them in their own pictures. I do not
think," she added, with something of a deprecatory look, "that it can be
called a very original style."

"Few styles of painting after the earliest masters can be called
original, can they?" replied Mr. Sumner, with a smile. "One great lack
of the human race is a spirit of originality. We all go to those who
have thought and wrought before us, and hash and rehash their material.
But few tell what they are doing so plainly as did the Carracci. The one
great want in their painting is that of any definite end or aim."

"Whom do you call the greatest painters of the school, uncle?" asked
Malcom, as they entered a large hall opening from the corridor in which
they had been standing.

"Guido Reni and Domenichino merit that honor, I think. Domenichino died
young, but painted some excellent pictures, notably the _St. Jerome_.
Guido Reni lived long enough to outlive his good painting, but among
his early works are some that may really be called the masterpieces of
this school; such as the _Aurora_ and the _St. Michael_ which you saw in
Rome."

"What do you mean by his outliving his good painting?" asked Margery.

"He grew most careless in his ways of living,--was dissipated we should
call it,--squandered his money, and finally, in order to gain the
wherewithal for daily life, used to paint by order of those who stood
waiting to take his pictures with paint still wet, lest the artist
should cheat them. To this we owe the great number of his worthless
Madonna and Magdalen heads that have found their way into the
galleries."

"How perfectly dreadful," chorused all.

"I am afraid we shall never see one of his pictures without thinking of
this," said Bettina; "shall we, Barbara?" and she turned to her sister,
who had been silent hitherto, as if longing to hear her talk.

"Try to forget it now as you look at these paintings, for this room
contains many of his," continued Mr. Sumner, after waiting a moment as
if to hear Barbara's answer, "and they are examples of his early work,
and so stronger than many others. Notice the powerful action of this
_Samson_ and the St. John in that _Crucifixion_.

"Here are good examples of the work of the three Carracci," continued
he, as after a time they entered the adjoining hall.

"But what does this mean?" cried Malcom, in an astonished voice, pausing
before a large picture, the _Communion of St. Jerome_, which bore the
name, Agostino Carracci. "How