—Will any of your readers oblige me with information respecting a Dutch work, professing to be an historical chronicle of the world from the creation to the time in which it was printed, which was in the days of Merian, the celebrated engraver, father to the naturalist Madame Merian, who was also an artist of some repute. The work I allude to was illustrated by numerous spirited engravings (supposed to have been executed on pewter), and of which I possess several hundred, which had been cut out of the letter-press which surrounded the prints, and bought at a stall in London many years back. I question whether there is a copy of the work to be found in England, except it be in the British Museum.
JOHN FENTON.
"Arborei fœtus alibi, atque injussa virescunt Gramina" (Virgil G. I. 55.).
—Amongst my school reminiscences, I retain very distinctly the remembrance of the surprise we felt in the sixth form, when we were desired by our revered and excellent master to construe the above words as follows:
"'Arborei fœtus,' flourish unbidden in one situation, grass in another."
Or, more literally:
"'Arborei fœtus,' flourish unbidden in situations different from those in which grass (flourishes unbidden)."
I well remember too, that some of us, while we admired the ingenuity, ventured to doubt the correctness of the translation. Will some of your learned correspondents kindly favour me with their opinions?
W. S.