itled and gentlewomen were
well versed in Greek and Latin, as well as in Spanish, Italian, and
French. Macaulay reminded his readers that if an Englishwoman of that day
did not read the classics she could read little, since the then existing
books--outside the Italian--would fill a shelf but scantily. Thus English
girls read Plato, and doubtless English women excelled Englishmen in
their proficiency in foreign languages, as they do at present.

* * * * *

In Germany the relative position of Art and Letters was the opposite to
that in France and England. The School of Cologne was a genuinely native
school of art in the fourteenth century. Although the Niebelungen Lied
and Gudrun, the Songs of Love and Volkslieder, as well as Mysteries and
Passion Plays, existed from an early date, we can scarcely speak of a
German Literature before the sixteenth century, when Albert Duerer and the
younger Holbein painted their great pictures, while Luther, Melanchthon
and their sympathizers disseminated the doctrines of advancing
Protestantism.

At this period, in the countries we may speak of collectively as German,
women artists were numerous. Many were miniaturists, some of whom were
invited to the English Court and received with honor.

In 1521 Albert Duerer was astonished at the number of women artists in
different parts of what, for conciseness, we may call Germany. This was
also noticeable in Holland, and Duerer wrote in his diary, in the
above-named year: "Master Gerard, of Antwerp, illuminist, has a daughter,
eighteen years of age, named Susannah, who illuminated a little book
which I purchased for a few guilders. It is wonderful that a woman could
do so much!"

Antwerp became famous for its women artists, some of whom visited France,
Italy, and Spain, and were honorably recognized for their talent and
attainments, wherever they went.

* * * * *

In the later years of the sixteenth century a difference of opinion and
purpose arose among the artists of Italy, the effects of which were shown
in the art of the seventeenth century. Two distinct schools were formed,
one of which included the conservatives who desired to preserve and
follow the manner of the masters of the Cinquecento, at the same time
making a deeper study of Nature--thus the devotional feeling and many of
the older traditions would be retained while each master could indulge
his individuality more