Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/502

 420 ARCHJEOLOQICAL INTELLIGEKCE. manuscript Bible of the 13th century, iu two folio volumes, containing many illuniimitions, probably uf the Italian school ; a copy of the printed Bible of l-iOi', the tii-st with a date, on vellum ; a "Bible His- turiee" of the 1-lth century, containing 130 miniatures, by a French illuminator ; the English Bibles of 1535 and 1537, both almost perfect, and many other editions. Tlie second day comprised a good many illuminated MSS., chietly books of Houi-s, some printed on vellum, by Verard and othei-s : the "Cent llistoires" of Christine de Pisan, a very fine MS., with 115 historical miniatures of the highest importance ; two '^ J'Jniii;/tlij>(aria" v( the Dth and llltli centuries, and Caxton's Cw/'/cssio Atnantis of 1483. On the fullowing days among the treasures disjiosed of were a fine 4to book of "Hone," a French MS. of the 15th cen- tury : Gretiuni Colhdio S-b'. Canonum, a fine folio, full of miniatures ; Cu.ton's " Higden," two folio books of " JIo/e,'' oi the 15th autl IGth centuries, both finely illuminated ; a MS. of Lydgate's "Siege of Troy :" MS. Romances, and many fine Missals, both MS. and printed ; — several remarkable ^ISS., including a Vita Chriad and a raiidjicale ; Shake- speare's four folios of 1(]23, 1G32, 1GG4, and 1G85, all perfect; and finally the Mazarine Bible, in two volumes, on vellum, with two leaves iu facsimile ; and, as a last lot, a very fine copy on })aper, cpiite perfect. The valuable collection of antiquities made by Siguor Ca-stellani has at length been ac(piired by the Government for the British Museum — a subject of great congi'atulation to all arclueologists. One of the most remarkable objects in this collection is the bronze head supposed to be of Aphrodite, in which we have an imdoubtedly original and cardinal work by one of the great sculptors of the l)est period of Grecian art. It is supposed to have been found in Thcssaly, Itut the history of its dis- coverA' is not yet fully known. An Etruscan sarcophagus of (erra cotta is perl»aps the most important object which has yet been discovered in that material. It is of the largest size, and the cover is surmounted by a male and a female figure reclining together, as at a banquet. At one en<l, Acliilles and Memnon, armed for the fight, are taking leave of their mothers and female friends. On the longer front the fight is repre- sented in the centre ; on either side are friends, and on that of Memnon a genius is flying upwards. The wailing Eos and her companions are represented at the other end, while the back isoccu]iieil by what ap|)ear,s to be the picture of the funereal feast. An inscriiition in the Etruscan cliaracter is painted rounied l»y a lady. Besides these two most important objects, there are numerous carvings in ivory and amber, and fictile Viuses. Altogether the acqtiisition is one of the rieliest that our .National Museum has made for very many years. The publication iu I'aris is aimounce<l of a fellow volume to that recently jjulilished there, entitled " Les Collections Colebrcs d'tEuvres d'Art en Franco," to bo called " Works of Art in the Collections of Eng- land." It is to consist <»f filly folio plates engraved on copper, each h[H-eimen accompanii;d by a short de.scriptive text. Price leu guineas. Messrs. Wdliams and Norgato are the London agents.