basilica, and the foundation of it is attributed to the Emperor Theodoric in the beginning of the sixth century; it was given to the Arians, who made and was originally dedicated to St. Martin. At a later it their cathedral, In the lower range a procession of female Martyrs and Saints is issuing from the city of Classis. Mosaics on the north side of the Nave, St. Apollinaris Prophets and Apostles. S. APOLLINARE NUOVA, RAVENNA, c. 570. period, under Justinian, it was restored to the Catholics, and reconciled to catholic worship by St. Agnelus, and the mosaics were executed at that period, or about 570. The name of St. Apollinaris was not given to it until the ninth century, when, from the fear of an invasion by the Saracens, the body of the saint was removed for safety to this church within the walls of the town, from the other church of the same name about three miles distant, On close to the seaport, and thence called "St. Apollinaris in Classe." each side of the nave are twelve antique columns of marble, said to be Greek workmanship brought from Constantinople; there is also a very rich altar of various precious marbles. The walls on each side of the nave, carried on these marble columns, corresponding in situation to the triforium of Gothic churches, and also the upper strips of wall between the clerestory windows, are covered with a series of mosaics. On the right-hand side on entering at the west door, or what would be the south side if the orientation had been correct, is the city of Ravenna, with a procession of saints, each with his name over his head. On the left hand, or north side of the nave, is a similar procession of female martyrs and saints, represented in precisely the same manner as the male saints on the other side, with their crowns and the palm-trees. They are issuing from the city of Classis, or the seaport of Ravenna, represented by a fortification and a ship, and are proceeding to lay their crowns at the feet of Christ, as on the other side; and at the head of this procession are the three Magi with their presents. A.D. 578. The church of St. Laurence without the walls of Rome was rebuilt by Pope Pelagius II., A.D. 577-590, and adorned with mosaics. The arch of triumph is at present over the entrance, and facing the altar, the orientation of the church having been changed during the restoration by Pope Hadrian I., or Pope Honorius III., A.D. 1216-1227, who added a long nave. Over the arch are seven figures of large size: the centre is Christ seated on the globe, having the cruciform nimbus, and a cross with a long staff in His left hand, the right hand raised in the attitude of benediction, or of speaking and calling attention; on His right are-St. Peter with a similar long cross in his left hand, his right on his breast, in an attitude of deep attention; then St. Laurence, with a model of a church in his hand; and partly behind him Bishop Pelagius, who has neither tonsure nor nimbus; to the left of Christ are St. Paul and St. Stephen, and St. Hyppolitus with a jewelled crown in his hand. St. Laurence holds an open book, on which is the text, Ps. cxi. 9, DISPERSIT DEDIT PAUPERIBUS. St. Stephen also holds a book open, with the text, Ps. lxiii. 9, ADÆSIT ANIMA MEA. The two holy cities are placed at the springings of the arch. (To be continued.) THE LIFE OF THE SIEUR DE JOINVILLE 2. To those who have some knowledge of medieval French, combined with a taste for matters mediæval, it will require few extraneous accessories or attractions to recommend to them a new edition (and at a small price) of that charming narrative, De Joinville's "History and Chronicle of the very Christian King, Saint Louis;" one, at once, of the most curious, most interesting, and most valuable literary relics of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, that have come down to our times. With M. Didot's volume before us, it were needless, perhaps almost presumptuous-seeing the labour and diligence which he has evidently expended upon the subject-to place before the reader in language of our own an estimate of the nature and value of De Joinville's work; a chronicle of the words, actions, and sufferings of one who was at once the most amiable, the most chivalrous, and the most rash of men, written by a feudal lord of the thirteenth century, his devoted follower and friend, faithful, valiant, generous, frank, and light-hearted. "In these Memoirs," says M. Didot, "which form one of the most precious memorials of times ancient and modern, the Christian with a devotion not always credulous, the man of the world, the knightly friend of a king, the frank and artless historian, all reveal themselves in a form so truly natural, and with such strict fidelity, that we are able, in some measure, to penetrate into the very inmost thoughts of the author, from the simple recital that he gives us, without the addition of any reflections of his own. Never have character and style been found better in accord than in Joinville. His Memoirs disclose to us in him courage united with modesty, and truthfulness with candour,-qualities which predominate throughout, in the very smallest details even; while we find manifested a sensitiveness of spirit, and occasionally a glimmer of philosophy, which are in strong contrast with the more imperturbable faith that actuates Saint Louis. There is nothing to be found more curious, more interesting, more instructive, and, more especially, that makes us better acquainted with the character of Joinville, than his conversations with the King; where he unveils the very innermost of their soul and of their character." The above is from the Prefatory Discourse on the Memoirs of Joinville, and their Literary Merit, by M. Ambrose Firmin Didot: in addition to which he has enriched the volume with a Life of the writer; A Discourse upon the Tombs and Epitaphs of the family of De Joinville; upon the Castle of Joinville; the Manuscripts and Editions of the Memoirs; Sources. of Contemporary History that may be advantageously consulted; Acts and Documents that bear reference to the Sieurs de Joinville, the Genealogy * "Memoires de Jean Sire de Joinville; ou Histoire et Chronique du tres-Chretien Roi Saint