The town promises to be, some time, a fine one, as it is so well
situated; and they have good building material--a yellow brick, very
pleasing to the eye. It seems to grow before you, and has indeed but
just emerged from the thickets of oak and wild roses. A few steps will
take you into the thickets, and certainly I never saw so many wild
roses, or of so beautiful a red. Of such a color were the first red ones
the world ever saw, when, says the legend, Venus flying to the
assistance of Adonis, the rosebushes kept catching her to make her stay,
and the drops of blood the thorns drew from her feet, as she tore
herself away, fell on the white roses, and turned them this beautiful
red.
I will here insert, though with no excuse, except that it came to memory
at the time, this description of Titian's Venus and Adonis.
"This picture has that perfect balance of lines and forms that it would,
(as was said of all Raphael's) 'seen at any distance have the air of an
ornamental design.' It also tolls its story at the first glance, though,
like all beautiful works, it gains by study.
"On one side slumbers the little God of Love, as an emblem, I suppose,
that only the love of man is worth embodying, for surely Cytherea's is
awake enough. The quiver of Cupid, suspended to a tree, gives sportive
grace to the scene which softens the tragedy of a breaking tie. The dogs
of Adonis pull upon his hand; he can scarce forbear to burst from the
detaining arms of Beauty herself, yet he waits a moment to coax her--to
make an unmeaning promise.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115