riiiiups.i 444 I,.,,, l6f 



oal ami mathematical science, and in the He Drew language, that he was 

 known as the Esdras and the Strabo of Geimany. The mere enumeration 

 of his w ritings in Gesner's Bibliotheca occupies several folio pages. He died 

 at Basil', of a prevailing pestilence, on the twenty-third day of Ma}-, 

 1552, in the sixty-third year of his age. 



This book was one that became very popular and ran through many 

 editions. It was published at Basle originally in 1550, then successively 

 in 1569, 1574, 1578, 1592, 1598 and 1G14. All these editions were in Ger- 

 man. The Cosmography was issued in Latin in 1550 and 1554, having 

 been translated by Minister himself. It was issued in French at Basle in 

 1552, and at Paris in 1575 ; in Italian at Bale, 1558. A selection from its con- 

 tents, entitled " A treatise on the New India with other nevve founde lande 

 and islandes as well eastwarde as westwarde by Sebastian Minister, trans- 

 lated into English by Richard Eden, " was published at London in 1553, and 

 another translation, " A brief collection of strange and memorable things 

 gathered out the Cosmography of Sebastian Minister, " was published at 

 London in 1574.* 



The book, which is crowded with quaint and rude wood-cuts, begins 

 with a number of full-page maps, among which are the world on the 

 Ptolemoean system (America, of course, not shown), surrounded by a 

 border representing the various winds, Europe and its various divisions 

 (embracing the kingdoms of Bohemia, Hungary, Poland), Africa, Asia 

 and the New World. The British Islands were not of sufficient import- 

 ance to warrant a special map and are crowded up towards the top of a 

 general map of Europe in such a manner that very little of Scotland is 

 shown. England was at this time under the dominion of Edward VI. 

 (1547-1553), and the influence exercised by it upon the politics of Con- 

 tinental Europe was very inconsiderable ; it was looked on, in fact, only 

 as a semi-barbarian island in the far-off northern seas. 



Naturally the author begins with the beginning and starts with the crea- 

 tion of the world, drawn from Biblical sources. To this chapter is pre- 

 fixed a wood-cut representing the world as a plain from whose bounds 

 arise lofty mountains, inhabited solely by animals. In the background is 

 a circle of flames ; in the foreground is an ocean with fishes and an old- 

 fashioned high-pooped Dutch galliot, navigating apparently by its own 

 instinct (for not a living being is anywhere to be seen upon it) the new- 

 made waters. Sea monsters raise their heads from the billows and gaze 

 with rapt amazement at the ship, taking it, doubtless, for some novel marine 

 creation. Overhead are shining the sun, moon and stars, while God, 

 represented as an old man with a papal tiara upon his head, is seated lie 

 tween the heavenly bodies upon a cloud. At each of the upper corners of 

 the plate is an angel; at each of the lower corners a very satyr-looking 

 demon. 



Then follow chapters upon land, sea, islands, the earth with its vege- 

 table and mineral wealth, earthquakes, hot springs and baths, tires existing 



■ Brunct. 



