Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	apostle_n	reason_n	word_n	1,618	5	4.0680	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38677	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 ...; Art de faire des devises. English	Estienne, Henry, sieur des Fossez.; Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.	1646 (1646)	Wing E3350B; ESTC R40266	59,361	106

of darknesse occurring in the Meanders and ambiguities of so great diversity of things to conduct them to perfect and true knowledge of their Characters The places whereon they incised these Figures to conserve their memory were their laborious Obelisques the well-wrought Frontispieces of their Temples and the huge bulk of their Pyramides whereof Lucan makes mention in these Verses Nondam flumineos Memphis contexere libros Noverat in saxis tantum volueresque feraeque Sculptaque servabant magicas animalia linguas Nor yet knew Memphis now grand Cairo nam'd With fluid Inke to write what they 'd have fam'd Birds Beasts of stone engraven shapes they us'd As signes and bookes of what they deeply mus'd Ammianus Marcellinus makes ample mention of the Figures engraven upon those Pyramides and saith that they did not make use of Letters as we doe but that one onely Letter did sometimes signifie a word and one sole word a sentence and did also expresse their minds by certain Characters As by the Bee making Honey they meant a King that ought to observe moderation and clemencie amid the rigour of his Lawes and so of other Examples which I omit to avoid prolixity Nor did the Egyptians onely make use of these Hieroglyphicks for that Science did extend to other Nations even to the Septentrionalls as Olaus Magnus witnesses We have the example of Idanthura King of the Scythians in Clemens Alexandrinus who threatning Warre against Darius instead of Letter sent him a Mouse a Frog a Bird a Dart and a Plough giving him to understand that he would constraine him to deliver up his Empire to him By the Mouse meaning the Houses by the Frog the Waters by the Bird the Ayre by the Dart the Armes and by the Plough the Soyle Others expound it thus That if they did not like Birds or hide themselves like Mice in the ground or like Frogs in the water that they should not avoid the power of his Armes denoted by the Dart. The Symbole Aenigma Embleme Fable and Parable depend upon and have affinity with this Science yet they differ in some respects CHAP. II. Of Symboles THis word Symbole hath a large extent according to the number of its significations for being derived {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} this word Symbolum must of necessity have many Interpretations which the Grammarians as well Greeks as Latines have noted For sometimes it signifieth that which any one brings for his part by way of contribution to a Feast other whiles it is taken for the Feast it selfe sometimes for a Seale for Letters and sometimes it signifieth the order watch-word or fieldword given to Captaines and Souldiers and divers other things which draw their origin from thence Besides it importeth a kind of presage or token of some future event such as desire to know more of it may consult Moscopulus But that which is for our purpose above all this it also signifies the Armes of a Towne or the Medal of a Prince And as the Greeks made use of Symboles for their Cities and Lawes so also for intricate sentences and mysticall matters Therefore Ruffinus Aquiliensis saith that for this reason the Apostles published their Symbole by which they declared thir beleefe concerning Religion Even so the Pythagoreans in a mysticall and abstruse sense did by Symboles briefly demonstrate that which they would have to be observed In a word the property of Symboles is to be concealed and enveloped in Labyrinths of obscure sentences which hath been so much observed by Pythagoras that thereby we know those which are his Moreover Demetrius Phalerius doth note one thing in Symboles worthy observation That a great sense ought to be comprised under the gravity and brevity of Symboles whereof he gives an example when we say that the * Cigales sing upon the ground as much as to say the trees are felled Therefore brevity mixt with a certaine gravity comprehending many things under one and the same signification is the property of a Symbole There are some Symboles which are of the nature of Proverbs and Pythagoras himselfe made use of them as when he saith Exomni ligno non fit Mercurius giving to understand That all wits are not capable of Learning It is also to be noted that they are of three kinds Morall Naturall and Theologicall And that which is proposed to us in these Symboles by meanes of the Corporeall senses doth penetrate our understanding The learned Caussinus from whom I have borrowed the most of that which I have spoken concerning Hieroglyphicks saith in a Book he compiled thereof That Symboles in the signification we treat of are no other then the signes of some intricate thing or as Budaeus would have it they are but similitudes and resemblances of things naturall Hereunto I will adde That the Ancients themselves made use of Symboles instead of Epitaphs upon the tombes of the dead without any other Inscription as it is to be seene in one of Antipaters Epigrammes of a woman on whose Urne were engraven a Bridle a Head-stall and a Cock The Cock signified Vigilance the Bridle that she was the Moderatrix of the house and the Headstall that she was very retentive in words There is another example