II] 



The ' Ortus Sanitatis ' 



29 



the Tree of Life, in which we read that he who should eat 

 of the fruit "should be clothed with blessed immortality, 

 and should not be fatigued with infirmity, or anxiety, or 

 lassitude, or weariness of trouble." The engraving which 

 is named Narcissus (Text-fig. 13) has diminutive figures 

 emerging from the flowers, like a transformation scene at a 

 pantomime! It is probably, however, intended to represent 



Text-fig. 13. "Narcissus" [Ortus Sanitatis, 

 Mainz, 1491]. 



the conversion of the beautiful youth, Narcissus, into a 

 flower. Apart from these mythological subjects, there are a 

 number of very curious engravings. A tree called " Bausor," 

 for instance, which was believed to exhale a narcotic poison, 

 like the fabulous Upas tree, has two men lying beneath its 

 shade, apparently in the sleep of death (Text-fig. 14). 



