ture of Italian and Spanish, and then chaffs Pirkheimer
unmercifully for his increasing intrigues. It also thanks Pirkheimer
for trying to placate Agnes Frey, who is evidently much disappointed
because her husband lingers so long at Venice. The Prior Eucharius is
besought to pray that Duerer might be delivered from the new and
terrible "French disease," then fatally prevalent in Italy. Mention is
made of Andreas, the goldsmith, Duerer's brother, meeting him at
Venice, and borrowing money to relieve his distress.

The next letter starts off with quaint mock-deference, and alludes to
the splendid Venetian soldiery, and their contempt of the Emperor.
Farther on are unintelligible allusions, and passages too vulgar for
translation. He says that the Doge and Patriarch had visited his
studio to inspect the new picture, and that he had effectually
silenced the artists who claimed that he was only good at engraving,
and could not use colors. Soon afterwards he writes about the
completion of his great painting of the Rose Garlands; and says,
"There is no better picture of the Virgin Mary in the land, because
all the artists praise it, as well as the nobility. They say they have
never seen a more sublime, a more charming painting." He adds that he
had declined orders to the amount of over 2,000 ducats, in order to
return home, and was then engaged in finishing a few portraits.

The last letter congratulates Pirkheimer on his political successes,
but expresses a fear lest "so great a man will never go about the
streets again talking with the poor painter Duerer,--with a poltroon
of a painter." In response to Pirkheimer's threat of making love to
his wife if he remained away longer, he said that if such was done, he
might keep Agnes until her death. He also tells how he had been
attending a dancing-school, but could not learn the art, and retired
in disgust after two lessons.

The picture which Duerer painted for the Fondaco de' Tedeschi was until
recently supposed to be a "St. Bartholomew;" but it is now believed
that it was the renowned "Feast of Rose Garlands," which is now at the
Bohemian Monastery of Strahow. He worked hard on this picture for
seven months, and was proud of its beauty and popularity. The Emperor
Rudolph II. bought it from the church in which it was set up, and had
it carried on men's shoulders all the way from Venice to Prague, to
avoid the dangers attending other modes of conveyance. When Joseph II.
sold h