hereof in the learned Salmazius his Exercitations upon Pliny CHAP. III. Of the Aenigma AENigma is a Greek word which signifieth an obscure and intricate speech or sentence so that in holy Scripture it is often taken for a mysticall and abstruse matter and Philosophers themselves with other famous Authors have attributed the name of Symbole to Aenigma's Gellius saith that Aenigma's are also called Gryphes from the name of a certain Net forasmuch as at Banquets where Aenigma's are much in request the understandings of the Feasters are caught as it were in nets by obscure questions Amongst the Greeks they also took their denomination from Cups and Goblets for that they are used amongst such instruments But let us leave this Discourse to Grammarians as also the difference between Gryphe and Enigma to come to the definition The Aenigma according to Diomedes and Donatus is an obscure sentence expressed by an occult similitude of things or it is a speech hard to be understood in respect of the obscurity of the Allegory And for this reason Fabius hath written that the Aenigma was called a very obscure Allegory {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies to speak obscurely and ambiguously The Gryphe according to Clearchus is a sportive question which exacts an information of the matter contained in the sentence proposed be it for honour or reprehension Cicero doth not approve the use of it in orations because obscurity therein is a great defect But it may very well be used at merryments and in Princes Courts for as much as such questions doe what mens wits and hold them in suspence to the great contentment of the hearers Now or Aenigma's some are obscure in words only some in their sense and

meaning and others both in the one and other These are commonly derived from Similitude Dissimilitude Contrariety Accidents History Equivocall termes and other figures of Rhetorick according to the variety of Langueges Clearchu● and Atheneus whose opinions Aulus Gellius followeth doe allow of them in serious matters and in other subjects of Philosophic In times past rewards were assigned to those that could explicate Aenigma's when contrarywise those that were Non-plus'd by them were condemned in a certaine Fine CHAP. IV. Of Emblemes THough an Embleme hath some affinity with the Aenigma it differs notwithstanding in this that drawing as it were the Curtaine from before the Aenigma it declares the matter more plainly For the Embleme is properly a sweet and morall Symbole which consists of picture and words by which some weighty sentence is declared See an Example Emblemes are reduced unto three principall kinds viz. of Manners of Nature of History or Fable The chiefe aime of the Embleme is to instruct us by subjecting the figure to our view and the sense to our understanding therefore they must be something covert subtile pleasant and significative So that if the pictures of it be too common it ought to have a mysticall sense if they be something obscure they must more clearly informe us by the words provided they be analogick and correspondent Thus much for the Aenigma may suffice since Alciat and many other Authors have entreated thereof more at large CHAP. V. Of Parables and Apologues THe Parable is a similitude taken from the forme to the forme according to Aristotle that is to say a Comparison in one or many affections of things otherwise much unlike Those Grammarians are mistaken that affirme that a Parable cannot be taken but from things feigned for it may be drawne from any History as well Naturall as Morall and sometimes from Fables but in such case Parables are properly called Apologues such are those of Aesop There are two kinds of Parables the one vulgar which comprehends the common and triviall similitudes the other sacred which is drawne from a more holy and mysticall doctrine I have spoken of all these things in the first place to the end that viewing the definition and natures of them we be not henceforth troubled to discerne them from Devises whereof we are about to commence our Discourse CHAP. VI Of the Etimologie and Definition of Devises IN this point Scarcity restraines me on the one side and Superfluity distracts me on the other I find not any man that shews me the Etimologie of this word Devise And in its definition the Italians have so many different opinions that it is a hard matter to discover which of them is the best Those that have written of Devises in Latine as Tipotius who hath made an ample collection of them calls it Hierographie because saith he it is a more sacred signification of the thing or of the person which is not onely expressed but also impressed with Characters and Letters He calls it sacred not onely because the invention in it selfe is sacred if you attribute it to the Egyptians or for that almost every thing was by the Pagans esteemed holy and to be honoured with Divine Worship But also because that after the manner of mysteries it conceales more then it discovers He observes that the Characters were painted carved or engraven and the Letters written either to forme sillables words or sentences Therefore that Author divides Hierography into Hieroglyphick and Symbole whereof the first is taken for the picture as the other for the inscription The Italians call a Devise an Imprese deriving it from the verbe Impre●dere which signifies to undertake because the ancient Knights did beare upon their Sheilds a Devise discovering the designe of their enterprize which is called in Italian