Part 2 (1/2)
Then the Italians, struck by the pohich the effect of ht When it cae Nacht,” The Holy Night An old German Christmas carol interprets it so perfectly that it seems as if the author must have known the picture These are the verses:--
”Silent night! Holy Night!
All is calin mother and child; Holy infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace
”Silent Night! Holy Night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories strea alleluia
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born!
”Silent Night! Holy Night!
Son of God, love's pure light Radiant bearace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth”
II
ST CATHERINE READING
The story of St Catherine is very quaintly told in the old legend[4]
She was the daughter of ”a noble and prudent king,” na of the third century,” and ”had to his wife a queen like to hi to their light, they were pagans and worshi+ppers of idols
[Footnote 4: The life of St Catherine is related in the _Golden Legend_ See Caxton's translation in the _Teives an outline of the story in _Sacred and Legendary Art_, p 459]
Even in her babyhood the child Catherine was ”so fair of visage” that all the people rejoiced at her beauty At seven years of age she was sent to school, where ”she drank plenteously of the well of wisdohted with her precocity that he had built a tower containing divers chaht pursue her studies
Seven ed to teach her, the best and ”wisest in conning” that could be found So rapid was their pupil's progress that she soon outstripped the her masters they became her disciples
When the princess was fourteen, her father died, leaving her heir to his kingdo queen was croith great solemnity Then arose a co her to allow theht or prince to dom Now Catherine had secretly resolved not to ether froroo certain qualifications which she kneere impossible to fulfil This silenced the counsellors, and she continued to reign alone
In the course of time Queen Catherine becaion and charity Under her teaching many of her people were converted to the faith It was a happy kingdom until the Emperor Maxentius chanced to visit the royal city He was a tyrant who persecuted Christians Upon his arrival he ordered public sacrifices to idols, and all ould not join in the heathen ceremony were slain Then Catherine went boldly to anish confounded by her eloquence he was not to be convinced by the words of a ly he summoned from divers provinces fifty masters ”which surmounted all mortal men in worldly wisdom” They were to hold a discussion with the queen and put her to confusion For all their arguments, however, Catherine had an answer So complete was her victory that the entire cory emperor caused them all to be burned and cast Catherine into prison
[Illustration: ST CATHERINE READING _Hampton Court Gallery, London_]
Even here she continued her good works, converting the empress and a prince who came to visit her A new torment was then devised for her
Iron wheels were made, bound with sharp razors, and she was placed between these while they were turned in opposite directions ”And anon as this blessed virgin was set in this torreat force that it slew four thousand paynims” Maxentius then commanded that she should be beheaded, and St Catherine went cheerfully to her death