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some measure resemble it, but still are sufficiently 
different. Leonardo da Vinci and his scholars are 
not in the least like it, and I wonder Worlidge 
thought it was one of theirs; but perhaps he was 
never in Italy, where, only, Raphael’s pictures can 
be seen in any number. What is characteristic in 
your picture is a certain sublime tranquillity in the 
’ countenances, especially I think in St. John’s ; the 
little gold wiry hair of the children; the Virgin’s 
very thin veil; the colours of her drapery; the 
colour and design of the back-ground; and the 
softness of the finishing, with some errors in the 
outline of the faces here and there, but no defect 
in grace or delicacy. Ihave so often contemplated 
the picture, that I know it perfectly, and havetaken 
no small pains to make observations on the sub- 
ject; but I’ll tell you better when I see it again. 
The villa Borghese, which is without the city, is the 
finest about Rome, and as rich in sculptures as the 
palace is in paintings; besides that the house is 
extremely elegant and neat, abounding with the 
most precious porphyry and marbles. Of all the 
splendid sights that can be seen, I think the Holy 
Week exceeds them ; indeed no prince who pre- 
tends only to temporal authority can assume the 
dignity that the Pope does, nor can any other have 
such a place as St. Peter’s to exhibit in. The pre- 
sent Pope conducts himself with admirable grace 
and dignity. Nothing can be finer than his blessing 
the people from the middle window of the great 
front of St. Peter’s, the great bell ringing, guns of 
St. Angelo firing, and the soldiers, who are drawn 
