260 THE STORIES OF NOTED PAINTINGS. 



THE PENITENT MAGDALENE; OB, THE MAGDALENE 

 IN A CAVE. 



By POMPEO BATTONI (born at Lucca 1708, died at Rome, 

 1788). The original is in the Royal Gallery of Dresden. The 

 legends of the primitive church form a sequel to the New Testa- 

 ment, which has influenced catholic worship and Christian art 

 almost as much as the sacred narrative itself. According to those 

 legends, Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary, and the blind 

 man who was restored to sight, and two others, were set adrift 

 on the Mediterranean, shortly after the crucifixion of Christ, in 

 a boat without sails, or oars, or rudder. They were wafted at the 

 sport of the winds and waves, till finally they were driven into 

 the harbor of Marseilles. Here they preached to the heathen 

 and did miraculous works, until a little church was started, over 

 which Lazarus became bishop. But Mary, always bewailing the 

 sins of her early life, retired to a cave between Marseilles and 

 Toulon, where in her need she was ministered to by angels, and 

 from which, after many years of solitude and expiation, she was 

 carried to Heaven by the same ministering hands. Some of the 

 loveliest scenes in all the realm of painting are those which pre- 

 sent this fair penitent in her solitary cave life. 



DAVID WITH THE HEAD OF GOLIATH, MEETING THE 

 DAUGHTERS OF SAUL. 



By ANDREA DAL FRISO (born 1551, died 1611). Of all the 

 champions of the Philistines, that most persistent and prolific 

 enemy of ancient Israel, Goliath of Gath seems to have been 

 the most remarkable and terrible. He was near 12 feet in height, 

 his coat of mail weighed 150 pounds, his spear " was like a 

 weaver's beam" and carried a 20 pound point of iron. The 

 engagement which brought this monster to the front was one of 

 forty days duration ; and morning and evening of each day he 

 had come out between the hosts defying any man of the Israelites 

 to single combat. It happened on the last day that young David, 

 who had been taken from his flocks to be sent to the army with 

 provisions for his elder brethren, heard the challenge and offered 

 at once to go out against him. The offer, unequal as it was, was 



