The inscription on the portrait reads as follows: "Effigies Seb. Caboti Angli, filii Johannis Caboti Veneti Militis Aurati, Primi Inventoris Terræ Novæ sub Henrico VII. Angliæ Rege. PORTRAIT OF SEBASTIAN CABOT From a copy of the original portrait purchased by In the great fire at Pittsburgh in 1845, Mr. Biddle's Library and with it the "Harford picture" were completely destroyed. Fortunately two copies of the Cabot portrait had been already made. One in 1838 by John G. Chapman with Mr. Biddle's permission for the Massachusetts Historical Society, and another in 1841, with like permission, by Cephas G. Thompson for the New York Historical Society. It is from the latter copy that the illustration for this book has been made. |