ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



" Do well," he said to young artists, " and you will 

 reach the hearts of the few ; do better, and you will 

 be understood of all." Much of Costa's best work 

 was done during the next twenty years. He travelled 

 in other parts of Italy, often accompanied by Leighton, 

 and brought back sketches of those enchanted regions 

 " where earth has a garment of glories and a murmur 

 of musical flowers." He painted the silvery olives of 

 Lerici and the terraced gardens of Capri, Venice 

 rising from the green lagoon in the radiant freshness 

 of summer morning, and the waves at the foot of the 

 Faraglioni rocks dancing and sparkling in the evening 

 sunlight. Umbria attracted him by its rugged moun- 

 tain scenery and memories of St. Francis, and his 

 admiration for the Saint of Assisi found its highest ex- 

 pression in the large picture of " Sunrise at Perugia 

 Fra Francesco and Fra Sole " which was exhibited at 

 the Grosvenor Gallery in 1 886, and became the property 

 of Lord Carlisle. The opening verse of Francis' hymn 

 to all living creatures is the motto of this painting : 



" Laudato sia Dio mio Signore 

 Con tutte le sue creature ; 

 Specialmente Messer lo Frate Sole 

 II quale giorna e illumina mii per lui. 

 Et ello e bello et radiante cum grande splendore ; 

 Di te, Signore, porta significazione." 



St. Francis is represented in the habit of his order, 



standing on the brow of the hill, lifting up his hands 



288 



