The art of making devises treating of hieroglyphicks, symboles, emblemes, ænigma's, sentences, parables, reverses of medalls, armes, blazons, cimiers, cyphres and rebus / first written in French by Henry Estienne ... ; translated into English by Tho. Blount ...

CHAP. VII.

Of the Excellencie and Vtility of Devises.

ONe of the advantages which raises us above all other living Creatures, is the principle and faculty which enables us to communicate and understand each others will. Hoc enim uno pre∣stamus vel maximè feris quod colloquimur inter nos, & quod expri∣mere dicendo sensa possumus, saith Cicero: But amongst all exter∣nall wayes of expressing our conceptions, be it by word, sentence, or gesture; there is one which we call Devise, by meanes whereof the most pregnant wits discover to their like, all the motions of their soule; their hopes, feares, doubts, disdaines, affrights, anger, pleasure and joyes, anguishes and sorrowes, hatred and love, desires and other heart-possessing passions. And by how much this way of expression is lesse usuall with the common people, by so much is it the more excellent: For it is cleane another thing to expresse our conceptions by a soule and a body, or (if you will) by figures and words, then to manifest them by way of Discourse. Bargagli saith with good reason. That a Devise is nothing else, but a rare and par∣ticular way of expressing ones self; the most compendious, most noble, most pleasing, and most efficacious of all other that humane wit can invent. It is indeed most compendious, since by two or three words it surpasseth that which is contained in the greatest Volumes. And as a small beame of the Sun is able to illuminate and replenish a Cavern (be it never so vast) with the rayes of its splen∣dor: So a Devise enlightens our whole understanding, & by dispel∣ling the darknesse of Errour, fills it with a true Piety, and solid Vertue. It is in these Devises as in a Mirrour, where without large Tomes of Philosophy and History, we may in a short tract of time, and with much ease, plainly behold and imprint in our minds, all the rules both of Morall and Civill life; tending also much to the benefit of History, by reviving the memory of such men, who have

rendred themselves illustrious in all sorts of conditions, and in the practice of all kinds of Vertue.

It is the most noble way, since the persons, for whom Devises ought lawfully to bee composed, ought to be of a very eminent quality, or of an extraordinary vertue; such as all Soveraignes or Ministers of State, Emperours, Kings, Princes, Generals of Ar∣mies, Persons of Honour, and the most renowned Professours of Arts and Sciences. And to say truth, Princes and their chiefe Mini∣sters are the persons that doe most earnestly desire them, as if those noble minded Soules (created by God to command and rule) had received from him a particular inclination to whatsoe∣ver is Divine, or August, as well on earth, as in the minds of men. There are also some Princes, that have addicted themselves to the invention of Devises; of which there is no small number amongst the Italians. And with the French, we find the great King Francis, who (besides the glorious Title of Conquerour) deserved that of Learnings Restaurator; and to whom the Family of the Estiennes hath such particular obligations: I meane Francis the first, who daigned himself to become the Author of his own Devise, where he caused a Salamander to be put into a fire with this Italian Mot∣to, NUTRISCO ET EXTINGO, i. e. I am nourished by it, and perish by it, As Paulus Jovius doth assure us.

Moreover, the invention is pleasing and efficacious, since to the contentment of the sight, it addes a ravishing of the mind, and that to the satisfaction both of the one and the other; it brings also some profit and utility, which is the perfection of a work: where∣fore it surpasseth not onely all other Arts, but also Painting, since this onely representeth the body and exquisite features of the face, when as a Devise exposeth the rare conceipts, and gallant resolu∣tions of its Author, far more perspicuously and with more certain∣ty, then Physiognomy can, by the proportions and lineaments of the face. It also much excelleth Poetry, in that it joyneth profit with pleasure; for as much as the most part of Poeticall inventi∣ons tend onely to administer delight, when as none merit the Title of true and perfect Devises, unlesse they beget content with their gentillesse, and yeeld profit by their Doctrine. For they not onely expresse our best fancies, but also render them in a more delightfull and vigorous manner, then that which is used either in speaking or writing. By the conceipts of the Devise, you declare the humour or

inclination of him that be••res it, during the whole course of his life, and in respect the invention of the Devise is grounded upon some good design, the bearer is obliged, ever to appear to all the world, such, as he hath declared himselfe by it; as if it were an obligation signed with his hand, and sealed with his seale, which should constraine him never to depart from the exercise of Vertue, or as if it were a continuall renewing of the Protestation he hath made, as well by the Figure, as by the Motto of his D••vise, not to commit any unwo••thinesse, nor any thing contrary to that con∣ception of mind.

The efficacie of a Devise spreads it selfe yet further externally, serving as an example to others; insomuch, as by its quaint con∣ceptions and similitudes, the Beholders are excited and enslamed to the search of Vertue, and to propose to themselves some such gallant designes. It is not onely usefull to those that are neere us, but also to those that are further off; yea to those that shall come after us, by leaving them a perpetuall remembrance of the excel∣lencie of wit, & comendable qualities of him that did compose or bear it: Besides, it is a means, much more proper then either prose or verse, to make his friends or confidents understand his secret in∣tention: a Lover may use it, as the Spokesman of his affection to his Mistres••e; a Master to his Servitor; a Prince to his Officers, or Subjects: for the length of Poems, and prolixity of great Dis∣courses in bookes, often foyle the Readers, when as the whole mea∣ning of a Devise is no sooner looked upon, but conceived by the in∣telligent Reader. Moreover, a Devise presents it selfe to the eyes of all the world, in being placed upon Frontice-pieces of hou∣ses, in Galleries, upon Armes, and a thousand other places, whence it becomes a delightfull object to the sight, even whether we will or no, and by that meanes we are in a manner obliged to learne the Conception of him that bears the Devise.

'Tis true, this Art is one of the most difficult, that any wit that is acute, and rich in invention can practise (according to the judg∣ment of Paulus Jovius) and doth onely appeare facile to those that never did exercise it; or though they have made some Essayes of it, I do assure my selfe, their Devises were not legitimate, nor their Rules observed: For Devises are not like those Vessels of Earth, which are made as soon as the Potter hath cast them in the Mould. Reade Hannibal Caro upon this subject, who

writes his opinion to the Dutchesse of Vrbain in these very terms. Devises are not things which are met with in books, or which are made according to the sudden fancie of an Author; they often require long meditation, and it seldome happens that they are created by a Caprichio, or an extravagant sally of wit; 'tis true, such are some∣times better then those, that have made us pumpe a longer time; but it belongs onely to the expert Professors of that Art, to be thus happy in the production of Devises.

My design in proposing all these difficulties hath not beene to withdraw good wits from these neat Essayes; but onely to shew that this Art hath this common property with the best and most excellent things of this world, that it is difficult, and not acquired but by a long study.