he cloak by which his mother
shelters him, was exhibited not long ago in New York, and is
reproduced here.

[Illustration: MOTHER AND CHILD. E. VAN HOVE, A LIVING FRENCH
PAINTER.]

[Illustration: THE HOLY NIGHT. F. ROEBER, A LIVING GERMAN PAINTER.]

[Illustration: MOTHER AND CHILD. ITALIAN SCHOOL OF THE SIXTEENTH
CENTURY; ARTIST UNKNOWN.]

[Illustration: THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI. SPAGNOLETTO (SPANISH: BORN
1588; DIED 1656).]

[Illustration: THE MADONNA OF THE TEMPI FAMILY. RAPHAEL (ITALIAN: BORN
1483; DIED 1520).]

[Illustration: HOLY FAMILY. REMBRANDT (DUTCH: BORN 1607; DIED 1669).]

In Italy, sadly fallen from her former greatness in art, many painters
render their service to the Church and to their ancient faith, and
there are numerous pictures of the divine Mother and Child. The best
of these, however, are characterized by novel arrangement of the
figures rather than by any sentiment in keeping with theme--a
criticism applicable also to most the modern French examples. Modern
Germany gains in sentiment while losing decidedly in pictorial value,
and it is a question whether it is possible, in these times, to avoid
a mere repetition of what has already been so well done, and produce
more than a picture which, with pictorial and technical qualities, is
laboring in the messages of "peace on earth, good-will to men."

[Illustration: MADONNA, INFANT JESUS, AND ST. JOHN. VOUET (FRENCH:
BORN 1590; DIED 1649).]

[Illustration: LA VIERGE A LA GRAPPE--MADONNA OF THE GRAPES. PIERRE
MIGNARD (FRENCH: BORN 1610; DIED 1695).]

[Illustration: LA VIERGE AU LAPIN--MADONNA OF THE RABBIT. TITIAN
(ITALIAN: BORN 1477; DIED 1576).]

[Illustration: THE FOND MOTHER. GABRIEL GUAY, A LIVING FRENCH
PAINTER.]

[Illustration: ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS.

From a photograph by Mr. Benjamin Kimball, Boston.]

CHAPTERS FROM A LIFE.

I.

BY ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS,

Author of "The Gates Ajar," "The Madonna of the Tubs," etc.

Has it not been said that once in a lifetime most of us succumb to the
particular situation against which we have cultivated the strongest
principles? If there be one such, among the possibilities to which a
truly civilized career is liable, more than another objectionable to
the writer of these words, the creation of autobiography has long been
that one.

Yet, for that offence, once criminal to my taste, I find myself hereby
about to become indictable; and do set my hand and seal, on this day
of