PLANTIN, CITRISTOPTIE, an eminent printer, was b. at St. Avertin. near Tours, in 1514, and set up a printing-establishment at Antwerp in 1550, which soon became the greatest and most celebrated of the time. He had often 20 presses or more in active operation. Guiceiardini mentions his printing-establishment as the finest ornament of the city of Antwerp, and as one of the wonders of Europe, and the learned agreed in regarding him as the first printer of his time, although he was the contemporary of Aldus and Esticunc (Stephens); but this is true only as regards the number of works which issued from his establishment, and the beauty of their typography; for the services which the others have rendered to classic literature are far beyond those of Plantin. Plantin was nevertheless himself a man of varied, though probably not very profound learning. He superintended the publication of works in several languages, and was extremely careful of their accuracy, employing able and learned correctors of the press, whom he remunerated liberally, and publicly offering rewards for the discovery of errors. The
most noted of all his publications is the Bibtia Polyglotta (8 vols. 1569-72), which was printed under the personal superintendence of Arias Montanus, the court chaplain of Philip IL of Spain, and towards which Philip gave 6,000 ducats for the purchase of paper. But the oldest book known to have proceeded from the press of Plantin is the Institation ne Rile de Noble tradnite de Longue • Toseane en Francois, by Jean Beller (Ant. 1555). Plantin died at Antwerp in 1589. lie had set up printing-establish ments in Leyden and Paris, and these, with that in Antwerp, were carried on by the husbands of his three daughters.