the picture by "The Unknown." She was the belle of the hour, if not
of the court, and her commendation alone would have served to
attract attention to the picture; but already had the duke in person
pointed out some of the most prominent beauties in the piece to
those about him.

After a few preliminary remarks addressed by the liberal monarch to
the large assembly, which was now as still as death itself, he went
on to compliment the rare collection of art which was exhibited on
the occasion; and to prove the sincerity of his remarks, and the
compliment to all on this point, he offered a most princely price
for each and all presented for the prize. He observed that had one
of the pieces which had been sent in failed to have been received, he
should have found it absolutely impossible to designnate the best
painting from out the collection, each one of which was so excellent
and perfect in itself. He then remarked that he was unable to award
the prize he had proposed to present to the author of the painting
which would seem to himself and court to embody the greatest degree
of excellence, inasmuch as the picture which had been decided upon
as possessing the most merit, in every department of its execution,
had been sent to the gallery by unknown hands, and was the work of
an unknown artist.

He closed his remarks by saying that the piece alluded to must be
the work of one high in his profession, for it fell little short of
the works of the old masters themselves. "And," added the duke, "if
there is any one in this assembly who can inform us as to the
authorship of the piece in question, we most earnestly hope they
will oblige us by doing so at this tine, that we may do the author
the honor his talents merit, and also avail ourselves of his