I beg leave to inform “SELEUCUS,” that The Phoenix, with an English version, and with the Latin original, is to be found in the Codex Exoniensis, edited by me, in 1842, for the Society of Antiquaries.  The Latin ascribed to Lactantius, is printed in the Variourum edition of Claudian, and, I believe, in the editions of Lactantius.

Jan. 30, 1850.

B. THORPE.

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PORTRAITS OF LUTHER AND ERASMUS.

Your correspondent, “R.G.” (No. 13. p. 203.), is correct in supposing the wood-cut portrait of Luther to be that which is prefixed to the treatise “De Captivitate Babylonica Ecclesiae,” where he is habited as a monk; but it was evidently only a copy from the very interesting copper-plate engraving of his friend Lucas Cranach, bearing the date 1520, of which a very accurate copy was prefixed to the translation of “Luther’s Way to Prayer,” published by Mr. Pickering in 1846.  Juncker’s book is a very good repertory of the various representations of the great reformer, but the prints are generally but faithless copies.  In 1750 Kirchmayer printed an especial disquisition upon the portrait by Lucas Cranach of 1523, under the following title:—­“Disquisitio Historia de Martini Lutheri Oris et Vultus Habitu Hervieo ad vivum expresso in Imagine divine pencilli Lucae Cranachj patris in aere hic incisa,” &c., Wittebergae Sax. 1750, 4to.  The works in which the Germans have sought to do honour to their great protestant saint, are numerous enough to fill a small library but two of them are so remarkable as to deserve notice, 1.  “Luther’s Merkwuerdige Lebensumstande bey seiner Medicinalischen Leibesconstitution, Krankheiten, geistlichen und leiblichen Anfectungen und andern Zufallen, &c., von F.G.  Keil,” Leipsig, 1764. 2.  “Luther’s Merkwuerdige Reisegeschichte zu Erganzung seiner Lebensumstande, von Jo.  Th.  Lingke,” Leipsig, 1769, 4to.  The earliest wood-cut representation of Erasmus with which I am acquainted is a medallion accompanying another of Ulric of Hutten, on the title-page of the following work of the unfortunate but heroic champion of the Reformation:—­“Ulrichi ab Hutten cum Erasmo Rotirodamo, Presbytero, Theologo, Expostulatio.”  There is reason to believe that this Expostulation was printed only a short month before Hutten died; and, though it bears neither date nor name of printer, that it was printed by Johannes Schott, at Strasburg, in the month of July, 1523.  It has another portrait of Hutten at the end, the whole strikingly spirited and characteristic; by some they have been attributed to Holbein, and if not by him, which is doubtful, they are at least worthy of him.

One would gladly forget this strife between the great promoter of learning and the soldier-scholar.  Erasmus’s conduct was unworthy of a great man, and can never be vindicated.

S.W.S.

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