82 VOICES FROM THE WOODLANDS. 



had long hovered before his mental view, but he had never 

 been able to embody the beauteous vision ; yet, full of the 

 engrossing thought, he had set forth in that early morning 

 ramble to collect his powers. The painter was Raphael, one 

 of the greatest painters of his own or any other age. 



In that mother and her children the artist found a reality 

 which he had long vainly sought; and wishing, in the 

 moment of inspiration, to secure the group, he felt for his 

 sketching tablet, but found only a chalk pencil. Happily, 

 the full beams of the now risen sun shone brightly on the 

 smooth end of the cask, and the idea of appropriating it for 

 the purpose had no sooner arisen, than it was adopted. 

 Raphael sketched the lovely Annette, and her children ; he 

 took it out from the cask, and allowed himself no rest till 

 he had completed his immortal picture of the Holy Family. 



Three hundred years have passed over Italy since the 

 time of Raphael, but the picture still remains, and has been 

 preserved amid the fall of nations. 



The strong oak ceased; and presently another voice 



