35 



Cambridge/ is dedicated to Rt. Devereux, Earl of Essex, 

 and contains, in Latin as well as English verse, one hundred 

 Emblems, but without any engravings. The subjects are all 

 taken from Scripture, and reduced under the three heads of 

 allegorical, historical, and physical. This work cannot boast 

 of much originality. 



" Abraham Fraunce was a versifier of some note during the 

 same period. It does not appear that he composed any Em- 

 blems in English; but he published, in 1588, a learned and 

 elaborate Treatise in Latin, entitled Insignium, Armorum, 

 Emblematum, Hieroglyphicorum and Symbolorum Explicatio. 

 This work consists very much of Heraldic deductions and of 

 conventional rules and distinctions which had been discussed 

 very largely by former writers. Moreover, it ought to be 

 classed rather with the Treatises on Devices and Symbols 

 (already briefly touched upon) than among Books of Emblems. 

 Into a Poem which he published, entitled ' The Countesse of 

 Pembroke's Ivy Church,' (copies of winch are very rare,) he 

 has introduced the novelty of Hexameter verse ; but with no 

 better success than that which, in modern times, has followed 

 a similar attempt on the part of the ' Lake Poets/ The fol- 

 lowing short extract is from the Poem just cited : — 



" ' Heare, O ! brooke, these plaints — heare, O ! sweete brooke, my bewailings, 

 And convey them down to ray kinsman's watery kingdom. 

 1 town to the World-washing mayn-sea with speedy reflowing — 

 World-washing mayn-sea will them convey to the World's end. 



" Although the reigns of Charles V. and his son Philip II. 

 were justly esteemed the Golden age of Spanish poetry, few 

 Boohs of Emblems made their appearance during that period 

 in Spain j nor must we look for an increase during that which 

 succeeded, when in truth the poetry of the Peninsula began 

 to decline. Those few which did appear are deeply imbued 

 with a moral and religious spirit, and derive their interest 



* Quarto — no date. 



