Part 8 (1/2)

But take it the other way Suppose you believe, be it never so diency of retribution, and can ih to fear, that in this life, at all events, if not in another--there --What hast thou done?

The picture, if it is a good one, should have a deeper interest, surely on _this_ postulate? Thrilling enough, as a ination of what is never to be--now, as a conjecture of what _is_ to be, held the best that in eighteen centuries of Christianity has for men's eyes been made;--Think of it so!

And then, tell me, whether you yourselves, or any one you have known, did ever at any tiht, warning, quickening, or help? It may have appalled, or iht: but has it ever taught you anything--chastised in you anything--confirmed a purpose--fortified a resistance--purified a passion? I know that for you, it has done none of these things; and I know also that, for others, it has done very different things In every vain and proud designer who has since lived, that dark carnality of Michael Angelo's has fostered insolent science, and fleshly iination Daubers and blockheads think themselves painters, and are received by the public as such, if they kno to foreshorten bones and decipher entrails; and men with capacity of art either shrink away (the best of theenre painting--landscapes, cattle, fas, and the like; or else, if they have the full sensuous art-faculty that would have ht from their youth up, to look for and learn the body instead of the spirit, have learned it and taught it to such purpose, that at this hour, when I speak to you, the roo also what of best can be sent there by the masters of France, contain _not one_ picture honourable to the arts of their age; and contain many which are shameful in their record of its iving you some brief account of the scheme of Tintoret's _Paradise_, in justification that it is the thoughtfullest as well as hest centre is Christ, leaning on the globe of the earth, which is of dark crystal Christ is croith a glory as of the sun, and all the picture is lighted by that glory, descending through circle beneath circle of cloud, and of flying or throned spirits

The Madonna, beneath Christ, and at some interval from Him, kneels to Him She is croith the Seven stars, and kneels on a cloud of angels, whose wings change into ruby fire where they are near her

The three great Archangels,from three sides, fly towards Christ Michael delivers up his scales and sword He is followed by the Thrones and Principalities of the Earth; so inscribed--Throni--Principatus The Spirits of the Thrones bear scales in their hands; and of the Princedos of the last of these are the four great teachers and lawgivers, St

Austine, and behind St

Augustine stands hishim, her chief joy in Paradise

Under the Thrones are set the Apostles, St Paul separated a little from the rest, and put lowest, yet principal; under St Paul, is St

Christopher, bearing a lobe, with a cross upon it: but to mark him as the Christ-bearer, since here in Paradise he cannot have the child on his shoulders, Tintoret has thrown on the globe a flashi+ng stellar reflection of the sun round the head of Christ

All this side of the picture is kept in glowing colour--the four Doctors of the church have golden mitres and mantles; except the Cardinal, St

Jero, ith noble life,--the darker red of his robe relieved against a white glory

Opposite to Michael, Gabriel flies towards the Madonna, having in his hand the Annunciation lily, large and triple-blossomed Above hiels, inscribed ”Serafini;” but the group following Gabriel, and corresponding to the Throni following Michael, is inscribed ”Cherubini” Under these are the great prophets, and singers, and foretellers of the happiness or of the sorrow of time David, and Solomon, and Isaiah, and Aolden psaltery laid horizontally across his knees;--two angels behind hi up towards Christ; but one strong angel sweeps down to Solo it on the head of Solomon, who looks down earnestly, unconscious of it;--to the left of David, separate froroup of prophets, as Paul froht, withdrawn far behind hi Isaac with his left arnes In front, nearer, dark and colossal, stands the glorious figure of Santa Giustina of Padua; then a little subordinate to her, St Catharine, and, far on the left, and high, Saint Barbara leaning on her tower In front, nearer, flies Raphael; and under hielists Beneath theht, Adael; Noah buoyed by the Ark, which he holds above hiazes down, so earnestly Eve's face is, perhaps, the ht, but dark-eyed Adaloo-leaves Far down, under these, central in the lowest part of the picture, rises the Angel of the Sea, praying for Venice; for Tintoret conceives his Paradise as existing now, not as in the future I at first dalene, for he is sustained by other three angels on either side, as the Magdalen is, in designs of earlier time, because of the verse, ”There is joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repenteth” But the Magdalen is on the right, behind St Monica; and on the saels of her children gathered now again to her for ever

I have no hesitation in asserting this picture to be by far thein the world; and it is, I believe, on the eve of final destruction; for it is said that the angle of the great council-chamber is soon to be rebuilt; and that process will involve the destruction of the picture by re soenerally interested in the arts; but the recent desolation of Paris has familiarized us with destruction, and I have no doubt the answer to me would be, that Venice must take care of her own But remember, at least, that I have borne witness to you to-day of the treasures that we forget, while we amuse ourselves with the poor toys, and the petty, or vile, arts, of our own time

The years of that tiht to look no er, I think, be mocked for our amusement; and perhaps its love may not always be despised by our pride Believe me, all the arts, and all the treasures of men, are fulfilled and preserved to them only, so far as they have chosen first, with their hearts, not the curse of God, but His blessing

Our Earth is now encumbered with ruin, our Heaven is clouded by Death

May we not wisely judge ourselves in so of judgelo and Tintoret_ (London, 1872)

AURORA

(_GUIDO RENI_)

CHARLOTTE A EATON

On the roof of the suliosi, is painted the celebrated fresco of Guido's _Aurora_ Its colouring is clear, harmonious, airy, brilliant--unfaded by tienius may be permitted to hope that this, his noblest work, will be immortal as his fame

[Illustration: AURORA

_Guido Reni_]

Morghen's fine engraving n and co; but it cannot convey the soft har touches, the brilliant forination, that bursts, with all its inal It is embodied poetry