ightness of her eyes. And instead of envying art, he
bids her rejoice that this living image of so beautiful a form will be
handed down to future ages, and give thanks to Lodovico's wisdom and
Leonardo's genius for having preserved this fair face to be the joy and
wonder of posterity. "Thine, O Nature," he cries, "is the honour! the
more living and beautiful Cecilia shall appear in the eyes of
generations to come, the greater will be thy glory! For long as the
world endures, all who see her face will recognize in Leonardo's work
the close union of Art and Nature."

"Che lei vedra, cosi ben che sia tardo,
Vederla viva, dira: basti ad noi
Comprender or quel che e natura et arte."

On the 26th of April, 1498, a year after Beatrice d'Este's death, her
sister the Marchioness Isabella herself wrote to the Countess Bergamini
from Mantua, begging her for the loan of the portrait which Leonardo had
painted of her and which she had formerly seen in Milan. "Having to-day
seen some fine portraits by the hand of Giovanni Bellini, we began to
discuss the works of Leonardo, and wished we could compare them with
these paintings. And since we remember that he painted your likeness; we
beg you to be so good as to send us your portrait by this messenger whom
we have despatched on horseback, so that we may not only be able to
compare the works of the two masters, but may also have the pleasure of
seeing your face again. The picture shall be returned to you
afterwards, with our most grateful thanks for your kindness, and
assuring you of our own readiness to oblige you to the utmost of our
power, etc.

"ISABELLA D'ESTE.

From Mantua."

Cecilia sent the precious picture by the courier to Mantua, with the
following note in reply:--

"MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND EXCELLENT MADONNA AND VERY DEAR LADY,

"I have read your Highness's letter, and since you wish to see my
portrait I send it without delay, and would send it with even greater
pleasure if it were more like me. But your Highness must not think this
proceeds from any defect in the _Maestro_ himself, for indeed I do not
believe there is another painter equal to him in the world, but merely
because the portrait was painted when I was still at so young and
imperfect an age. Since then I have changed altogether, so much so that
if you saw the picture and myself together, you would never dream it
could be meant for me! All the