[13] The Ramusios Were A Family Of Note In Literature For Several
Generations.
Paolo, the father of Gian Battista, came originally from
Rimini to Venice in 1458, and had a great repute as a jurist, besides
being a litterateur of some eminence, as was also his younger brother
Girolamo.
G. B. Ramusio was born at Treviso in 1485, and early entered
the public service. In 1533 he became one of the Secretaries of the
Council of X. He was especially devoted to geographical studies, and
had a school for such studies in his house. He retired eventually from
public duties, and lived at Villa Ramusia, near Padua. He died in the
latter city, 10th July, 1557, but was buried at Venice in the Church
of S. Maria dell' Orto. There was a portrait of him by Paul Veronese
in the Hall of the Great Council, but it perished in the fire of 1577;
and that which is now seen in the Sala dello Scudo is, like the
companion portrait of Marco Polo, imaginary. Paolo Ramusio, his son,
was the author of the well-known History of the Capture of
Constantinople. (Cicogna, II. 310 seqq.)
[14] The old French texts were unknown in Marsden's time. Hence this
question did not present itself to him.
[15] Wangcheu in the Chinese Annals; Vanchu in Ramusio. I assume that
Polo's Vanchu was pronounced as in English; for in Venetian the ch
very often has that sound. But I confess that I can adduce no other
instance in Ramusio where I suppose it to have this sound, except in
the initial sound of Chinchitalas and twice in Choiach (see II.
364).
Professor Bianconi, who has treated the questions connected with the
Texts of Polo with honest enthusiasm and laborious detail, will admit
nothing genuine in the Ramusian interpolations beyond the preservation
of some oral traditions of Polo's supplementary recollections. But
such a theory is out of the question in face of a chapter like that on
Ahmad.
[16] Old Purchas appears to have greatly relished Ramusio's comparative
lucidity: "I found (says he) this Booke translated by Master Hakluyt
out of the Latine (i.e. among Hakluyt's MS. collections). But where
the blind leade the blind both fall: as here the corrupt Latine
could not but yeeld a corruption of truth in English. Ramusio,
Secretarie to the Decemviri in Venice, found a better Copie and
published the same, whence you have the worke in manner new: so
renewed, that I have found the Proverbe true, that it is better to
pull downe an old house and to build it anew, then to repaire it; as I
also should have done, had I knowne that which in the event I found.
The Latine is Latten, compared to Ramusio's Gold. And hee which
hath the Latine hath but Marco Polo's carkasse or not so much, but
a few bones, yea, sometimes stones rather then bones; things divers,
averse, adverse, perverted in manner, disjoynted in manner, beyond
beliefe. I have seene some Authors maymed, but never any so mangled
and so mingled, so present and so absent, as this vulgar Latine of
Marco Polo; not so like himselfe, as the Three Polo's were at
their returne to Venice, where none knew them.... Much are wee
beholden to Ramusio, for restoring this Pole and Load-starre of
Asia, out of that mirie poole or puddle in which he lay drouned."
(III.
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