n, a lion,
an ox, and an eagle. Applied respectively to the writers of the four
Gospels, each emblem suggests some characteristic trait. The eagle is
especially appropriate to St. John. As the bird soars into the upper
regions of the sky and looks directly at the sun, so St. John's
inspiration raised him into the highest realms of thought, where he
seemed to gaze directly upon the divine glory. It is for this that he
is called St. John, "the divine." As the Latin inscription over the
lunette reads, "More deeply than the others he disclosed the mysteries
of God."[14]

[Footnote 14: "Altius coeteris Dei patefecit arcana."]

In our picture the Evangelist lifts his eyes heavenward as if
beholding a vision. His lips are parted, and he has the rapt
expression of one absorbed in meditation. His right hand still holds
the pen as he pauses for inspiration.

In trying to do honor to the beloved disciple, the painters have
always represented him as the most beautiful of the twelve. As the
most Christ-like in character, he is made to resemble the typical
figure of Christ. So in this fresco by Correggio, he is a beautiful
youth, with the curling hair, the oval face and the regular features
we associate with the person of Jesus. Though the beardless face is so
refined, there is nothing weak or effeminate about it. The whole
figure is indeed very manly. The head is well set on a full throat and
the shoulders are broad. Rising to his feet St. John would be a tall,
athletic young man, capable of lending a strong hand at his father's
fishing-nets. The union of strength and refinement makes the picture
one of the most attractive ideals of St. John ever painted.

The keynote of St. John's Gospel is the love of God; his ardent nature
never wearied of the theme; the wonder in his lifted face shows him
still intent upon the mystery. Were we to seek some characteristic
utterance which should appropriately interpret his thoughts, it might
well be the words of Jesus to Nicodemus, "God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life."[15]

[Footnote 15: St. John, chapter iii., verse 16.]

VII

ST. JOHN AND ST. AUGUSTINE

The church of S. Giovanni Evangelista (St. John the Evangelist), in
Parma, is built with a dome-shaped cupola which Correggio filled with
a fresco decoration. The subject is drawn from the life of the apostle
whose name is given