A lady—we may assume the mother—sits on a couch, or chaise-longue, with a girl on her lap and another against her shoulder; a boy sits next to her with a picture-book. In the background, two men are holding their top hats. A cat plays wth a string.

Buckram or cloth with stamped pattern, with a gold inlay. I have made a separate image for the Victorian border formed by the stamped gold.

A family of First Nations (Native) people at the shore, including two men, two women and an infant. The picture is fanciful: headdresses and other regalia weer not generally worn lightly, and were certainly not fastened by piercing a hole into the skull!

The piece is signed by T. H. Matteson and also by “Rice & Buttre”. The Size given refers to the main engraving, not including the captions, even though they would have been carved out of the same block or plate.

There is also a Computer Wallpaper version.

A Desktop background/ Wallpaper version of The Last of their Race, made by cutting off the caption at the bototm.

This Victorian decorative border is taken from the cover of the book; it features flowers and berries. Note that it is made from eight separate pieces that you could move around if you wanted: for example, to make a square border, remove the centre pieces from ether side. The design had an extra thick rectangular box around it originally, and that would help it, but on theactual book cover it wasn’t in good enouh condition to retain.

This diagram, taken from plate XLII on eclipses, shows the sun as an eight-pointed star with a face in the middle, including eyes, nose and mouth! (Obviously the sun does not have a beard, since the hair would burn away!)

A diagram with the sun in the middle, complete with a face, and showing the illumination of the earth at varoius times of the year, marked by month and zodiac sign. There is also a version of this diagram with only the sun, and also the full diagram.

A naked man is shown, without his skin, so that the muscles can be seen, in order to teach anatomy.

A copper-plate engraving representing a star from a diagram explaining astronomy; you can also see the full diagram.

The purpose of the four interwoven figures here is to explain how an eclipse of Jupiter’s satellites (or moons) works. I will scan the details on request. These are beautifully-engraved diagrams, with a very ornate representation of the sun.

I have also made separate images for the sun and its circle of eclipses, the sun itself, with its ace, and the small antique star picture.

“Stocks were used, at an early period, as a means of punishing breakers of the law. The precise date when they were first emplyed in this country is not known, but we may infer from early mediaeval illustrations that the stocks were in general use amongst the Anglo-Saxons, for they often figure in drawings of their public places. The picture we give here is from the Harleian MSS., No. 65. The stocks were usually placed bu the side of the public road, at the entrance of a town. It will be observed that the two offenders are fastened to the columns of a public building by means of a rope or chain. It has been suggested that it is a court-house.” (p. 173)

The man in the stocks has bare feet and legs; probably the two chained men do too, but it’s hard to tell. The prisoner in the stocks appears to be trying to sleep sitting up, resting his head on his hand. Each of the other two men has his wrists held together by a chain which is fastened to a pillar supporting the tiled roof of the building.

Stocks and whiping-post, Aldbury, from a photo by A. Whitford Anderson, Esq., Watford.

A half-timbered house, probably Tudor, beside a pond; in the foreground are wooden stocks, with the somewhat unevenly placed holes just visible, and one post higher so as to be used as a whipping post.

Hertfordshire Geneaology has another similar picture. Today Aldbury is part of the Borough of Dacorum. The stocks and whipping-post are still there, but not as complete.

The Anglo-Saxons whipped prisoners with a whip of three cords, knotted at the end. It was not an uncommon practice for mistresses to whip, or have their servants whipped, to death. William of Malmesbury relates a story to the effect that when King Ethelred was a child, he on one occasion displeased his mother, and she, not having a whip at hand, flogged him with some candles until he was nearly insensible with pain. “On this account,” so runs the story, “he dreaded candles during the rest of his life to such a degree that he would never suffer the light of them to be introduced in his presence.” During the Saxon epoch, flogging was generally adopted as means of punishing persons guilty of offences, whether slight or serious.

For a long time in our history, payments for using the lash formed important items in the municipal accounts of towns or parish accounts of villages.

Before the monasteries were dissolved, the poor were relieved at them. No sooner had they passed away than the vagrants became a nuisance, and steps were taken to put a stop to begging; indeed, prior to this period attempts had been made to check wandering vagrants. They were referred to in the “Statute of Laborours,” passed in the year 1349. Not a few enactments were made to keep down vagrancy. In the reign of Edward VI, in 1547, an Act was passed, from which it appears “that any person who had offered them work which they refused, was authorised to brand them on the breast with a V, hold them in slavery for two years, feed them during that period on bread and water, and hire them out to others.” The Act failed on account of it sseverity, and was repealed in 1549.

It was in the reign of Henry VIII, and in the year 1530, that the famous Whipping Act was instituted, directing that vagrants were to be carried to some market town or other place, “and there tied to the end of a cart naked, and beaten with whips throughout such market town, or other place, till the body shall be bloody by reason of such whipping.” Vagrants, after being whipped, had to take an oath that they would return to their native places, or where they had last dwelt for three years. Various temporary modifications were made in this Act, but it remained in force until the thirtyninth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when some important alterations were made. Persons were not to be publicly whipped naked, as previously, but from the middle upwards, and whipped until the body should be bloody. It will be observed [that] the seat for the culprits placed in the stocks was beside one of the immense oak pillars of the market-house. They are now placed with the remains of the Pillory at the entrance of the schoolroom, on the south-west side of the church.” (pp. 194 – 197)

There are a number of other pictures of stocks and other punishments, both with and without people!

A plain dark blue book cover. But people don’t often scan the plain covers, so here it is.

“The “Cambridge Trinity College Psalter”—an illuminated manuscript—presents some curious illustrations of the manners of the earlier half of the twelth century. We give a reproduction of one of its quaint pictures. Two men are in the stocks; one, it will be seen, is held by one leg only, and the other by both, and a couple of persons are taunting them in their time of trouble.

Stocks were not only used as a mode of punishment, but as a means of securing offenders. In bygone times, every vill of common right was compelled to erect a pair of stocks at its own expense. The constable by common law might place persons in the stocks to keep them in hold, but not by way of punishment.” (pp. 173, 4)

From the lines across the ankles of the two taunters, and the absence of such lines across the ankles of the prisoners, I deduce that the two men in the stocks are barefoot, as in the previous illustration. The prisoner on the left is spreading his hands as if in denial of some accusation.

In the Library of the University of Leyden, from a print dated 1610

[modern spelling: Leiden]

“It will be observed [...] that those who consulted the books were obliged to stand.” (p. 130)

Two Dutch scholars stand reading at the shelf marked mathematici (mathematics). They wear hats and long cloaks. The Philosophi (Philosophy) shelf is also visible.

A library room with glass display cabinets in the middle of walls lined with shelves of chained books.

“In a room of the eastern tower of Wimborne Minster, Dorsetshire, is an important collection of chained books. Mr. H. R. Plomer has recently [c. 1890] inspected this library, and from hs account we gather that it contains some 240 volumes. ‘The books,’ says Mr. plomer, ‘are ranged on shelves round the sides of the room, with their backs turned inwards, each book being attached to the shelf by a small chain fastened to an iron rod.’ The library was formed in 1686, and thegreater part of the works were presented by the Rev. W. Stone, a former rector of the parish. A manuscript volume of prayers, the work of the monks, written in 1343, is the oldest work in the collection [as of 1890]. it is not finished, as the initial letters are omitted. The Breeches Bible, dated1595, strongly bound in wood, is there. Walton’s Polyglot Bible, several well-known commentaries, numerous works of the Old Fathers, Camden’s ‘Life of Elizabeth,’ Barnes’ ‘Life of Edward the Third,’ Chamberlayn’s ‘State of England,’ 1670; also a copy of Sir Walter Raeigh’s ‘History of the World,’ bearing date 1614. Of this latter work, Mr. Plomer says that ‘several pages of this book have been burnt, and tradition has made Matthew Prior, the poet, the culprit; the story being that, whilst reading in the library by the aid of a candle, he fell asleep over the volume, and the candle committed the ravaegs. Judging from the appearance of the holes, it is much more likely that these were made, as suggested by a correspondent of Notes and Queries, with a red hot poker. By whatever mischance the accident occurred, the destroyed part of each page has been neatly patched, and the text restored – that also, and with more probability, a work attributed to Matthew Prior.’

“We reproduce from ‘Bibliographical Miscellanies,’ by William Blades, a picture of the Chained Library in Wimborne Minster, and beg to express our thanks to Messrs. Blades, East, and Blades, for lending the illustration.

“At the Annual Meeting of the Library Association of the United Kingdom, held in London in October, 1889, Mr. William Blades read a paper full of curious out-of-the-way matter on ‘Chained Libraries.’ He refers to Seldon’s books being sent to the Bodleian Library, Oxford, stating that £25 10s. was paid for new chains.” (pp 131ff.)

[I will transcribe more of this on request – Liam]

Chained Bible in Cumnor Church

The text reads as follows:

Curiosities of the Church
Studies of Curious Customes, Services, and Records.

By William Andrews, F.R.H.S., author of “Old Church Lore,” “Old-time Punishments,” “Historic Yorkshire,” etc.

Second Edition

Hull: William Andrews & Co., The Hull Press.

London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Limited.

1891.

