The two lines of English from another part of the charter have very long stems and ornamental serifs, giving a very decorative effect (see footnote, p. [326]).
[PLATE X.]—Italian (first half of) Twelfth-century Writing. (Homilies and Lessons). Brit. Mus., Harl. MS. 7183. (See also enlargement, fig. [174].)
(Shown in Brit. Mus., Department of MSS., Case C [lower part], No. 101.)
THE VOLUME.—Homilies and Lessons for Sundays and Festivals from Advent to Easter Eve—contains 317 leaves (approximately 2112 inches by 15 inches); two columns, each of 50 lines, to the page. The MARGINS are, approximately, Inner 114 inch, Head [p418] 114 inch, Side 314 inches, Foot 414 inches (between columns 118 inch: see Plate). The portion of a page, shown in [Plate X.], consists of the last eleven lines, second column, of folio 78.
WRITING.—This has all the qualities of good writing (p. [239]) in a marked degree, and I consider it, taken all round, the most perfect and satisfactory penmanship which I have seen.
Its simplicity and distinctiveness are very marked, so also are its character and freedom. There is an almost entire absence of artificial finish—the terminals are natural hooks, beaks and “feet” made with a fine sleight of hand (p. [311])—and its very great beauty of form is the natural outcome of good traditions and eminently satisfactory craftsmanship.
Notes.—The letters are very wide, and the inside shapes differ considerably from those of the tenth-century MS. (above)—with which, however, there is a considerable affinity (see p. [416]).
The f is longer than the ſ, the g has a very fine form with a closed loop, the r is sharpened, the t straight.
Small (Uncial) CAPITALS um follow the Versal; the serifs on the S and E are made with dexterous movements of the nib (p. [246]), and resemble those on the Versal C. V and U are both used for the consonant (V).
There are very few VERSALS in this book: the C shown is in red (which has been smudged).