_Flemish Work on the Order of St. Francis._--Can any of your
correspondents tell me any thing about, or enable me to procure a
copy of, a book on the order of St. Francis, named, _Den Wijngaert van
Sinte Franciscus vâ Schoonte Historien Legenden, &c._ A folio of 424
leaves, beautifully printed. The last page has,--
"Gheprent Thantwerpen binnen die Camer poorte Int huys vâ
delft bi mi, Hendrich Eckert van Homberch. Int iaer ons heeren
M.CCCCC. efi XVIII. op den XII. dach vâ December."
The only copy I ever saw of it, which belonged to a friend of mine,
had the following note on a fly-leaf in an old and scarcely legible
hand:--
"Raer boeck ende sêer curieus als gebouwt synde op de Wijsen
voor meesten deel op de fondamenten van den fameus ende extra
raer boeck genoempt _Conformitatis Vita S. Francisci cum
Vitá Jesu Christi_, de welch in dese diehwils grateert wordt
gelijck gij in lesen sult andesvinden maer onthout wer dese
latijn spreckwoordt, _Risum teneatis amici_."
Jarlzberg.
_Le Petit Albert._--Can any of your correspondents give me any
information respecting a book entitled _Secrets Merveilleux de la
Magie Naturelle et Cabalistique du Petit Albert, et enrichi du fig.
mystérieuses, et de la Manière de les faire. Nouvelle Edition, cor.
et aug. A Lion_, 1743. 32mo.? The _avertissement_ says,--
"Voici une nouvelle édition du _Livres des merveilleux
Secrets_ du Petit Albert, connu en Latin sous le titre
d'Alberte Parvi Lucii, _Libellus de Mirabilibus Naturæ
Arcanis_. L'auteur à qui on l'attribue, a été un de ces
grands-hommmes qui par le peuple ignorant ont été accusez de
magie. C'étoit autrefois le sort de tous les grands esprits
qui possédoient quelque chose d'extraordinaire dans les
sciences, de les traiter de magiciens. C'est peut-être par
cette raison, que le petit trésor est devenu très rare,
parceque les superstitieux ont fait scrupule de s'en servir;
il s'est presque comme perdu, car une personne distinguée dans
le monde a eu la curiosité (à ce qu'on assure) d'en offrir
plus de mille florins pour un seul exemplaire, encore ne
l'a-t-on pu découvrir que depuis peu dans la bibliothêque
d'un très-grand homme, qui l'a bien voulu donner pour ne plus
priver le public d'un si riche trésor," &c.
Who was Albertus Parvus? when and where was his work published?
Jarlzberg.
_English Translations of Erasmus' Encomium Moriæ._--An English
translation of _The Praise of Folly_ (with Holbein's plates), I think
by Denham, Lond. 1709, alludes to _two_ previous translations; one by
Sir Thomas Challoner, 1549; the other it does not name. I should like
to know whose is the intermediate translation, and also what other
translations have been made of that curious work?
Jarlzberg.
_Symbols of the Four Evangelists_.--St. Matthew _an angel_; St. Mark,
_a lion_; St. Luke, _an ox_; St. John, _an eagle_. It is on account
of its being a symbol of the Resurrection that the _lion_ is assigned
to St. Mark as an emblem; St. Mark being called the historian of the
Resurrection. (This title he probably obtained from his gospel being
used on Easter Day.) The reason why the lion is taken as a symbol
of the Resurrection is to be found in the fabulous history of the
animal; according to which the whelp is born dead, and only receives
life at the expiration of three days, on being breathed on by
its father.--What are the reasons assigned for the other three
Evangelists' emblems?
Jarlzberg.
_Portrait by Boonen._--Can any of your correspondents state the
precise time when Boonen, said to be a pupil of Schalcken, flourished?
And what eminent geographer, Dutch or English, lived during such
period? This question is asked with reference to a picture by
Boonen,--a portrait of a singular visaged man, with his hand on a
globe, now at Mr. Peel's in Golden Square; the subject of which is
desired to be ascertained. It may be the portrait of an astrologer, if
the globe is celestial.