"One of the most splendid, beautifully Illustrated books of the Middle Ages. The Book of Kells has fascinated generations of artists and historians. As Sir Edward O'Sullivan wrote in his Introduction, 'Its weird and commanding beauty; its subdued and goldless colouring; the baffling intricacy of its fearless designs; the clean, unwavering sweep of rounded spiral; the creeping undulations of serpentine forms that writhe in artistic profusion throughout the mazes of it decorations...the quaintness of its striking portraiture...havev raised this Irish volume to a position of abiding pre-eminence amongst the illuminated manuscripts of the world'." Inside cover notes.
The book also includes a discussion of Celtic illustrated manuscripts titled, "An Enquiry into the Art of the Illuminated Manusccripts of the Middle Ages" written by Johan Adolf Bruun.