Imprese and that doth also signifie a gallant and heroicke action Palazzi confounds this word Devise which he so cals in Italian with that of Liurée but wee take it not according to that signification For Liurées are Badges Liveries or Cognizances and a Devise is nothing else with us but the Imprese of the Italians and in that sence Gabriel Simeoni takes it Therefore I am of opinion that the Devise having the same end and scope ought also to have the same originall And it is very probable that this French word is taken from Architecture For when a Master Mason or Architect undertakes a building he layes the Plat-forme and Devise of it to make the agreement insomuch as from this word Devise which is the discourse made upon the Structure of the whole edifice comes the term of devising a work or devising a building that is to say to lay the plot or design of it and from thence without doubt cometh this word Devise which is as an Image of our inclinations or affections Besides we have a more particular definition of it in this French word Deviser whereof Du Belley makes use when he saith Deviser quelqu'vn in stead of describing or displaying peoples manners And truly a man cannot better depaint the humour or passion of any person then by making his Devise It is by it as Palazzi saith that we represent and discover humane passions hopes feares doubts disdaine anger pleasure joy sadnesse care hatred friendship love desires and all other motions of the soule This I take to be the true Etimologie of the word which relates more to the purpose and hath a more proper signification then the Imprese of the Italians since they doe not only expresse generous designes by their Impreses as Bargagly saith but also all kinds of fancies and other affections which neverthelesse the verb Imprendere doth not include in the Italian signification As for the definition of a Devise according to the Tract which Ammirato hath compiled on this subject and entituled Il'Rota the true Devise is that which beareth the picture of some living creature Plant Root Sun Moon Starres or of any other corp●real subject with some words sentence or proverb which serve as it were for its soule Moreover this Author adds that a Devise is no other thing then an expression of our mind or a d●claration of our thoughts veyled neverthelesse under a knotty conceit of words and figures so that being too obscure and therefore unintelligible it rather merits the name of an Aenigma then that of a Devise He saith further that as some define Poetry to be a Philosophy of Philosophers that is to say a delightful meditation of the learned so we may call a Devise the Philosophie of Cavaliers But Bargagli who is one of the last Authors that hath seriously handled this Art checks this definition of Ammirato and proves it insufficient and not particular enough for a Devise for that the Embleme and Reverse of Medals may be comprized in it Therefore he defines it thus particularly saying That a Devise is an amassing or connexion of figures and words so strictly united together that being considered apart they cannot

into his Country and in an instant forcing all his Townes made himselfe Master of the whole Province and constrained the Duke to have recourse to his mercy After that glorious victory to counter-ballance the Devise of the Duke my Uncle invented this for the stamps of the King about the yeare 1601. whereon we might see a Hercules subduing a Centaure with this word OPPORTUNIUS And truly this kind of encountring of Devises is handsome and I beleeve Bargagli himselfe would approve it for the differences that follow they may easily be admitted in the Devise of Coynes to wit that Hieroglyphicks have no place in Devises but in Medalls that in these the figures ought not to be named as they are in others And that in Devises the words are absolutely necessary but not in Medalls Bargagli doth not admit of any figures of Temples Triumphant Arcks or Amphitheaters though they are effects of Art Neverthelesse I am of opinion with Scipione Ammirato that they are very gracefull in Devises when they are rightly applyed and so that the Temples be easily knowne of themselves without need of beating their names inscribed Contrary to the opinion of Ammirato and Contile Bargagli would neither have Devises drawn from History Events nor Fable And Frastaglato concurs with Contile so that the application be made by comparison or similitude and that the History Event or Fable be generally knowne See Bargagli's Reasons As for me saith he I can neither approve of the Fable Events nor History I cannot beleeve that another mans fancie can be perfectly expressed by the proofe of a particular action which perhaps hath never happened above once Therefore I hold that he must draw it from things universall of their owne nature and from Arts which are daily renewed and which continue even till they become immortall Rhetoricians hold that that proofe which is made by examples is a very weak argument as proceeding from particular things whereas the Induction which is but a collection or heap of many like particulars becomes as an universall nature whereof the power is greater and the grace more conspicuous In matter also of Devises Historicall events hold the place of an Example but naturall qualities and the usage of things artificiall shall hold the place of Induction T is true this kind of perfect Devises is the most difficult to practice on and therefore not a work for every common wit nor for those who