The Cottonian Library of Manuscripts.

Deposited in XXI Presses.

These two libraries are not classed in a strict scientific order.*

In the press under No. XIX of the Cottonian Library are deposited ninety-four volumes of extracts, transcripts, and notes, chiefly relating to the Exchequer, collected by Thomas Madox, Esq. historiographer to Queen Anne and King George I, and bequeathed by his widow as an addition to the Cottonian Library.

On the table, in a glazed fiame, is the original of the Magna Charta, belonging to the Cottónian library; and on the side of it is a fac-simile engraving of it, by Pine.Against press XXI, of the Cottonian Library is the original of the articles preparatory to the signing of the great charter, perfect, with the seal; presented Anno 1769, by Earl Stanhope.

The department of Natural History commences with the eighth room on the same floor, and extends to the twelfth. Of this a very satisfactory, though general, account is given in the Synopsis, from page 12 to the end of page 42.

The department of Antiquities commences at page 43 of the Synopsis, and is now entirely deposited in the new wing, which contains the Townleian marbles: and, with the addition of Mr. Cracherode's prints and drawings, oc cupies thirteen rooms.

* Of the King's Library, a catalogue, compiled by Mr. David Casley, was printed in the year 1734, in quarto: and of the Cottonian Library there are no less than three catalogues extant; the first by Dr. Thomas Smith, printed in 1696, folio; the second, being an attempt toward a classical arrangement, printed in 1777, octavo; and the third improved and considerably enlarged by Mr. Planta, printed by his Majesty's command in the year 1802, folio.

So noble a collection of various materials for learning and improvement, must be regarded with pride and satisfaction by the public; who will, doubtless, rejoice. in every judicious addition made to it, either by public liberality, private munificence.

The various libraries are now almost completely catalogued.

1. The Printed Books: in an alphabetical catalogue, printed in 1787, in two volumes folio; but now so ex tended by additions, that, when reprinted, it will probably make twice the quantity.

2. The Royal Library of MSS. Catalogue by the late Mr. David Casley: printed in 1734, 4lo.

3. The Cottonian Library. Catalogued first by Dr. Thomas Smith; but lately in a very complete manner by Mr. Planta, the present principal librarian; whose work was printed by his Majesty's command, in one large volume, folio, in 1802.

4. The Harleian Library. The catalogue formerly two volumes folio; but just now reprinted in three volumes folio, by his Majesty's command; the whole third volume and a part of the second, consisting of articles revised and greatly enlarged by Mr. Nares, lately librarian of the MS. department.

5. The Sloane and Birch MSS. Catalogue by the late Mr. Ayscough of the British Museum. 2 vols. 4to. 1772. 6. The Lansdowne Collection, not yet completed. 7. Additional MSS. not yet printed.

An Account of the Scriptoria, or Writing Rooms in the Monasteries of England.

Every Monastery had usually some Apartment, called the Scriptorium, or else some portion of its cloister appropriated for this purpose, where their music and missals were copied out; and such other books as they could obtain to copy. In the old Library at Worcester Cathedral and in the remaining Libraries of some other Collegiate Churches, may still be seen the manner of writing music, before the invention of the present Notes, and some of the old Copies of Books.

By means of such Scriptoria, were compiled and preserved, the first annals of Saxon History; without which, however strange the composition of some of them may be, this would now have been a land of darkness, as to any accounts of what passed therein, during those ages.

The custom of making this one good use of Convents, and of Christian Societies, was derived from very early days. About the year 220, Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem, built a library there, for preserving the epistles of learned ecclesiastical persons, written one to another; and their commentaries on the Holy Scriptures. And in what manner Origen was aided to write his admirable works, we learn from Eusebius, who tells us that he had more than seven Notaries appointed for him, who, every one, in his turn, wrote that which he uttered; and as many more Scriveners, together with Maidens, well exercised and practised in penning, who were to write copies. (Eccles. Hist. of Eusebius Pamphilus, lib. 6. cap. 20 and 21.)

