P R E F A CE . A F EW Y EA R S A G sk tch O a p ortion of these e es appeared , as a series of articles, in the columns of an illustrated contemporary. At the time the idea excited some i . interest and amusement, and was frequently plagiar sed Much correspondence arose out of the commentary one of the most distinguished scientists of the age—and a — good calligraphist to boot in acknowledging the j ustn ess — of in a - the strictures, regretted his c se needlessly that O - he was too old to mend. ther well known personages desired a niche in the chirographic pantheon . Circum stances having caused a lengthy discontinuance of the series, it is now deemed preferable to publish the whole of the sketches in a volume—after thorough revision than to resume the original scheme. Attention may be drawn to the not unnoteworthy fact r that whilst, as a rule, Frenchmen are not elegant w iters, — Co ée among their poets such as Leconte de Lisle , pp , ’ e —w Mallarm , and others noticed in this book ill be found R E A CE viii P F . some of the most beautiful living calligraphists of any ‘ ’ nation . The knowledge that a chiel s amang ye ’ taking notes, however, may not exercise an altogether f un avourable influence upon English handwriting . If anyone prove restless under his or her critique, the following words from old Burton ’s introduction to his ‘ Anatomie of Melancholy ’ must be accepted in full of all further explanation ‘ If i through weakness, folly, passion, discontent, g n oran ce I , have said amiss, let it be forgotten and I forgiven. acknowledge that of Tacitus to be true , se a traxere Asper faceti e ubi nimis ex vero , aerem sui me reli u u n t moriam q and as an honourable man observes, ’ ’7 . I They fear a satirist s wit, he their memories may justly suspect the worst ; and though I hope I have ’ wronged no man , yet in Medea s words I will crave pardon —Ill ud am oce ex rema e o A n d in m las r j v t p t , y t wo ds thi s Ido ' N e si u a n os er u u s efiu dit es re q t d bi d i , o or T ha ha in ass on Iha e sa d l , t w t p i v id, M an ean t in an mo er a sed o r i e i v b , r , me or M a b e for o en an d a et er li tibi y g tt , b t emor a n os r su b eat haec rae m n M i t i , i i d a a Be had of u s hereaf er as ou d t , t y ” Ob literen tur fi n d. If thou knewest my modesty and simplicity, thou w i w ouldst easily p ardon and forg ve hat is here amiss , or R A ix P E F CE . by thee misconceived . If hereafter anatomising this ’ I surly humour, my hand slip, as an unskilful prentice lance too deep , and cut through skin , and all at unawares , n u make it smart, or cut awry, pardon a rude hand, an f ’ ffi skilful kni e , tis a most di cult thing to keep an even tone , a perpetual tenor, and not sometimes to lash out ' ' d ale est S at ram n on scrzbere gfi y , there be so many obj ects to divert, inward perturbations to molest, and the very ! best may sometimes err . But what needs all this I i f hope there w ll no such cause of of ence be given, but I presume of M y good favour and gracious acceptance [gentle reader]. Out of an assured hope and confidence f ’ I . thereo , will begin F EL I! D E S A L A MA N CA . P A G E A B E OUT, DMOND ' ‘ A IN S W OR IH W . H IS , ARR ON A Y S LBER , JAME A - T L LMA ADEMA, . A D H W RNOL , MATT E A I T H E D E B NV LLE , ODORE BI A S BAR ER , UGU TE SFI EA or D I S I B. BEACON ELD , RL , RAEL , G T . BEAUREGARD . I T S IR UL IUS BEN ED C , J S IR W I I S BEN NETT , LL A M TERNDALE B L rN D KA , RL H R . BON EUR , BOUCICA UL ’I‘ D I , ON E BRADDON, M . I H H BR G T, JO N M A D ox - W F BRO N , ORD . W I R BRO N NG , OBERT . Y W C BR ANT, . Y H Y B RON , ENR J . Y T CARL LE , . S L T W I ’ S . CLEMEN , AMUEL MARK A N ) R I H COBDEN , C ARD x ii C ONT E NT S . P A G E S W COLEN O, J . I S W I I COLL N , LK E E I Z COOK , L A CO P P EE F I S , RANCO , S I H CO TA, M C AEL . I IS A C RA G , D W I C . AR N , D A PH S AUDET, L ON E D IS FF S AV , JE ER ON D I S IR H S W W H LKE, C ARLE ENT ORT D I S I B RAEL , . D R O AN , J . D E G OR , . D S A . PE UMA , , RE D S A FI S UMA , L F I H F E I Y A T ULL, M L F SS S IR W I I ERGU ON , LL AM F W E A . REEMAN , D ARD F I I H F RE L G RAT , G I I G . AR BALD , G I T H E PH I AUT ER, O LE G S W E LAD TON E, . G I Y A LAT GN , LBERT G SS E W O E , DMUND . G H S OUNOD , C ARLE G I Z F U OT, H I Y A W ALL DA , NDRE H ARTE , BRET H ERVE H S W O . OLM E , H R H ORN E, . I u c V I l o , CTOR IIUx L EY T , . II. x CONT E NT S . iii P A C K IGNATI US S T . JACK ON , J H S . E . JO N TON E, J KI S Y R EV . C . NG LE , K SS H L . O UT , - L E E R E . , . L H S G . ELAND, C ARLE L ES S EP s F I , COUNT ERD NAND DE G S H I Y L I OLD C M DT , JENN ND L L Y E . Y NTON , NN I S L L . LE, ECONTE DE L I I S D I V NG TONE, AV D L F . OCKER , W Y W L F H . ONG ELLO , ENR L W . R . O ELL, J L S IR H U BBOCK , JO N L Y L TTON , ORD M ° HY S I CART , JU T N E S EPH MALLARM , T ANE W M A L L OCK, . H . E W MANET, D ARD I I H . E . MANN NG , CARD NAL S W S MAR TON , E TLAND I T H MART N , EODORE AZZI I S PH M N , JO E ES CA T UL L E MEND , I S . M LL, J . I IS H E M LLA , JO N VERETT I S W I I MORR , LL AM SS A F MU ET , L RED DE W I H H N . E MAN , CARD NAL JO N - N C . L Y S I I M A xW E L L ORTON , ( AD T RL NG ) O FF B H C . EN AC , S CONT E NT . P I A I ATT , DEL NA ‘ H H SSY A H O S AUG N E , RT U R ‘ O U I DA ’ O W R I H EN , C ARD P G S IR S A ET, JAM E I’ Y S A N , JAME P A Y N E O H N , J P R . A . ROCTOR , P H S Y RUD OMME, ULL R H S EADE, C ARLE R S S I S EEVE , M R H I EGNAULT, ENR R I H S A F B . C ARD , L RED I H S W R R . C ARD ON , R I S I A I TOR , DELA DE R SS I H IS I G . O ETT , C R T NA R SS I D G . O ETT , . R SS I W . M . O ETT , R S I . U K N , J S G A S S ALA , EORGE UGU TU S ’ ‘ G AN D, EORGE S A N D EA U S , JULE N S A T L EY , C . S AWY W I I ER, LL AM S C H LI EMANN S I S MON , JULE S Y H Y . TANLE , EN R M ‘ S TELLA ’ PH L S I S TE EN , E L E S P G R EV . C . H . UR EON , S I A H S . ULL VAN , RT UR N A S WI B . C N U R E, . T Y S IR H Y A LOR , ENR C NT E NT S ! V O .