The four last specimens, in the two preceding pages, are parts only, but the material parts, of the subjects treated of. They are not arranged, as has been before observed, exactly in the numerical order in which they stand in the original; but are here introduced to suit the conve-. nience of working them at press. I cannot however help remarking that the cut attached to the fable DE FEMINA NUBENTE FURI' (FAB. VIII.) is full of merit, considering the period of its execution; and the group of dancing figures upon a hillock, in the back ground, is prettily conceived and executed. In the bottom specimen, at p. 233, ante, the reader has a notion of the degree of elegance of the border by which each cut is surrounded. I shall submit but two more specimens, or fac-similes, of nearly equal dimensions with the original; and which may serve to shew how the same animals are varied in their representation.

We now come to the last fac-simile; full of spirit and expression. It may serve to shew the fruitfulness of the original subject, which, for nearly three centuries and a half, has equally employed the wit of the commentator to explain, and of the artist to illustrate. Modern refinement has seldom produced much more vigorous delineations of animals, in the outline, than the ensuing:

6

The LXVIth, and last fable in the Volume, presents us with a terrific wood-cut of the Countryman and Pluto;' the latter of whom is represented, in a very ungracious manner, as a fiend with horns, claws, and out-stretched wings; and better suited as a companion to the demons in the ARS MORIENDI: vide ante.

On the recto of the leaf ensuing it, signature p. 3, is the colophon,

thus:

IMPRESSVM

XXVI IVNII. M.CCCC.LXXVIIII.

Then follow some Italian pieces, entitled CANCIONETTA;* namely, CANZON MORAle, and ave maria fatta per lo antedittO ACCIO: the latter of which is sufficiently singular to form a part of our text.

Ve regina uirgo gloriosa

De gratia pienna come lagnel disse.

* It begins immediately at top, on the rev. of sign. p. 3.

CANCIONETTA.

Olume mio quel poco de argumento

El qual tu spandi so che biasemato

Sera per ciascum lato:

Per li subietti di mortal peccati.

Non te curare del suo mal talento

Che collui che non uol fir consigliato

Rimanse scelerato.

E nel suo fine uasse fra dannati.

Hai dolorosi tristi e sagurati

Che non uedete come il mondo e attento

Per gir come fa el uento

Aspettando di uoi el piu beato

Tirando al fondo quel che ha magior stato.

E pur nel suo malfare stan ficati
Quando fian condemnati

Reposerassen possa nel tormento.

Se biassemato fia el compilatore

De star in tal errore

Per cio non fia xecusato quel che fall.

Chel suo uicio non calla

Che e simigliante del predicatore.

Hor sta constante si che el non se sala.

De mendar la tua balla

Oue e piu turba de gran peccatore.

Che li monstri el terrore

Che e nel profundo doue non se balla
Domanda perdonancia a cui recresce

Le tue parole messe

Desordenate fuori de tua rima:

Ma non dimeno fa chel se sublima

Lo effetto a lalta cima.

Si che del tutto non sia sotto messo.

Dominus tecum e subito se affise

In ti quel uerbo santo o preciosa.
Benedetta tu madre gratiosa

Infra tutte le donne che mai uisse.
Et benedictus fructus che se misse
Nel uentre tuo a giacer candida rosa.
Pero ti prego tabernacul santo

Ora pro nobis nunc & in la morte
Si, che possiamo odir quel dolce canto.
E poi regina tu aprice le porte

Del paradiso doue sempre e spanto
Gratie infinite e uirtu dogne sorte.
El tuo fidelle seruo uirgo dei

Se ricomanda: miserere mei.

FINIS.

The three following pages are occupied by 'TAVOLA DE LE PREDITTE FABVLE.' Panzer, Anal. Typog. vol. iii. p. 502, borrows Denis's description of this edition, which is brief, but accurate: see his Suppl. p. 100, no. 692. Maittaire and De Bure had also noticed it, but in a still more brief and superficial manner: Annal. Typog. vol. i. p. 404: Bibliogr. Instruct. vol. iv. n°. 3567. The copy of this edition in the Lomenie collection was greatly imperfect: Index Libror. vol. i. p. 466. Panzer observes that Mercier, in his Suppl. to Marchund, p. 46, notices a Verona impression of the 25th of June, 1478, 4to.; which Denis, p. 93, also particularises on the same authority; but Panzer justly, in all probability, considers it as supposititious. Although the present copy is cropt and somewhat soiled-and the cuts, are coloured in the ancient tasteless manner-it cannot fail of being considered a material addition to the number of early impressions of Æsop in this collection. It is bound in red morocco.