206
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
intention of such private and peculiar marks, rebusses, or devices, adopted by early printers, after these literary frauds began to prevail, they became at least, so far useful, as to render sued frauds less practicable. It was, however, by no means impracticable for oue printer to counter- feit the device of another, in addition to the fraudulent assumption of his name and designa- tion. A ludicrous instance is upon record of such an attempt, which betrayed itself like a counterfeit coin, by the clumsiness and inaccu- racy of its execution. Certain printers who were so disingenuous as to counterfeit a popular production of the Aldine press, were exposed to public ridicule in the preface to the Aldine Itw, 1518.
Renouard has also observed that many others of those printers who were cotemporary with the Aldi of Venice, hoping by this mark of the anchor and dolphin to recommend their own impressions, were eager to avail themselves of such an advantage. Some ftaudulentlv coun- terfeited the mark itself, others invented some- thing analogous to it. Various Italian printers of considerable eminence disgraced themselves by these disingenuous artifices. But the prin- ters of Lyons carried such audacious forgeries to a far greater length than any others, and Renouard has cited a particular memorial drawn up by Aldus himself on the subject, and pub- lished at .Venice in 1503.
It can, however, be scarce pretended that this precautionary use of the mark was actually in the contemplation of its original inventors. Some even of the impressions of Faust and Schoeffer, and other printers of the earliest periods, have such marks subjoined to their subscriptions. The device here given is from the Mmlz Ptalter, of 1457, by Faust and Schoeffer ; it consists of two ecug or shields, exhibiting the arms of these respective artists.
As many of the early printers have omitted to subjoin tteir names to most of their works, such marks have often enabled bibliographers to ascertain with certainty their place and origin. Where both the mark, note of the place, date, and printer's name have been omitted, a like use has sometimes been made even of the paper markt; which appear to have been of an usage perhaps almost as remote as the manufacture.of that article. Amongst other notices of this kind, the reader may consult the work last mentioned.
The marks used by learned printers, after- wards became more miscellaneous and general, and exhibited an amusing display of the inge-
nuity, erudition, piety, or, as we may venture to add, sometimes of uie fanciful caprice of the inventor. Thus John Schoeffer adopted the armt used by his father, but with a variety of whimsical changes ; for in the champ or field of the device, he introduced shepherds with their dog and sheep, in allusion to the name Schoef- fer, which signifies shepherd. The classical origin of the anchor and dolphin of Aldus is well known. It was borrowed from a medal of the emperor Titus; and the hieroglyphic is sup- posed to correspond with that adage is said to have been the favourite motto of Augustus: airivSt PpaSiuc. On the subject of this mark the reader will find much entertainment in the Adagia of Erasmus, under the title Pe*tin» lente; and that scholar embraces the same op- portunity of explaining the rebus or device of his favourite pnnter John Frobenius, of Basil. " If," says he, " princes on this side the Alps would enaourage liberal studies with as much zeal as those of Italy, the serpent* of Froben would not be so much less lucrative than the dolphin ot AMa&. The latter {mte/eXinotu has deservedly gained for himself no less wealth than reputation. As to Frobenius, whilst he constantly carries his baculus or staff erect, with no other view than the public advantage; whilst he departs not from the simplicity of the dove; whilst he exemplifies the prudence of the serpent not more by his device than by his actions ; he is rich rather in reputation than in an estate."
The following beautiful lines on the Aldine Anchor,* cannot fail of being admired by the lovers of typography, as the production of that venerable and eminent bibliographer Sir Egerton Brydges.
THE ALDINE ANCHOR,
AN IHrKOHPTU,
" Let your emblems, or devices, be a dove, or s fish, or a
musical lyre, or a naval anehor,**
Would yoa still be safely landed,
Oa the Aloini anchor ride. Never yet was vessel stranded
With the dolphin by its side.
Fleet Is WccBiL's flyiof; courser,
A bold and biideless steed is he ; Bat when winds are piping hoarser.
The dolphin rides the stormy sea.
Stbphrn'b was a noble printer Of knowledge firm he llxt hla tree i
But time in him made many a splinter. As, old ElzeTlr, in thee.
Whose name the bold Dioamha hallows. Knows how well bis page it decks ;
But black it looks as any gallows Fitted for poor authors' necks.
Nor time nor envy e'er shall canker.
The sign that is mp lasting pride, Joy, then, to the Aldine anchor.
And the dolphin at Its side.
To the dolphin, as we're drinking. Life, and health, and Joy we send ;
A poet once he saved from sinking , And still he lives— the poet's friend.
The device of Vindelinus Rihelius of Stras- burg, which to a superficial observer, might
- Mr. Pickering, the eminent bookseller of Chancery-
lane, London, has adopted the Aldini ANCHoa as IU» mark.
VjOOQ IC
