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statvae, Fabvlosa, Proverbia, Vsvs in Medicina, Vsvs in Lvdis et Trivmphis, Vsvs in
Venatione et in Bello. Even this does not exhaust the exceedingly comprehensive
treatment, though amply sufficient to illustrate it. The leopard, lynx, dog, and
other beasts are in proportion as fully treated of though the subjects of the sections of
course vary; thus in the dog we find much information under the heading Fidelitas
and Amor, sections that would be entirely out of place in the description of the wolf.
The Aldrovandus picture of the lion is rather a poor one, while the tiger is very
fairly good, and the wolf is capital. It is rather curious too that the hippopotamus,
the first living specimen of which, as far as we know, came to Europe over two
hundred years after the publication of the book in question, is represented by
very fair figures, by which it can readily be identified.
There are three of these altogether, and one of them has seized a crocodile by
the tail. Several of the beasts are also given in skeleton form, thus we have the
osteology of the wolf, squirrel, mole, and many others carefully rendered. The
effect is sometimes rather quaint, thus, for instance, the skeleton of the hare is
given, and the creature in this osseous condition is represented as gnawing a
plant. The mole is figured with very conspicuous eyes. Any plant that can be at
ail associated with an animal is always introduced, thus we have a very good
drawing of the rabbit nibbling clover, and the legend appended  cuniculus
cinereus cum trifolio pratensi, quo maxime delectatus, a statement that many a
luckless farmer would very heartily endorse; then we have the weasel standing
by a plant of rue, and the legend  qua omnes mustelae adversus serpentes se
defendunt, in allusion to the old belief that a weasel well fortified with rue was
able to wage successful war against venomous serpents. Many kinds of dogs are
shown? the greyhound, the water spaniel, the poodle with his collar, and so forth;
one, to show his fidelity to his master, carries two keys in his mouth, while another is
termed  canis bellicosus, and certainly looks the character.
 The Lyon, says Ferne, in his  Blazon of Gentrie, 1586,  is the most worthiest
of all beastes; yea, he standeth as the king, and is feared above all the beastes of
the fielde. So that by the Lyon is signified principallitie, dominion, and rule. Fortitude
and magnanimity is denoted in the Lyon. Coats, another heraldic authority of
somewhat later date, affirms that  the lion is the most magnanimous, the most
generous, the most bold and fierce of all the four-footed race, and therefore he
has been chosen to represent the greatest heroes. This noble creature represents
also Command and Monarchical Dominion, as likewise the Magnanimity of Majesty,
at once exercising Awe and Clemency, subduing those that resist, and sparing
those that humble themselves. In the  Indice Armorial of Geliot, published in
Paris in the year 1635, we read:  Si ca est auec raison que les anciens ont donné
a l aigle la qualité de Roy des oyseaux et au dauphin celuy des poissons, il y a
plus de sujet de qualifier du nom de Roy le lyon, non seulement pour estre plus
fort et le plus genereux des animaux terrestres, mais principalement à cause des
qualitez royales qui sont en luy. Le lyon ne dort iamais, ou bien s il dort c est
auec si peu de repos qu il ne laisse pas d auoir les yeux ouverts. C est ce que l on
remarque de genereux au lyon que iamais il n offence ceux qui s humilient deuant
luy, qu il ne touche point aux petits enfants et porta qu entre les hommes et les
femmes il s addresse plutost aux hommes, et entre ceux qui les prouoquent il
choisira tousiours celuy qui l aura blessé, comme mespriant les autres. Guillim,
in his  Display of Heraldry, a most popular book, running through many editions,
scarcely gives so exalted an idea of the king of beasts, since he tells us that  the
lion, when he mindeth to assail his enemy, stirreth up himself by often beating of
his back and sides with his tail, and thereby stirreth up his courage to the end to
do nothing faintly or cowardly. The lion, when he is hunted, carefully provideth
for his safety, labouring to frustrate the pursuit of the hunters by sweeping out his
footsteps with his tail as he goeth, that no appearance of his track may be
discovered. When he hunteth after his prey he roareth vehemently, whereat the
beasts, being astonished, do make a stand, while he with his tail makes a circuit
around them in the sand, which circle they dare not transgress, which done, out
of them he maketh choice of prey at his leisure. Thus the lion s tail is at once a
stimulus to valour, an aid to concealment when the valour has oozed away, and
a ring-fence for the enclosure of his prey.
Gerard Legh, author of the  Accedens of Armorie, a book originally published
in 1562, and so popular that within half a century five editions were called for,
tells us that when lions are born  they sleepe continually three long Egyptian daies.
Whereat the Lyonesse, making such terrible roring as the erth trembleth therewith,
raiseth them by force thereof out of that deadlie sleepe, ministering foode, which
of sleepe before they could not take. Aristotle writeth that in his marching he
setteth foorth his right pawe first, and beareth in himselfe a princelie port. When
he pursueth aunie beast he rampeth on them, for then he is in most force. In
nothing so much appeareth the princelie minde of the haughtie Lyon as in this,
that where other beastes do herd and rowte together the Lyon will not do so,
neither will hee haue any soueraigne, such is the haughtie courage of his high
stomache that he accomteth himselfe without peere; when he is sicke he healeth
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himselfe with the bloud of an Ape.2 In age when his strength faileth him he
becommeth enemie to man, and not before, but neuer to children. There is little
marrow in his bones, for when they are smitten together fier flieth out of them as
from a flint stone. Therefore in the olde time they made shields for horsemen of
Lyon s bones. Another old writer tells us that  the lion is never sick but of loathing.
This we may presume is a kind of biliousness or sick headache, and a general
disinclination for food. Whatever it may be, the Faculty are equal to the occasion, as
the simple  way to cure him is to tie to him the apes, which with their wanton
mocking drive him to madness, and then when he hath tasted their blood it acts
as a remedy.  Legh s remedy and this one do not quite agree, but this latter is
clearly intended for the lion in a state of captivity, when his unnatural surroundings
necessitate severer treatment.
When a lion is wounded we are told that he has a remarkable quickness of
observation in detecting which amongst the hunters is to be held responsible for [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]