1st.—The component parts of the initial itself are made the subject of ornamentation; sometimes by the contortion of a dragon or some other pliable animal into a grotesque parody of the shape of the letter; sometimes by forming it of a combination of geometric figures, resulting from an endless crossing of lines, the whole terminating in heads or other parts of the same sort of creatures; sometimes by the introduction of foliage in a more or less integral manner.
2nd.—The ornamentation oozing over as it were beyond the limits of the letter itself, extends in a straggling manner upwards and downwards, or downwards and along, forming a partial fringe to the corner or margin of the page.
3rd.—The initial regains its simplicity of outline, but is laid upon a cartouche of ornamental work or of diaper work, the species of ornamentation mentioned in No. 2 being nearly detached from the letter, and forming a kind of canopy—or, as it is customary to call it ‘bracket’—over it.
4th.—The bracket is extended all round the page, and becomes an illuminated border. Illustrations, such as scenes, portraits, &c. are introduced within. The initial dwindles, as does the space for the text, which frequently occupies but a tiny islet, in the midst of a sea of rich decoration.
The whole of these resolve themselves into two leading principles: the one where the initial itself is the illumination, and its outline and component parts are the subject of treatment. The other, where the initial remains in its simplicity of outline, and the ornamentation is bestowed on what surrounds it, or on that on which it is imposed.
Our list of examples from the British Museum will be found to contain specimens of nearly all the different styles we have alluded to, and to display most of the leading characteristics. It is hardly necessary to add, that there are vast treasures of this art lying at the same place, and to be got at with a little trouble, and from these it would have been easy enough to have selected some more favourable specimens of some of the styles; and it is to be hoped that a larger proportion of these treasures, than the somewhat meagre allowance at present placed within the reach of the general public may some day be made generally accessible. In this work, for the reason already stated, nothing has been included which is not open to all the world to inspect. It should further be prefaced that the Italian specimens have been placed by themselves, partly because the majority of them belong to a different school, in which the classical element naturally introduces itself to a greater or less extent, and partly because they well deserve a distinct examination, being in general far more richly executed than the others, (and they belong besides all to one period, the latter half of the 15th and the very beginning of the 16th century.)
No distinction has been made between MS. and printed works in the selection, because the large majority of the illuminations in the latter—amounting in our selection to all but one—are done by hand, and are therefore quite as useful by way of study as if they appeared on the most undoubted vellum MS. that had ever borne the scrutiny of all the archæologists. Separate mention also is made of the Oriental illuminations.