moralizing persons on each side of his main action.

Then he puts one Choragus--or leader of chorus, supporting the main
action--on each side. Then he puts the main action in the middle--which
is a quarrel about that white bone of contention in the centre.
Choragus on the right, who sees that the bishop is going to have the
best of it, backs him serenely. Choragus on the left, who sees that his
impetuous friend is going to get the worst of it, is pulling him back,
and trying to keep him quiet. The subject of the picture, which, after
you are quite sure it is good as a decoration, but not till then, you
may be allowed to understand, is the following. One of St. Francis's
three great virtues being Obedience, he begins his spiritual life by
quarreling with his father. He, I suppose in modern terms I should say,
commercially invests some of his father's goods in charity. His father
objects to that investment; on which St. Francis runs away, taking what
he can find about the house along with him. His father follows to claim
his property, but finds it is all gone, already; and that St. Francis
has made friends with the Bishop of Assisi. His father flies into an
indecent passion, and declares he will disinherit him; on which St.
Francis then and there takes all his clothes off, throws them
frantically in his father's face, and says he has nothing more to do
with clothes or father. The good Bishop, in tears of admiration,
embraces St. Francis, and covers him with his own mantle.

I have read the picture to you as, if Mr. Spurgeon knew anything about
art, Mr. Spurgeon would read it,--that is to say, from the plain,
common sense, Protestant side. If you are content with that view of it,
you may leave the chapel, and, as far as any study of history is
concerned, Florence also; for you can never know anything either about
Giotto, or her.