Palæography Notes upon the History of Writing and the Medieval Art of Illumination

"Palæography" by Bernard Quaritch is a journey through the story of writing and the glowing art of medieval illumination. The author uses his experiences as a manuscript expert to guide readers through the fancy details of manuscripts from different times, especially before printing was invented. The book seeks to provide a base level understanding of old handwriting styles, touching on important moments in history and how manuscripts were made. The story starts by looking at how numerous yet scattered books were before printing, explaining the background of the author as a manuscript buyer. Quaritch sets up the book as a collection of short thoughts on medieval writing styles and fancy decorations, beginning all the way back with the beginnings of writing itself. He also explores different ways of writing in ancient times, the materials that were used, and how different writing styles changed across different cultures, showing how writing has changed over a long time.