In the Library, Hereford Cathedral

“So far as we have been able to discover there are only three collections of books in England now attached to the shelves by chains, namely ‘The Chapter Library in Hereford Cathedral; a library in the vestry of the parish Church of All Saints, in the same city; and the library attached to Wimborne Minster.” At Hereford Cathedral the collection of books consists largely of Monastic works, and extends to 2,000 volumes, of which 1500 are chained. here are five ancient bookcases complete, and portions of two others. [...] Each case is 9 feet 8 inches long, 2 feet 2 inches wide, and about 8 feet high. The material is unplaned oak, very rough; the ends are 2 inches thick, made of three boards, fastened together with strong wooden pegs. [...]” (pp 128, 129)

“Of the few remaining specimens of the hour-glass, a fine one is preserved in the church of St. Alban’s, Wood Street, London. It is mounted on a spiral column near the pulpit, and the minister can conveniently reach it when preaching. The frame is brass gilt, the design chaste, and the workmanshipp of a superior order. It is pleasing to learn that the old relic is guarded with zealous care. This curiosity of the olden days attracts much attention from visitors to the church.” (p. 117)

Hour glasses (giant egg-timers with sand in them) were used in churches to time the length of the sermon; long sermons were especially popular in the 17th century, and could easily stretch to three hours or more.

Showing the front cover of the book.

A brown binding with gold lettering on the spine. Almost certainly the original binding.

A line-drawing of some old leather-bound books, closed

The Domesday Book was compiled at the order of William the Conqueror (1066 and all that) almost a thousand years ago. It was an inventory of all of his new property, and as such provides a resource of huge value for historians. The Domesday Book is bound in two volumes, and presumably those are what are shown here.

This image is from the chapter “Chaucer and the Mediæval Inn.’ and bears the additional caption “From the Harleian MS. 4866, fol. 91.”

The portrait of Chaucer, which the affection of his disciple, Thomas Hoccleve, caused to be painted in a copy of the latter’s Regement of Princes (now Harleian MS. 4866 in the British Museum), shows him an old man with white hair; he has a fresh complexion, grey eyes, a straight nose, a grey moustache and a small double-pointed beard. His dress and hood are black, and he carries in his hands a string of beads. We may imagine that it was thus that during the last months of his life he used to walk about the precincts of the Abbey. [1911 Enc. Brit.]

The “string of beads” is presumably intended to be a rosary, used by Papists for prayer.

The vanishing-cup makes a coin seem to vanish: it looks like the coin sits on a solid block covered by the cup, but in fact the cup holds a second slightly larger solid block that covers the first, so that the coin appears to vanish.

I still have the Mysterious Dice. The middle layer is a hollow "dice" with one face missing, and the inside painted black, so that you can hold up the outer box with the middle dice insie it, hollow face facing outwards, and it looks as if the box is empty.

The wonderful egg coud be opened in two places; the “egg” was of wood, and hollow, so that you could open the container below it.

Victorian paper, now rather brittle.

I have no clue what the bead trick was. The seed barrel was another one ofthese hidden compartment tricks.

Presumably these were coins that were silver on one side and gold on the other; I don’t think I ever saw them. Or maybe they were cardboard discs.

Grey-green paper, slightly sturdier than the pages.

Blank Victorian paper.

I don’t think I ever saw the cards, and I don’t think I ever understood the string trick, although I di have the parts.

The magic box had a (moderately) tightly-fitting inner compartment, so that you could open the outer drawer but leave the inner compartment inside. This construction was a common theme for many of these tricks.

I don’t remember the Changing Card; I think I saw the Heart Trick and didn’t understand it at all.

Again there is an inner compartment, in this case one that slides so it can be under one or other door (or partway inbetween if you didn’t practise enough).

“Very little improvement in the construction of this instrument took place from the first introduction of the art into Europe till the late Earl Stanhope applied the powers of his mind to the subject, and introduced a new press of a decidedly superior construction. The old press was made of wood, with an iron screw that had a bar fitted in it; to the lower end of this screw was attached, horizontally, a flat piece of woos, called the platen, which was brought down by means of the screw, and pressed the paper upon the face of the types; and thus the impression was obtained. This press has, however, entirely given place to presses made of iron.

Lord Stanhope’s press is constructed of iron with a screw; but the bar is fixed to an upright spindle, to which a lever is attached connected with a second lever fixed to the top of the screw by a connecting bar. These two levers are placed at different angles to eac other; and when the platen is brought down to the face of the types, and pwer is wanted, the two levers take such a position with each other as to act with the greatest advantage, and thus an almost incredible accession of power is gained, which enables the pressman to print larger sheets of paper in a superior manner, with less labor, and with greater ease to himself. It does not act by a continuous, but by a reciprocating motion, and can only print 250 impressions per hour. This press for a long time maintained its superiority over all others.” (p. 493, s.v. Printing-Press)

Whatever can it be? I am running a competition on Deviant Art for whoever can correctly identify the machine.

Hint: think of clay.

Putnam’s Home Cyclopedia

Hand-book of the useful arts; including

agriculture, architecture, domestic economy, engineering, machinery, manufactures, mining, photogenic and telegraphic art:

being an exposition of their principles and practice and a compend of American and European invention.

By T. Antisell, M.D.

New-York: George P. Putnam, 1852.

“The rolling-press, which is employed in nearly every species of copper-plate printing, is divided into two parts, the body and the carriage. The body consists of two wooden checks, placed perpendicularly on a stand or foot, which sustains the whole press. From the foot, likewise, rise four other perpendicular pieces, joined by cross of horizontal ones, which serve to sustain a smooth even plank or table, about four feet and a half long, two feet and a half broad, and an inch and a half thick. Into the cheeks go two wooden cylinders or rollers, about six inches in diameter, borne up at each end by the cheeks, whose ends, which are lessened to about two inches diameter ,and called trunnions, turn in the cheeks about two pieces of wood in form of half moons, lined with polished iron to facilitate their motion. Lastly, to one of the trunnions of th eupper roller is fastened a cross, consisting of two levers, or pieces of wood, traversing each other, the arms of which cross serve instead of the bar or handle of the letter-press, by turning the upper roller, and, when the plank is between the two rollers, giving the same motion to the under one, by drawing the plank forward and backward. The ink usually employed is a composition made of the stones of peaches and apricots, the bones of sheep, and ivory, all well burnt, and called Frankfort Black, mixed with nut-oil that has been well boiled; the two being ground together on a marble slab, in the same manner as printers grind their colors. [...]” (p. 488, s.v. Press)

A simple binding with the title in gold on the spine.

“The mule-jenny was invented by Crompton, of Bolton, England. This machine is so named because it is the offspring, so to speak, of two older machines, the jenny and the water-frame. A mule is mounted with from 240 to 1000 spindles, and spins, of course, as many threads.

The following cut [i.e. woodcut, or figure] represents the original jenny of Hargreaves, by which one person was enabled to spin from 16 to 40 threads at once. The soft cords of rovings wound in double conical cops upon skewers, were placed in the inclined frame at c; the spindles for first twisting and then winding-on the spun yarn were set upright in steps and bushes at a, being furnished near their lower ends with whorls, and endless cords, which were driven by passing round the long-revolving drum of tin plate e. d is the clasp or clove, having a handle for lifting its upper jaw a little way, in order to allow a few inches of the soft roving to be introduced. The compound d being now pushed forward upon its friction wheels to a, was next gradually drawn backward, while the spindles were made to revolve with proper speed by the right hand of the operative turning the fly-wheel b. Whenever one stretch was thereby spun, the clove frame was slid home towards a; the spindles being simultaneously whirled slowly to take up the yarn, which was laid in on a conical copby the due depression of the faller wire at a with the spinner’s left hand.

The yarn being now spun into either fine or coarse thread, is applicable for the warp or weft in woven goods; when the weaving is done at home, it is by hand-loom; when in a factory, it is by power-loom. This process will be followed under Weaving and Texture Fabrics.” (pp. 108 – 9)

Looks almost like a medieval (or at least 16th or 17th century) banqueting hall, with a chandelier or rather candelabra, an ornate fireplace, a large table and, on the far side of it, some chairs. The tiled floor is characteristically Dutch.

Portal of the Castle.

Het Steen. – Museum van Oudheden – Poort van den Burcht.

Het Steen. – Musée d’Antiquitiés – Porte du Bourg.

Het Steen. – Altertumsmuseum – Tor der Burg.

Het Steen. – Museum of Antiquities – Portal of the Castle.

The Museum of Antiquities - the South Side

Het Steen. – Museum van Oudheden – Zuidzijde.

An old (undated) photograph of Laystraat in Antwerp. I can see signs for the Norwich Union, and for a large hotel (Metropole?) and also for F. Dierckx.

A detail from the Portrait of Sir Thomas More suitable for use as a computer desktop background (“wallpaper”). This one is for screens in the 8:5 wide-screen aspect ratio; there is also a widescreen (8:5) version.

A Victorian binding.

A detail from the Portrait of King Henry the 8th, tightly cropped so that it makes a screen background image at an 8:5 aspect ratio. There is also a full-head version.

I coloured the border of twigs to make some colour clip-art. There is also a brown border. A rustic border or frame.

Most of the centre of Coventry was destroyed by German bombers in the Second World War in retaliation for the Dresden bombing. I cannot say whether this particular building was one of the handful that survived. The period described in the book here is 1461 – 1483, so these are fifteenth-century half-timbered buildings.

A beautiful engraving showing Sir Thomas More in his prison cell; the gaoler [jailer] approaches, carring a heavy bundle of keys. Sir Thomas More (also Saint Thomas More) was executed by beheading when he did not acknowledge King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England.

There are also 4:3 background and 8:5 background details.

Wikipeda on St Thomas More

A detail from the Portrait of Sir Thomas More suitable for use as a computer desktop background (“wallpaper”). This one is for screens in the 4:3 aspect ratio; there is also a widescreen (8:5) version.

I coloured the border of twigs to make a sepia border or frame. some colour clip-art. There is also a brown and green Victorian Border.

