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
“To traine vp youth in tongues fewe might compare
With Mulcaster, whose fame shall never fade.”
Now it was in 1561 Richard Mulcaster, of King’s College, Cambridge, and
of Christchurch, Oxford, was appointed head master of Merchant-Taylor’s
School in London, then just founded. (Warton, iii. 282.) Thus it is
shown to be very probable that _Crosse his Covert_ may take date not
later than A.D. 1600. It may be added that at the end of the MS. the
figure of Fortune, or Occasion, on a wheel, is almost a fac-simile from
Whitney’s Device, p. 181, which was itself struck from the block (Emb.
121. p. 438) of Plantin’s edition of Alciatus, MDLXXXI. John Guillim’s
work on _Heraldry_ passed through five editions previous to that of
Capt. John Logan, in 1724; the original folio is one of the
book-treasures at Keir. Henry Peacham, _M^r. of Artes_, as he terms
himself, was a native of Leverton in Holland, in the county of Lincoln,
and a student under “the right worshipfull Mr. D. Laifeild,” in Trinity
College, Cambridge. He has dedicated his work “to the Right High and
Mightie Henrie, Eldest Sonne of our Soveraigne Lord the King.”
Singular it is, that except the MS. which belonged to the late Joseph B.
Yates, of Liverpool, there is not known to exist any translation into
English of the once famous _Emblems of Alciatus_. That MS. (see
_Transact. Liverpool L. and P. Society, Nov. 5, 1849_) “appears to be of
the time of James the First.” The Devices are drawn and coloured, and
have considerable resemblance to those in Rapheleng’s edition of
Alciatus, 1608. As a specimen we add the translation of Emblem XXXIII.
p. 39, “Signa fortium.”
“O Saturn’s birde! what cause doth thee incyte
Upon Aristom’s tombe so highe to sitt?
‘As I all other birds excell in mighte—
So doth Aristom, Lords, in strength and witt.
Let fearful Doves on cowards’ tombs take rest—
We Eagles stoute to stoute men give a crest.’”
How pleasant to feel that this Sketch of Emblem-books and their authors,
previous to and during the times of Shakespeare, has been brought to an
end. “Vina coronant,” _fill a bumper_, “let the sparkling glass go
round.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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