By T. Chuhb. 221 



thicker line outside. Within the space in the border, " Septentrio." 

 "Oriens." *' Meridies." "Occidens." At the back, a text in Dutch, and 

 the numbers " 111 " and " 112." 



William Blaeu, a surveyor and publisher, was born at Alkmaer, in 

 1571, and died at Amsterdam 21st October, 1688. 



In 1599, he was employed in maUiuf,' f,dobes. In 1628 he surveyed the 

 entire coast between the Texel and the Meuse. In 1612 he set up 

 as a printer and bookseller at Amsterdam. The business was carried on 

 under the name of Guiliehnus Janssonius, with the result that he was 

 often confounded with his rival, Jan Jansson, another famous publisher 

 in the same city. 



His son, Johann Blaeu, was born at Amsterdam, 23rd September, 1596, 

 and died there 28th December, 1673. He studied law while continuing 

 the business of his father. After travelling in Italy he returned to 

 Amsterdam and establislied a printing house, in which he was actively 

 engaged as early as 1637. He soon made a great reputation and is even 

 thought to have taken precedence of the rival establishment of Jansson. 

 His first publication was the first and second volumes of his father's 

 ^i\Q.^:—Theatruvi Orhis Terrarum^ sive Atlas Novus . . . Amstelo- 

 dami, apud Guilielmum Blaeu^ 1638. After his father's death, in 

 conjunction with his brother Cornelius, whom he had taken into 

 partnership in 1640, he brought out the third volume of the atlas, 

 the remainder of the work being issued after the death of Cornelius in 

 1642. His most finished and complete atlas was published in 1662, with 

 Latin text, under the title of Atlas Majoi\ sive C osmograj^hia Blaviana, 

 Qua Solum, Salum, Coehim, Accuratissime Describuntw\ It consists 

 of eleven volumes, each of which has its own distinctive title page and 

 the date 1662. In 1664 — 5 a French edition was published, and, in 1672, 

 a Spanish edition. The last is now extremely rare. 



Blaeu had an extensive foreign business, and, in 1663, is known to have 

 possessed a second establishment in Vienna. On the night of February 

 22nd, 1672, his printing house at Amsterdam was destroyed by fire, and 

 with it perished the greater part of his publications and nearly all the 

 plates belonging to his geographical works. 



1649 

 A reprint of Jausson s map of 1646. 



Ill NOVUS ATLAS DAS IST WKI/l'-lMvSClIKKl lU'XG, ETC. VIKII'IKII 

 TIIKIl.. AMSTKLODA.MI AITD .lOANXK.M JANSSOXITM. 1()49. l\»l. 

 With German text at ihe back. 



1652 

 A reprint of Jansson's map of 1646 



/// N()r\KI, ATLAS (U' TIII'IATIIK l>r MoMil':, (( )M I'l; KN ANI' LKS 

 I'AI'.LKS \- DKSi IMI'TIONS 1)K I'oLTKs LKS KKCloNS hi' MoM'K 



