398 ARIADNE PLORENTINA. 



what they were to her ; and wrote two pages on the bas-relief 

 of Heracles and Antaeus assuming it to be the death of Abel. 



It is not, however, by women only that Durer has been 

 over-praised. He stands so alone in his own field, that the 

 people who care much for him generally lose the power of 

 enjoying anything else rightly ; and are continually attribut- 

 ing to the force of his imagination quaintnesses which are 

 merely part of the general mannerism of his day, 



The following notes upon him, in relation to two other ex- 

 cellent engravers, were written shortly for extempore expan- 

 sion in lecturing. I give them, with the others in this termi- 

 nal article, mainly for use to myself in future reference ; but 

 also as more or less suggestive to the reader, if he has taken 

 up the subject seriously, and worth, therefore, a few pages of 

 this closing sheet. 



The men I have named as representative of all the good 

 ones composing their school, are alike resolved their engrav- 

 ing shall be lovely. 



But Botticelli, the ancient, wants, with as little engraving, 

 as much Sibyl as possible. 



Durer, the central, wants, with as much engraving as possi- 

 ble, anything of Sibyl that may chance to be picked up with 

 it. 



Beaugrand, the modern, wants, as much Sibyl as possible, 

 and as much engraving too. 



I repeat for I want to get this clear to you Botticelli 

 wants, with as little engraving, as much Sibyl as possible. 

 For his head is full of Sibyls, and his heart. He can't draw 

 them fast enough ; one comes, and another, and another ; and 

 all, gracious and wonderful and good, to be engraved for 

 ever, if only he had a thousand hands and li ves. He scratches 

 down one, with no haste, with no fault, divinely careful, scru- 

 pulous, patient, but with as few lines as possible. ' Another 

 Sibyl let me draw another for heaven's sake, before she has 

 burnt all her books, and vanished/ 



Durer is exactly Botticelli's opposite. He is a workman, to 

 the heart, and will do his work magnificently. ' No mattet 

 what I do it on, so that my craft be honourably shown. Any- 



