Shakespeare and the Emblem Writers: an exposition of their similarities of throught and expression, preceded by a view of emblem-literature down to A.D. 1616Green, Henry
History
Shakespeare and the Emblem Writers: an exposition of their similarities of throught and expression, preceded by a view of emblem-literature down to A.D. 1616
Green, Henry
Emblem books, English -- History; Emblems -- England -- History; Emblems in literature; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Sources
Of the “~Dyalogus Creaturarum~,” written in the fourteenth
century by Nicolas Pergaminus, and printed by Gerard Leeu, at Gouda, in
1480, an English version appeared about 1520,—“The dialogue of Creatures
moralyzed, of late translated out of Latyn in to our English tonge.”
The famous preacher and the founder of the first public school in
Strasburg was John Geyler, born in 1445. He was highly esteemed by the
Emperor Maximilian, and after a ministry of about thirty years, died
in 1510. Two Emblem-books were left by him, both published in 1511 by
James Other;—the one “~Navicula sive Speculũ Fatuorum~,”—_The
little Ship or Mirror of Fools_; the other, “~Navicula
Penitentie~,”—_The little Ship of Penitence_. To the first there
are 110 emblems and 112 devices, each having a discourse delivered on
one of the Sabbaths or festivals of the Catholic Church—the text
always being, _Stultorum infinitus est_,—“Infinite is the number of
fools.” The second, not strictly an Emblem-book, is devoted “to the
praise of God and the salvation of souls in Strasburg,” and consists
really of a series of sermons for Lent and other seasons of the year,
but all having the same text, _Ecce ascendimus Hierosolimam_,—“Behold
we go up to Jerusalem.” There were several reprints of both the works,
and two German translations; and the edition of 1520, folio, with wood
engravings, is remarkable for being the first book to which was
granted the “Imperial privilege.” It is said that the rhymes of
Brandt’s _Ship of Fools_ which Geyler had translated into Latin in
1498, not unfrequently served him for texts and quotations for his
sermons. Alas! we have no such lively preachers in these sleepy days
of perfect propriety of phrase and person. Our prophets, in putting
away “locusts and wild honey,” too often forget to cry, “Repent, for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Next, however, to the famous preacher, we name a notorious prophet, the
Abbot Joachim, who died between the years 1201 and 1202, but whose
works, if they really were his, did not appear in print, until the folio
edition was issued about 1475,—_Revelations concerning the State of the
chief Pontiffs_. An Italian version, “PROPHETIA dello Abbate Joachimo
circa li Pontefici & Re,” appeared in 1515; and another Latin edition,
with wood engravings, by Marc-Antoine Raimondi, in 1516.[46] Many tales
are related of the Abbot and of his followers; suffice it to say, that
they maintained the Gospel of Christ would be abolished A.D. 1260; and
thenceforward Joachim’s “true and everlasting Gospel” was to be
prevalent in the world.
According to the Blandford _Catalogue_, p. 6, we should here insert P.
Dupont’s _Satyriques Grotesques_ (Desseins Orig.), 8vo, Paris, 1513; but
it may be passed over with the simplest notice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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