particularly
useful to persons who are not sure of drawing correctly." This was not
the only invention of Duerer's; for there still exists a small model of
a gun-carriage in wood and iron, made by him, and exhibiting certain
improvements which he had designed and advocated. "The Art of
Mensuration" was a successful book, and passed through one Latin and
three German editions.

The finest of Duerer's works in portraiture was executed in 1526, and
represents the grand old Jerome Holzschuher, one of the chief rulers
of the city, with all the strength and keenness of his heroic nature
lighting up the canvas. Enormous sums have been offered for this work;
but it is still faithfully preserved in Nuremberg, and retains its
original rich and vivid coloring. Another fine portrait, "like an
antique bust," now in the Vienna Belvedere, shows Johann Kleeberger,
the generous and charitable man who was known abroad as "the good
German." Still another portrait of this year was that of the
Burgomaster Jacob Mueffel, a well-modelled and carefully executed
likeness of one of the master's best friends. Two very famous
engravings of this date portray Erasmus of Rotterdam and Philip
Melanchthon. Erasmus is represented as a venerable scholar, sitting
at a desk, with a pen in his hand and a soft cap on his head; and
the engraving is remarkable for its admirable execution and strong
character. Still, the old philosopher was not pleased with it, and
sent to Sir Thomas More his portrait by Holbein, which, he said, "is
much more like me than the one by the famous Albert Duerer." When
Erasmus first saw the picture he said, "Oh! if I still resemble that
Erasmus, I may look out for getting married," as if it gave him too
young an appearance.

In 1526 the wise and noble-hearted Melanchthon came to Nuremberg
to establish a Protestant Latin school, and formed a close intimacy
with the master, whose tender and dreamy spirit was so like his own.
During their constant intercourse, the artist became strengthened and
comforted in the mild and pure doctrines of the true reformation, and
was quietly yet strongly influenced to abandon even the forms of
Catholicism which still remained. Duerer published a fine engraving of
this friend of his last years on earth, showing delicately-chiselled
features, with large and tender eyes and a lofty forehead.

Melanchthon wrote that in one of his frequent conversations with
Duerer, the artist explained the great change