Apprens, mortel, a te connoître
Ce miroir est le seul, ou tu n’est point flatté”.
Another legend reminds the reader that he is only dust, and to dust he must return:—“Vous estes poudre, & vous retournéres en poudre”.
A HUMAN SKULL RESTING ON THE SKULL OF A DOG
(From the “Fabrica”, 1543)
CHAPTER TENTH
Publication of the Epitome
Upon the thirteenth day of August, 1542, Vesalius finished the Epitome of his great book. The text and illustrations for it were forwarded to Basel by the same merchant who conveyed the manuscript and drawings of the Fabrica. The title of the lesser work is as follows:—
Andreae Vesalii Bruxellensis, Scholae medicorum
Patavinae professoris, suorum de Humani corporis
fabrica librorum Epitome. Basil., et officina
Joannis Oporini, Anno, 1543, mense Junio.
This work is extremely rare. It belonged to the class of Fliegende Blätter and was issued unbound. Perfect copies of it are rarely found. The first twelve sheets are printed on both sides; the two last leaves are printed on one side only, in order that they might be cut out and pasted together to show two complete figures. Hence these sheets are often lacking. The Epitome appeared in the same year and in the same month as the Fabrica, but the latter work was printed first.