St. Cecilia invented the organ, that wonderful
musical instrument in our churches? Cecilia was born in Rome sixteen
hundred years ago. She was a beautiful young girl who loved music and
composed many hymns. The organ she dedicated to God's service.

When Cecilia was married, her husband, a rich nobleman, was converted
and baptized. He knelt by the side of Cecilia, and an angel crowned
them with crowns made from roses which bloomed in paradise. The first
thing Valerian asked was that his brother, who was a heathen, might be
converted too. They sent for the brother, and when he came and found
the room filled with the sweet fragrance of roses, though it was not
the rose season, then he too became a Christian.

The people of Rome were very unkind to Cecilia and Valerian and his
brother because they preached the story of Jesus, the Christ. At last
they killed them. St. Cecilia is the guardian saint of music and is
always shown in art with the organ, as you see in this picture by
Raphael. The man standing at the left of the picture with his hand up
to his face is St. Paul. This is the most famous picture of St. Paul.
Raphael shows the group listening to the heavenly choir while the
earthly instruments of music have fallen at Cecilia's feet broken and
out of tune.

[Illustration: Courtesy of Pratt Institute

FIG. 32. ST. CECILIA. RAPHAEL. BOLOGNA, ITALY]

HELENA FOURMENT RUBENS AND HER
SON AND DAUGHTER

PETER PAUL RUBENS (1577-1640)

This picture of "Helena Fourment Rubens and Her Son and Daughter" was
really painted to honor the boy. It has always been the custom in
Europe to pay special attention to the boys in the home and keep the
girls very much in the background. It is very easy to see how pert the
little Albert Rubens is, and how subdued and meek is his sister. The
boy has the "Lord of Creation" air that would not be good for him in
America. We love the picture, for Rubens, the father, shows us plainly
the old idea that the boy rules the home. Naturally the father would
know the traits of his own children but not always would he allow us
to know them too.

Rubens was so wonderful as an artist, as a man to settle quarrels, and
as a beautiful gentleman that all Europe did him honor. He was sent to
see the ruling powers in England, in Spain, in Italy, and in France.
Each ruler entertained him as a royal guest, and Rubens painted
masterpieces for each in return. His paintings were the wonder of the
age. I