Page:A tribute to W. W. Corcoran, of Washington City (IA tributetowwcorco00boul).pdf/67

 most touchingly in the tender words of Brutus to his loving wife Portia. At a little distance from the body is the scroll or schedule of the preconceived assassination, given into the hands of Cæser ere he entered the capital by Artemidorus, who would have saved him from his wretched fate. But no time being vouchsafed to Cæsar, it remained unread, and lay upon the tesselated pavement, an accusation of disgrace upon his countrymen. The chair of state is represented thrown down in the fray, hurled low upon the steps near the feet of its dead occupant. The lonely, awe-inspiring presence of murder is well calculated to call up all the vivid and powerful description of that senate scene by the immortal bard, but these words lie with greatest weight upon the memory: "Stoop, Romans, stoop, and let us bathe our hands in Cæsar's blood up to the elbows, and besmear our swords. Then walk we forth, even to the market place; and waving our red weapons o'er our heads, let's all cry, peace, freedom, and liberty!" No.29. The Amazon and her Children, by Leutze, 1854, commands particular attention, partly from associating our thoughts with those ancient times when, if we are to believe in tradition, the prowess of female warriors was widely felt and commemorated, and because of the celebrity of the artist. The classic subject is faithfully treated—the Amazon with less of feminine charm than we would ask, reclining upon the ground, every feature being stamped with the undaunted spirit of the race, whilst her love of martial exercises (it is plainly evident) she would instil into her offspring yet of tender years. They crouch affrighted, unwilling to accept the teachings so threatening and daring but to beat a retreat from that ferocious look and heroic mien, will be less easy than to handle the ow and arrow, or to wield the battle axe. No.30. A