New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-13
Mr.. MORGAN,S RARE BIBLE
What GiUes Especial VaIue to This
Historic Fragment.
Paris. July ?.

SdAAsF . ois
The French Academy Of Inscriptions and
Bellies Lettres publishes a description and fixes
the precise historic value of the fragment OF the
Illustrated Bible purchased by Mr.. J. Pierpont
Morgan and which figured in the Paris EXPOSE
tons Of 1882 and 1889. N Delisle. former d.
rector Of the National Library in Paris. through
q common friend Mr.. Henry Thompson Yates,
Induced Mr.. Morgan TO have the leaves Of the
manuscript photographed Moreover. Mr. Nor
gan recently brought the manuscript with him
70 Paris and showed it 10 N. Delisle. The in
terest Of the manuscript is due 10 the following
facts: In the thirteenth century a most re-
markable work was executed. intended TO Illus
trate and explain the allegoric meaning OF nu-
merous passages in the Bible The work COM
pr!sed more than five thousand miniature illu-
limitations. II is the most important relic Of the
kind Of the thirteenth century. The book was
divided into three parts-one Of these is in the
BodIeian Library, at Oxford; the second is IN
the National Library OF Paris. and the third Is
in the British Museum. Nothing in any OF these
three parts throws light upon the conditions
under which the work was undertaken.
The manuscript of Mr.. Morgan supplies this
information Il contains q final leaf the equiv
slent Of which is not 10 be found elsewhere, and
which explains the origin Of the work The page
IN question contains on a golden ground an
enamelled picture of wonderful brilliancy. In
the two upper compartments Of the picture is
king with crown and sceptre seated his
throne, and 10 the kings right is queen also
wearing a crown, and extending her arms
toward the king In the lower compartments of
the picture there is an ecclesiastical dignitary
seated at a desk holding In his hand book.
The ecclesiastic is giving instructions a scribe
who. with q reed IN his right hand and eraser
IN his left, is making inscriptions upon page
Of the illustrated Bible. We thus find the por-
trait OF the compiler Of the Bible OF the scribe
who worked upon II. OF the queen who pre-
sented il. and OF the king who accepted Il. The
king is St Louis. the queen is either St Louis's
mother. Blanche Of CASTLE. or his wife. Margaret
OF Provence
The Academy Of Inscriptions and Bellies Let
tres also publishes a description OF the inscribed
stones recently unearthed beneath the villa
Sciarra, the eastern slope of the Janicule, IN
front of the Ayentinus at Rome. in course OF the
construction upon that site OF the new residence
for Mr.. and Mrs. George W. Wurtz. OF New
York The stones enable archaologtsts definite
y 70 settle several disputed points in classical
topography. Among the excavations Is marble
altar, decorated with masks Of satyrs, birds and
bucrani, bearing n inscription in Greek show
ing II 10 be dedicated, by command. TO the god
dess Artemis, to Kupris the Sidonian Venus, and
20 the Nymphs Furrines. The Academy of In
scriptions regrets that, owing to the absence OF
NJ. Wurtz from Rome. the excavations, promis-
ing considerable areheologic interest, were not
made before his new house built. thereby
closing them up under solid masonry. c. L B.