up, when I was spoken to about it by the Elders of the Rath,
in order to show honor to my Lords, and to maintain their
favor and uphold their customs and justice.

"Nineteen years ago the Doge of Venice wrote to me, offering
me 200 ducats a year if I would live in that city. More
lately the Rath of Antwerp, while I remained in the Low
Countries, also made me an offer, 300 florins of Philippe a
year, and a fair mansion to live in. In both places all that
I did for the Government would have been paid over and above
the pension. All of which, out of my love for my honorable
and wise Lords, for this town, and for my Fatherland, I
refused, and chose rather to live simply, near your Wisdoms,
than to be rich and great in any other place. It is therefore
my dutiful request to your Lordships, that you will take all
these things into your favorable consideration, and accept
these thousand florins (which I could easily lay out with
other worthy people both here and elsewhere, but which I
would rather know were in the hands of your Wisdoms), and
grant me a yearly interest upon them of fifty florins, so
that I and my wife, who are daily growing old, weak, and
incapable, may have a moderate provision against want. And I
will ever do my utmost to deserve your noble Wisdoms' favor
and approbation, as heretofore."

This touching letter shows the poverty of Duerer's savings, and his
sad feeling that he had lived as a prophet without honor in his own
country. It produced the desired effect, and brought him five per cent
on his little capital, though after his death the Council hastened to
reduce it to four per cent.

Duerer's wide study and remarkable versatility, rivalling that of
Leonardo da Vinci, found further expression in literary work.
Camerarius states that he wrote a hundred and fifty different
treatises, showing a marked proficiency in several of the sciences.
His first work was entitled "Instruction in the Art of Mensuration,"
&c., and was published in 1525 for the use of young painters. It is
composed of four books, treating of the practical use of geometrical
instruments, and the drawing of volutes, Roman letters, and winding
stairs; and is illustrated by numerous woodcuts. The fourth book
elucidates the idea of perspective, and contains pictures of an
instrument devised by the author, "which will be found