graduals were excised during the Counter-Reformation, one of the rare specimens that have been preserved being the University Library's Czech Gradual of Malá Strana, 1572 (No. 98). Other significant sets of MSS. of Czech origin may not be remarkable for their ornamentation but contain evidence of the historical development of the Czech language and literature. The earliest examples, hymns and prayers which originated in the 11th century, represented a step forward from the original Church Slavonic; 14th century copies have been preserved, one of the most important volumes of such fragments being the so-called „Most Ancient Prayers and Hymns“ or „Milič's Prayer-book“ (No. 141). At the turn of the 13th century there appeared three lengthy Czech verse cycles, the „Alexandreis“, a collection of early legends (No. 146, fragments from the early 14th century), and the earliest Czech verse chronicle ascribed to Dalimil (No. 147—151), from which the nation drew its strength in the stormy times that followed. A decisive impetus was given to the advancement of learning in Bohemia by the establishment of the Prague University in 1348; from the mass of MSS. in the University Library we can visualize both the currents of scientific thought (Nos. 166—170) and the gay student life (Nos. 171—177). The University had close links with the beginnings of the Reformation movement, on the one hand through the great preachers and religious thinkers like Matěj of Janov, Conrad Waldhauser, Milič of Kroměříž and Tomáš of Štítný (Nos. 178—181 and 186—191); on the other through a variety of moralizing and satirical productions (above all, the Hradec MS., No. 182), which caustically exposed the evil abuses of the times. At the peak of the Bohemian Reformation stands Jan Hus, Rector of the Prague University and beloved preacher of the Bethlehem Chapel, whose writings in Latin and Czech have been preserved in numerous transcriptions, either contemporary or of a later date (Nos. 197—217) — the most precious item is a specimen of Hus's own handwriting (No. 197). It is not surprising that in the Library of the University, which in 1417 took for its symbol the Hussite chalice, there are still extant innumerable examples of tracts from the times of Hus and his successors who defended the solemn „Compact“ granted to the Bohemian Church by the Council of Basel and annulled by Pope Pius II (Nos. 218—241). There are also MSS. of both Latin and Czech chronicles (Nos. 242—250), and important works on law and medicine. In the late fifteenth century books began to be printed in Bohemia, ranging from popular fiction (the earliest Czech printed book is The Chronicle of Troy, No. 263) to Czech biblical texts and Latin liturgical texts. The Library has a number of Humanist MSS. and printed books dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, including a collection of MSS. dealing purely with University affairs (Nos. 298—302). There are some noteworthy writings from the leading persona- lities of the Unity of Brethren — Petr Chelčický, their spiritual father, Brother Lukáš of Prague, their first organizer, Bishop Jan Blahoslay, and the famous educationist, Jan Amos Komenský (Comenius), (Nos. 303—317). The MSS. and printed books from the old Clementinum library have a special importance for the University Library and its history (Nos. 319—361); among them are to be found records of the activities of the Jesuit Order in Bohemia some of which are unique since the archives of the Order itself were destroyed. Needless to say, from the dry enumeration of titles there seldom emerges a clear picture of the disastrous acts of censorship of the assistants and followers of the ill-famed Antonín Koniáš, who deprived the people of the old non-Catholic Czech books without replacing them with anything of equal value. Besides the large MSS. and early prints department, the University Library is creating smaller special sections in an endeavour to reconstruct some of the renowned 73