ULYSSES ALDROVANDI. 53 



patronage of Vespasian, Appian to that of Antoni- 

 nus, and Aristotle's Commentaries, above all praise, 

 would never have seen the light, had not Alexander 

 the Great exercised his imperial influence, both in 

 their preparation and publication. So is it with 

 thousands of books of the present day, Salviani, 

 formerly my intimate friend, dedicated his work on 

 Fishes to Pope Paul IV. Mathiolus, too, with 

 whom I have had much literary intercourse, dedi- 

 cated his to the Emperor Maximilian II., and Belon, 

 his treatise on Fishes, to Henri II." With this 

 truth clear before him, our author declined not any 

 Assistance which was offered, and gratefully acknow- 

 ledged his obligation. The first volume of his works 

 Accordingly was dedicated to Pope Clement VI I L, 

 who distinguished men of merit " with the very 

 hand of Maecenas." It may help to show the ele- 

 gance with which our author's works were prepared, 

 if we allude to the excellent engraving which forms 

 the title-page. On a tablet on the left is represented 

 ihe Great Alexander, accompanied with his guards, 

 listening to the aged Stagyrite, and encouraging 

 Mm to proceed with his immortal work. On the 

 right is the Emperor Vespasian, with the Imperial 

 Eagle and Lictors, doing a similar office for the 

 elder Pliny ; and in the centre is our octogenarian, 

 bending at the foot of the Pope, and presenting his 

 massive tome to the aged Clement, surrounded by 

 the Cardinals, in the midst of the imperial city. 

 The second volume, in like manner, is dedicated to 

 Cardinal Montalto* and we are here supplied with 