to avoid trouble make use indifferently of all that comes into their fancie And for conclusion of this controversie I am of opinion with our Author that we may draw very excellent conceptions as well from Fables as from Historie but those that shall be taken from Nature and Art shall come neerest to perfection CHAP. XVI Observations for Devises taken from nature and Art HAving already concluded that the most proper and fruitfull veyne of the world from whence Devises may be drawne is from Nature and Art we must observe that there are two dangerous rocks which if not avoided may easily ship-wrack our little vessell 1. First then in expressing our thoughts by signes taken from Nature or Art we must take heed not to intermixe in the same body of a Devise Naturall works with Artificiall since they have no conformity at all each with other nor that we put in the same body divers Naturall things accumulated one upon another nor divers Artificiall which have no relation to each other As for example a Dolphin embracing an Anchor with these words FESTINA LENTE This is a Devise which trespasseth against that first Maxime bisides other visible defects that it hath the Motto requiring no figure it being intelligible enough of it selfe and making a compleat sentence it needed no figure to expresse entirely the sense of the Author Besides those words are too common and have been so familiar in the mouth of Augustus Cesar that at this day they deserve not to be made use of in Devises But the greatest fault that Bargagli finds therein is the conjunction of a Dolphin with an anchor which have no relation to each other for as much as the Anchor having no other use then to stay Ships cannot have any other resemblance with the Dolphin or any other fish except with the Remora which they say is able to stop a Ship And yet t is not long since a recent Author made use of it in a Devise almost of a like designe whether it succeed well I refer my selfe to those who having seen it are able to judge of the Copy by the Originall and of the effects of an ill patterne For example of the unhandsomenesse of crowding many naturall things together I will onely instance the Devise of a Tortoise which hath wings with this Motto of that most excellent Poet Hanniball Caro AMOR ADDIDIT Love hath added them Is not this to compose a Chymera and forge to ones selfe a fantasticall monster by joyning in one body the nature of a bird to that of a beast Whence you may gather what absurdity followeth the conjunction of naturall with naturall things nor need you doubt but that the repugnancy of many artificiall things are no lesse insufferable 2. You must have a care that in placing the figures of naturall subjects you doe not destroy their essentiall properties or that for expressing your conceptions you doe not matte their proper quality by abusing the use of them and that you drag them not as it were by the haire wresting or constraining them to come to your designe after the manner of that Author of a Devise where there is a Batt that looks steadily upon the Sunne contrary to her nature with this Motto AD INS●ETA ●EROR i.e. I force my selfe to an unaccustomed thing Doe you not see in this example that the comparison is taken from a false quality which this Author attributes to the Batt who can by no meanes endure the rayes of the sunne T is true this kind of false supposition is permitted to Poets who have more elbow-roome and whose prosession is to feigne and metamorphize at pleasure but not to the Authors of Devises who are obliged to be strict observers of the truth Here we must also observe that it is lawfull to use the propriety of a naturall subject be it animal plant fruit or other thing according to the generall approbation or received opinion of ancient Authors though the Modernes have lately discovered it to be false because the comparison which is grounded upon a quality reputed true by the generality though indeed it be false shall be more universally received and better understood then if it were grounded upon a true property which neverthelesse were held false and which were altogether unknowne to the greater part of the learned Thus the holy Fathers did use the comparison of the Phenix to prove the Resurrection of Jesus Christ We may also appropriate to this sense the quality of the Beare who according to the generall opinion

the words are uttered by the Authors owne mouth But for my part I dare not condemn it in this point since I have not as yet met with any other Author that hath disapproved it but on the contrary many able ones that have thought it fit to be imitated After so exact a censure the Critick was obliged to reforme that example and to propose unto us the same Devise without fault substituting in place of the precedent Motto these words following PBR ●E MERGO ET EMERGO i. by thee I sink and by thee I swim where you may see the defects repaired and the qualities better expressed The Motto's of Devises are more facile in the 1. 