THIS picture adorns the ceiling of La Vigna Rospigliosi, at Rome, where it has often called forth the admiration of the best jndges of art. Guido, who, as we stated in our last, left the school of Calvart for the Caracci along with Albani annd Domenichino, painted this picture after he had distinguished himself at Rome, and, by the success of his efforts, excited the jealousy, not only of his fellow students, but of his new masters. It was a subject well suited to the fanciful and graceful pencil of this delightful painter. Guido was remarkable for giving an ideal beauty to his female figures. In a letter written to the Chamberlain of Pope Urban VIII., speaking of a figure in one of his pictures, he says that having in vain sought on earth for a sublime Heavenly form, he had painted one of the most perfect which his imagination could suggest. On an examination of his pictures it will, however, be found, that he was at least as much indebted to the antique as to his fancy. A close study of the Venus de Medicis, and more particularly of the Niobe, enabled him to give to his female figures that graceful and noble character which renders them so truly enchanting.

The younger Richardson who saw this picture, and seems to have been enchanted with it, remarks that the morning may be divided into three parts: 1, the dawn; 2, the brightning of the sky by the sun's rays shot upwards from under the horizon; 3, the period from sun-rise to noon. "For these three parts," he observes "the Italians have as many names, Albe, Aurora, and Mattina; and all these are expressed in this picture. The first by a Cupid, bearing a torch, representing the morning star, which is very bright at the first opening of day; Aurora, a figure of a young woman in the clouds, dressed in white and yellow, scattering flowers; and lastly Apollo, in his chariot, drawn by his fierce dappled horses, pushing away the clouds, and substituting glory in their place; and to express the cheerfulness of this sweet time, the lovers, hand in hand, come on with great alacrity. They are young Nymph-like figures, that almost encompass the Chariot of Apollo, and make a principal part of the beauty of this picture."

This is the opinion given in "An Account of some Statues, Bas-reliefs, Drawings, and Pictures in Italy, &c., by Messrs. Richardsou;"* but as in

* London, 1722.

the French Edition of that work the authors inserted much new matter, we translate from it the following additional remarks.

"The manner of expressing these three divisions of the morning is derived from the antique, as will appear on reference to numerous bas-reliefs, medals and gems. I never saw, however, any thing of the kind, which, upon the whole, approached the magnificent and at the same time exhilirating style in which Guido has executed this picture. Among the figures which represent Days,† the two principal, and which are also the nearest to the eye, are taken from one of the finest specimens of ancient art which have reached us,-a relievo of females dancing, preserved in La Vigna Borghese. She who is seen in front, and who is draped in green by Guido, is introduced into his picture with very little alteration. The only difference in the other, draped in blue, and turning her back towards the spectator, is that the figure is reversed; but I am persuaded that on comparison with the original, any one will agree with me that the changes made by Guido are by no means happy. The uncovered leg of the figure in green is somewhat stiff, and is not well attached. The two extremities of the drapery which fall on each side of the left leg of the figure in blue, are too much alike, are heavy, and poor in invention. Moreover, the body of the former figure is not well shown under the drapery, which is wonderfully managed in the antique. Thus it may be imagined, that this picture would be rendered still more excellent than it is, were all the figures taken from the relievo; especially if we also suppose the figure between the two already mentioned somewhat brighter, which would make it harmonize better with the green. But the colour of the drapery of this figure appears to have undergone some change. I have no doubt that these figures are the Days of the Week, and not the Hours as they usually are called, not only on account of their number, but because there is much propriety in their introduction; for Guido wished to say in a poetic and picturesque manner, that the morning is the most pleasing and joyous part of the day."

This noble work has been engraved by Frey and Raphael Morghen. How much is it to be regretted that Guido, who painted so divinely, should have sacrificed his Art for the Gaming Table! He painted at first laboriously, and at last negligently, and the difference observable in his works has induced some critics to suppose that he changed his style at different periods of his life. He painted hastily to pay debts inprudently contracted. When surprise was expressed at the large sums he lost, he used to observe, that it was easy for him to make all right, so long as he did not lose his hand. He was not so indifferent in the early part of his career, as the following anecdote will shew. The Pope consigned the superintendance of the works in the Chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore to Arpina, who wishing to encourage rapid painting, offered a gold chain to the artist who should first complete the picture on which he was employed. On hearing this proposal, Guido exclaimed-" What! are we to be treated as race horses, and he to be most esteemed who first reaches the gaol !"

Our sketch of Guido's Aurora is executed in Pen and Ink and Lavismanner which seems extremely well calculated to produce successful representations of pictures of this kind.

Amsterdam, 1728.

+ The figures are called the hours in the English edition. Iu the French they are supposed to represent the days of the week.

Engraved in PERRIER, Bas-reliefs antiques. Tab. 19, 20.

LOVE AND POETRY,

A SPANISH TALE.

"We Poets in our youth begin with gladness,

"But thereof comes in the end despondency and madness.”

WORDSWORTH.

IN the beginning of the fourteenth century the little kingdom of Castile was the centre of the arts and sciences, to which scholars and courtiers of all nations resorted to perfect themselves in the learning and accomplishments of the age. In the revival of letters and the progress of civilization, this nation had anticipated all the rest of Europe, except Italy, by nearly two centuries, and now, under the enlightened sway of Don Juan the Second, it was rapily approaching the Augustan era of its literature. This prince was the most accomplished Monarch who had held the Castilian sceptre since the days of Alphonso the Wise, and his court was so thronged with distinguished scholars and poets, that it was compared to that of Apollo himself.

Among the most illustrious of his subjects, both in rank and talent, was the Marquis de Villena, Master of Calatrava. This nobleman, who was of the blood royal of Arragon, had distinguished himself by his personal prowess against the Moors of Grenada, but still more by his patronage of letters and by the accessions which he had himself made to the literature of his country. He was indefatigable in seeking out and rewarding the friendless scholar and man of genius, and many of the most eminent literati of Spain were members of his household, and supported by his bounty. Prouder of the genius and talent by which he was surrounded, than he was of his lofty birth, or military fame, the Master of Calatrava became the wonder and admiration of all Spain. The loftiest poets sang his praises, the most distinguished princes sought his friendship, and the chiefs and nobles who desired to rise in general estimation were constrained to copy his example.

The favourite lyric poet of that age was Macias, afterwards from causes which will sufficiently appear in the following tale, surnamed " El Enamorado." He was of humble birth, totally destitute of wordly fortune; but his parents who watched with delight the development of his extraordinary powers, had exhausted their slender resources in bestowing upon him a liberal education. Thus accomplished, he picked up for some time a scanty subsistence by wandering through the towns and villages of his native province, Galicia, carolling songs of his own composition wherever he saw an open lattice or frequented bower, or narrating histories of love, or battle, or enchantment, wherever he could collect a sufficiently numerous groupe of listeners. On one of these latter occasions, a person accidentally became one of his auditors who appeared anxious to preserve the strictest incognito, but whose noble mien and stately step would have soon discovered him in a company which was less intensely interested in listening to the speaker,