On the Book of Devotions, Deposited by Cardinal Howard in the Library of the Dominican Convent at Bornheim in 1659

I AM permitted by Lady Stourton to whom it now belongs, to lay before the Institute a manuscript which will, I doubt not, be found, both on account of its beauty as a work of art, and of some circumstances of historical interest with which it is surrounded, to be eminently deserving their attention.It is a book of Catholic devotions, one of the class called Missals in ordinary parlance ; but like many other manuscripts usually so denominated, not a Missal in any proper sense of the word, but one of the class more properly called Horce, being a miscellany of prayers, collects, psalms, antiphons and pious ejaculations, adapted to the private use of a person of a devotional turn of mind; and Ave may add, for some person living in the world and not wholly given up to the religious life.It is adorned with various miniatures, representing, for the most part, early saints in the Christian Calendar with principal events in their lives, or peculiar events in the history of the Saviour.The text which follows the drawings, has usually reference, more or less direct, to the person or events which are there represented.In form it is five inches by three and three quarters, ancl two inches in thickness.It is of the finest vellum, ancl is bound in crimson velvet, with silver corners slightly enchased.The number of leaves is 284, and there are 34 large miniatures.The clasps have been removed.Some-, thing appears to be wanting which preceded the shield of the arms of Hastings and the calendar at the beginning ; and a very accurate observer who prepared an analysis of its contents, Mr. C. Weld, has remarked a slight dislocation or perhaps the loss of a leaf near the middle of the volume.Besides the miniatures, there are ornamental borders to VOL.XII.' κ

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