Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-22
Book Making
i'm Early Days

TT HERE is scarcely any error so
popular, yet so unfounded as that
4 which invariably attributes un-
bounded Incidence to the monastic
orders of former days.
To them we owe the preservation of
literature. both in the pains they took
to perpetuate history by their labors
in transcribing and by their diligence
i'll the education of the youth.
In the large monasteries chamber
was always set apart for writing, al
lowing space in the same apartment for
other quiet employments also.
The transcribers were Superintended
by the abbot, prior, sub-prior and pre-
centor of the convent, and were dis
tinguished by the name of "antiquarii.'
These Industrious persons were con-
tinuously occupied making new copies
OF old manuscript books for the use of
other monaSterieS, and by this means
many were educated and our most val
liable historical records were preserved
The Anglo-SaXon monks were most
celebrated as writer's, and We're the
originatorS of the small roman letter
used in modern times.
The greatest delicacy and nicely were
deemed essential in the transcribing of
books, whether for the purpose of gen.
eral instruction or for the use of the
converts.
Careless and illeglble writing is there
fore but seldom to be met with among
the remains of monaStic industry, and
when eraSureS 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 punctor1um,
or awl, to make the dots and with
metal pens for writing until after the
seventh century, when quills were
brought into use they being far better
than the metal pens then in use.
The inks were composed of lampblack
SCOT mixed with water and gum for use
upon the vellum, paper not being intro
duced until the tenth century. Hence
the beautiful distinctness, as well as
durability, of very ancient manuscript
bcoks. So important was the art OF
writing in those days that it is con-
ceded as many as one hundred different
STYLES were in vogue among the learned.
With so many impediments to the
MULTIPLICATION of books as were at
tendant upon their slow production in
this manner, it is not matter of
surprise that the monks enjoyed al
most a monopoly of this kind of labor,
as in truth they were the only body
of men who could properly conduct
it. The expense of preparing books
was proverbially great, and large es-
tates were frequently set apart for
the purpose of purchasing them. In
addition to the cost of transcribing, the
materials of which books were COM
posed were sources of great expense.
The leaves in many instances were
composed of purple velum for the pur-
pose of showing off to more advantage
letters of gold and silver. The binding
was often very gorgeous, although of
rude construction. The prevailing COW
ering for books was a rough, white
sheepskin. pasted on a wooden board,
with immense bosses of brass, but the
exterior of those intended for church
service was inlaid with gold relics
or silver embossed on ivory plates.
Some books had leaden covers and some
had wooden leaves, but even as early
as this bindings in velvet with silver
clasps and studs were made as presents
for exalted personages.
Illuminating manuscripts was also
another occupation of the monks Of
the middle ages, although not con-
fined to them, for the greatest painters
of the day disdained not to contribute
TO these cumbrous and sometimes con-
fused decorations. The art of correct
drawing and a knowledge of perspec-
tive cannot however be ascribed to
the generality of the fantastic pictures
by which illuminated books are
adorned. Coloring and gliding appear