set of colours suitable for the purposes of illumination; and I now beg to recommend to my pupils and readers those only called "Illuminating Colours." Chemically speaking, they are manufactured on a totally distinct principle from other water-colours, and are made to answer all the purposes of illuminated drawing, affording perfect facility on the one hand in laying them on evenly and smoothly, and, on the other, saving a great deal of time and labour, and enhancing much the general effect of the design, in the brilliancy of the tints; this refers more particularly to their use when applied to vellum, which from its greasy surface is apt to reject the usual water-colours, whilst those of the illuminating-box are found perfectly to answer the purpose. I beg also to recommend the "water gold-size," which in its application to the drawing, can be raised considerably above its surface, assuming all the appearance of being embossed, and can be immediately gilded over, which greatly expedites the process over that of any other gold varnish.[A]

That persons having a knowledge of drawing can and will make better illuminators than those who have not, there can be no doubt; and the more accomplished the artist, the better illuminator he will make is also obvious. Yet the art of illumination may be practised by persons who may be but indifferent artists in general design, and with a great deal of success; whilst others, conversant with the highest principles of art, have frequently been found to be but very indifferent illuminators. The reason of this is apparent; illuminating being for the most part a strictly mechanical art (though subject to artistic principles), any one possessed of natural gifts of taste, patience and perseverance, will, by studiously following out some slight mechanical contrivances, easily attain the first principles primarily necessary to copy any given outline however intricate; not even excluding the human figure.

The ornamental arabesque scroll, from its primitive simplicity to the most elaborately finished foliage, interlaced initials, etc., are given in due succession for the pupil to copy; by which means his hand becomes gradually trained to curval delineations, and his eyes get by degrees educated, till at last all angular tendency in his ornamentations is entirely eradicated. Once trained to that perfection, colouring and shading become comparatively easy, and a little instruction, with practice, will enable the hitherto uneducated artist to overcome almost every obstacle. The free-hand artist, on the other hand, relying on his capacity alone, and disregarding the mechanical contrivances at his command, not unfrequently stumbles over the easiest parts, pettishly condemns all such appliances, the neglect of which destroys the uniformity and mathematical precision of his work, and finally he leaves off, disgusted with his ill success.

I would, therefore, recommend first of all to the pupil to provide himself with a box of Illuminating Colours, which can be obtained of the author, or at any of the authors agents, which also includes compasses, parallel rule, ruling-pen, agate, gold, etc., and other little but indispensable tools; without which the student would be at a loss to proceed. Having procured these, I would then place this book in his hand, and, by following up the rules laid down here he will find himself, at least, enabled to make such progress, that, with the aid of one or two courses of instruction from a proper and experienced artist, he will completely overcome those difficulties which it would be vain to struggle against by himself. The manuscript room in the British Museum, to which, on a proper recommendation, access can be had, will finally give him an opportunity of studying the art more fully, and make him conversant with the immense store of mediæval treasures hoarded up there in endless variety and profusion.

BEGINNERS should not be too ambitious; let them be, therefore, contented to copy first, before attempting original designs,—it will give them experience and method. In the higher walks of art, copying is always resorted to; the painter has models, casts, and drapery to guide him, and Nature is his instructor; and let him be ever so original, he still imitates nature. Now, since there are no ornamentations in nature to guide our illuminating art-student, let him be content to copy, first, from those whose works are acceptable for their originality, their effect, and their classical beauty. The more these are studied and copied from, the nearer the pupil will arrive at perfection, and may gradually become an original artist himself.

In commencing a subject, it is absolutely necessary first to arrange a rough design of the intended subject; to perfect a sketch, and then to make careful and correct tracings of the various parts (if the design is a subject of repetition), or the whole; to retrace them to the vellum, or Bristol board, with the red prepared paper, as faintly as is consistent with being able to see it. This is accomplished by placing the red paper between the tracing and the vellum, or drawing board, and following its outline rather briskly with a fine pointed H H H lead pencil, reversing the tracing when the ornament or border forms the counterpart of the design, which secures a perfect facsimile reversed; and, when completed, repairing any part which may be defective with the pencil, and perfecting the outline where it is uneven, or the scrollwork is broken or ungraceful. The beauty of illuminations is always best secured when the scrollwork runs gracefully smooth, not broken or angular, which gives it an awkward and unartistic appearance. In order to prepare the pupil, I have given, in the illustrations, the arabesque scroll and curval lines to be drawn at the beginning in pencil only; and when form is thoroughly attained, let him re-execute it with a fine sable brush and carmine, which will give proper practice to use the brush effectually. I have adopted the arabesque scroll as the principle of all ornamental design; and I would advise the novice to practise it continually, on the same principle that exercises and scales are recommended in music to train the hand.

Referring back to the design, when the sketch is complete (which should always be as faint and delicate as possible, since it is no easy matter to erase a coarse outline from the vellum or cardboard by the usual mode of india-rubber), the process of colouring may then commence, by placing in the various compartments of the design the colours as previously arranged, somewhat in the following order, viz., first, all the blue throughout the drawing, or any portion of it intended for completion; then the vermilion, the orange, the purple, the green or yellow, and any other colour which may be in the design; next, the gold forming the outlines of the next ornamentations; and last of all, the shading of scrollwork, both gold and coloured, and also the shadings on the gold