This full-page plate occurs next to the discussion on the invention of printing, and the dramatic effect it to reduce the power of the Church. The plate does not appear to be mentioned in the text.

The Würzburg Missal (a prayerbook from the town of Würzburg) is generally dated now to 1495, and was looted from the Fraenkisches Luitpold Museum during the Second World War by German forces. It was recovered in 1953.

Elizabeth Woodville was the consort of King Edward IV. and the mother of Edward V., King of England for only two months, at the age of thirteen, in 1483, before being locked up in the Tower of London and later, probably, murdered, along with his ten-year-old brother, Richard.

The print is signed J. Opie, R. A., the original artist, and the engraving was done by Walther; it was printed in London by J. Hagger.

A version of The Tower of London woodcut with the borders and letters removed (and stretched vertically by about 5%) to make a cool wallpaper.

The right-hand of two wooden reading desks that were depicted in a 15th century manuscript. This one has a an open book, and the stand (or lecturn) is carved with decorations.

(The left-hand reading desk needs to be re-scanned)

We see builders using a winch and pulley to raise a heavy load; another holds an axe, as if about to cut the rope on the pulley! Another uses calipers or diverders to measure or mark a block.

King Henry VIII (Henry 8th) taken from the engraving King Henry VIII and His Six Wives. I have also made two cropped versions available for use as wide-screen (8:5) screen desktop backgrounds (“computer wallpaper”): (1) The head of Henry VIII and (2) Henry The 8th Stares Back.

A decorative full-page border used to frame an illustration in the book. Twigs and leaves.

The original picture is the portrait of King Henry VIII and his six wives.

There are also coloured versions of this image: a brown and green Victorian Border and a sepia brown Victorian Border.

More Victorian and decorative borders

A woodcut showing a diagram of the Tower of London and its surringings. There are boats and conttages, battlements and towers, with the keep in the middle of it all.

The letters annotating various parts do not appear to be explained in the text. I suspect this woodcut was made for some other book and reused by the publisher; it could well have been commissioned by Charles Knight.

I also made a wallpaper version by stretching it very slightly and removing the border and the letters.

A woodcut based on a picture in a book from the 15th century. A cart or carriage is pulled by two horses. A man with a hat rides one of the horses and brandishes a whip; the horses are blinkered and have bits in their mouths. In the carriage ride three people, one in the front turning to look at, or talk to, two women inside. One of the women has her hands raised as if praying or beseeching.

A detail from the Portrait of King Henry the 8th, scaled and cropped so that it makes a screen background image at an 8:5 aspect ratio. There is also a scarier version.

An sketch or line-drawing of an ornate clock from the early eighteenth century (C18, 18th C., the Queen Anne period). This is a detail from Specimens of Furniture, Time of Anne.

This wood-engraving shows the two sides of a halfpenny from 1699, in the reign of King William III of England. The coin has the King’s portrait on the front and Britannia seated in her chariot on the obverse. Britannia appears to have generous breasts, bare feet, a frond or feather ,a spear, and a shield with the flags of England and Scotland superimposed.

A wood-engraved line drawing of various items of Queen Anne furniture arranged in a group. there are three chairs, a stool, a clock on a table, an armoire or wardrobe, a cupboard and I think a mirror or window.

I have made the Queen Anne padded armchair and the Queen Anne Clock available as separate images, with the shadows removed, in case you want to use them as clip-art or for a drawing reference.

Sir Isaac Newton, inventor of the apple.

Johann Fust of Mainz was one of the earliest German printers; Peter Schoiffer, or Peter Schoffer, was his son-in-law. They set up a printing-shop in Paris, it seems. The Psalter was first published in August 1457, and was reprinted from the same type (so a new issue rather than a new edition, perhaps), in 1459, 1490 (shown here), 1502 and 1516. It is printed in red, blue and black.

See also Jacobi on Fust, of Faust.

Compare this figure with the Würzburg Missal in volume 2.

This wood-engraving shows the two sides of a shilling from 1699, in the reign of King William III of England. The coin has the King’s portait in profile on one side and shields on the other for Ierland, England, Scotland and Wales.

The coin shown here was one of the new ones at the Restoration of the Coinage. You still see older houses in England with windows that were bricked up in the eighteenth century to save paying the tax, and also newer buildings, well into the nineteenth century, with bricked-up windows as an affectation, because of the window tax.

A sketch or line-drawing of an upholstered airmchair from the early eighteenth century (C18, 18th C., the Queen Anne period). This is a detail from Specimens of Furniture, Time of Anne.

Cropped version of Gatehouse, Battle Abbey intended for use as a computer desktop background or wallpaper; I cropped the image so it’s 1600x1200 pixels, and also made 1024x768, 800x600 and 640x480 versions.

Parts of Arundel Castle date as far back as A.D. 1068. Since 1138 the castle has for the most part belonged to the same family and their descendents; it has been the seat of the Dukes of Norfolk for the past 850 years or so, and open in the Summer to visitors for the past 200 years. As with most such places, photography is not permitted inside the castle.

Arundel Castle Web Site

The modern spelling is Herstmonceux. It’s hard to relate this painting to the picture on the official Herstmonceux Web site, but it’s also clear they are of the same place.

The abbey at Battle commemorates the Battle of Hastings in which William the Conqueror defeated King Harold on 14th October, 1066, to become the King of England. The buildings were used as a school from approx. 1918 until 1976. It is now run by English Heritage, although Ivor White has made a Web page about Battle Abbey that, if not perhaps academic, is certainly entertaining.

Official English Heritage Battle Abbey Web Page.

There is also a medieval castle wallpaper verision of this image.

“[Battle Abbey was] the result of a vow paid and of the accidental site of a battle. Moreover, Battle, thus artificial, was by far the wealthiest of all. At the time of the dissolution Hammond, the last abbot (who surrendered with great pusillanimity to Henty VIII. [in 1538], and against whom the gravest charges have lain), gave up revenues of £1000 a year in the currency of the times—far more than £10,000 or our [1906] money.” (pp. 118,119)

“Robertsbridge, however, is a paradise for any one, and contains or did contain in the cellars of its principal inn, the George, some of the best port at its price to be found in England. Within the drainage area of this river also stands (upon the Brede, a tributary) the height which was known until the Norman invasion as “Hastings Plain,” but has since the great conflict, supported the abbey and the village of Battle. The harbour mouth of this river is the town of Rye, a haven which it is still possible to make, though with difficulty, but which was until quite the last few generations a trading-place of importance.” (p. 44)

SUSSEX
Painted by Wilfrid Ball
Published by Adam & Charles Black
Soho Square, London

Ths priory shown here was by 1906 a private dwelling; there was a priory in the village of Mickleham as far back as 1253; there was a church in the village mentioned in the Domesday Book in the 11th century.

Mickleham Priory is not actually mentioned in the text of the book, apart from in the caption for this figure.

“The Rape of Pevensey is of a curious shape. [Sussex is divided into six regions called Rapes] It narrows somewhat towards the middle and bulges out towards the top, or north end. This appears to be the contrary of what one would expect in a Sussex division, the important part of which always lay round the sea cost [to the south], but the cause of the shape thus assumed by the Rape is that in its northern part the iron industry had arisen long before the Norman Conquest [1066], and had thus opened up the Weald; it had also made the government of the area and the collection of taxes from it a subject of ambition for the strongest of the neighbouring lords.

“Such a lord was found in the Earl of Moreton, the broteher-in-law of the Conqueror, who held the Castle of Pevensey, and who was teh first controller of the district after the full Norman organisation began.

“Here, as in the case of Hastings, but unlike every other Rape, the seat of government, Pevensey, was actually upon the sea.

“The name Pevensey is instructive of its antiquity. It is probably derived from Celtic roots signifying “the fortification at the far end of the wood,” which would exactly describe an important and fortified sea-coast town situated as Pevensey was situated to the forest from which it took its Roman name; for “Anderida,” or “Andresio,” certainly refers to the Weald, the Celtic forest of “Andred,” of which the Saxons made the “Andredswald.” (pp. 86ff)

“It is doubtful whether anything of Roman structure remains in Pevensey, though much of the material used in that castle is Roman, and though the towers of that fortification are round. It is enough to remark, that after the long night of the Saxon period the town shared in the general renaissance of South England which followed the Norman Conquest. To give but one indication of this: it trebled in population in twenty years. There is little doubt that at this period, that is, throughout the end of the eleventh century, the whole of the twelfth, and beginning of the thirteenth, the harbour lay beneath the mound of the present ruins. The contour lines, slight as they are in elevation, and the nature of the soil are enough to prove this; nor is it difficult, as one stands on the height of Pevensey Castle to reproduce the scene which must have presented itself to the eye of a man living six hundred years ago when he looked northwards and eastwards at high tide.” (pp. 88ff)

In fact there are 4th century Roman remains at Pevensey.

English Heritage Official Pevensey Castle Web page

Bodiam Castle in Sussex dates from 1385; follow the Bodiam link for at least one more picture of this picturesque castle.

National Trust Web page for Bodiam Castle

By 1906 most books were being sold already bound, and cover designs were very much part of attracting sales. This book is bound in dark green cloth, with greenish-yellow writing and designs that might have been intended to imitate gold.

A copy of this book, without the illustrations, is available on archive.org although really it appears to have been created and marketed as a picture book, and the text is secondary.

The Grand Canal, Venice; the Canal Grande is the largest canal in Venice.

Bronze (or painted) statues of horses in strong sunlight. The printed colours or this painting do not reproduce well on the screen. There is a caption, “By permission of the Hon. John Collier.”

Venice, title page, with the publisher’s mark.

