open door, hung the "Transfiguration." Approaching it, I felt that the
picture was worthy of its fame, and was far better than I could at once
appreciate; admirably preserved, too, though I fully believe it must have
possessed a charm when it left Raphael's hand that has now vanished
forever. As church furniture and an external adornment, the mosaic copy
is preferable to the original, but no copy could ever reproduce all the
life and expression which we see here. Opposite to it hangs the
"Communion of St. Jerome," the aged, dying saint, half torpid with death
already, partaking of the sacrament, and a sunny garland of cherubs in
the upper part of the picture, looking down upon him, and quite
comforting the spectator with the idea that the old man needs only to be
quite dead in order to flit away with them. As for the other pictures I
did but glance at, and have forgotten them.

The "Transfiguration" is finished with great minuteness and detail, the
weeds and blades of grass in the foreground being as distinct as if they
were growing in a natural soil. A partly decayed stick of wood with the
bark is likewise given in close imitation of nature. The reflection of a
foot of one of the apostles is seen in a pool of water at the verge of
the picture. One or two heads and arms seem almost to project from the
canvas. There is great lifelikeness and reality, as well as higher
qualities. The face of Jesus, being so high aloft and so small in the
distance, I could not well see; but I am impressed with the idea that it
looks too much like human flesh and blood to be in keeping with the
celestial aspect of the figure, or with the probabilities of the scene,
when the divinity and immortality of the Saviour beamed from within him
through the earthly features that ordinarily shaded him. As regards the
composition of the picture, I am not convinced of the propriety of its
being in two so distinctly separate parts,--the upper portion not
thinking of the lower, and the lower portion not being aware of the