FLORENTINE SCHOOLS OF ENGRAVING. 367 



twenty figures the size of life, and groups of smaller ones 

 scarcely to be counted. Twelve pictures, six to illustrate 

 the giving of the law by Moses ; and six, the ratification and 

 completion of it by Christ. Event by event, the jurispru- 

 dence of each dispensation is traced from dawn to close in 

 this correspondence. 



1. Covenant of Circumcision. 7. Covenant of Baptism. 



2. Entrance on his Ministry 8. Entrance on his Ministry by 



by Moses. Christ. 



3. Moses by the Red Sea. 9. Peter and Andrew by the Sea of 



Galilee. 



4. Delivery of Law on Sinai. 10. Sermon on Mount. 



5. Destruction of Korah. 11. Giving Keys to St. Peter. 



6. Death of Moses. 12. Last Supper. 



Of these pictures, Sandro painted three himself, Perugino 

 three, and the Assumption ; Ghirlandajo one, Signorelli one, 

 and Rosselli four.* I believe that Sandro intended to take 

 the roof also, and had sketched out the main succession of its 

 design ; and that the prophets arid sibyls which he meant to 

 paint, he drew first small, and engraved his drawings after- 

 wards, that some part of the work might be, at all events, thus 

 communicable to the world outside of the Vatican. 



30. It is not often that I tell you my beliefs ; but I am 

 forced here, for there are no dates to found more on. Is it 

 not wonderful that among all the infinite mass of fool's 

 thoughts about the " majestic works of Michael Angelo " in 

 the Sistine Chapel, no slightly more rational person has ever 

 asked what the chapel was first meant to be like, and how it 

 was to be roofed ? 



Nor can I assure myself, still less you, that all these prophets 

 and sibyls are Botticelli's. Of many there are two engravings, 

 with variations : some are inferior in parts, many altogether. 

 He signed none ; never put grand tablets with 'S. B.' into his 

 skies ; had other letters than those to engrave, and no time 

 to spare. I have chosen out of the series three of the sibyls, 

 which have, I think, clear internal evidence of being his ; and 



* Cosimo Rosselli, especially chosen by the Pope for his gay colouring. 



