Rom Death,and darke Obliuion (neere the fame) The Miftreffe of Mans life, graue HISTORIE, Raifing the VVorld to good, or euill FAME, Doth indicate it to ETERNITIE.

High PROVIDENCE would for that nor the Good.
Might be defrauded, nor the Great fecur'd,

But both might know their waies are understood,
And the reward,and punishment affurd.

This makes, that lighted by the beamie hand

OfTRVTH, which fearcheth the most hidden prings,
Andguided by EXPERIENCE, whofe freight Wand,
Doth mete, whofe Line doth found the depth of things;

Shee chearefully fupporteth what he reares:
Afsifted by noftrengths, but are her owne.
Some note of which each varied Pillar beares,
By which, as proper Titles, fheus knowne,
Times VVitneffe, Herald of Antiquitie,
The Light of Truth, and Life of Memorie.

*

English engraver, but neither Strutt nor Vertuet mentions his nationality.

I have been unable to find an earlier example of an English frontispiece than this one of Elstracke, containing so many allegorical figures. Many of the works of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries have engravings of subjects partly or wholly of symbolical character, while some having single allegorical figures are not uncommon.‡

Generally, on a separate leaf and facing the frontispiece, which they serve to explain, are some printed verses.§ The following copy is transcribed from the first edition (1614):

"THE MINDE OF THE FRONT.

"From Death and darke Obliuion (neere the same)
The Mistresse of Mans life, graue Historie,
Raising the World to good, or [and] Euill fame,

Doth vindicate it to Eternitie.

High [Wise] Providence would so that nor the good

Might be defrauded, nor the Great secur'd,

But both might know their wayes are [were] vnderstood,
And the reward, and punishment assur'd.

[When Vice alike in time with vertue dur'd.]

"This [which] makes, that lighted by the beamie hand

Of Truth, which [that] searcheth the most hidden springs,
And guided by Experience, whose streight wand
Doth mete, whose Line doth sound the depth of things:

"Shee chearefully supporteth what shee reares;
Assisted by no strengths, but are her owne,
Some note of which each varied Pillar beares,
By which as proper titles shee is knowne,

"Times witnesse, Herald of Antiquitie,

The light of Truth, and life of Memorie."

Dictionary of Engravers (1875), I. 287.

+ In Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting (1876), III. 135, the latter gives a list of his works, but this does not include the frontispiece to Ralegh's work.

An example of the former will be found in Sylvester's translation of the Diuine Weekes of Du Bartas, published in 1611; and of the latter, in George Baker's Newe Jewell of Health (1576), where the title-page contains a single figure labelled "Alchyma."

The history of engraved titles and frontispieces has yet to be written, and would prove both interesting and instructive, especially if the progress of decorating works were traced onwards from the simple woodcut ornaments of the early printed volumes, to the elaborate frontispiece in Ralegh's History, where entire separation from the title-page was required, and downwards to their comparative decay in the nineteenth century. The employment of foreign engravers in England must have exercised considerable influence in this mode of ornamenting works, and their productions are often a reflex, or even direct copies of those that had appeared in other Continental works, especially of Dutch and Flemish publication. Professor Arber informs me "the engraved title of Bacon's Novum Organum, 1620, with the ships sailing between the pillars of Hercules, is a copy of a Dutch engraving of about 1612 or 1614.'

§ They are printed on the back of the engraving in a copy of the 1634 edition in my possession.

VOL. XIX.

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