JUNE 359 



unsanctified by the Church, that did not give the same 

 chance of eternal happiness to some one they loved which 

 was freely granted to the majority. This indeed was a 

 thought only to find relief in wailing and gnashing of 

 teeth. Now we say : ' What was best for them was worst 

 for us, but what does that matter ? ' 



In speaking of Burne-Jones's work many years ago 

 Mr. Buskin said : ' His work is simply the only art-work 

 at present produced in England which will be received by 

 the future as classic. I know that these will be immortal, 

 as the best things the mid-nineteenth century in England 

 can produce, in such true relations as it had through all 

 confusion retained with the paternal and everlasting art 

 of the world.' And do we not all feel this is true ? 



June 2th. This is the great Florentine ' Festa,' of 

 which I had often heard and never seen. We were too 

 idle to go down to the ceremonies at the cathedral in the 

 morning, but in the afternoon there were Vespers at the 

 baptistery, and the sight was most characteristic and 

 curious. Every child that is born in Florence is still 

 baptised there, and the water is still salted as of old. There 

 were men, women, and children crowding through both 

 of the large doors being opened wide to the sunny Piazza. 

 These openings were veiled during the service by a long, 

 black, thin curtain. In the middle, raised on an altar and 

 again raised on steps, was the beautiful jewelled Ben- 

 venuto Cellini John the Baptist shrine. The people went 

 up and touched it, and mothers after touching the shrine 

 then touched the babies in their arms, who held up their 

 tiny hands to receive the touch, and afterwards reverently 

 kissed their own fingers. 



Strong peasant men were there, young and old. It 

 cannot be one of the least of the mysterious Florentine 

 bonds, this baptistery which brings back to the inhabitants 

 the recollection of every child that is born to them, more 



