316 



of that nature. Now I am nearer to it, I 

 see it is an ox hung up, and the painter s 

 name Rembrandt ; who, I conclude, is a 

 Dutchman, though the picture is not so 

 {inished as the others. It certainly is very 

 like the thing ; and yet, though it is so 

 like, and the subject so offensive, I do not 

 look at it with as much repugnance as I 

 should have expected, 



" Yqu certainly are in the right, How- 

 ard," continued Mr. Seymour, " and have 

 accounted for this perfectly well ; I cannot, 

 indeed, easily bring myself to call such a 

 picture beautiful ; but I do perceive, and 

 with pleasure, the blended variety of mel- 

 low and harmonious tints you spoke of, 

 both on the ox itself, on the gloomy win- 

 dow behind, and Qn the woman leaning 

 over the wicket. Now, I recollect that in 

 coming through the village, Ave passed by 

 a butchers shop, where a real ox was hung 

 up much in the same manner ; but neither 

 of you stopped to examine it ; pn the con- 

 trary, we all got a little out of the %ay« 

 Animal disgust, therefore, prevailed in th$ 