The preservation and progress of Science, by means of Convents, is a very curious fact, and the precious estimation in which books were held, when few could read them, is still more so.

The books which Fergus the Second, who assisted Alaric

VOL. III.

the Goth, had brought with him, as a part of the plunder from Rome, about the year 1106, had been deposited in the monastery in the island of Jona. From thence they were, by degrees, copied for the use of other monasteries; and besides these, other books were obtained afterwards, by means of various journeys to Rome. Benedict Bishop, the founder of Weremouth, and the friend of Bishop Wilfrid, made no fewer than five journeys to Rome to purchase copies of books. (Boethius, lib. vii. p. 114.-See also Paulus Jovius, as citedby Archbp. Usher, Br. Eccl. 597, and Bedæ Hist. Abb. Wermuthen, p. 297.

They became deposited in various Monasteries. Some such were at Canterbury, where also were books that had been brought from Rome, both by Augustin and by Theodore. And the letter of Aldhelm (the very person who founded Malmsbury) containing an account of his studies, and progress at Canterbury, by the help of such books, is one of the most curious fragments of antiquity. (Anglia Sacra, tom. ii. p. 6 and 7.)

The price of these books, was at various times enormous. Aldfred, king of Northumberland, gave eight hides of land, that is as much as eight ploughs could till, for one volume of Cosmography, and on this occasion it perhaps ought not to be forgotten, what a most ancient map or parchment, for the illustration of Cosmography, there is still preserved, in the Library of Hereford Cathedral.

In these Conventual Scriptoria, were copied out the Writings of the Fathers; in these also were copied out the abstruse works of the first Schoolmen; and here also little works of genius, besides additions to Æsop's Fables,* were added sometimes as effusions of fancy and imagination.

* This book was so much in repute, that we are told king Alfred himself made a translation of it from the Greek. And that such fancied devices on architectural friezes and mouldings, as allusions to Æsop's Fbales, had their first origin amongst pious and ingenious women, in

It is an interesting circumstance, deserving to be mentioned on this occasion; that before the time of venerable Bede, there lived an Anglo-Saxon Poet, of the name of Cadman, or Kedman, of the wonderous powers of whose mind Bede speaks in the highest terms, (Bedæ Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. cap. 24.) and says he sung of the Creation of the World, of the origin of Mankind, and of the whole history of the Book of Genesis. He died about the year 680, and therefore must have been a contemporary of Etheldreda, who founded the Monastery at Ely. And it is a very curious fact, little known, that Lye,* (the author of the Anglo-Saxon Dictionary) translated this Poem, and that therein it was found had been introduced, almost exactly, the same idea of the Fallen Angels, and even the peculiarity of the nine days falling, and of Satan's assembling his Thanes, on their rousing themselves; which was afterwards introduced by Milton in his Paradise Lost. This account, Mr. King says he received from the learned and venerable Dr. Percy, Lord Bishop of Dromore, who had several manuscripts of Lye, bequeathed to him; and

the peaceful retirement of their sequestered retreats, is much confirmed by a curious observation which has been lately made, that even many of the fables themselves, that now commonly pass for Esop's seem to have had their real invention ard origin, in the peaceful abodes of the religious.

In a very curious Memoir, concerning the Works of Mary, an Anglo-Norman Poctess, born in France, who wrote in the French Language, in the reign of King Henry the Third (of England,) and who amongst other things translated the Fables of Esop; it was made to appear that there were indeed but few of Æsop's original Fables amongst her collection; which yet she borrowed entirely from England; and that the greater part, from several allusions in them, shewed, that they must have been composed in Monasteries, before her time. See Hume's Hist. of England, vol. 1, 4to. p. 68--King's Mu. nimenta Antiqua, vol. 4, p. 113-—and the Archæologia, vol. 15. p. 36-67, This Author's Name is misprinted by Mr. King-Lisle,