in quanto l'avevo defenite; ma la verità e' che dall' Attileo in poi, tra le grandi, e dal Democrito e Diogene della Scodella fra le mezzane, ness un' altra è stato da me colorita."

SIR THOMAS BARING'S DRAWINGS BY

LEONARDO DA VINCI.

A SERIES of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, for the celebrated work of the Last Supper, which were formerly in the Ambrosian Library at Milan, are now in the possession of Sir Thomas Baring Bart., and from the great injuries which that sublime composition has sustained, these may now be considered as among the precious reliques of this master. The drawing which represents the head of the Saviour is magnificent, and is probably superior to the same head in the picture itself, which is well known was left unfinished. Whether this circumstance arose from the troubles which then existed in Italy, and in which the Sforza family were so immediately engaged, or from a feeling on the part of the artist, that he had not been able to surpass that sublimity of character to which he had attained in his first design, and therefore left the same to a more happy moment, may now be matter of speculative conjecture.

BAPTISM OF PAINTERS.

"AT this time" of Salvator Rosa (says Passeri,) "the Ultramontanes, according to their different

nations, associated together, the French with the French, the Dutch with the Dutch, the Flemish with the Flemish: and when money was rife, and one of their countrymen arrived at Rome, he was obliged to invite the whole band of his compatriots to a sumptuous feast, given at one of the most celebrated taverns. To these feasts every one contributed his share, though the novice was the principal paymaster. The recreation lasted twenty-four hours, at the least, without leaving the table; for the wine was brought to them in hogsheads. This brawl they were wont to call the baptism. Their indiscretion in giving this holy appellation to their festivity arose from the circumstance of a new name being affixed on the novice, generally derived from some peculiarity in his face, figure, or demeanour, as for instance, Peter Wander, who was ill-proportioned, was christened Bamboccio, and so on with others."

SALVATOR ROSA AND CARDINAL SFORZA.

SALVATOR ROSA is said never to have suffered the rank or office of his auditors to interfere with the freedom of his expression in his poetical recitations. Cardinal Sforza Pallavicini, one of the most splendid patrons and rigid critics of his day, was curious to hear the improvisatore of the Via Babbuina, and sent an invitation requesting Salvator's company at his place. Salvator frankly

declared that two conditions were annexed to his accepting the honour of the Eminentissimo's acquaintance; first, that the cardinal should come to his house, as he never recited in any other; and next, that he should not object to any passage, whose omission would detract from the original character of his works, or compromise his own sincerity. The cardinal accepted the conditions. The next day all the literary coxcombs of Rome crowded to the levee of the hypercritical Porporato, to learn his opinion of the poet, whose style was without precedent. The cardinal declared, with a justice which posterity has sanctioned, that "Salvator's poetry was full of splendid passages, but that, as a whole, it was unequal."

THE MARQUESS OF STAFFORD'S CORREGGIO.

MANY pictures and sketches have been commemorated, as executed by Correggio in the early period of his career. He is said to have painted landscape and other pieces, which were sometimes given to his friends, and sometimes sold publicly at his native place. Among these we may perhaps rank the curious and interesting sketch, now in the collection of the Marquess of Stafford, and formerly preserved in the gallery of the Duke of Orleans. It is slightly coloured, and represents a muleteer conducting a loaded mule and a foal, and engaged in conversation with a peasant. It is

supposed to have been once used as a sign to an inn, though on what authority is unknown.

CORREGGIO'S FRESCOES, IN THE MONASTERY OF ST. PAULO AT PIACENZA.

CORREGGIO is said to have been patronized and recommended by the Cavaliere Scipione to Giovanna Piacenza, Abbess of the monastery of St. Paulo, a lady of great taste and munificence, who was desirous of enriching her establishment with choice specimens of art, and who had already employed the ablest artists of the city, in embellishing the church of the monastery, particularly Araldi in decorating the choir. By this noble lady he was engaged to paint the sides and vault of an apartment, which she had herself erected, with subjects of classical antiquity in fresco. Part of the work has been obliterated, but various figures and ornamental decorations are still left, in high preservation. Among these are an elegant frieze, ornamented with drapery, vases, and the heads of goats; boys or cupids, sporting with animals, and emblems of the chase; a figure of Juno suspended in the clouds by a chain, with the anvils at her feet, as described by Homer; the graces, and the three sister fates; a vestal with a dove, the emblem of virginity; a sátyr; a priestess sacrificing; Fortune standing on the globe; and over the chimney, Diana riding in a triumphal car, drawn by

hounds, and evidently intended as the principal figure.

Not only from records of some antiquity, but from internal evidence, these paintings are proved to owe their existence to the pencil of Correggio; and they have been considered particularly valuable in the history of art, as furnishing a proof of the time at which he adopted his last and best style; for the foreshortening is singularly bold, the chiaroscuro presents all the magic of his pencil, and the beauty and grace of the figures are inimitable. The date of the work is fixed, with every appearance of truth, about the year 1519, and it was therefore the earliest of his productions at Parma. This painting owes its celebrity to the diligence of father Affo, who examined it minutely, and spared no research into its history. It was commemorated by Lanzi; and Pungileoni has not only minutely described it, but given a sketch of the various opinions as to its merits and history.

LORENZO LIPPI'S PEDESTRIANISM.

LIPPI might have rivalled any modern English pedestrian. One morning at dinner, he suddenly took it into his head to go to Prato, a town ten miles distant from Florence; so, starting from table, he arrived at Prato, saluted some of his friends, and returned home to finish his meal. Baldinucci says, that he died the victim of his "in