3. person then in the 2. But those also that can be taken both in the one and in the other are farre better because it seemes the 3 person hath something more sollid sent●ntious and grave as the first carries with it somthing of more life lustre which discovers the design of the Devise and strikes the readers understanding more sprightfully in that he seemes to see and hear the thing it selfe which speakes by Prosopopoeja But to judge of this more exactly the choice of persons ought to be made rather according to the occurrences and the quality and usage of the things figured then in pursuance of the tenour of ou● Rules Palazzi is of opinion that the verbe may be hansomly understood in the Motto's of Devises neither is it unseemly when t is expressed nor likewise when there are two which serve for a more clear demonstration the whole depends upon the judgment and dexterity of the Author and the occasion of it ought to be taken from the quality of the figures and the propriety or the language used therein Amongst all the moods of verbs which we may use indifferently as well as the tenses The Indicative or demonstrative mood is the most proper for a Devise the Imperative is somtimes used to very good purpose But the Optative Subjunctive and Infinitive have neither certainty or constancy enough to expresse our conceptions The Motto's that are formed by way of interrogation have ordinarily more vigour then those which containe an affirmative proposition As for Adverbs they may have place therein to the number of two but the negatives are most becomming as in the Devise of the Flame NUNQUAM DEORSUM never downwards Ruscelli doth not approve of the Motto that is simply negative as for the full Moone NON SEMPER EADEM she is never the same A Motto may also be negative and affirmative both together as JACTOR NON MERGOR I am tossd but not drown'd speaking of a Gourd or a bottle made of the emptied rind thereof which swimmes on the water But setting apart these triviall searches into and conditions of Motto's let us resume the manner of drawing with dexterity by vertue of the Motto the propriety usage of the body of a Devise Alexandrè Farra and Barthelemy Taëgio consent that if the words doe but simple expresse the nature of the thing represented in the Devise they resemble those persons whose lives being deprived of the intellectuall faculty remaine buried as it were in corporeall sences yet there ire many Authors that have not taken notice of that defect in Motto's no not P. Jovius himself as Farra observeth though other wise he deserves to be acknowledged for the Master of Devises since he was the first that treated of them For amongst other Devises which he hath made that of Alviano hath this great error where an Unicorne is seene touching the water of a fountaine and about him many venemous beasts with this Motto VENENA PALLO I dispell venome And this is that Motto which hath not the principall condition of a Devise that is to say that it should have something more misterious In the third place we consider the Motto of a Devise simply in it selfe and for that respect the words ought to be very brief subtile and energeticall We are therefore to reject those words which are long languishing drayling and vulgar to the end that the Motto received by the ear may give a smart and pleasing touch to the understanding of him that heares or sees it But as to the brevity of the words the number cannot easily be prescribed because that depends upon the Judgment of the Author and upon the subject which he treats of and intends to unfold yet we may say that the Motto may receive 4. or 5. words and like wise a whole verse according to the opinion of Bargagli But according to Ruscelli Devises are so much the more removed from perfection by how much the Motto exceeds the number of 3 words unlesse the Authority of a great Poet or the excellency of a rare and happy conceipt give you leave to make use of an Hemistick or whole verse The number of the words is then just and precise according to our Author when there is nothing sur-zbounding in the Motto nor of too much restraint and when all concurrs to the understanding of the Devise yet so as that we are sometimes permitted to enlarge it to give a greater grace and quaintnesse to the discourse But in a word the greatest sleight and subtility of this Art consists in the brevity of the words The order or scituation of the terms is also considerable because there are some that are more sutable in one place then in another as well for the sence as for the cadence and the fewer words you employ the more carefull must you be to choose them pure noble acute and gracefull To bring them to that perfection t is good to communicate them to your friends and to make many reflections both of your eyes and mind thereon and not to be scrupulous in altering that Motto which you have found to be good at other times when you meet with a better This is that reformation which is practiced by the greatest Poets Oratours and all the Masters in this Art who are not Idolaters of their owne conceptions CHAP. XVIII Of what language the Motto's ought to be THe opinion of Authors upon the choice of the language wth we ought to make use of in the Motto's of Devises are very different for some hold that the language most proper for that purpose is that which is most ancient others prefer that which flourisheth in the greatest number of Authors and which hath most authority and some others attribute that property to the language which is most generally understood in all Countries and is most in use among rare witts Contile commends the Spanish tongue above all others for love matters the Tuscane for pleasant and conceited Motto's the German for heroick and grave ones the Greeks for fictions and lastly the Latine for all sorts of Motto's especially for the serious and majesticall But the opinion of Bargagli who condemnes not the Judgments of others though they be not grounded upon my reason or solid authority is very particular on