262 ARIADNE FLORENTINA. 



forms of false theological satisfaction. This engraving repre- 

 sents a young lady in a very long and, though plain, very be- 

 coming white dress, tossed upon the waves of a terrifically 

 stormy sea, by which neither her hair nor her becoming dress 

 is in the least wetted ; and saved from despair in that situa- 

 tion by closely embracing a very thick and solid stone Cross. 

 By which far-sought and original metaphor young ladies are 

 expected, after some effort, to understand the recourse they 

 may have, for support, to the Cross of Christ, in the midst of 

 the troubles of this world. 



29. As those troubles are for the present, in all probability, 

 limited to the occasional loss of their thimbles when they have 

 not taken care to put them into their workboxes, the concern 

 they feel at the unsympathizing gaiety of their companions, 

 or perhaps the disappointment at not hearing a favourite 

 clergyman preach, (for I will not suppose the young ladies 

 interested in this picture to be affected by any chagrin at the 

 loss of an invitation to a ball, or the like worldliness,) it 

 seems to me the stress of such calamities might be repre- 

 sented, in a picture, by less appalling imagery. And I can 

 assure my fair little lady friends, if I still have any, that 

 whatever a young girl's ordinary troubles or annoyances may 

 be, her true virtue is in shaking them off, as a rose-leaf shakes 

 off rain, and remaining debonnaire and bright in spirits, or 

 even, as the rose would be, the brighter for the troubles ; and 

 not at all in allowing herself to be either drifted or depressed 

 to the point of requiring religious consolation. But if any real 

 and deep sorrow, such as no metaphor can represent, fall upon 

 her, does she suppose that the theological advice of this piece 

 of modern art can be trusted ? If she will take the pains tcv 

 think truly, she will remember that Christ Himself never says) 

 anything about holding by His Cross. He speaks a good deal 

 of bearing it ; but never for an instant of holding by it. It is 

 His Hand, not His Cross, which is to save either you, or St. 

 Peter, when the waves are rough. And the utterly reckless 

 way in which modern religious teachers, whether in art or 

 literature, abuse the metaphor somewhat briefly and violently 

 leant on by St. Paul, simply prevents your understanding the 



