354 ARIADNE FLORENTINA. 



written, while all the rest of the handling was really superb ; 

 and still more surprised when, on the sleeves and hem of the 

 robe of one of the principal figures of women, (" Helena 

 rapita da Paris,") I found what seemed to be meant for 

 inscriptions, intricately embroidered ; which nevertheless, 

 though beautifully drawn, I could not read. In copying Bot- 

 ticelli's Zipporah this spring, I found the border of her robe 

 wrought with characters of the same kind, which a young 

 painter, working with me, who already knows the minor se- 

 crets of Italian art better than I,* assures me are letters, and 

 letters of a language hitherto undeciphered. 



8. " There was at that time a close connexion and almost 

 constant intercourse between the goldsmiths and the painters, 

 wherefore Sandro, who possessed considerable ingenuity, and 

 was strongly disposed to the arts of design, became en- 

 amoured of painting, and resolved to devote himself entirely 

 to that vocation. He acknowledged his purpose at once to 

 his father ; and the latter, who knew the force of his inclina- 

 tion, took him accordingly to the Carmelite monk, Fra Filip- 

 po, who was a most excellent painter of that time, with whom 

 he placed him to study the art, as Sandro himself had desired. 

 Devoting himself thereupon entirely to the vocation he had 

 chosen, Sandro so closely followed the directions, and imitated 

 the manner, of his master, that Fra Filippo conceived a great 

 love for him, and instructed him so effectually, that Sandro 

 rapidly attained to such a degree in art as none would have 

 predicted for him." 



I have before pointed out to you the importance of training 

 by the goldsmith. Sandro got more good of it, however, 

 than any of the other painters so educated, being enabled 

 by it to use gold for light to colour, in a glowing harmony 

 never reached with equal perfection, and rarely attempted, in 

 the later schools. To the last, his paintings are partly treated 

 as work in niello ; and he names himself, in perpetual grati- 

 tude, from this first artizan master. Nevertheless, the fort- 

 unate fellow finds, at the right moment, another, even more 

 to his mind, and is obedient to him through his youth, as to 

 * Mr. Charles F. Murray. 



