I still think, however, that a special work on the subject is needed to do justice to the richness of artistic material available in this special matter. The woodcuts in early books are often merely illustrative, that is to say explanatory of the text, and were not designed as ornaments; but the initials were intended to be decorative, and one can see in them a real artistic effort and sentiment. Quaritch, indeed, has recently called attention to this fact, of the superiority in some early books of the initials over the woodcuts, and it is beginning to be recognised also by several great booksellers, whose catalogues contain increasing numbers of reproductions of ornamental letters in preference to other specimens of early engraving. Unfortunately, circumstances have prevented my completing my first programme, and what I offer here can only be considered as a general introduction to the subject. But such as they are, these fragmentary notes will not, I hope, be found entirely devoid of interest. In conclusion, I have to express my thanks to Mr. A. W. Pollard, the amiable and indefatigable secretary of the Bibliographical Society, for help in seeing this volume through the press, and for many valuable suggestions and criticisms. OSCAR JENNINGS. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE, vii INTRODUCTION, 1 CHAP. I. BLOCK-BOOKS: THE INVENTION OF PRINTING: THE PSALTER OF MAYENCE, 6 II. AUGSBURG, 14 III. ULM AND NUREMBERG, 22 IV. BASLE AND ZURICH, 29 V. LÜBECK AND BAMBERG, 39 VI. STRASBURG AND REUTLINGEN, 43 VII. COLOGNE AND GENEVA, 51 VIII. VENICE, 55 IX. OTHER ITALIAN TOWNS, 64 X. LYONS, 73 XI. PARIS, 82 XII. FRENCH PROVINCIAL TOWNS, 90 XIII. SPANISH TOWNS, 96 XIV. EARLY DUTCH INITIALS, 101 XV. LATER GERMAN INITIALS: HAGENAU, MAGDEBURG, METZ, OPPENHEIM, INGOLDSTADT, ETC. ETC., 103 XVI. ENGLISH INITIALS, 108a REPRODUCTIONS OF INITIALS, 111 INDEX, 281 INTRODUCTION