It is on this account that we have refrained from giving any specimens of manuscripts anterior to the 6th century.
"Palæographia Sacra Pictoria," cap. Syriac MSS.
O'Conor and others were of course earlier in the field.
"Palæographia Sacra Pictoria," Book of Kells, page 1.
Catalogue of the Libri collection of MSS., Introduction by M. Libri, pages xiv. and xxvi. London, 1859.