Vers. 41–56: “The raising of Jairus’ daughter,” come prior to the events narrated in St. Luke’s sixth and seventh chapters, and appear on p. 56 of the Harmony.
If we may take Nicholas Ferrar’s chronology to be correct, it is clearly seen that the Harmony is a most valuable aid to the study of the Gospels.
Mention has been made already of the engravings with which the Concordances are nearly all supplied. On the title-page, after describing the contents of the book, these words always occur: “to which are added sundry pictures, expressing either the facts themselves or their types and figures, or other matters appertaining thereunto.”
These “pictures” are in many cases delightfully quaint, and are probably of considerable value, having been collected by Nicholas Ferrar on his journey through Holland, Germany, Italy, and Spain in the years 1613 to 1618, it being expressly stated that they were by the best masters of that time, and that he let nothing valuable of this sort escape him.
Unfortunately, many of these prints have been cut, to make them fit into the pages, but on others there are the names or monograms of the artist and engraver. On one the date 1564 appears after the name M. Heern, invent. Other names occurring are M. de Vos, Joannes Strada, Th. Galle, Phl. Galle, Crispin Van de Passe, Brvegel, etc., etc.
The most usual arrangement is for the engraving to occupy the upper half of the page, and the letterpress to be put in two columns underneath; but occasionally there are two or three prints in
the same page. In the copy under consideration now, being one of the smaller volumes, there are 138 folio pages, and about 220 prints, varying in size from 12 inches by 8, to small delicate engravings of about 2½ inches by 1 inch.
It would be useless to attempt to describe the pictures, so as to give an adequate idea of their interest, but some of the subjects may be mentioned.
There is a series of small engravings of the eleven Apostles (a blank space being left in a conspicuous manner for Judas), which represent each one with his proper emblem, and in the background of each picture a very small illustration of the manner of his death; for instance, St. Peter on a cross, upside down; St. Thomas being killed by the spears of savages; St. Simon being sawn asunder. Near the beginning of the volume is a print of the Blessed Virgin with a sword piercing her body, and surrounded by seven medallions, showing “the seven griefs.” The parable of “The mote and the beam” is quaintly depicted by two men standing near together, one with an enormous log of wood, equal in length to a third of his height, projecting unsupported from his own eye, attempting to pull a small bit of straw from the eye of the other.
In the pictures of the Resurrection is one with a small representation in the background of our Blessed Lord appearing to his mother, “who had remained at her own home.”