Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 025.djvu/343

 1829/3

Sketches of Italy and the Italians.

has evidently bestowed little pains ; but even in these, single figures of great beauty are discoverable. Limit- ed to subjects which would be effec- tive in tapestry, the great artist could not introduce those refined delicacies of character and expression, the effect of which is so decisive ; and probably, because the importance of these de- signs was undervalued ; or possibly, by some unpardonable negligence, the original drawingswere leftin Flanders.

The best of these tapestries are the Massacre of the Infants ; the Resur- rection ; the Donation of the Keys ; the attempted Sacrifice to St Paul ; St Paul in the Areopagus ; St Peter Healing the Lame ; the Blind Sorcer- er ; the Draught of Fishes. The life and character which flash out of the coarse material, are truly wonderful. They reach the heart of every behold- er, and it is truly gratifying to observe the devotional feeling which animates the speaking features of the Romans, as they stand in groups before these tapestries, and point out to each other their various beauties.

Raflfaelle's " Massacre of the Inno- cents" makes every other design on this subject insignificant and tame. I beheld several beautiful women shed- ding tears as they gazed upon the af- fecting groups in this wondrous pic- ture ; so natural and so heart-rending is the expression of infant innocence and unconsciousness ; so appalling are

the roused energies of maternal affec- tion. One mother is running with outstretched arms and streaming hair ; another sits weeping over her mur- dered infant ; a third is furiously con- tending with the murderer, while her infant clings to her. The beauty of these mothers is more than human, and there is an inexhaustible charm in the finely blended and stirring action of this composition, which covers three large tapestries.

St Peter healing the Lame, the Sa- crifice to St Paul, and the Donation of the Keys, are all master-pieces : the figures admirable and full of nature ; the grouping perfect.

The design of the Resurrection is highly imaginative. The guards are flying in terror as from a spectre. The commander with a spear, whose native courage is visible through his appre- hensions; the soldier clinging to him in terror ; another, with upraised arms and shield ; and a third, who is run- ning away, are all masterly ; while the three Marys in the distance complete the stirring harmony of the whole.

It is impossible, however, to do critical justice to these fine tapestries, except when standing before them ; and even then, the critic must be well acquainted with the peculiarities of Raffaelle, and know how to make al- lowance for the deficiencies of the coarse and inadequate material.

THE TWO EMILIES.

" WELT, ! this is sufficiently tanta- lizing," exclaimed young Harry Pon- sonby, as he sat at his solitary break- fast, sipping a cup of very indifferent tea, and perusing a letter which had just been brought him. " Now, here have I been for this month past, think- ing, dreaming, and talking of nothing else than my expected meeting with my dear little Emily ; and at the very moment I am going to set off post on this delightful errand, comes this con- founded letter, to quash all my hopes ! Deuce take me if I go at all," said the impatient youth, tossing the un- welcome epistle from him to the fur- thest corner of the room.

The letter which called forth this burst of impatience from the youthful lover, was from his guardian, Mr De-

vereux, and we shall give its purport in his own words, as follows " Dear Harry, we are rejoiced to hear of your success at Cambridge, and at the near prospect of seeing you here. Had your little mistress been with us at present, we should no doubt have had mighty preparations for your recep- tion at Stokely, and you might have had the satisfaction of throwing your- self and your laurels at the young lady's feet in the true heroic style* But joking apart, my dear Harry, though sorry for your disappointment, I think it may be just as well that my ward and you should not be thrown together until the childish impressions received w hen you were last here shall have undergone the test of time, and till the influence of society, and the