sian description, and I should apprehend
the antiquity of the workmanship to be scarcely exceeding three hundred
years. Yet I must be allowed to say, that these exquisitely sparkling, if
not unrivalled, specimens of stained glass, do not belong to a place now
_wholly_ occupied by _books_. Could they not be placed in the chapel of St.
Lawrence, or of St. Catharine, in the cathedral?

As I am now at the close of my account of ecclesiastical edifices--and as
this last church happens to be closely connected with a building of a
different description--namely, The PUBLIC LIBRARY--you will allow me to
_colophonise_ my first Strasbourg epistle with some account of the
_contents_ of this library.

The amiable and excellent younger Schweighaeuser, who is head librarian, and
one of the Professors in this Gymnase, was so obliging as to lend me the
key of the library, to which I had access at all hours of the day. The
public hours are from two till four, Sundays excepted. I own that this
accommodation was extremely agreeable and convenient to me. I was under no
restraint, and thus left to my own conscience alone not to abuse the
privilege conceded. That conscience has never given me one "prick" since
the conclusion of my researches.[215]

My researches were usually carried on above stairs, at the table where the
visitors sat. Of the MSS. I did not deem it worth while to take any
particular account; but there was _one_, so choice, so splendid, so
curious, so interesting, and in such an extraordinary state of
preservation, that you may as well know it is called the famous _Hortus
Deliciarum_ of _Herarde, Abbess of Landsberg_. The subjects are
miscellaneous; and most elaborately represented by illuminations. Battles,
sieges, men tumbling from ladders which reach to the sky--conflagrations,
agriculture--devotion, penitence--revenge, murder,--in short, there is
hardly a passion, animating the human breast, but what is represented here.
The figures in armour have _nasals_, and are in quilted mail: and I think
there can be little doubt but that both the text and the decorations are of
the latter end of the twelfth century. It is so perfect in all its parts,
and so rich of its particular description, that it not only well merits the
labour which has been bestowed upon it by its recent editor Mr.
Engleheardt, but it may probably vie with any similar production in
Europe.[216]

However, of other MSS. you will I am sure give me credit for h