Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-09
EARLY ~BOOKMAKERS
THE FINE ART OF THE MONKS OF
THE MIDDLE AGES.

W u WOfAU
That Were Marvcls Of Skill and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Monks Orig.
mated the Roman Letter.
There is scarcely any error so popu.
lar, yet SO unfounded, as that which
invariably attributes %unbounded indo.
ience to the monastic orders of former
days. To them We owe the prcserva.
ton Of literature, both In the pains they
took to pcrpetuate history by their Ia
bors in transcribing and by their dill
gcnce in the education of youth.
In the large inconsistencies a chamber
was always set apart for writing, nj.
lowing space in the same apartment
for other quiet emplOyments also. The
transcribers were superintendent by the
abbot, prior. sS,prior and precentor Of
the convent and were distinguished by
the name of "%antiquarii." These in
dustrious persons were continually &C.
cupied in making new copies of old
manuscript books for the use Of other
inconsistencies, and by this means many
were educated and our most valuable
historical records were preserved.
The Anglo-Saxon monks were most
celebrated as writer's and were the
o%riginators Of the small roman letter
used in modern times. The greatest
dclicacy and nicely were deemed es-
sential in the transcribing Of books,
whether for the purpose of general in
struction or for the use of the converts.
Careless and illegible writing il
therefore but seldom to be met with
among the remains Of monastic indus
try. and when crasures were made
they appear to have been done with
the utmost care and skill. For this
purpose the monks used pumice stone,
and they were also provided with a
punctorium, or awl. to make the dots
and with metal pens for writing until
after the seventh century. when quilts
were brought into use, they being far
better than the metal pens then in use.
The inks were composed Of lamp
black SCOT mixed with water and gum
for use upon the vellum. paper not be-
ing introduced until the tenth century;
hence the beautiful ~distinctness. as
well as durability, Of very ancient
manuscript books. So important was
the art Of writing in those days that
it is conceded as many as 100 different
styles were in vogue among the learn
ed.
With SO many impediments to the
| multiplication of books as were at
tendant upon their slow production in
| this mannc it Is not a matter of sur
prise that the monks enjoyed almost a
monopoly of this kind Of labor. as in
| truth they were the only body of men
who could properly conduct 1t. The
expense OF preparing hooks was pro
verbally great, and large estates were
frequently set apart for the purpose OF
purchasing them. In addition to the
cost Of transcribing. the materials of
which books We're composed were
in many instances We're composed OF
purple vellum for the purpose Of show
ing off to more advantage letters OF
| gold and silver. The binding was often
very gorgeous. although of rude con.
structlon. The prevailing covering for
books was a rough white sheepskin
| pasted on a wooden board, with i'm
mensc bosses Of brass, but the ex.
terror of those intended for church
service was inlaid with gold relics OF
silver embossed on ivory plates. Some
books had lcaden covers and some had
wooden leaves, but even as early as
this bindings in velvet with silver
clasps and studs We're made as pres
ents for exalted persOnages.
Illuminating manuscripts was als'
another occupation Of the monks Of tn
middle ages, although not confined t.
them, for the greatest painters Of TIT
day dlsdained not to contribute to thes'
cumbrous and sometimes confused dec
%orations. The art of correct drawing
and a knowledge of perspective cannot
however, be ascribcd TO the generalit!
of the fantastic pictures by which illu
minated books are adorned. Colorin:
and gliding appear to have been tn
chief points to which the attention O
the Examinations was directed. Til,
neutral tint was first laid on somewha
In the same mode as in the present day
some portions being left untouched il
order to be afterward imbedded in golt
and silver. The pictures representa-,
different subjects. according to the IA
ture Of the book which they were in
tended to embellish. The title on tin
pages was formed Of capital letters o
gold and azure mixed. Illuminated pic
lures are of Il dazzling brightness. tn,
white predominating, which. not bein,
an oil color, reflects the rays Of ligh
and does not absorb them. SO nue.
custom had the monks in their labor
of transcribing and Illuminating tina
they We're sometimes obliged to intro
duce hired limners. although c~ontrar,
to the monastic rule In general, bu
such aids were seldom resOrted to, tn
monks being usually the only laborer,
The invention of printing dlminishe'
the importance and annihilated tn
profits of writing. and in l4G0 that o
engraving superseded the art of illu
minating.-New York Herald.