g impossible, they tied the culprit to a column, and
leaving him till matins, when his punishment was to be determined, went
back to their slumbers. When all was quiet, the Devil reappeared, but
this time in his most hideous shape. Half dead with cold and terror, the
discomfited caricaturist stood shivering at his column, while his
tormentor made unmercifully merry with him; twitting him with his
amorous overtures, mocking his stammered prayers, and irreverently
suggesting an appeal for aid to the beauty he so loved to delineate. The
penitent wretch at last took the advice thus jeeringly given--when lo!
the Virgin descended, radiant in heavenly loveliness, loosened his
cords, and bade him bind the Evil One to the column in his place--an
order which he obeyed through her strength, with no less alacrity than
astonishment. She further ordered him to appear among the other monks at
table, and charged herself with the task of restoring the stolen plate
to its place. Thus the tables were suddenly turned. The friar presented
himself among his brethren in the morning, to their no small
astonishment, and voted with much contrition for his own condemnation--a
sentence which was reversed when they came to examine the contents of
the sacristy, and found everything correct. As to the Devil, who
remained fast bound to the pillar, he was soundly flogged, and so fell
into the pit which he had digged for another. His dupe, on the other
hand, gathered new strength from his fall, and became not only a wiser
and a better man, but also an abler artist; for the experience of that
terrible night had supplied all that was wanting to complete the ideal
of his favorite subjects. Thenceforth, he followed no more after
enticing damsels, but remained in his cloister, painting the Madonna
more serenely beautiful, and the Arch Enemy more curiously appalling
than ever.

GERARD DOUW.

This extraordinary artist was born at Leyden, in 1613. He was the son of
a glazier, and early exhibited a passion for the fine arts, which his
father encouraged. He received his first instruction in drawing from
Dolendo, the engraver. He was afterwards placed with Peter Kowenhoorn,
to learn the trade of a glass-stainer or painter; but disliking this
business, he became the pupil of Rembrandt when only fifteen years of
age, in whose school be continued three years. From Rembrandt he learned
the true principles of coloring, to which he added a delicacy of
pencilli