The book was also published in the US in the same year, by Dodd, Mead & Co.

“Marco tells of magnificent feasts made by the Great Kaan on his birthday and on New Year’s Day. He delights in stories of the chase within the domain of Cublay’s palace of Chandu (perhaps the Xanadu of Coleridge) the walls of which enclosed a sixteen-mile circuit, with fountains and rivers and lawns and beasts of every kind.” (p. 62)

The plate is taken from a chapter called “A Merchant of Venice.”

The book has (or had when I started) its original binding, blue with gold lettering stamped in place.

Wood-engravings (or woodcuts perhaps) of the heads of various evil spirits and demons/dæmons/daemons. This one is Theutus.

The names are Michaiel, Gabriel, Camael, Raphael, Sachiel, Ana’el and Cassiel, for Sunday, Monday, and so forth, and for the names of the Heavens, in columns under the days, 4th Machen, 1st Shamain, 5th Machon, 2ns Raquie, 6th Zebul, 3rd Sagun, and “No Angels ruling above the 6th Heaven” for Saturday.

The open Book of Spirits without the caption. I also made an image with just the dragon rider.

A demon rides a dragon, spearing it with an arrow. This is a detail from the Book of Spirits.

Wood-engravings (or woodcuts perhaps) of Fallen Angels. This one is named Belial.

Wood-engravings (or woodcuts perhaps) of the heads of various evil spirits and demons/dæmons/daemons. This one is Asmodeus.

An engraving showing an occult Book of Spirits:

I also made an image with just the Book of Spirits without the writing, and another of the dragon rider, presumably an evil spirit.

Wood-engravings (or woodcuts perhaps) of Fallen Angels. This one, Apollyon, has green wings like a dragon.

This old map covers the Wye valley from Trellech and Llandog in the North, through Brockweir and Tintern Parva wit Tintern abbey, down past Windcliff and Llancant into Chepstow and the Mouth of the Wye.

The back of the guide book has a section of “additional advertisements” for railways and hotels in England and Wales, Ireland and Scotland. This one takes up the whole of page 12 of that supplement and is headed “Scotland”.

The advert shows an engraving (probaby on wood) of the hotel, and has the following text:

“DRUMNADROCHIT HOTEL
Drumnadrochit, Glen-Urquhart.
The walks and drives about Drumnadrochit are unrivalled for beauty, variety, and extent, while in the immediate vicinity is scenery made famous by Phillips, Millais, Shirly Brooks, John Bright, and others.

Nearest route from Caledonian Canal or Inverness to the far-famed Glen Affric and Glen Cannich (fouteen miles from Temple Pier, through Glen-Urquhart).

Trout and salmon fishing on Loch Ness and Loch Meiklie free to visitors staying in the Hotel.

BOARDING BY THE WEEK.

Post and Telegraph Office one minute from Hotel.

Posting, lawn Tennis, Boating.” (p. 12)

There is also a quite from Punch Magazine:

“ “The inn (Drumnadrochit), whence these lines are dated, faces a scene which, happily, is not too often to be observed in this planet. I say happily, Sir, because we are all perfectly well aware that this world is a vale of tears in which it is our duty to mortify ourselves and make everybody else as uncomfortable as possible. If there were many places like Drumnadrochit, persons would be in fearful danger of forgetting that they ought to be miserable.”

Shirley Brooks in “Punch.”  ” (p. 12)

Although the hotel is still there today, the rooms are in a modern extension with very different architecture.

Undiscovered Scotland page for Drumnadrochit.

This plan appears to have been the one used by Charles Oman in his book of Castles that could be reached by the Great Western Railway. The main differences are that this one is printed in two colours, blue and black, and that his has the addition of the tennis courts.

“The Castle (adm. 6d; key at the Saddler’s on the right just beyond the Lion Hotel) externally is one of the most striking ruins in the kingdom. Within, it is chiefly of interest to the antiquarian. [...] The annexed Plan (from the Ordnance map, with details kindly supplied by J. R. Cobb, Esq.) is intended to indicate the arrangements of the building when more or less intact and so to render the existing ruins intelligible.” (p. 157)

The back of the guide book has a section of “additional advertisements” for railways and hotels in England and Wales, Ireland and Scotland. Page 13 of that supplement is headed “Scotland” and has three advertisement:.

National & Station Hotel, Dingwall, Ross-shire.
This long-established Hotel has excellent accomodation for Families and Tourists, with every comfort. The Hoel is 12 miles from the top of Ben Wyvis, 4½ from the far-famed Strathpeffer; Falls of Conon, Rogie and Black Rock. Also Brahan, Tulloch and Baleony Castles within an hour’s drive of the Hotel. 2½ miles Trout Fishing on Conon, 5 miles from Golf Course, 1 minutes by train; Station 2 minutes from Hotel.

POSTING & CARRIAGES.

A. S. ROBERTSON, Proprietor.

GLENALBYN HOTEL,
Inverness.

Overlooking River and the “Castle.”
Five minutes’ walk from Railway Station and the nearest Hotel to Canal Steamers.

Very moderate charges. Duncan Cameron, Proprietor

(from Portsonachan Hotel, Loch Awe).

Telegrams: “CAMERON, GLENALBYN, INVERNESS.”

MELROSE.

The Abbey Hotel, Abbey Gate, and George and Abbotsford Hotel, High Street, Melrose.

The only first class hotels in Melrose, both overloolooking the ruins, and two minutes’ walk from Railway Station.

The Hotel ’Buses and Cabs meet all trains.

G. Hamilton, Proprietor.

A detail from the front cover of the “Bible Symbols” book, with the words Bible Symbols in gold. If you want to replace the ettering, first clone out the existing lettering, or use the resynthesizer plugin with the Gimp Free image editor.

Oxen, with one ox standing and one laying down, others in the background. Taken from the clip-art Bible. See page 69 for the context.

Feet, from the clip-art Bible. See page 69 for the context.

Some people say that a good title page should contain an odd number of clumps of text; here there are five, so this must be good, right? I have also made a separate image out of the purple border around the page.

The sea, from the clip-art Bible. See page 69 for the context.

Sheep grazing in a field by the side of a hill, from the clip-art Bible. See page 69 for the context.

The front cover of “Bible Symbols” is black with a vaguely religions decorative pattern embossed up on it, and the title in gold. I have made a separate image featuring just the central title cartouche from the front cover.

Hands, from the clip-art Bible. See page 69 for the context.

A rather large fish, from the clip-art Bible. See page 69 for the context.

The field, with wheat ready to be harvested, and a rather English-looking church spire in the background. Taken from the clip-art Bible. See page 69 for the context.

The cockerel and a hen shown here pecking away may or may not be native to Palestine, but chickens are perhaps not the first birds to come to mind when one hears the phrase “fowl of the air.” The cock in the foreground has quite the comb, though!

This vine-leaf border is characteristic of the late Victorian era; although this book was printed in 1908, it was first published in 1904, and is on the cusp between Victorian and Edwardian. It is printed in purple; there is an almost identical border around almost every page, mostly in black.

The size given is to the edges of the border.

This steam engine was rebuilt in 1930 to add a “booster” engine to the front axle of the bogie under the driver’s cab. The booster was a small steam engine used only at low speeds, to give additional traction. I’m not sure whether to call this engine 4-4-4 or 4-6-4 as a result!

A 2-2-2 steam engine [US: railroad locomotive] shown with driver and fireman.

This locomotive was known for breaking the railway speed record in 1904, at over 102 miles per hour.

My copy of the book has the 6135 crssed out, ad 45738 written in its place; I suspect the latter is the British Rail number, however.

“Standing in front of the case, the compositor held in his left hand a wooden “composing-stick,” in which a rectangular trench had been cut to receive the letters. Reading and keeping in his mind a few words of his manuscript, he picked up the types letter by letter and placed them side by side until first words, and then sentences, were composed.” (p. 52)

This is the top half of the figure, the upper case. In the actual type tray, individual sorts, or pieces of type, would be stored in the compartment indicated. Note that the actual compartments are open; a type tray generally does not have a lid, so you had to learn where the letters went.

Scriptorium Monk at Work (from Lacroix.) A monk copies a text from a large book on his writing-table.

Anatomically correct cherubs carrying books through the undergrowth.

This is the lower half of the figure, and shows (not by coincidence) how the miniscule letters, now called lower case letters, were stored in the type case.

Note that quadrat is from the Latin for square, and refers to an Em space, that is, a space whose width and height is the same, and hence the same as the type size.

A printing office, with an engraver (I think) at left, a proof-reader, a typesetter (at the back) next to the person operating the press itself, and, at right, a boy wearing tights and I think barefoot, probably a “printer’s devil,” that is, the boy who inked the rollers.

Note: I added text to the bottom of this image which you are welcome to remove, if you like, or, on request, I’ll add a version without the extra text.

Two learned robed, bearded and barefoot gentlemen converse, books in their lap. The smoke-filled scene is lit by a single flame.

The outside of the book.

A naughty cherub makes handprints on everything, including his naked companion

Two stern figures hold up an ornate title page.

The Pentateuch of Printing with a Chapter on Judges.

Biblia Sacra Psalterium Moguntianum

by William Blades, Typographer

Gutenberg Zell Aldus Verard

Coster martens Mansion Caxton

Chicago

A.C.McClurg & Co.

AD. MDCCCXCI

G.G. Manton; W. D. R. Cheshire Sc[ulpt.]

Typographia stands with her robe and chain(??), holding a book out to a cherub with a press; another cherub sets type.

