book was used as
much in the fifteenth century, even the CEN
fury before as in the sixteenth. This verse
runs follows:
In the morcnynge whan We up rise
TO worshpe code have in memorie.
WITH crystes crosse oke We blcsse you Christ
Your pater ncster save in deuoute wyse.
Aue Maria with the holy credc,
Theme allie the day the better shall ye spede.
Where Is the alusion to the horn-book in this?
the reader may ask In the 'crystes crosse"
which brings us literally to the beginning of the
horn book That ancient implement OF learning.
whose outlines and purpose should. perhaps.
have been described sooner herein. was a rude
slab Of wood cut away on the sides at one end
so as to leave projection in the middle suitable
for handle on the front Of this board. which
was made about the size of the hand-mirrOr
which it resembled but often much smaller. was
pasted printed slip on which the alphabet APP
peared with the figures from one to nine and
zero, and with the Lords Prayer beneath. To
protect this primitive primer from the careless
and grubby hands of childhood. thin sheet Of
translucent horn spread over it. being re-
tanned on the board in the commOner horn-book.
with strips Of brass tackled down. Such horn
book as has been mentioned belonging 70
Queen Elizabeth would have the silver back
turned over at the edges. so as to serve In place
Of the brass strips to which we have referred.
but these aristocratic specimens are excessively
rare to-day. and they were peculiar to the
houses of the great. they probably never existed
in large numbers. Now the good old mistress
Of a sixteenth century dame school was not,
any more than the pious master Of stately
manor. dsposed to let the young minds under
her care Commence scholar" without a little
admonition as to conduct being thrown in with
the alphabet. and thus we get "crystes crosse,
or criss-cross-row, the row of letters with
* int IA
low Mr. Tucr through the quaint developments
Of this early form Of instruction. and especially
through his notes on the cross. which plays so
conspicuous a part i'm it's history. Indeed. some
rare horn books have been recorded which were
made in the shape Of cross and Mr. Tuer has
a pathetic chapter in which he sets down the
malignant and senseless dongs Of one Chanteri.
who had such a horn-book but sold II to a col
lector of the retiring sort, and who could not be
prevailed upon to put our author on its track.
OF one thing We may be sure The use Of
Christs cross. Of Christ-cross or Crst-cIoss or
Criss-cross. or any of the other variants. as
svncayme for the alphabet, is not to be ascribed
TO the shape OF the horn-book. but TO the almost
invariable presence Of the printed cross at the
head Of the letters. Mr. Tuer refers to a delight
ful little Chap-Book rhyme which he found in
volume by Mr. John Ashton. devoted to eigh-
teenth century lore on wonderfully inter
laced ribbon some signing lover who had evil
IDENTIFY been familiar with the horn-book in his
boyhood writes the following:
\ 3 begins Loves Cris Row.
Loves not without - or two.
A double begins this knot.
Without res Merit is not.
This Kno: and Love are both alike
Whose first and last are both TO seek
No : can stay true Loves intent,
II still goes What is ment
And though II Meats with many one.
True Love makes seem none.
He that loves must Learn to know
r begins Loves Girls r Row.
II is someN hat surprising to find that one can