EMERGING PICTURES. 



piece of small dimensions, hangs before us. " What ! (do you 

 exclaim) what is there to see in that ? a dirt-coloured, pattern- 

 less fragment of damp-looking rag, or paper or what we 

 know not full of folds and creases \" Have patience, friends, 

 for a few minutes only, and that patience will be recompensed. 

 Now, see there ! The canvas, as if by magic, grows larger by 

 at least' five times, as if stretched upon a framework ; its folds 

 and creases gradually disappear; upon its surface, hitherto a 

 clouded dirty white, appears the dawning of varied hues and 

 forms. Patches become visible of diner red, and white, and 



Oi/ -* * 



blue, and brown, and black, and buff, mingled confusedly as 

 on a much-used painter's palette; but see now, with each 

 moment, how these masses gather clearness. Spots, plain 

 and eye-like, bars, rich shadings, and pencilled tracery, come 

 forward and arrange themselves in regular form and order ; 

 each colour assumes fresh brilliancy; and here and there a 

 glancing of metallic lustre adds a finish to the whole. One 

 picture is complete ! But what do we see now ? The beau- 

 tiful tableau on which we have been looking would seem after 

 all to have been but the reverse of a yet richer painting the 

 reverse, more properly, of one leaf, as of a double screen. 

 Now it is unfolded, and we have before us, not one, but a pair 

 of resembling pictures, wherein masses of glowing scarlet and 

 purest white, the two prevailing colours, are contrasted bril- 

 liantly by a ground intensely black, as of blackest velvet, 

 bestrewn partially with particles as of glittering gold-dust. 



