The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1905-11-11
THE Fine AR soS Ttis AoNks or
TIE MlDnI e AGES.


Written and illuminated Works
That Were Marsels OF SKIN and
InauEtry-AngIo-Sax Monks Orig
inated the Roman Letter.
There is scarcely any error SO popu-
bar, yet so unfounded, as that which
Invariably attributes unbounded indo-
lence to the monastic orders of former
Gays. To them we owe the preserva-
ton of literature. both in the pains they
took to perpetuate history by their la
bors in transcribing and by their. dill
gence In the education OF youth.
: In the large monasteries a chamber
was always set apart foe writing. al
lowing space in the same apartment
for other quiet employments also. The
transcribers were superintendent by the
abbot, prior. subprier and preeentor OF
the convent and were distinguished by
the name of ''antiquarii." These in
dustrious persons were continually oc-
cupied in making new-copies Of old
manuscript books for the use of other
monasteries, 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
of the small roman letter
nsei IN modern times. The greatest
deficiency and nicely were deemed es-
sential in, the tFanscribing of books.
whether for the purpose of general in
struetien or for tile ,lse OF the converts
Careless and illegible writing is
therefore but seldom to be met with
among the remains of monastic indus
try. and when erasures were made
they appear to have been done with
the utmost care and skill For this
purpose the nlenaSs used pumice stone.
and they were also provided With a
punctoriunl 81 wi. to make the dots.
and with uset pens for writing until
after the eenturE, when quiAs
were bros nfd use. they being far
better h1aA metal pens then In use.
q me In composed Of lamp
blaEk So with water and gum
Cor use ellum, paper not be-
Ing mil the tenth century:
6eEiee Eul distinctness, as
lfll6. Of very ancient
lllk nus So important was
lac In those days that
ANY as 100 different
styles were In vogue among theslearR-
ed.
With so many lmpediments to the
multiplication Of books as were at
tendant upon their slow production In
this manner, 1t Is not matter Of snr
prise that the monks enjoyed almost =
monopoly Of this kind ofslabor. a. IN
truth they were tie only body Of men
who could pF6neeiy conduct 1t. The
expense Of pcepatlnH booke was pro-
verbally great ard A1eeeseates were
frequently. Set abast Tor t1e thrposs Of
purchasing them. n addItI6n to the
cost Of transcrtbing, the materials Of
which books were composed were
sources Of great expense. The leaves
in many instances were composed Of
purple vellum for the purpose OF show
ing of to more advantage letters Of
gold and silver. The binding wassoften'
=Esry gorgeous. although OF rude cob
struction. S The iprevaflsng covering fsr
books was L toughs white sheepskn
pasted on wooden board. with Ina
mense bosses of brass. but the eX-
terror 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 pres
ents for exalted personages.
Illuminating manuscripts was also
another oGcupa ton of the3monkslof the
middle ages, although net confined to
them. for the greatest painters 3of the
day disdained not to contribute to these
cumbrous and sometimes confused dec
orations. The art of correct drawing
and knowledge of perspective cannot,
however, be ascribed TO the generality
of the fantastic pictures by which illu-
minated books are adorned. Coloring
and gliding appear to have been the
chief points to which the attention of
the Examinations was directed. The
neutral tint was first laid on somewhat
In the same mode as In the present day,
some portions being left untouched In
order to be afterward Embedded IN gold
and silver. The pictures represented
different subjects, according to the ma
ture of the book which they were IN
tended to embeilish The title on the
pages was formed of capital letters OF
gold and azure mixed Illuminated pic
lures are of dazzling brightness, the
white predominating. which, not being
an oil color. reflects the rays of light
and does not absorb them. So much
custom had the monks in their labors
of transcribing and Illuminating that
| they were sometimes obliged to intro
Grce hired limners, although contrary
! 10 the monastic rule in general, but
such aids were seldom resorted to. the
monks being usually The only laborers
/ The invention IF printing diminished
/ the ilnpoglst..ce aud annihilated the
pr'cG.i - 81 wing. AMI in 1860 that Of
e., .----.@,a- rs 0}efseaetl ethe art of ilfu
! a.. ss3zg- EeweA.aFlz. Ha9aaSa -.
Anticipating Trouble.
4 Young Wife ION the honeymoon
Dearest. | wish you wouldn't be SO ex
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