133 



and served as the precursor to many other works of similar 

 description. Van Veen's book was highly commended by Clara 

 Isabella, who, in conjunction with her consort, the Archduke 

 Albert, had been invested by her father with the sovereignty 

 of the Netherlands. The infanta suggested that such 

 Emblems might be advantageously applied to the illustration 

 of " spiritual and divine love — seeing that the effects of divine 

 and human love are nearly similar in reference to the 

 beloved object."^ This suggestion was complied with by 

 Van Veen, who in 1615 produced his Divini Amoris Em- 

 blemata. Though not so laboured as the Horatian Emblems 

 before described, this work is well executed. The poetical 

 illustrations are given in four languages, Latin, Spanish, 

 Dutch, and Trench. The engravings, which are very good, 

 consist in general of two figures only — both under the age of 

 puberty — a male intended to designate Christ or Divine Love, 

 and a female representing Anima or the human soul. The 

 former is however accoutred with the Bow and Quiver of 

 Cupid, and seems as if luxuriating in the raptures always attri- 

 buted to that Heathen deity. Turning over the pages at 

 random, we find at page 45 the two figures engaged in tying 

 a true-lover's knot, and at page 109 they are reposing under 

 the vestibule of a church, encircled in each other's arras, while 

 in the back ground of the picture a lady and gentleman 

 attired in the ordinary costume are similarly engaged. This 

 work went tlu-ough several editions, and long continued to be 

 copied and reprinted by different editors and different artists — 

 though generally with the exact designs of Van Veen. 



But in a few years a much greater advance was made in 

 this singular class of compositions. Herman Hugo, a learned 

 Jesuit, published in the year 1624 his Pia Desiderite, em- 

 bellished with wood-cuts by Bolswert.f In 1629 five editions 



* " Cum diviiii ct lunuani amori^ iidcm poue slot ergo rem atnataiii eAVclus." 



Ad Icctorem prefacin. 

 + Antwerp, 1624. xmHll 8vo. 



