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than from perusing whole chapters taken up with the most minute and elaborate descriptions of it, he was determined to enrich his labours with copies of those monuments referred to in the text, or accompanying notes. The reader will, therefore, find these pages embellished with several copper-plate and wood engravings, executed by Mr. Moses, and other artists of the first order in the respective branches of their profession, and whom the author must congratulate on the able manner in which they have acquitted themselves of the task confided to their care.

The reader will, no doubt, detect the absence of true perspective,-remark several obvious faults in the drawing of the human figure, and notice other seeming deficiencies in some at least of the engravings which are scattered through these volumes. He should, however, bear in mind, that of these graphic illustrations of the text, many were selected from monuments executed at a period when painting and sculpture, together with the sister-arts and sciences, were sinking into, or emerging from, that night of ignorance which darkened Europe during the middle ages.* As these

*No admirer of the Fine Arts should be without the talented and elaborate works of D'Agincourt and Cicognara. The learned Frenchman employed thirty years in the compilation of his Histoire de l'Art par les Monumens, depuis sa Décadence au 4ème

monuments were produced to elucidate an ancient custom, or to corroborate some argument, by noticing the accordance in Catholic belief at the present moment, with that of early times, the author considered it a religious duty to exhibit as accurate transcripts of them as he could possibly procure. Hence he solicited those friends who so kindly furnished him with tracings and copies of these ancient monuments, and directed the artists who engraved them, to be as minutely faithful in their respective delineations, and transcribe them

siècle, jusqu'à son renouvellement au 16ème;' and the patriotic Italian has eloquently advanced the claims of his own Italy as the nurse of all the family of the Arts, in his 'Storia della Scultura dal suo Risorgimento in Italia fino al secolo di Canova.' How deeply it is to be regretted that no Englishman has hitherto been. stimulated by the patriotism of Cicognara, or warmed by a love for the Arts, similar to that which quickened D'Agincourt, to achieve for Great Britain what these authors, with small fortunes and no patronage, have done for Italy-for Europe. Materials are abundant; since not only are our native productions, especially from the tenth century, most numerous in architecture, sculpture, and painting in illuminated MSS., but many of them still exist in the highest state of preservation. Nothing is wanting, but some individual, with sufficient abilities and the necessary acquirements, with the will to collect and arrange those splendid national monuments, to vindicate the honour of Britain, and prove the ancient success with which she cultivated the Arts, at least from the tenth up to the commencement of the sixteenth century, and hence demonstrate her actual capability of recovering her former glory, and adding to it new splendours, if animated to such a meritorious enterprise by due encouragement.

with every fault, however glaring. The object, in this instance, was not to improve nor decorate, but to render fac-similes of those curious originals which, notwithstanding their defects, are interesting to the artist and antiquary.

The author cannot allow the present occasion to pass away without making suitable acknowledgments to the publisher of these volumes, for that solicitude and attention which he manifested during the printing of them. The author therefore avails himself of this opportunity of offering to Mr. Booker, of New Bond Street, his best thanks, not only for his attention and immediate acquiescence to every one of the suggestions for the printing and embellishment of this work; but for the ready zeal and prompt exactitude with which he carried them into effect. For the handsome specimen of typography, and beautiful style in which the plates and illustrations are executed, the public are indebted to Mr. Booker, who, in taking upon himself the responsibility of publishing the present volumes, spared no expense in carrying them through the press.

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