January is illustrated by a charming little landscape covered with snow, in the foreground of which a weather-beaten traveller is seen arriving at the place of his destination; an open gallery in the house he is about to enter leads us to conclude that he will be received with the festive entertainment which has always characterized the commencement of the year. February introduces us to the interior of a house in which a portly bon-vivant is enjoying the pleasures of the table beside a glowing fire, whilst an upper compartment of the picture shews us the dreary season without. In March we have the first operations of the countryman, the loppping of trees, while the wife of the labourer is seen gathering the sticks for fire-wood; in the distance a strong castle, with a party of armed knights issuing from its gate, perhaps to indicate that at this period they began to ride forth after tournaments and adventures. April is the month of flowers, and we are presented with a lady (the 'chatelaine' of the fortress seen in the background) in her garden, occupied in making garlands, while her maidens are gathering flowers. In the merry month which follows, we have a singular May-pole, with two youths in front of the picture bringing home their "May," whilst others are seen in the distance marching in procession with their branches. The miniature of the month of June is a charming picture of mowing, executed with so much delicacy that we even distinguish the flowers and weeds among the grass; the back-ground being occupied by a village, and a pretty church in an elevated position in the middle of it. In July we have reaping, with another village and church. In August we have the winnowing of the grain: the back-ground exhibits one of those châteaux or hotels of which we still see many remains in France and Flanders, but of which we have none, and perhaps never had any, in England. The transition from the feudal castle to the gentleman's mansion appears to have been more sudden and abrupt in this country than on the continent. The illumination of the month of September exhibits the process of the vintage, men pressing out the juice of the grapes by treading them in large tubs, bare-footed and bare-legged. In October people are occupied in sowing the earth, and the back-ground is occupied by a pretty landscape, with farmers' houses, and a pond of water with swans. November was the season of fattening pigs, the flesh of which was one of the great articles of food among our forefathers. The swineherds are here represented leading them to the woods to feed on acorns. In the back-ground we have another château. December winds up the series; the pigs are being killed preparatory to the approaching festivities of Christmas and a new year; and the upper compartment again gives us a glimpse of steeples and roofs covered with snow.
This is the general series of subjects which appears in the old illuminated calendars, but varying considerably in the manner in which they are treated, and in the style of execution. A few calendars of different dates, selected with taste, and published during as many successive years, will form a series of volumes beautifully illustrative of the manners and condition of different periods of medieval history. t. w.
