; the delineation of childhood was one of the latest
triumphs of art." Even in the time of those latest triumphs, however,
the same fault was committed in another way; and a boy of eight or ten
was commonly represented--even by Raffaelle himself--as a dwarf
Hercules, with all the gladiatorial muscles already visible in stunted
rotundity. Giotto probably felt he had not power enough to give
dignity to a child of three years old, and intended the womanly form
to be rather typical of the Virgin's advanced mind, than an actual
representation of her person.

* * * * *

IX.

THE RODS ARE BROUGHT TO THE HIGH-PRIEST.

"Then he (the high-priest) appointed that all the men of the house and
family of David who were marriageable, and not married, should bring
their several rods to the altar. And out of whatsoever person's rod,
after it was brought, a flower should bud forth, and on the top of it
the Spirit of the Lord should sit in the appearance of a dove, he
should be the man to whom the Virgin should be given, and be betrothed
to her." (Gospel of St. Mary, v. 16, 17.)

There has originally been very little interest in this composition;
and the injuries which it has suffered have rendered it impossible for
the draughtsman to distinguish the true folds of the draperies amidst
the defaced and worn colours of the fresco, so that the character of
the central figure is lost. The only points requiring notice are,
first, the manner in which St. Joseph holds his rod, depressing and
half-concealing it,[17] while the other suitors present theirs boldly;
and secondly, the graceful though monotonous grouping of the heads of
the crowd behind him. This mode of rendering the presence of a large
multitude, showing only the crowns of the heads in complicated
perspective, was long practised in mosaics and illuminations before
the time of Giotto, and always possesses a certain degree of sublimity
in its power of suggesting perfect unity of feeling and movement among
the crowd.

[Footnote 17: In the next chapter, it is said that "Joseph drew back
his rod when every one else presented his."]

* * * * *

X.

THE WATCHING OF THE RODS AT THE ALTAR.

"After the high-priest had received their rods, he went into the
temple to pray.

"And when he had finished his prayer, he took the rods and went forth
and distributed them; and there was no miracle attended them.

"The last rod w