“When the end of a line was reached, and there was no room for more words and yet some space left, the compositor by placing a little extra space between the words made the line fill out the stick. This was called ‘justifying” the line. Each line was lifted out of the stick and placed on a wooden board; thus line after line was added until there were enough for a page.” (p. 52)

The diagram shows a line of (cold metal) type from the side; at the top of the illustration is the part that would touch the paper to make the impression. The shorter pieces are spaces, well out of the way of accidentally getting inked.

Two tiny cherubs on the spine of an a book. They face away from us.

A bespectacled gentleman sits reading a large book in front of the end of a tall bookcase. This was originally used as an initial I in ‘IN’.

Not mentioned in the text, but see the fifteenth century composing stick for details.

A long-haired man, seemingly naked, squats on top of an open book, his beard covers all except his knees and one bare foot. His outstretched hands, both left and right, each hold a quill and are writing; he keeps his place in the book with his foot. Behind him two tablets remind us of Moses and the Law.

Urizen floats naked in the darkness. Full-page illustration without text.

A full-page illustration of a naked man kneeling; Urizen himself, I presume; he crouches naked on one knee, his long white beard reaching down to lie on the ground next to his bare right foot. The background presumably shows the thunderous weather. There is no text on this page; I append some text that appears to be missing in the Library of Congress copy.

A woman in a green dress swings a naked child, or maybe the child dives through the air into the woman’s hand.

A naked man runs, legs and arms outstretched, past a background of green and red flames.

Urizen (?) holds a giant open book inscribed with strange symbols; the text is as follows:

In living creations appear’d
In the flames of eternal fury.

Antique Map of Munster

This is a version of The Mode in which Antient Castles... but without the caption. Antient is an old way to spell “ancient.”

This is essentially a copy of the Castle Diagram from Grose’s Antiquities.

Antique Map of Hampshire

Antique Map of Durham

The map of Oxfordshire from Boswell’s 1786 Antiquities.

Antique Map of Worcestershire

Antique Map of Lincolnshire

Antique Map of Hertfordshire

There is also a version of this image without the caption.

Antique Map of Cumberland

A version of Stone Henge in Wiltshire [1780] cropped and resized for use on an HDTV or a wide-screen computer monitor. There is also a 4:3 version, e.g. 1600x1200 or 1024x768.

Antique Map of Bedfordshire

Antique Map of Ulster

Antique Map of Lancashire

Published according to Act of Parliament by Alex^r. Hogg, N^o 16 Paternoster Row.

The remains of a castle or manor-house, wih crennelated walls (battlements) and I think a weather-vane (weathercock).

A Vision of Britain Through Time: Stanton Harcourt

A version of Stone Henge in Wiltshire [1780] with the publisher’s name removed from the bottom, making it the right shape for many computer screens. There is also a widescreen stonehenge wallpaper versions.

Antique Map of the Middle Portion of Scotland

Antique Map of Sussex

Antique Map of South Wales

Antique Map of Dorsetshire

Antique Map of Argyle, Bute and Dumbarton, in Scotland

Antique Map of Herefordshire

Antique Map of Cornwall

Antique Map of Kent

Antique Map of Yorkshire

Antique Map of Connaught

Antique Map of Shropshire

Antique Map of Essex

Antique Map of the Counties of Orkney, Cathness, Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty

Antique Map of Middlesex

Antique Map of Somersetshire

Antique Map of Leicestershire

The map of Gloucestershire from Boswell’s 1786 Antiquities; it is labeled “Glocestershire”—presumably an antique spelling, but possibly also a mistake.

Antique Map of Warwickshire

Antique Map of Rutlandshire

Antique Map of Huntingdonshire

Antique Map of Cheshire

Antique Map of Wiltshire

Antique Map of Surrey

Antique Map of Devonshire

Antique Map of Monmouthshire

Antique Map of Berkshire

Antique Map of Glocestershire

Antique Map of Oxfordshire

And here on this old map are the names so familiar to me as a child (my father was the Vicar of Haynes, here marked Hawnes, for many years). But of course the names are not all the same as today.

This 1786 (approx.) map includes Reading, Abingdon, Faringdon, Wantage, Wallingford, East Ilsley Lamborn, Hugerford, Newbury, Okingham, Windsor, Henley, Maidenhead and many more places.

Antique Map of Nottinghamshire

Antique Map of Northamptonshire

Tinmouth Castle from the North, with a View of the Haven &c. Northumberland.

There was a monastery at Tynemouth as early as the 6th century, and the fortifications were builtby the monks for protection, some time between the years 800 and 1100.

This scan was made by a bokseller, and is of lower quality than I would like. I do not have a higher resolution version available.

This is part of an antique map from 1786. The original map was probably a fold-out, and had two parts; this is the right-hand side, and there is also adjoining a Map of the Western Isles.

Antique Map of Staffordshire

Antique Map of the Southern Part of Scotland

Antique Map of Derbyshire

Stonehenge in a woodcut from 1786. I would not assume that the drawing is very accurate. In the foreground is a group of people on the ground, to give a sense of scale.

I have also made some Stonehenge wallpaper, and wide-screen stonehenge versions.

Antique Map of Buckinghamshire

Antique Map of Suffolk

This antique map from 1786 shows the Isle of Skye with Keslo, Trotterness, Dunvegan and Pevuile visible, and also Harris, the isles of Uist and, to the North, the isle of Lewis.

The original map was probably a fold-out, and had two parts; this is the left-hand side, and there is also adjoining a Map of the Western Isles.

Antique Map of Westmoreland (more recently written as “Westmorland” instead).

Antique Map of North Wales

Antique Map of Norfolk

Antique Map of Leinster

Antique Map of Cambridgeshire

Antique Map of Northumberland

This is a route-map for people traveling in Great Britain; an early travel guide from 1720.

I have also scanned the other side of this page.

This is a route-map for people traveling in Great Britain; an early travel guide from 1720. This page was scanned by someone else, and is not as clear as I would like, but may still be of use or interest.

This is a route-map for people traveling in Great Britain; an early travel guide from 1720.

The route goes from Towcester (spelt “Tosceter”) through Duncote (Northamptonshire), Fosters’ Booth, Oscot, Cold Higham Chappel, Pateshul, Rill, Ston Village, Weedon, Upper Weedon, Dodford, Worry-bush Hill, Newnham, Daventry, or “Daintry,” Bush, over Berry Bridge, Wilbrye or Willoughby, Wiscot, into Warwickshire over a stone bridge at Rill, and thence to Dunchurch.

From there it goes through Dunsmore Heath along the Foss Way into Woolston Cross, Ryton (or Dunsmore), and thence to Wymall.

The Deanery of Bangor is also illustrated.

I have also scanned the other side of this page.

The majiscule letters (also called upper case, or capital letters) from Maxfield Parrish’s (incomplete) alphabet given in Fig. 140. The largest file here is at the original scan resolution of 2400dpi.

The letter X taken from Fig. 1.

The letter D taken from Fig. 2.

Example of 16th century Italian gothic letters, or blackletter.

“The three pages of examples, Figures 141, 142 and 143, exhibit the characteristic forms and standard variations of the Round Gothic. In lieu of any detailed analysis of these letter shapes, it may perhaps be sufficient to say that they were wholly and exactly determined by the position of the quill, which was held rigidly upright, after the fashion already described in speaking of Roman lettering; and that the letters were always formed with a round swinging motion of hand and arm, s their forms and accented lines clearly evidence; for the medieval scribes used the Round Gothic as an easy and legible handwritten form, and linked many of the letters.” (p. 131)

The letter G taken from Fig. 1.

The cover is a light greenish brown. The letters are actually indented, although the light from the scanner made them look embossed.

“Width proportions, which may be found useful in laying out lettering for lines of a given length, are shown in [Fig. 3] in a more modern style of the Roman capital. In the classic Roman letter the cross-bar is usually in the exact center of the letter height, but in 3 the center line has been used as the bottom of the cross-bar in b, e, h, p, and r, and as the top of the cross-bar in a; and in letters like k, y and x the “waist lines,” as the meeting-points of the sloping lines are sometimes called, have been slightly raised to obtain a more pleasant effect.” (p. 6)

The diagram is signed F.C.B., which I take to denote the author of the book, Frank Chouteau Brown.

The letter I taken from Fig. 1.

The letter H taken from Fig. 1.

Example of 16th century Italian gothic letters, or blackletter.

“The three pages of examples, Figures 141, 142 and 143, exhibit the characteristic forms and standard variations of the Round Gothic. In lieu of any detailed analysis of these letter shapes, it may perhaps be sufficient to say that they were wholly and exactly determined by the position of the quill, which was held rigidly upright, after the fashion already described in speaking of Roman lettering; and that the letters were always formed with a round swinging motion of hand and arm, s their forms and accented lines clearly evidence; for the medieval scribes used the Round Gothic as an easy and legible handwritten form, and linked many of the letters.” (p. 131)

I have included a higher resolution version than usual, e.g. for making into a font.

Example of 16th century Spanish gothic letters, or blackletter, calligraphy.

“The three pages of examples, Figures 141, 142 and 143, exhibit the characteristic forms and standard variations of the Round Gothic. In lieu of any detailed analysis of these letter shapes, it may perhaps be sufficient to say that they were wholly and exactly determined by the position of the quill, which was held rigidly upright, after the fashion already described in speaking of Roman lettering; and that the letters were always formed with a round swinging motion of hand and arm, s their forms and accented lines clearly evidence; for the medieval scribes used the Round Gothic as an easy and legible handwritten form, and linked many of the letters.” (p. 131)

I have included higher resolution versions than usual for these three plates, e.g. for making into a font. Beware, however, that the letters are made by hand and are not perfectly upright.

