[Sidenote: Plain.] To those who prefer concentrating all possible beauty of decoration on the sacred words of a text the most approved border will be that resembling "a riband of blue," which is most simple in execution. Rule a line rather less than a quarter of an inch from the edge of the cardboard, and fill it in carefully and steadily with colour. The ruled line is indispensable to the preservation of a neat and uniform edge. If blue already predominate in the scroll, red can be substituted in the border; gold, without a coloured outline on each side, always looks indistinct. Lines of colour may be drawn within the edge, using a reed pen (or large soft quill), and the long ruler. [Sidenote: Ornamental.] A triple trefoil in each corner, coloured, with gold edge, has a good effect, if the letters are very plain: these should, however, be _in addition_ to a plain coloured edge or border.--Ornamental borders should consist of suitable sprays wound round a thick bar, which gives an appearance of solidity, the grace of curved lines being much enhanced by contrast with the perpendicular or horizontal. [Sidenote: Reverse Side of Scrolls.] If the scroll is meant to represent a riband curled at the ends, or folded, the reverse side may be ornamented with gold stars, or foliage. Plainly shaded blue, with perhaps a narrow gold edge, will, however, be found most suitable; if prominent colours are gaudily used for the reverse side of the riband, it will appear to come forward, leaving the text in the background. Specimens of differently shaped scrolls are affixed to each of our chapters. [Sidenote: Firmness essential.] In conclusion, it cannot be too strictly enforced, that every line, straight or curved, should be _firmly_ drawn, and the edges, in painting, be kept perfectly neat and clear. Whether from unsteadiness in outline, or from a shaking hand when painting (especially in gold), nine-tenths of the amateur illuminations produced have a quivering ruggedness about them which could well be dispensed with. In ornamental finish, also, this unsteadiness is almost universal, so that the points of small leaves, or _fleurs-de-lys_, instead of being sharply defined, most frequently degenerate into unsightly loops, similar to the following example. [Illustration: As it should be.] [Illustration: As it generally is.] COLOURS. _Painting_. [Sidenote: Materials for Colouring.] The materials required are as follows:-- [Sidenote: Blue.] 1. BLUE (intense). German (or French) blue, in powder, at 6_d._ per ounce. It is at first rather troublesome to use, requiring to be mixed with plenty of gum-water, to prevent rubbing. Smalt, 5_s._; or French blue, 3_s._[7] These are prepared as moist colours in covered pans. [7] Half-cakes of all the colours are sold equally good. The German blue, however, is the most economical, and very useful.