artyrs, which
were evidently either young novices of the convent, contemporary
brethren, or elder companions in the faith, portrayed with sapient
and ingenuous realism. But the figures which most brilliantly display
his genius, are those diaphanous angels, robed in flowing tunics,
resplendent with gold, and of infinite variety. While admiring that
multitude of celestial creatures, who praise, sing and dance around
the radiant Madonnas, how can we doubt that they have visited his
cell, and that he has lived with them in a fraternal and sweet
familiarity?[9]

Even when he has to represent scenes of passion, Fra Angelico
mitigates the violence of action with softness of sentiment, for anger
and disdain never entered his soul; and in their place he prefers to
reproduce one character alone in all his figures with their gentle
expression. It is his own character, with its angelic goodness of
heart, which he incarnates in the divine beauty of all these celestial
beings. As in name and art, so in real life he was truly "angelic,"
for he spent his whole time in the service of God, and the good of his
neighbour and the world.

"And what more can or ought to be desired, than by thus living
righteously," says Vasari, "to secure the kingdom of heaven, and by
labouring virtuously, to obtain everlasting fame in this world? And,
of a truth, so extraordinary and sublime a gift as that possessed by
Fra Giovanni, should scarcely be conferred on any but a man of most
holy life, since it is certain that all who take upon them to meddle
with sacred and ecclesiastical subjects, should be men of holy and
spiritual minds....

"Fra Giovanni was a man of the utmost simplicity of intention, and was
most holy in every act of his life.... He disregarded all earthly
advantages; and, living in pure holiness, was as much the friend of
the poor in life as I believe his soul now is in heaven. He laboured
continually at his paintings, but would do nothing that was
unconnected with things holy. He might have been rich, but for riches
he took no care; on the contrary, he was accustomed to say, that the
only true riches was contentment with little. He might have commanded
many, but would not do so, declaring that there was less fatigue and
less danger of error in obeying others, than in commanding others. It
was at his option to hold places of dignity in the brotherhood of his
Order, and also in the world; but he regarded them not, affirming that
he sou