the banquet, adorned
with chasings of splendid and classical design. The light throughout
the foreground and middle distance is wonderfully natural, and clearly
develops the numerous groups and figures comprehended in this colossal
work. What man of sense and feeling can behold this wondrous
achievement of human art, and not long to feast his eyes upon it for
ever?

"This fastidious Roman expressed also his annoyance at the inaccuracy
of the costume, in Paul's fine picture of the 'Family of Darius
presented to Alexander,' and lamented that so admirable a work should
have been blemished by this gross anachronism. You are, doubtless,
well acquainted with a painting which belongs to a branch of your
family. It may be truly called the triumph of colouring; and certainly
more harmony, splendour, and loveliness, never met together in one
picture. To these merits must be added the truth of character which
prevails in all the heads, most of which are portraits. Forget for a
moment that the incident is borrowed from ancient story; imagine it
the victory of a hero of the sixteenth century, and the painting
becomes, in all respects, a masterpiece. The architecture, in the
background, gives a tone to the whole; but it required the delicate
outlines and the exquisite perception of harmonious colouring which
distinguish Paul Veronese, to give relief and contrast to the figures
and draperies on so light a ground. The pyramidal group, formed by
anold man and four female figures, is superlatively lovely; the
countenances wonderfully expressive, and sparkling with animation. The
head of Alexander is beautiful, but deficient in masculine firmness,
and more adapted to charm the softer sex than to awe the world; while
the nobler features of Parmenia exhibit a strength of character finely
contrasted with the more feminine graces of the royal conqueror, and
his yellow drapery is admirably folded and coloured. How exquisitely
finished, too, is the long and beautifully braided flaxen hair of
the Persian Princesses! And what a host of figures in this noble
picture, most of them the size of life, as in the 'Nuptials of Cana!'
Certainly, this painting is nearly unrivalled in close fidelity to
nature; and in the truth and splendour of its colouring, it yields
only to that triumphant specimen of Venetian art in the Scuola della
Carita, Titian's 'Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple,' These
two pictures will long maintain their glorious suprema