Pia Frauss has made a font based on lettering by Francisco Lucas, although not using this particular image.

Francisco Lucas Llana Font

“The Greek type designed for the Macmillan Company of England, by Mr. Selwyn Image, [Fig. 66], is of sufficient interest to be shown here, despite the fact that it is not strictly germane to our subject. In this face Mr. Image has returned to the more classic Greek form, although the result may at first glance seem illegible to the reader familiar with the more common cursive letters.” (p. 73)

I note that the book shows a Greek typeface designed by someone with an English name.

The first line shows the Greek alphabet: ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ.

The letter O taken from Fig. 1.

The letter F taken from Fig. 2.

“The pages of letters shown in 138, 139 and 140 are intended to suggest forms which, while suitable for rapid use, yet possess some individuality and character. The so-called “Cursive” letter by Mr. Maxfield Parrish, 140, is particularly effective for such informal use—in fact, its very charm lies in its informality—and is quite as distinctively “pen-ny” as any of Mr. Crane’s work of the same kind.” (p. 122)

This image shows the overall page, including the caption, so that you can see that the scan is not perfectly straight. I can scan it again on request, although if your purpose is to make a font from these letters, notice that there is no ‘M’ and there are no digits.

There are higher resolution versions (from the same 2400dpi scan) of the upper case (capitals) and the lower case (small) letters.

The letter E taken from Fig. 2.

The letter C taken from Fig. 1.

Constructed capitals: diagram showing how to draw letters with rulers and compasses against a grid.

“An excellent model for constructing the Roman capitals in a standard form will be found in the beautiful adaptation by Mr. A. R. Ross, [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2], from an alphabet of capitals drawn by Sebastian Serlio, an Italian architect, engraver and painter of the sixteenth century, who devised some of the most refined variants of the classic Roman letter. Serlio’s original forms which are shown in [Fig. 39] and [Fig. 40], were intended for pen or printed use; but in altering Serlio’s scheme of proportions it will be observed that Mr. Ross has partially adapted the letter for use in stone, and has further varied it in details, notably in serif treatment. In most modern stone-cut letters, however, the thin strokes would be made even wider than in this example, as in [Fig. 14]. Mr Ross’s adaptation shows excellently how far the classic letters do or do not fill out the theoretical square.”

The book has suffered some damage, possibly from water, on this page, at some time in the past, so that the pages must have stuck together, and this has affected the letters G and (on the facing page) M and S, I have attempted to reconstruct them. I have also saved the individual letters in case they are useful.

The alphabet is (by modern standards) incomplete; for J and U you will have to use I and V, and for W use VV.

The letter P taken from Fig. 1.

Letters “M” “N” “O” “P” “Q” and “T” from English gothic Letters, 15th Century. The M is not very legible by today’s standards, but might work as an initial letter or drop cap.

Giovanni Battista Palatino was born in 1515 and died in 1575 (roughly); his examples of calligraphy and scripts, and his writing manual, are very valuable for the insights they give us into the development of writing, and for their influence on modern typography.

The letter Y taken from Fig. 2.

The letter K taken from Fig. 2.

“Figures 177 to 179 show some English Gothic Letters, the last being that employed so effectively in the pen-drawn page by Mr. Abbey, [Fig. 153].” (p. 140)

The diagram is signed F.C.B., which I take to denote the author of the book, Frank Chouteau Brown.

I have also saved higher resolution versions of the majiscule (capital, or, less properly, upper case) letters: A to D, M to T, R and S, U to Z.

The letter B taken from Fig. 1.

The letter N taken from Fig. 1.

The letter S taken from Fig. 2.

The letter R taken from Fig. 2.

Black-letter (Old English) inital letters “R” and “S” from English gothic Letters, 15th Century. They appear as part of the phrase “Tomb of Richard Second” and are not repeated in the alphabet. I have left the “i” from “Richard” to give an idea for baseline positioning and relative size.

“The examples of old lettering reproduced in figures 147, 148 and 149, together with the drawings by Mr. Goodhue, will indicate the proper spacing of Blackletter; but in most of the pages here devoted to illustrating the individual forms the letters have been spaced too wide for their proper effect [so] that each separate shape may be shown distinctly.

The style appears at its best in compositions which fill a panel of more or less geometrical form, as, for example, the beautiful title-page reproduced in [figure] 147. Could anything be more delightful to the eye than its rich blackness, energetic lines, and refreshingvirility? In this design surely we have a specimen that, from the proportion and balance of its blacks, is more effective than anything which could have been accomplished by the use of the more righid Roman letter; but despite its many beauties it suffers from the inherent weakness of the individual letter forms,—it is more effective than readable!” (p. 136)

The Latin text reads De plurimis claris sceletis mulieribus. opus prope diuinum novissime congestum.

The blackletter script calligraphy shown here is printed rather than hand-lettered. The Library of Congress in America has a copy of this book in the Rosenwald collection, where it is manuscript 03230.

The original title page presumably had a lot of white space around the lettering, although I can’t tell from the reproduction in this book.

Note: The size given does not inclue the captions, but rather gives a rough idea of the full extent of the letters.

I have not split these letters into individual images, although I could do so on request. The original scan was at higher resolution than the largest image here, of course. It is unusual to see such a complete alphabet, although I am not sure if the V and W are authentic.

“Figures 170 to 173 exhibit a group of Gothic capitals more or less allied in character and all pen letters.” (p. 140)

I have not split these letters into individual images, although I could do so on request. The original scan was at higher resolution than the largest image here, of course.

The letter A taken from Fig. 1.

See the notes for Fig. 1 for this figure. I have also split out the individual letters.

The alphabet is (by modern standards) incomplete; for J and U you will have to use I and V, and for W use VV.

Letters “A” “B” “C” and “D” from English gothic Letters, 15th Century. The C is not very legible by modern standards.

The letter M taken from Fig. 2.

The drop capital (drop cap) “W” from Fig. 67 shows a naked man in a forest. He plays a flute. His bare feet protrude from the boundary of the initial. You can see this initial as it was set in type in the Figure; note in particular the baseline alginment of the lasst indented line of text, and the closer setting of the rest of the word on the first line.

The letter L taken from Fig. 2.

The letter V taken from Fig. 1.

The letter Z taken from Fig. 2.

Modern Roman Type; C. R. Ashbee.

Charles Robert Ashbee founded the Essex House Press in 1898; it lasted untill 1910. Ashbee designed “Endeavour” and “Prayer Book,” of which I think the first is shown here. He also designed decorative inital letters, presumably including the ten-line drop cap “W” shown here.

The initial W as a separate image

The miniscule letters (also called lower case, or small letters) from Maxfield Parrish’s (incomplete) alphabet given in Fig. 140. The largest file here is at the original scan resolution of 2400dpi.

Black-letter (Old English) inital letters “U” “V” “W” “X” “Y” and “Z” from English gothic Letters, 15th Century. It is possible that the author of the modern (1921) book added the J, the U and possibly the Y and W when he drew them for the book.

“Figures 177 to 179 show some English Gothic Letters, the last being that employed so effectively in the pen-drawn page by Mr. Abbey, [Fig. 153].” (p. 140)

The diagram is signed F.C.B., which I take to denote the author of the book, Frank Chouteau Brown.

The letter R taken from Fig. 2.

Letters “E” “F” “G” “H” “I” “J” “K” and “L” from English gothic Letters, 15th Century.

“Figures 170 to 173 exhibit a group of Gothic capitals more or less allied in character and all pen letters.” (p. 140)

I have not split these letters into individual images, although I could do so on request. The original scan was at higher resolution than the largest image here, of course.

The letter T taken from Fig. 1.

XXVI. Alphabetum Copticum è Græco A.D. 700

XXVII. Alphabetum Æthiopicum A.D. 800 è Coptico.

^(u)A. Kircher. Alphab. Character. cenorum in Africa, cum [...]

VII. Alphabetum Hanscretanum sive Brachmanicum; Malabaricum

V. Notre Vocales, I Syrorium è Græco A.D. 306; II. Arabum è Syriaco A.D. 800; III. Judæorium è Syriaco & Arabico A.D. 900

VI. Arabicum ex Syriaco A.D. 900. f Moclidā

The front cover; my copy has a quarter-leather binding and marbled boards, as you can see.

Aramaic, written with the Hebrew alphabet including cantillation for marking vowels.

XIII. Græcum Justiniani magni. A.D. 527.

XIII. Græcum Heraclij. AD. 610.

XIV. Græcum Leonis Isauri, AD. 716.

XV. Græcum Caroli magni, AD. 800.

XVI. Græcum Basilii & Constantini, AD. 900.

Agarenorum, seu Sara =
Arabic, vulg, collatum.

VIII. Alphabetum Græcum Cadmi, sive Ionicum, ante Chr. 1500 aversis literis Phœnicum, è nummis Siculis, (Æginensibus) Boeotis, Atticus, alüsque.

IX. Græcum Simonidis Melici, sive Atticum ante Chris. 500. è nummis & marmoribus varüs.

Alphabetum Kuficum ec Codice M.^sto Bodleino desciptum: quod mecum benignè communicat Tho.^s Hunt S T P. Ædis Christi Oxon: Canonicus, & L L. Heb. & Arab. Professor.

XXVIII. Alphabetum Russorum & Slavorum è Græco inventore Cyrillo A.D. 700.

XXIX. Alphabetum Armenium è Græco A.D. 800.

XVII. Alphabetum Latinum ab Ionica, quinque & literis exceptis, ante Chr. 714

Note at the bottom says, Conseratur omnino Ensayo de las Letras Desconnocidas. Por D.L.I. Velasquez C. S.^t J. K. A.R.H. En Madrid Anõ 1752.

