The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-05-07
MANUSCRIPTS OF HIGH VALUE.
Some of the Rarest In the World Are
In the Aston Library.

some OF the H8resc In the WOTlu ARE
In the Aston Library.
There are 100000 worth of ancient
manuscripts in the Astor library, but
the Oldest of these is the Evangelister-
ium, which is said to have been ex-
pressly executed for Charles the Bald,
the grandson of Charlemagne. He was
patron of the fine arts, and was es-
pecially fond of embellished manu-
scripts. This rare and precious man
uscript, which few people are aware IS
possessed by our city, is written on
fine vellum and is an oblong quarto
of 400 pages. The first four pages have
splendid full-length miniatures OF the
four evangelists, profusely Illuminated
with liquid gold and emerald green,
shaded with red and white on an en-
purpled ground, the pictures covering
the entire page.
ST. Matthew is represented as beard
less youth inclined on lecturn, upon
which there is q book with the first
words of his gospel inscribed on 1t. st.
Mark is represented as bearded and sit
ting upright on a throne, holding in
his left hand closed book with the first
words of his gospel inscribed on it's
back On the third page is picture
of st. Luke, looking more aged than his
companions. He is shown with an INK
horn in one hand, writing his gospels
St. John is shown on a throne holding
an open scroll in his hand, upon which
many words are discernable. The fifth
page of this volume contains the en-
blems of the four evangelists- the
four living creatures that the prophet
Ezekiel beheld in vision surrounding
the throne of God. Matthew has for
his symbol a creature with a human
head, Mark the lion head, John the
eagle while Luke is represented by the
winged bull-headed figure. The ninth
page is magnificent specimen OF inter
laced capitals peculiar to manuscripts
of the Carlovingian era. This highly
illustrated sheet forms the title page OF
the book 1t has only fifteen letters
but a closer examination reveals the
marks for hidden letters. The words
are "Legendum per Ami Curriculum"
One page of this precious volume is
equally emblazoned with brilliant gold
and colors and has the word Dominus
inserted on it, There are several other
pages equally embellished with multi
piled interlacings and leafy shadow
ings. The services for the principal
festivities are marvelous1y executed
and the seventeen pages for Easter are
magnificent can give no adequate de-
scription of this precious relic OF the
ancient art now in New York. A COM
parison with modern specimens shows
that we have but little advanced over
the monk artists of the ninth century.
DR.. Frederick Sanders, the venerable
librarian of the Astor library, justly
calls this manuscript IAN unriValed
beauty"
This superb manuscript was secured
some fifteen years ago by the late MT.
Astor from the famous London biblio-
phile, Bernard Quartrich, who cata-
logued it in 1880 at $4,000. There are
more costly manuscripts in the Astor.
library-for instance, the Antiphonatre
of Charles X, for which am assured
the late J. j. Astor paid $4,000. But.
this old manuscript of Charles the Bald
has, as an antique, no rival.-The
ChautauOuan