THE REVIVAL OF PTOLEMY 75 



the rectangular projection). For the first time, the new maps 

 have borders graduated for latitude and longitude, and num- 

 bered in degrees. It is significant that a legend on the modem 

 map of Italy states that the measure of the degree of longitude 

 does not follow Ptolemy, but is shown "according to the style 

 of the nautical charts". This appears to mean that the map 

 is drawn on a plane projection — that is that no allowance is 

 made for the convergence of the meridians, for a degree of 

 longitude is made to equal a degree of latitude (very nearly). 



The following year these plates were used again for another 

 edition of the 'Geography', enlarged by the addition of a short 

 treatise on the new world by Beneventanus, and — of much 

 greater importance — Johan Ruysch's world map. This was 

 the first map in an edition of Ptolemy to show any part of the 

 new world. 



Three years later an edition was published at Venice by 

 Bernardus Sylvanus which made a further break with tradition. 

 The twenty-seven maps were re-engraved on wood with 

 many names stamped in red: they have 'modern' outlines, 

 with the classical nomenclature; and there are thus no strictly 

 Ptolemaic maps in this edition. In this way, therefore, a printed 

 map of the British Isles, other than that by Ptolemy, was for 

 the first time placed in circulation. It was not a very accurate 

 one, being based on the portolan chart by Petrus Roselli, and 

 a few names from it are also included. The whole is crudely 

 drawn, London, for example, being shown well to the south of 

 the Thames. The world map is on a heart-shaped projection, 

 and is brought in line with contemporary knowledge ; Hispanola, 

 Cuba and a part of South America are inserted, and the com- 

 plete coastline of Africa — but in the east Ptolemy's outline is 

 retained. 



The peak of Ptolemy's influence on cartography was reached 

 with the edition of the 'Geography' published at Strasbourg in 

 1513. This is put forward as the work of Jakob Eszler and 

 Georg Ubelin, but the maps are generally accepted as the work 

 of Martin Waldseemiiller (1470-1518) of St. Die in Loraine, 

 though conclusive proof is lacking. At St. Die, Waldseemiiller 

 was a member of the scholarly circle patronized by the Duke, 

 Rene II. The maps form, with his other works — the 'Cosmo- 



