Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/30

18 spring from the same centre, their opposite ends going off to the other centres of other similar spiral ornaments. The excessive minuteness and precision of these ornaments is perfectly marvellous, far surpassing the productions of any other school of early art.

Of the miniatures with which these manuscripts are ornamented, it is, on the contrary, impossible to conceive anything more barbarous, either as regards composition or treatment. The drawings, indeed, more nearly resemble Egyptian or Mexican figures, whilst the colours are laid on in solid masses, without the slightest attempt to introduce shading or relief. In most instances these drawings simply consist of single figures of the Evangelists, each being respectively placed opposite the commencement of his gospel. Generally, we find these figures represented standing upright, facing the reader, with long flowing robes, and holding the book of the Gospels, or probably the particular gospel of each Evangelist, in his hands. Such is the case with two of the Evangelists in the Book of Kells; with the three Evangelists in the Leabhar Dimma; with the three Evangelists in the Gospels of St. Moling; with St. John, in the Duke of Buckingham's Irish missal; with St. Matthew and St. Mark, in Archbishop Usher's Gospels (Trin. Coll. Dubl.); and with St. Mark, in the Gospels of Mac Regol, at Oxford. These figures, therefore, furnish us with little archaeological information, if we except the peculiar style of the dress, which it seems, how- ever, difficult to refer to an uniform system of clerical costume, being rather, as it would appear, the result of the fancy of the artist, than a regular attempt to delineate the costume of the bishops of the time : the arrangement of the hair, destitute of tonsure, the form of the shoes, and of the book, are, however, to be noticed.

In some cases, however, additional details are given to these single portraits, which confer on them a higher archaeological interest. Thus, the Evangelist represented on folio 291 verso, of the Book of Kells, is seated on a rich cushion, and he holds in his right hand an instrument for writing, which, from its feathered extremity, seems to me to be intended for a quill. The figure of St. John, in the Gospels of Mac Durnan, at Lambeth Palace, in addition to the book, holds a