Primigenium Etruscorum Alphabetum a cod. A. Sivinton [?]

XVII. Latinum A.D. 1.

XIX Latinum A.D. 306

XX. Latinum A.D. 400.

XXI. Latinum A. D. 500.

XXII. Alphabetum Francicum AD. 500, è Latino

XXIII. Alphabetum Saxonicum AD. 500, è Latino

XXIV. Alphabetum Gothicum è Græco & Latino A.D. 388 Ulfila auctore

XXV. Alphabetum Runicum è Gothico AD. 400

IV. Men dæorum ex Syriaco AD. 277.

III. Syriacum è Babylonio ante Chr. 332.

II. Babylonium & Judaicum (ex. Adamico [?]) ante Chr. 747.

I. Alphabetum (Adami, Noachi, Nini) Abrahami, Phoenicum & Samaritarium, ante Christ (5509) à nummis Jusacicis Africanis q. & [?] à Pentateucho Mosis.

The bottom right of this says, Ed. A. isnam Bonon. 1748 I think; I need to get the original ouot of storage to confirm this.

Transcription of the text:

OUD-NEDERLAND

EEN VERZAMELING DER
BELANGRIJKSTE GEZICHTEN,
STEDEN, DORPEN EN KASTEELEN
UIT VROEGER EEUWEN

Wimel of Windmolen Poort in Nijmegen, Netherlands. This was a gate in the old city walls, and was built in 1436 when the city was expanded. There is a more recent photograph of Molenpoort, now called Molenpoort Passage and a shopping centre: the ancient gate no longer stands.

There is also a widescreen version of this picture.

Assen is the capital of Drenthe, in North-East Netherlands (Holland). It’s possible that the large building at rear left is now the headquarters of RTF-Drenthe, the public regional broadcasting channel for the area. if so, it was previously a school. The church on the right is possibly St. Joseph’s, which was built in 1848.

I have left the caption and enough of the paper that you can see the edges of the printing block.

A version of Wimel of Windmolen Poort, with smaller margins, to fit on a wider screen.

A photograph (not a scan) of the title page.

The text reads as follows:

OUD-NEDERLAND

EEN VERZAMELING
DER BELANGRIJKSTE GEZICHTEN, STEDEN,
DORPEN EN KASTEELEN UIT VROEGER
EEUWEN

INLEIDING VAN Prof. Dr. H. BRUGMANS

UITVOERING ONDER TOEZICHT VAN

Prof. F. GOETZ

AMSTERDAM

ALLERT DE LANGE

MCMXXVII

The caption in the woodcut mentions page 4, and there is indeed an account there of someone being turned into a black dog.

These sailors have only a tattered sail on their mast, and are in a small lifeboat in a raging storm, with a sea inhabited by a strange giant fish. A sailor near the stern of the boat is about to be decapitated; another is eating a dismembered arm or leg. Cannibalism in the workplace.

A bloudy villain murders 3 children, and, A Virgin destroyed by venemous Serpants.

This tiny book is bound in full leather.

This probably refers to King Popielius, or Popiel, of Poland, who was said to have been eaten by rats along with his wife and children, in A.D. 830.

The text reads “K. Hen. 2. whipt by the Popes Order pa. 88”

“henry the Second our King, was much vexed by this Pope [Alexander III] for the death of Thomas Becket, whom the Pope made St. Thomas for opposing his Sovereign, who being killed by some persons at the Stairs of the Altar, in the Cathedral at Canterbury, the Murder was charged upon the King by the Popes Legate; and though he swore that he was in no way concerned in his death, yet he was forced to kiss the legates knee, and submit to such pennance as he should appoint him; one part whereov was, That he should absolutely submit to the Pope in Spiritual matters. And we read, that when King Henry came out of France, he went to Canterbury; and as soon as he was in sight of the Cathedral, he put of his Shooes [sic] and Stockins, and went bare-foot to Beckets Tomb; the waies being so sharp and stormy, that his feet bled as he passed along; and when he came there every Monk in the Cloister whipt [whipped] the King’s back with a Rod; yet a popish Historian saith of this Becket, That he was worthy of death and damnation for being so obstinate against God’s Minister his King, Upon this Pennance the Pope granted to the King and his Heirs the Title of Kinds of England.” (pp 87, 88

“This Pope plagued the World about one and twenty years, and was then suddenly hurried out of it in the midst of his wretched and ambitious contrivances. Symson Hist. Church.” (p. 88)

Henry II reigned from 1154 – 1189. Henry appointed Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury hoping he would help the King reform the Church from some abuses, but in fact Becket became ascetic and refused to help.

When a clerk commited a murder and went unpunished, King Henry promoted a law that clergy should be tried for murder in civil courts, not church courts, restricting movements of high-ranking clergy, and also taking control of revenues of vacant sees (Bishop’s territories). Becket signed this but later asked the Pope to release him from his oath. Becket defied the King and fled to France.

Henry had the Archbishop of York, Roger, crown his eldest son (also called Henry). Becket and the Pope were upset by this, as was King Louis VII of France, who was sheltering Becket. Henry was forced to let Becket return to England, but Becket then excommunicated Roger of York and four other Bishops who had opposed him!

A group of kinghts, apparently misunderstanding some words spoken by Henry in anger and haste, murdered Becket at the alter of Canterbury Cathedral.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Pope had given Henry II permission to conquer Ireland.

T S Eliot’s wonderful play Murder in the Cathedral explores this story in greater depth.

The “pa. 14.” refers to page 14, which has the following text:

“XVII. At Oster, a Village in Germany, there happened a most strange and fearful judgement upon a Woman who gave her self to the Devil, both Body and Soul, and used horrible Cursings and Oaths against her self and others, which detestable Custom she practised upon all occasions, but more especially at a Marriage in that Village upon St. John Baptist’s day; and though the whole company exhorted her to leave off that monstrous Villany, yet she would not be perswaded [sic], but continued therein till all the People were set at Dinner, and very merry; when the Devil having got full possession of her, suddenly appeared, and taking her away before them all, transported her into the Air with most horrible out-cries and roarings; and in that manner he carried her round about the Town, so that the Inhabitants were ready to die for fear; and soon after tore her body into four pieces, leaving a quarter of her in the four several high-wayes, that all who came by might be witnesses of her punishment; and then returning to the Marriage, he threw her bowels upon the Table before the mayor of the Town, with these words; Behold these Dishes of Meat belong to thee, whom the like destruction awaiteth, if thou dost not amend thy wicked life.

The Reporters of this History were John Herman, the Minister of that Town, with the Mayor himself, and all the Inhabitants, they being desirous to have it known for Examples sake. Beards Theatre” (pp. 13 – 14)

The chapter heading is Chap IV. The Wicked Lives, and Woful Deaths of several Popes, and likewise of Apostates, and Desperate Persecutors, but the running heads on each page say The woful Deaths of Wicked Popes, Apostates and Persecutors.

Page 112 is referred to in the woodcut, although 111 is meant:

“XL. Drahomira Queen of bohemia was an implacable Enemy to the Christians, and caused many of them to be slain; but as she happened to pass over a place, where the Bones of some godly Ministers (who had been martyred) lay unburied, the Earth opened its mouth, and swallowed her up alive, together with the Chariot wherein she was, and all that were in it: which place is to be seen before the Castle of Prague to this day.” (p. 111)

This decorative initial letter “W”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. Death, depicted as a skeleton, comes for a hermit wearing a robe (not to be called a hoodie!).

This decorative initial letter “C”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. it features an emperor in the clutches of two skeletons, or Deaths, one of whom he resists, whilst the other pulls off his crown.

This decorative initial letter “F”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. Two grinning skeletons, representing Death, are attacking an empress sitting in her throne; one of the skeletons is lifting the skirt or petticoat of the empress.

Plate 62 is Holbein’s Dance of Death alphabet. I am making the individual letters available at higher resolution; this image is just a place to put the notes and to let you get a feel for the whole alphabet.

Translation kindly supplied by Róman Joost; you can also see a picture of the original German captions.

This is the ornate decorative border from the title page of this book; it features cherubs or putti (naked boys with wings) holding up giant urns or vases; mermaids and mermen; angels, vines, flowers and leaves, all in one border or frame! Although the border is probably from a medieval/mediaeval or renaissance source, it would of course also be fine as a gothic revival or Victorian border.

There are also green-brown (most like the original) and black versions.

This decorative initial letter “G”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It shows two skeletons, or Death figures, siezing a queen; one skeleton plays the flute, or fife, and the other pulls the queen by her chain of office.

This decorative initial letter “K”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It features a skeleton representing Death, wearing a fur cap and mantle, and with a flail in its right hand, seizing a nobleman.

This decorative initial letter “U” or “V”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It shows a man on horseback siezed by Death from behind as he tries to escape.

The same image serves as both U and V, as was common at that time.

A reproduction of a page from a book printed at the office of Erhart Ratdolt in Venice in 1478, Pomponii Melle Cosographie de situ orbis liber primis.

The German caption in the 1878 book containing this reprodictoin says:

This is the ornate decorative border from the title page of this book; it features cherubs or putti (naked boys with wings) holding up giant urns or vases; mermaids and mermen; angels, vines, flowers and leaves, all in one border or frame! Although the border is probably from a medieval/mediaeval or renaissance source, it would of course also be fine as a gothic revival or Victorian border.

There are also black (easist to re-use) and red versions. The original title page is printed in two colours: the text in black, this border and the printer’s flower ornament in this brownish green.

