1808.] 
the publication of two small tracts which 
had been composed some time before. 
“One was: “ Instruttione politica di Ci- 
cerone scritta in una pistola a Quinto il 
fratello, nuovamente tradotta in lingua 
volgare. In Roma, per il Santi e com- 
pagni, 1588, 12mo.” which work was de- 
dicated to Alessandro di Sangro. The 
other, contained: “ Varie descrittioni di 
Ville di Cy Plinio secondo, volgarizzate 
da Aldo, a petizione di Carnillo Palesito,” 
The account of these two works was 
given hy Zeno. 
Aldus continued the duties of his office, 
after the death of Sixtus Vv which hap- 
pened in 1590; and fis condition was 
aineliorated onder Clement VIII. by 
whom he was entrusted with the care of 
the Vatican press, which had been 
founded under the direction of Domenico 
Basa, a good Venetian printer, with whom 
Aidus was te act as fellow-labourer. 
Zeno observes that during these last years 
the presses of Aldus at Venice were nut 
inactive, but continued at work, under 
the direction of Nic. Manassi and other 
skilful foremen; but itis more probable 
that this establishment became the ex- 
elusive property of Manassi, either in 
1585, the year in which Aldus took a 
final leave of Venice, or a short time 
after. Indeed the style of Manassi in 
his prefaces, and ‘the manner in which 
his correspondence was conducted with 
learned men, sufliciently prove that he 
was proprietor and not merely conductor 
of the press. 
Tn 1592, Aldus published at Rome his 
“ Lettere Volaan, presso il Santi e com- 
pagui, 4to.” aud dedicated them to Lodo- 
vico Riecio, a Milanese gentleman. Du- 
ring the five years which preceded his 
Weath, Aldus published no new work; 
his attention was principally directed to 
his public lectures, and the cares atten- 
dant on the Vatican press, the manage- 
ment of which he shared with Domenico 
Basa. In closing thelist of his numerous 
eworks, it is necessary to mention one 
which did not appear till after his death, 
in 1601, appresso Guyliclmo Facciotto, 
© Venticinque Discorsipolitici sopra Livio 
della seconda guerra Cartaginese, 8vo,” 
He proposed publishing a revised edition 
of Plautus, with commentaries, and like- 
wise an accurate Déscription of Italy, 
with the outline of every city; a work, 
which if completely executed, would 
have beenat once a generaland particular 
history. 
In the tenth year of lis residence at 
Rome, ou the 25th of October 497, Al- 
7 
Memoirs of Aldus the Younger. 
39 
dus died at the age of 50 years, eight 
months and twenty-two days. He wag 
the last of a family that did honour to 
learning and'to the art of printing, and 
whose reputation will exist whilst one vo- 
lume shall remain of the many excelleat 
ones which they printed in the course of 
acentury. The younger Aldus had se- 
veral children, all of whom died in their 
youth, and left him no posterity but his 
writings. Being the successor of bis ta- 
ther and grand-father, who were men of 
extraordinary industry and learning, he 
enjoyed a celebrity, for which he was 
perliaps as much indebted to the high 
respect which had been entertained for 
them, as to his own personal merit. Lis 
youth had been brilliant, and the great 
success which some early literary pro- 
ductions had met with, acqmred hin @ 
premature reputation, which diverted his 
attention from the desire of that charac- 
ter, which although less flattering to self- 
love, would have proved more lasting and 
secure, He yielded to the pleasure of 
composition, and neglected the profes- 
sion which had established the reputation 
of his father and grandfather. fnstead 
therefore of obtaining, like them, the 
first rank in the list of printers, he was a 
writer, excelled by many others far more 
learned than himself. It must, however, 
beacknowledged, that circumstances were 
much more favourable to the success of 
Aldus the elder, and of Paulus Manutius ; 
the former lived at a period when the best 
works of ancient literature required only 
the skilful and laborious hand to pre- 
serve them from destruction, With pro- 
found knowledge and” perseverance, he 
engaged in the labours of the press, and 
found the learned world desirous uf ob= 
taining his editions. Few ancient writ- 
ings were left to engage the attefition of 
Paulus Manutius. The°stores of Greek 
literature were nearly exhausted, but the 
revisal of them had hitherto been néglect- 
ed, and the numerous editions which he 
published with important corrections in 
the text, had an equally favourable recep- 
tion, with those printed by his father. 
Their sucCessor, was the younger Aldps, 
who perhaps considered that he might be 
more suitably and usefully employed in 
commenting upon the works which had 
so frequently been reprinted by his fa- 
ther and grandfather, than in publishing 
new editions.. He was also more cele- 
brated for his industry and researsh, than 
for any striking proofs of genius. Me 
possessed the qualities of a map of. erudi- 
tion, rather than those of a ian of taste; 
bi at 
~ 
