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LITERATURE.
certainly would have given more solid proofs, by re-establishing their marriage, and by publicly espousing her, had he not felt it his duty to cherish the wife his father had obliged him to many, by whom he had several children.
'The young knight, therefore, immediately set out, escorted by the remains of his troop, out of which he had eight or ten men killed or wounded. With this equipage, and theseattend- ants, who bore testimony to his valour wherever he passed, he arrived at the residence of his motner, with whom he staid two days; _ after which he repaired to Ravenna, to shew a similar mark of respect to the wife of his father, who was so charmed by his noble actions, as well as by his attentions towards her, that she herself led him by the hand to the apartment of the amiable Isabella, who, seeing him with his arm bound up, was alarmed. He remained a few days in that city; but impatient to return to his father, that he might have an opportunity of distinguishing himself by new exploits, he set off beiore his wound was yet healed. The Count reprimanded him for not having sent back his troop, and for not remaining at Ravenna until be was cured, and would not permit him to serve again during the rest of the campaign : shortly after, when his arm was perfectly healed, he sent him home, saying to him pleasantly, that he did not choose to be outdone by him all the remaining time the troops woula continue in action that year. It was soon after this, that Isabella and he began to compose and execute the pictures of the actions of Alexander. He made a second campaign with his father, after which he again worked upon these pictures, conjointly with Isabella, who applied herself to reduce them, and to engrave them on blocks of wood. After they had finished and printed tliese pieces, and presented them to Pope Honorius, and to their other relations and friends, the cavalier joined the army for the fourth time, accompanied by a young nobleman, one of his friends, called Pandulfio who, enamoured of the lovely Isabella, was desirous to signalize himself, that he might become more worthy of her hand before he espoused her. But this last campaign was fatal to the cavalier Cunio: he fell, covered with wounds, by the side of his friend, who, whilst attempting to defend him, was also dangerously wounaed. Isabella was so much affected by the death of her brother, which happened when he was not yet nineteen, that she determined never to marry; she languished and died, when she had scarcely completed her twentieth year. The death of this beautiful and learned young lady was followed by that of her lover, who had always hoped that his attentions and affections towards her would be rewarded by her consent, at length to become his, and also by that of her mother, who could not survive the loss of her beloved children. The Count di Cnnio, who who had been deeply afflicted by the death of his son, could scarcely support that of his daughter. Even the Countess di Cunio, who loved Isabella with great tenderness, fell ill of
grief for her loss; and would have sunk under It, bad she not been supported by the manly fortitude of the Count. Happily, the health of the Countess was, by degrees re-established. Some years afterwards, the generous Count di Cunio gave this copy of the actions of Alexander, bound, as it now is, to my grandfather; and I have caused the leaves or paper to be inserted, upon which, by my orders, this nistory is written.'
Most authors,on the subject of early engraving, have omitted to notice this account of the two Cunio, it being considered by them as spurious; indeed, so well satisfied are some of the German authors, that they deem the refutation of it unnecessary. Probably they consider it enough for Italy to claim a priority to the invention of copper engraving, witnout endeavouring to obtain the merit of wood engrainng also.
From the name of pope Honorius IV. engraved on the frontispiece of these ancient prints, of the actions of Alexander, it is most certain, remarks Papillon, that this precious monument of engrav- ing in wood, and of the art of taking impressions, was executed between the years 1284 and 1286, because that pope, to whom it was dedicated, governed the church only for the space of two years; that is from the second of April, 1286, to the third day of the same month in the year 1^7, the epoch, therefore, of this ancient specimen of engraving, is anterior to all die books printed in Europe, that have hitherto been known. Mr. Sperentvel, a Swiss officer (the possessor of it, and the friend of Mr. de Greder) was one of the descendants of Jan. Jacq. Turine, by the mother's side. He regrets the death of de Greder before he published this account, being unable to trace into whose hands this treasure had fallen.
It is true, we have only the evidence of Papil- lon as to this circumstance; still his character stands unimpeached : and Heinecken, the oppo- ser of all Italian pretensions, bears testimony to the probity of the man, though he questions part of his book, for the errors of which every allow- ance ought to be made; because, when he wrote, little had been done towards investigating the subject, and his love for the art indued him to give credit to most of the circumstances related by the French writers. We have no reason to believe that either De Greder or Papillon invent- ed this history, the former received it from the Swiss officer, — and what interest could he have to deceive his friend? No account was given to the world by them; and had it not been for P»- pillon's curiosity while at De Greder's where he was first shewn the engravings, it most probably might have remained in oblivion to thb day.
If we can depend upon the correctness of M. Thiery, the library of the academy of Lyons, pos-
♦ Those who wish to see the account of Papillon more amply discussed, we refer them to the following Wort j "An Inquiry into the Origin and Early HUtory of En- graving upon Copper and in Wood, with an Account of Engravers and their Works, from the invention of Chalco- graphy by Maso Finigiierra to the time of Marc Antonio Rannondi." By William Young Ottley, F. S. A. fpnrt"Pi iSlS, «to. That gentleman Justifies PapiUon, and ably oonftites his accusers.
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