Emblem.

Emblem. By many writers on this subject symbols and emblems are regarded as almost convertible terms, and hence the former is often used in a sense synonymous with the latter. But, according to Claude Mignault, the famous commentator on the emblems of Andreas Alciatus, in his tract 'Concerning Symbols, Coats of Arms, and Emblems,' there is a clear distinction between emblems and symbols, which, as he says, 'many persons rashly and ignorantly confound together.' This writer maintains that 'the force of the emblem depends upon the symbol, but they differ as man and animal;' his meaning being, that as all men are animals, but all animals are not men, so all emblems are symbols, but all symbols are not emblems. Hence he argues the two possess affinity but not identity, they have no absolute convertibility of the one for the other (H. Green, Shakespeare and the Emblem Writers, 1-3). But for all practical purposes there is little difference between the two terms. Of the many definitions given of emblem may be quoted that of Francis Quarles, who says 'an emblem is but a silent parable;' and Cotgrave describes it as 'a picture and short posie, expressing some particular conceit.' For printer's Emblems, see BOOK.