This decorative initial letter “H”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It depicts a skeleton, representing Death, dragging off a bishop.

The captions are in German, and I cannot understand them. If you want to send them to me (UTF-8 please!) I’ll put the transcriptions up on the pages for the corresponding plates.

This decorative initial letter “B”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It features two skeletons, or death-figures, a dog and a pope. Some commentators say the dog is actually a demon, trying to keep the pope away from death and hence alive.

This decorative initial letter “D”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It features a king thrown to the ground and forcibly dragged away by two skeletons, or Deaths.

This decorative initial letter “T”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. The skeleton figures in the alphabet represent death. The letter features a minstrel with his pipe, lying prostrate on the ground, and being dragged away by one Death, whilst another pours something from a vessel into his mouth, presumably poison.

Ths ornament is on the title page.

This decorative initial letter “I”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It is also used for “J.” It features a skeleton (Death) in the guise of an old woman, tugging at a man, a duke, with his hands clasped together as if in prayer or despair.

This decorative initial letter “E”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It features a skeleton, representing Death, with bony hands on the shoulders of a cardinal.

This decorative initial letter “K”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It shows a doctor of physician in his study or laboratory, holding up a vessel. Behind him, Death (the skeleton) reaches for the doctor, with one bony hand on his shoulder and the other on the vessel. Or, possibly, Death holds the vessel: maybe it’s really an hour-glass?

This decorative initial letter “K”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein and dating from 1523. It features a skeleton, representing Death, standing on the left, carrying holy water, and taking the Canon (a priest).

This decorative initial letter “A”, or drop cap, is from an alphabet designed by Hans Holbein the Younger and dating from 1523. It features a skeleton banging a drum (or tabor) with a bone, and also playing a fife, followed by another skeleton waving a banner, or possibly playing a trumpet. Some commentators say they are marching through a graveyard or cemetary, probably from the skulls lying on the ground.

This is the ornate decorative border from the title page of this book; it features cherubs or putti (naked boys with wings) holding up giant urns or vases; mermaids and mermen; angels, vines, flowers and leaves, all in one border or frame! Although the border is probably from a medieval/mediaeval or renaissance source, it would of course also be fine as a gothic revival or Victorian border.

There are also green-brown (most like the original) and red versions.

The title page has been printed in two colours, and includes an ornate decorative border, which I also made available as separate images in green-brown (most like the original), black (easiest to re-use) and red (because people seem to like red pictures the best).

[if you can translate this, use the Comment link!]

A cherub from a woodcut by Jost Amman, a detail from a trade mark for a printer. The cherub has a long festoon, wings, and proffers a laurel wreath, signifying victory.

Detail from a title page printed in 1536, depicting the printing office of Jodocus Baudius, the Ascension Press, and three of the people working there. It’s possible one of the figures is Baudius himself.

A picture of a cockerel (a rooster) from a woodcut by Jost Amman, a detail from a trade mark for a printer.

Title page from “De Studio Literarum...” published in 1536 in Paris by Jodocus Badius and printed by Michael Vascosanus, illustrated by Orance Finé (or Orance Fine). The central woodcut shows a printing office; the twisted perspective is deliberate, and emphasises the turn of the printing-press handle. The words Prelum Ascensianum appear over the press, the name of Baudius’ printing house (Prelum being the Latin word for a printing-press).

I also made a separate image out of just the printing press.

A picture of an eagle from a woodcut by Jost Amman, a detail from a trade mark for a printer. Actually I am not at all sure what sort of bird it is supposed to represent!

A beautiful engraved Celtic knotwork-style border surrounds this title-page from a 1534 mathematical text-book by Oronce Finé (given here as Orontii Finei), who may also have made the design. Inset into the border are various figures representing astronomy (or astrology), music, geography, arithmetic, Pythagoras, Orpheus (?), Euclid and, at the bottom right, the printer Aldus Manutius. The original book was printed in Paris in 1534, at the printing-office of Simon De Colines.

Google translates the caption as: The beautiful brand of the Strasbourg printer Crafft Myller the year 1537 in a woodcut of  unknown master.

In this woodcut, a lion brandishes a pillar; under the lion’s paw is a shield bearing the portrait of a bearded man wielding a jaw-bone. There is a caption: Hostibus haud tergo, sed forti pectore notis. This means, more or less, Foes shall know his brave front, but not his rear, and referred to Achilles (it is from Catullus’ Achilleid).

Google translates the caption as: Jost Amman’s trade mark for     Sigmund Feyrabend [Feyerabend] in his company with Weigand     Hanund George Rab. One of the earliest and most ingenious     Logos of the master. In the original size.

A barefoot angel dances on top of an urn or fountain, blowing twin pipes or trumpets. On either side of the angel, cherubs bear laurel wreaths. Below, an eagle and a cockerel.

I made separate images of the left-hand cherub, facing to the right;
the right-hand cherub, facing to the left;
the eagle,
the rooster or cockerel,
and the trumpeting angel-woman.

The various symbols on this piece presumably have alchemical significance.

I also have Volume I.

A cherub from a woodcut by Jost Amman, a detail from a trade mark for a printer. The cherub has a long festoon, wings, and proffers a laurel wreath, signifying victory.

A trumpeting angel from a woodcut by Jost Amman, a detail from a trade mark for a printer.

This is a detail from plate 206, “Entrance of Henry of Lorraine, marquess of Moy, under the name of Pirandre” from the series The Combat at the Barrier, 1627.

Here we seem to have a number of soldiers holding their lances upright, perhaps with some difficulty for they are perched on the back of a giant lizard which is being pulled by a giant bird, itself ridden by a winged cupid.

This is a detail from plate 206, “Entrance of Henry of Lorraine, marquess of Moy, under the name of Pirandre” from the series The Combat at the Barrier, 1627.

Here in a carriage whose seat is a scallop-shell is a barefoot woman with a spear, holding aloft an orb. Her carriage is pulled by Death, represented as a naked man, winged, carrying an hour-glass and a scythe.

This is a detail from plate 206, “Entrance of Henry of Lorraine, marquess of Moy, under the name of Pirandre” from the series The Combat at the Barrier, 1627.

Here is a carriage with a scuplted lion at its back; the carriage is pulled by a dragon. On board, I am guessing, is the Marquess of Moy, in a costume.

This is a detail from plate 206, “Entrance of Henry of Lorraine, marquess of Moy, under the name of Pirandre” from the series The Combat at the Barrier, 1627.

Here is a carriage pulled by two dogs.

A Victorian decorative initial letter “G” used as a drop cap at the start of a section. The capital G has a dragon with wings, horns, a long scaly tail and clawed feet interwined around it.

This engraving (probably a woodcut) of a dragon appears at the start of an article on dragons in ornament. It is marked L. F. D., presumably for Lewis F. Day, the author of the piece; and, since he died in 1910, more than 70 years ago, the image and text are out of copyright.

A good picture for All-Souls Night or Halloween!

A detail from Grotesque Head

The front cover of the book is green and gold.

This is a version of the drop cap letter t with a dragon but without the gray border around it, to make it a little more versatile. You can use the smaller sizes directly in your Web pages if you like. In the book it spans 14 lines of text.

Shelter by Arthur Hopkins.

Two boys and two girls use a rocky ledge by the sea as shelter from the rain. The girls have dresses, and the boys are barefoot, and have sun-hats, suggesting that it is Summer. The painting is featured in an article entitled “Pictures of the Year.—IV.” which was a review of the Royal Academy pictures for (I think) 1880.

(I have not yet scanned the Marcus Stone picture.)

Perhaps Thanksgiving or Christmas is approaching, because the farm-boy is looking at the turkeys with interest and anticipation.

“From the Picture by P. R. Morris, A.R.A., exhibited at the Dudley Gallery in 1879.)”

(By Fred Morgan)

“Mr. Fred. Morgan is as sunny as usual in his “Gleaners” (p. 119)

Gleaning means going into fields after the harvest and finding left-overs missed by the harvesters. When I was a child, in England, we had “gleaning rights” in a neighbouring field, and could go and collect wheat. This picture, then, shows two women picking up fallen ears of wheat (the main cereal crop in England) from the ground.

An engraving showing a statue of St. George slaying the dragon, by J. E. Boehm, A.R.A. St. George is here depicted as an almost-naked man riding a horse, a Roman centurian wearing only sandals and a helmet, with a cape flowing about his shoulders and a spear in his hands with which he slays the scaly dragon.

There is also a detail of the dragon in which the head is more clearly visible.

“According to Mr. Boehm, we cannot be Greeks, for we have no mythology. Our art must be Christian and modern. ‘It is in vain to complain of the paucity of inspiring subjects in our age, of our ugly costume and the dearth of suitable figures for sculpture. You may regard objects and compose like Homer, but you may not inanely copy the antique. Do not return from Rome with some more bad nymphs, another Venus or another Cupid. Try to use the much-abused dress. Treat a coat-sleeve, a woman’s gown, con amore, ennoble it by art, and it will be a pleasing object in the sight of those whose prainse is worth having.’ ” (p. 335)

An initial used for a drop cap (drop capital, or decorative initial) in this 1880 book. The initial is a letter “T” and has two dragons in it. It is signed with a monogram LFD, presumably for Lewis F. Day, the author of the article.

I also made a version without the border so you can more easily use it in print or on a Web page.

By J. E. Boehm, A.R.A. Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1880.

This is a digital image made by scanning a print of an engraving that depicts a sculpture of a person.

Lord John Russell (1792 – 1878) was a Whig politician (the other main party of the day was the Tory party) and led a number of reforms.

Wood-Nuttall Encyclopaedia entry for Russell, Lord John