he King, rendering an account of the artist's
day's work; and within the present century, some of these letters were
preserved at the Escurial. On one occasion he wrote thus, "Sire, your
Giordano has painted this day about twelve figures, thrice as large as
life. To these he has added the powers and dominations, with proper
angels, cherubs, and seraphs, and clouds to support the same. The two
Doctors of Divinity have not answers ready for all his questions, and
their tongues are too slow too keep pace with the speed of his pencil."

GIORDANO'S HABITS IN SPAIN.

Giordano was temperate and frugal. He wrought incessantly, and to the
scandal of the more devout, was found at his easel, even on days of
religious festivals. His daily habit was to paint from eight in the
morning, till noon, when he dined and rested two hours. At two he
resumed his pencil, and wrought till five or six o'clock. He then took
an airing in one of the royal carriages which was placed at his
disposal. "If I am idle a single day," he used to say, "my pencils get
the better of me; I must keep them in subjection by constant practice."
The Spanish writers accuse him of avarice, and attribute his intense
application to his ambition to acquire a large fortune; that he received
large prices for his works, and never spent a maravedi except in the
purchase of jewelry, of which he was very fond, and considered a good
investment; thus he astonished Palomino by showing him a magnificent
pearl necklace; but it should be recollected he was in the service of
the King, and had a fixed salary, by no means large, which he was
entitled to receive whether he wrought or played. He was doubtless
better paid for his private commissions, which he could quickly
despatch, than for his royal labors.

GIORDANO'S FIRST PICTURES PAINTED AT MADRID.

The first work Giordano executed in Spain was a fine imitation of a
picture by Bassano, which happened under the following circumstances.
The King, during his first interview with the painter, had remarked with
regret, that a certain picture in the Alcaza, by that master, wanted a
companion, Giordano secretly procured a frame and a piece of old
Venetian canvas of the size of the other, and speedily produced a
picture, having all the appearance of age and a fine match to the
original, and hung it by its side. The King, in his next walk through
the gallery, instantly noticed the change with surprise and
satisfaction, and learning