Louis. Publiés par M. Francisque-Michel: précédés de Dissertations par M. Ambr. Firmin Didot, et d'une Notice sur les Manuscrits du Sire de Joinville par M. Paulin Paris. (Paris: Firmin Didot, Frères, Fils et Cie. 1 vol., small 8vo., 546 pp.) of the family of De Joinville, and the Credo, or Profession of Faith of Joinville ;-a work which, with all the curious illustrations contained in the manuscript, we hope that Messrs. Firmin Didot will yet find encouragement to publish. The volume is enriched, too, by the addition of several minor mediæval works of contemporary date, and various interesting plates depicting the castle as it appeared at various dates during last century, the seal and monumental effigy of De Joinville, and a facsimile from the manuscript of the original work in the Imperial Library, No. 2,016. We do not pretend within our circumscribed limits to enter upon a review of the work of the Sieur de Joinville, the more especially as that has been most ably done by M. Ambrose F. Didot himself, under every aspect ; and his volume, with all the advantages of good paper, clear type, and portable size, for a very few francs, is at the command of our readers. To a few particulars, then, relative to the life of this feudal litterateur we confine ourselves. Jean, Sieur de Joinville, was born at the Castle of Joinville, a town not far distant from Chalons-sur-Marne, A.D. 1224; his father being Simon, Sieur de Joinville, and his mother, Beatrix, daughter of Stephen II., Count of Burgundy, and cousin-german of Frederic II., Emperor of Germany. His family, one of the most illustrious and most ancient in Champagne, was descended from William, Count of Poictiers in 940. Simon, Sieur de Joinville, died in 1233, leaving a widow and his eldest child Jean, an orphan under ten years of age, heir to his honours and estates. Of the historian's early life we know but little, it appears, beyond the fact that he received his education in the court of the royal poet and musician, Thibaut (Theobald) IV., King of Navarre; a circumstance to which, not unprobably, we are indebted for his literary tendencies, at least to some extent. At the early age of seven years he was betrothed to Alaïs de Grand-Pre, an alliance which, on reaching a more mature age, he seems to have been anxious to repudiate for one with the more powerful family of the Count de Bar. His lord and patron however, King Thibaut, peremptorily interfered, and when the time for marriage came Joinville had to content himself with the hand of Alaïs and her dowry of 300 livres money of Paris." His first appearance, perhaps, in public life was at a "Grand Court" held by Louis IX. of France at Saumur, where Joinville (in his capacity of Seneschal, probably) had the honour of carving before the King of Navarre; though, as he was then only seventeen years of age, he had not as yet received the knightly "honours of the hauberk." On Easter-Eve, A.D. 1248, was born his son Jean, Sire de Ancarville; and it was but a few days after that event that Joinville summoned his vassals and men-at-arms, and announced to them his intention to take part in (the great craze of that day) the Seventh Crusade. A whole week after was spent in feasting and dances, and, at the close of it, he informed them that as he was going beyond sea, "whence he did not know if he should ever return," it was his wish to make amends for any injury he might have done them; saying which he left the council, and, "without debate, carried out all that they decided." Having formed his suit of two bannerets, seven other knights, and 700 men-at-arms, Joinville repaired to Paris, whither King Louis had summoned his barons, in order to swear fealty to his children, in case he should not survive to return. His labour and pains, however, in undertaking the journey, seem to have been lost; for this he absolutely refused to do, "seeing that he was not the liegeman of Louis, but of King Thibaut." Returning thence to his domains, he founded, in the Church of St. Laurent there, an anniversary for himself and his wife, and then, the day before his final departure, having confessed to the Abbé de Cheminon, and received at his hands the scrip and staff, he repaired in pilgrim's guise, barefoot and arrayed in burel cloth, to various holy places in the neighbourhood. On once again repassing his loved abode, on his road to Marseilles, the place of embarkation, he touchingly says,-"I would not once turn my eyes towards Joinville, that my heart might not be overcome with tenderness for the beautiful castle that I was leaving, and for my two children." For Alaïs de Grand-Pre he apparently has not a word of regret. His adventures by sea, his stay at Cyprus, his arrival in Egypt, his combats, his dangers, his wounds, his sorrows, his sicknesses, and his capture with his rash and valiant leader Saint Louis, are described in the present volume; and from the History, in combination with M. Didot's prefatory matter, we extract the following particulars. On disembarking before Damietta (or Damiat) in Egypt, on Easter Monday, 1250, Joinville's galley drawing but little water and forming part of the vanguard, he was among the first to land, and it was owing mainly to the intrepidity of his troops that a body of 6,000 Saracens, drawn up to oppose the landing, turned their backs and fled. After a stay of several weeks under the walls of the city, with varying fortunes and exposed to continual attacks of Bedouins and Saracens, the army moved on to Babylon (Baboul), near Old Cairo; it falling to Joinville's lot to take charge of certain castles, moveable and made of wood, under the protection of which a causeway was being constructed. Here he was exposed to constant discharges of "Greek fire," the great predecessor of gunpowder, in all its terrors, each discharge of which, he quaintly tells us, was "as large as a tun of verjuice, with a tail as long as a sword, and resembling the lightnings of heaven, or a dragon flying through the air." Upon being first visited by this terrible and unwonted infliction—which seems, however, to have been anything but well aimed by the Saracen foe —Joinville and his knights forthwith fell upon their knees, and "with their |