of Anatomie, thankfully interpreting the labours of Thomas Gemini, the workman. He, that with his great charge, watch and travayle hath set out these figures in pourtrature, will most willingly be amended, or better perfected of his own workmanship, if admonished." Vertue having quoted this passage, owns, that the writing to all these plates was surely graved by Geminie, and probably some parts or members pf the bodies. We do not contend for the excellence of Geminie's performances. It is sufficient that we have ascertained so early an engraver in England. Vertue adds, that Geminie published another small work, with copper cuts, relating to midwifery, two years before. I do not know whether he means two years before the first or the second of his editions of Vesalius. It is certain that Ames does not specify such a work, though, in page 304, he acknowledges that there are books printed by Geminie of an earlier date than any he had seen; for Geminie was not only an engraver, but a printer; and dwelled in Blackfriars. Thence he published a Prognostication, &c. relating to the weather, the Phenomena of the Heavens, &c., with a number of cuts. Imprinted by Thomas Geminie, quarto ; and another edition of his Anatomy, in 1559, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth.
So congenial an art as engraving, when once discovered, could not fail to spread in an age of literature. That accomplished prelate, Archbishop Parker, who thought that whatever tended to enlighten and civilize the human mind was within his province, seems to have been the most conspucious patron of the arts in the reign of Elizabeth. I have mentioned before 1 that he employed in his palace at Lambeth a painter and two or three engravers. Of these 2 the chief was
of whom I can give the reader no farther information than what he has received already, that Hogenbergh twice
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