Искусства и ремесла Средневековья
Illшнinatioп of Books
345
book tl1e1·c �s но use of gold, and the tl'catmeпt of the human f Ol'l11 is most iпa(leqпate. ТЬеl'е is no idca of d!'a,ving except fo1· decorative puгposes; it is an art of the pen гаtЬег than of the bmsl1 - it haгdly сошеs into tЬс sаше categol'y as most of the Ьooks designated as illuшinated manнscripts. The so-called DurЬam Book, 01· the Gospels of St. CutЬbel't, \Yas executed at tЬе АЬЬеу of Liнdisfal'lle, in 688, апd is no,v in the Bгitisl1 Мнsепm. Тhегс is а legeпd tlшt in the niпth сепtuгу pi1·ates pluпde1·ed tl1e АЬЬеу, and the few moнks ,vho sшvived decided to seek а situation less uпsafe thaп tlшt on the coast, so they gatЬered нр tl1eir tгeasшes, tЬе body of the saiпt, tl1ei1· patгon, Cutl1beгt, апd tl1e book, wl1ich lшй Ьееп bшied �,itl1 hiш, апd set онt fш· new laпds. They sct sail fог Iгclaпd, Ьнt а stогш a1·ose, and thei1· boat ,Yas s,vamped. Thc body and tl1e book ,уеге lost. Aftcг гeacl1ing laвd, l10,veve1·, the fugitives dis cove1·ed tl1e Ьох coвtaini11g tЬе Ьооk, lying Ьigl1 апd dry нроn the sl10rc, lшving Ьееп cast нр Ьу tЬе ,vaves in а t1·нly wonde1·fнl state of p1·ese1·vation. Any onc ,vho kпo,vs t,he effcct of dampness нроn pai·chmeнt, and how it cockles tl1e шate1·ial сУен он а сlашр day, will tl1e morc fн}]у appreciatc tl1is шiгасlе. Gi1·aldus Caшb1·iensis ,vent to Iгeland as secretaгy to P1·ince Jolш, in 1185, апd tlшs dcscгibes tl1e Gospels of Кilcla1·e, а book ,vhich was simila1· to tЬе Book of Kells, апd bls descr·iption may apply eqпally to either volume. " Of all the wondeгs of Кildar·e I have foпnd nothing more ,vonderful tЬan tl1is marvellous book,
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