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shown in many actions of his life. Thus he was accustomed to burn the numerous letters he received from princes, potentates, and philosophers, containing expressions flattering to his self-love, remarking that Guido Reni derived greater glory from his colours than from any other credentials. Jealous of his reputation, and careful of the honours which he believed to be dependent on it, he never returned any of the visits which were paid to him by the great, pleading in excuse that those visits were paid not to himself individually, but to the talents with which God had gifted him.

Of the proud consciousness which RUBENS felt of the dignity of his art we have already spoken, and the great Fleming conserved his own dignity with a no less scrupulous care. It happened once that Wildens, Van Uden, and Sneyders were sitting at table, when their conversation fell upon the glory of their master, and upon the extent to which each of them contributed individually to raise it, by their co-operation with Peter Paul, in painting some of his large compositions. "In my belief," said Wildens, boastingly, "Rubens cannot surpass me in painting landscapes, and as he avails himself of my aid in that department, he ought at least to allow me to participate in his reputation." Rubens heard of this boastful remark, and was determined to vindicate his thorough independence of his pupils and assistants, by painting some landscapes and hunting

scenes on a grand scale, filled with animals, finished with an exquisite nicety of touch; that being the class of works in which the strength of his assistants chiefly lay. These compositions Rubens produced secretly, and, as soon as they were finished, he summoned the malcontents to his side and exhibited the pictures to them. "You ought not to be unaware," said he, in tones of mingled pride and reproach, "that, when I employ you to assist in the execution of my works, it is for no other reason than to hasten their completion. I have now summoned you to see in these, the latest works of my own hand, that I can not only surpass each of you in his individual walk, but that I am your master in all!" We are sorry that no Flemish Northcote was present to record what the astonished trio said, or how they looked, after the haughty rebuke of their illustrious teacher. There is another version of the story, in which the words given above are said to have been addressed to Janssen and Rombouts, both of whom are alleged to have affirmed that Rubens was under great obligations to Wildens, Sneyders, and Van Uden; the essential fact, however, remains the same.

The reply of DESPORTES to the rich and overdressed "popinjay" who "pestered" him with some frivolous comments upon the painter's own disregard of foppery, is not altogether foreign to the subject of the present chapter. "I can be what you are, sir,”

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said the artist, "whenever I please, but you can never be what I am."

The self-respect of HENRIETTE WOLTERS did not fail her, even when opposed to the commands and solicitations of Peter the Great. On the visit of the Czar to Amsterdam, he was charmed with and astonished at her productions. He was most desirous of engaging her to follow him on his return to St. Petersburg, and offered her a pension. The offer was courteously declined; but being pressed to explain the reason for her refusal, the intrepid lady replied, that she could not quit her native land; and that neither her religion nor her habits would permit her to live amidst the turbulence and servitude of the Imperial Court. The Czar was much struck with the freedom of her reply; nor did it in any way diminish his admiration for the lady's talents and character. Another crowned head was equally fascinated by the productions of Madame Wolters' pencil; and, in this instance, the monarch (Frederick William, King of Prussia) paid the artist a visit incognito. In the course of conversation, he took occasion to remark to her that he was on excellent terms with the King of Prussia; that he flattered himself he could guarantee the fair painter a handsome pension; that she would be sure to attract the esteem of the whole court; and that she could accumulate a fortune much more rapidly at the Prussian capital than among the merchants of

Amsterdam. Whereto the lady coldly and frankly made reply:-"My country is too dear and too pleasant to me to admit of my relinquishing it for a dream of vain-glory, or for the hope of an uncertain future. Besides, I have a great veneration for the merchants of Amsterdam, who pay much more liberally than those who reside in courts." Old Fritz was somewhat taken aback by this very free-spoken response, and assured Madame Wolters that she should have no reason to complain of the liberality of the Court of Prussia; and that if she were disposed to make the experiment, he would defray all the necessary expenses. "I will never go to the Court of Prussia," said the lady; "if I wished to quit this city, I should give a preference to the Courts of London and Vienna. I have no affection for a government where the subjects are not free men, but are compelled to do military service." She added, that such a government could not be otherwise than distasteful to free-born people like the Dutch; that both her husband and herself were too simple in their habits to be readily converted into courtiers; that truth and liberty were necessarily exiled from a court; and that they were both far too dear to her to permit of her residing in a country where they were equally strangers. The vivacious candour with which Madame Wolters expressed her sentiments amused the King by its piquancy, and pleased him by its freshness; and,

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had it been otherwise, he could hardly have failed to derive some amusement from the obvious uneasiness of the lady's husband, who was present at the interview, and who made all sorts of telegraphic signs to his wife to restrain the extreme freedom of her tongue; but Madame did not, or would not, pay the slightest attention to her lord and master's signals. After the King had taken his departure, M. Wolters communicated to Madame his shrewd suspicions of the real character and dignity of their visitor, having been apprised that Frederick William was at that moment in Amsterdam; and that his majesty maintained, as far as was practicable, his incognito. The monarch paid two more visits to the studio of Madame Wolters, for the purpose of admiring her works; but the lady did not permit her royal visitor to perceive that she suspected who he really was; nor, excepting a little more circumspectness in her conversation, did she alter her accustomed demeanour towards him.

So entirely did the pure-minded and self-denying Fra ANGELICO DA FIESOLE regard the art he practised, as an inspiration from on high, that he would never retouch a painting once finished, believing that the work as completed in the first essay, was executed conformably to the will of God. Devotional exercises invariably preceded the use of his pencil; and, according to Vasari, he never painted a crucifix without tears streaming