332 EMERGING PICTURES. 



piece of small dimensions, hangs before us. "What! (do you 

 exclaim) what is there to see in that ? a dirt-coloured, pattern- 

 less fragment of damp-looking rag, or paper or what we 

 know not full of folds and creases I" Have patience, friends, 

 for a few minutes only, and that patience will be recompensed. 

 Now, see there ! The canvas, as if by magic, grows larger by 

 at least five times, as if stretched upon a frame- work ; its folds 

 and creases gradually disappear ; upon its surface, hitherto' a 

 clouded dirty white, appears the dawning of varied hues and 

 forms. Patches become visible of dingy red, and white, and 

 blue, and brown, and black, and buff, mingled confusedly as 

 on a much-used painter's palette ; but see now, with each 

 moment, how these masses gather clearness. Spots, plain 

 and eye-like, bars, rich shadings, and pencilled tracery, come 

 forward and arrange themselves in regular form and order ; 

 each colour assumes fresh brilliancy ; and here and there a 

 glancing of metallic lustre adds a finish to the whole. One 

 picture is complete ! But what do we see now ? The beau- 

 tiful tableau on which we have been looking would seem after 

 all to have been but the reverse of a yet richer painting the 

 reverse more properly, of one leaf, as of a double screen. 

 Now it is unfolded, and we have before us, not one, but a pair 

 of resembling pictures, wherein masses of glowing scarlet and 

 purest white, the two prevailing colours, are contrasted bril- 

 liantly by a ground intensely black, as of blackest velvet, 

 bestrewn partially with particles as of glittering gold-dust. 



