INTRODUCTION.

flowers, and dedicated to Italy, as sancta mater studiorum holy mother of studies. All that is known about this transaction comes from two Latin poems, by Janus Vitalis and by Joannes Latomus, one of which it may be sufficient to quote.

JANUS VITALES

ON THE DEPARTURE OF THOMAS LINACRE THE ENGLISHMAN FROM ITALY.

While Linacre approaches the Morini, and his native Britons,
Rich in excellent arts from Italy,
He heaps up a huge pile of stones on the high crags,
Before your defiles, O Gebenna,
Then, while he crowns the heap with flowers and green foliage,
And the sacred fire feeds upon Assyrian riches:
"This temple, O Italy, mother of my studies,
Linacre dedicates to you," he says,
"You to whom Athens rises up with learned Pallas,
Take this reward of my diligence from me."

The second poem is by Joannes Latomus, and entitled The Complaint of the Arno upon Thomas Linacre the Englishman departing from Italy. It represents the nymph of the Arno expostulating with Linacre while engaged in erecting his altar, on his fixed resolution to return home. It is highly laudatory, but too long for quotation⁶.

In both copies of verses the name Gebenna occurs in connexion with this incident, and as this usually means, in classical Latin, the mountain district called the Cevennes, Dr Johnson concludes that Linacre before pursuing his journey to Paris stayed in this district. It does not seem necessary to suppose that he took so circuitous a route, or visited a