sharp and reverberating blasts of the trumpet. The trumpeters blow their
instruments with all their might. Every thing is in animation, bustle,
energy, and confusion. A man's head is cut off, and extended by an arm, to
which--in the position and of the size we behold--it would be difficult to
attach a body. Blood flows copiously on all sides. The reward of victory is
seen in the next and _last_ illumination. The ladies bring the white mantle
to throw over the shoulders of the conqueror. In the whole, there are only
lxxiiij. leaves. This is unquestionably a volume of equal interest and
splendor; and, when it was fresh from the pencil of the illuminator, its
effect must have been exquisite.[42]

BOOK OF TOURNAMENTS: No. 8204. 8vo. We have here a sort of miniature
exhibition of the chief circumstances displayed in the previous and larger
MS. It is questionless a very precious book; but has been cruelly cropt.
The text and ornaments are clearly of the end of the fifteenth century;
perhaps about 1470. Nothing can well exceed the brilliancy and power of
many of the illuminations, which are very small and very perfect. The
knight, with a representation of the trefoil, (or what is called club, in
card playing) upon a gold mantle, kills the other with a black star upon a
white mantle. This mortal combat is the last in the book. Each of the
knights, praying before going to combat, is executed with considerable
power of expression. The ladies have the high (cauchoise) cap or bonnet.
The borders, of flowers, are but of secondary merit.

POLYBIUS, _Græcè_. Folio. M. Gail placed before me, in a sly manner--as if
to draw off my attention from the volumes of chivalry just described,--the
present beautiful MS. of Polybius. It is comparatively recent, being of the
very commencement of the sixteenth century: but the writing exhibits a
perfect specimen of that style or form of character which the Stephenses
and Turnebus, &c. appear to have copied in their respective founts of the