state of preservation, yet is the character of the art but secondary, and
rather common.

ROYAL BIOGRAPHY OF FRANCE. Fol. This exquisite volume may be justly
designated as the _nonpareil_ of its kind. It is rather a book of
PORTRAITS, than a MS. with intermixed illuminations. The scription, in a
sort of cursive, secretary gothic character, merits not a moment's
attention: the pencil of the artist having wholly eclipsed the efforts of
the scribe. Such a series of exquisitely finished portraits, of all the
Kings of France (with the unaccountable omission, unless it has been taken
out, of that of Louis XII.) is perhaps no where else to be seen. M. Coeuré,
the French artist employed by me, stood in ecstasies before it! These
portraits are taken from old monuments, missals, and other ancient and
supposed authentic documents. They are here touched and finished in a
manner the most surprisingly perfect. The book appears to have been
executed expressly for CHARLES IX.--to whom it was in fact presented by
_Dutilliet_, (the artist or the superintendant of the volume) in his proper
person. The gilt stamp of the two reversed C's are on the sides of the
binding. I should add, that the portraits are surrounded by borders of
gold, shaded in brown, in the arabesque manner. All the portraits are whole
lengths; and if my time and pursuits had permitted it, I should, ere this,
have caused M. Coeuré to have transfused a little of his enthusiasm into
faithful facsimiles of those of Francis I.--my avowed favourite--of which
one represents him in youth, and the other in old age. Why do not the
Noblesse of France devote some portion of that wealth, which may be applied
to worse purposes, in obtaining a series of engravings executed from this
matchless volume?!


ROMANCES, BOOKS OF TOURNAMENT, &c.