130 



1646, fol. Van Veen's engravings are here copied by Daret 

 with tolerable success. A translation or paraphrase of 

 Gomberville's work into English, was made by Thomas 

 Manington Gibbs, a young Oxonian, and published after his 

 premature death, by Mrs. Penelope Aubin (fol., London, 

 1721), without the smallest mention of Otho Vcenius's name. 



In the illustration of Ovid's Metamorphoses a still wider 

 field was opened to the Artist. In the year 1559 a work was 

 edited by Gabriel Symeon, at Lyons, containing one hundred 

 and eighty-seven beautiful wood-cuts, executed by Le Petit 

 Bernard. Each of these is surrounded by a most tasteful 

 Border, and was accompanied with an Italian Octave Stanza 

 in explanation of the subject. We have here an excellent 

 specimen of the skill attained by that class of wood engravers 

 known by the name of " the little masters." If we take for 

 instance the representation of the Metamorphosis of Lotos 

 and Dryope into Trees (No. 118), we find the human figure 

 and other objects worked upon the smallest scale, with aston- 

 ishing grace, clearness, and general effect. Gabriel Symeon 

 dedicated this beautiful publication to the celebrated Diana of 

 Poictiers, mistress of Henry the Second of France, and at that 

 time possessed of almost unlimited power and influence. In 

 the note below may be seen a specimen of the outrageous 

 flattery lavished upon this extraordinary woman."^ 



Not that Symeon stood alone in these fulsome offerings. 

 Similar incense was unworthily paid by Brantome and other 

 writers, while painters and statuaries were incessantly occu- 

 pied in dehneating in every costume, and often without any 



• *' Sante le Muse son, santa e' Diana, 



Caste son qucllfe, e casta e' questa ancora ; 

 Dalle Muse il Sol mai non s" alloutana, 

 E d' Apollo Diana iinica e' suora. 

 Nelle Muse e d* Amore ogai arte vana 

 E dei lacci d' Amor Diana e fuora. 

 Chi fia, Diaua, quel dunque che dica 

 Che voi non siete dalle Muse arnica." 



The abore lines are subjoined to the frontispiece. 



