part is executed in a peculiar and appropriate style."

It is uncertain when this picture was finished, for it was delayed by his other avocations, and he had long to struggle with the impatience of the Pratoneri for its completion. An inscription, still extant, proves that it was not fixed in its destined place, the chapel of the Pratoneri, in the church of St. Prospero, at Reggio, till 1530. It was in 1640 removed surreptitiously, and probably by order of the reigning Duke of Modena, who substituted a copy; and, with other valuable pictures it was finally transferred to the Electoral Gallery at Dresden.

A SLAVE MERCHANT'S ESTIMATE OF A POET AND A PAINTER.

MR. POPE was with Sir Godfrey Kneller one day, when his nephew, a Guinea trader, came in. "Nephew, (said Sir Godfrey) you have the honour of seeing the two greatest men in the world.”—“ I don't know how great you may be, (said the Guinea man) but I don't like your looks: I have often bought a man much better than both of you together, all muscles and bones, for ten guineas."

SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS AND HAYDN.

WHEN Haydn was in England, one of our princes commissioned Sir Joshua Reynolds to take

his portrait. Haydn went to the painter's house, and sat to him, but soon grew tired. Sir Joshua, careful of his reputation, would not paint a man of acknowledged genius with a stupid countenance; and deferred the sitting till another day. The same weariness and want of expression occurring at the next attempt, Reynolds went and communicated the circumstance to his royal highness, who contrived the following stratagem. He sent to the painter's house a pretty German girl, in the service of the queen. Haydn took his seat for the third time, and as soon as the conversation began to flag, a curtain rose, and the fair German addressed him in his native language, with a most elegant compliment. Haydn, delighted, overwhelmed the enchantress with questions; his countenance recovered its animation, and Sir Joshua rapidly seized its traits.

GUIDO'S SCHOOL AND RIVALS.

GUIDO RENI, an illustrious Italian painter, was born at Bologna, in 1574. His father, being a musician, intended him for the same profession, but, conceiving an early attachment for painting, he was placed under Dennis Calvert, a Flemish master, whom he soon quitted for the school of the Carracci, where he entered into friendship with Louis and Annibale, but it is pretended that in the end they became jealous of his success; notwith

standing it was Annibale who advised him to quit the manner of Caravaggio, which he had at first adopted, for the more agreeable style which led to the celebrity he afterwards enjoyed. He arrived at Rome in company with his rival and friend Albano, and was welcomed by Giuseppino as a man who might be useful in the hatred he bore to Caravaggio, whose vitiated taste became more apparent when opposed to the new manner of Guido. After suffering much ill-treatment, the effect of Caravaggio's vengeance, it appears that he was even obliged to return to Bologna, but his reputation increasing continually, he was recalled to Rome by Paul V. who magnificently rewarded his slightest productions. However, being discontented with the treasurer of this pontiff, he again quitted Rome, and the Pope was obliged to enter into a kind of negociation to regain this illustrious artist. Opposed continually by circumstances to the best painters of his age, he engaged conjointly with Domenichino to paint the martyrdom of St. Andrew; to all appearance he was victorious in this contest; but he could not obtain the suffrage of Annibale Carracci. Guido has less depth and nature than Domenichino, but he is not less learned, and it may be said that for effect, ingenuity of idea, elegance of design, and a graceful pencil, he will not yield to any other painter. This artist displayed a singular pride in his study; his pupils serving him very respectfully,

and during the visits of the great he always remained covered. He often said, "I would not exchange my pencil for a cardinal's cap," yet he was extremely modest in society, thus proving that his art alone was what he most desired to he honoured. He led a life of celibacy, but his manners were irreproachable. His unhappy passion for gaming was his only disturbance, he lost considerable sums, and misery at length weakened his abilities; he found himself abandoned by all his friends, and he who before had disdained to affix a price to his principal works, was reduced in his old age to paint for a pitiful reward, and even to see his last pieces despised; he died neglected in 1642, at the age of sixty-seven years. According to the custom of most of the Italian masters, he executed many engravings.

DANEKKER, THE CELEBRATED SCULPTOR. DANEKKER is a native of Stutgard, born of humble parents. The early bent of his genius, which first led him to a fondness for drawing, and made him once spoil some smooth hewn stones, scratching flowers and figures on them with a nail, afterwards appears to have become too strong to be checked by the opposition of his parents. When the Duke Charles, predecessor of the late King of Wirtemberg, offered to admit one of their children into an excellent public seminary, his parents re

fused, from a false idea that the students were only designed to fill the ranks. The boy entreated in vain permission to accept the offer, and his importunities were at last silenced by confinement in his chamber. He contrived to communicate from his window with eight of his comrades, whom he persuaded to accompany him to the duke himself at Ludwigsburg, to entreat an admission into the academy. The boys announced themselves, and were kindly received by the duke, who was delighted with the resolution of the would-be academician of thirteen. He was immediately placed in the seminary, where he found the means of a liberal education, which afforded him a fund of acquirements useful in his profession. He studied here nine years; then made pedestrian tours to Paris and to Rome, profiting almost unaided by the opportunities they afforded him. In Italy he received kindnesses from Canova and Trippel, and was recalled by his prince in 1790, to his great grief, from the bright skies and the noble relics of Rome to the fogs and cramped occupations of Stutgard. By way of recompense, he was made court sculptor, and professor at the academy, with a salary of 800 florins, now considerably increased, for which he is engaged to execute all the orders of the court.

But the object of the Fine Arts which gave the greatest gratification, was a single statue belonging to M. Bethmann, the great banker. In a summer