From the press of Christopher Plantin, of Antwerp, there issued nearly fifty editions of Emblem-books between 1564 and 1590. Of these, one of the earliest was, “EMBLEMATA CVM ALIQVOT NVMMIS ANTIQVIS,”—_Emblems with some ancient Coins_,—4to, 1564, by the Hungarian, John Sambucus, born at Tornau in 1531. A French version, _Les Emblemes de Jehan Sambucus_, issued from the same press in 1567. Among Emblematists, none bears a fairer name as “physician, antiquary, and poet.” According to De Bry’s _Icones_, pt. iii., ed. 1598, pp. 76–83, he obtained the patronage of two emperors, Maximilian II. and Rudolph II., under whom he held the offices of counsellor of state and historian of the empire. To him also belonged the rare honour of having his work commented on by one of the great heroes of Christendom, Don John of Austria, in 1572. _Les Songes drolatiqves de Pantagrvel_, by Rabelais, appeared at Paris in 1565, but its emblematical character has been doubted. Not so, however, the ten editions of the “EMBLEMATA” of _Hadrian Junius_, a celebrated Dutch physician, of which the first edition appeared in 1565, and justly claims to be “the most elegant which the presses of Plantin had produced at this period.” We may now begin to chronicle a considerable number of works and editions of Emblems by ITALIAN writers, which, to avoid prolixity and yet to point out, we present in a tabulated form, giving only the earliest editions:— Pittoni’s _Imprese di diversi sm.fol. Venice 1566 principi, duchi, &c._ _k._[61] Troiano’s _Discorsi delli triomfi, 4to Monica 1568 giostre, &c._ _k._ Rime _Rime de gli Academici 4to Brescia 1568 occvlti, &c._ _k._ Farra’s _Settenario dell’ humana ... ... 1571 riduttione_ _v._ Dolce’s _Le prime imprese del 4to Venice 1572 conte Orlando_ _v._ ” _Dialogo_ 8vo Venice 1575 _k._ Contile’s _Ragionamento—sopra la Fol. Pavia 1574 proprieta delle Imprese, _k._ &c._ Fiorino’s _Opera nuova, &c._ 4to Lyons 1577 _k._ Palazza’s _I Discorsi—Imprese, &c._ 8vo Bologna 1577 _k._ Caburacci’s _Trattato,—dove si 4to Bologna 1580 dimostra il vero e novo _k._ modo di fare le Imprese._