y this collection, namely, whether the nature of the subjects
chosen by the Italian artists, afford a scope for all the variety and
all the originality of passion and character which painting can express?
Oswald and Corinne were of contrary opinions in this respect; but this,
like every other opposition of sentiment that existed between them, was
owing to the difference of nation, climate, and religion. Corinne
affirmed that the most favourable subjects for painting were religious
ones[26]. She said that sculpture was a Pagan art, and painting a
Christian one; and that in these arts were to be found, as in poetry,
the distinguishing qualities of ancient and modern literature. The
pictures of Michael Angelo, the painter of the Bible, and of Raphael,
the painter of the Gospel, suppose as much profound thought, as much
sensibility as are to be found in Shakespeare and Racine: sculpture can
only present a simple, energetic existence, whilst painting indicates
the mysteries of reflection and resignation, and makes the immortal soul
speak through transient colours. Corinne maintained also that historical
or poetical facts were rarely picturesque. In order to comprehend such
subjects, it would often be necessary to preserve the practice of
painters of old, and write the speech of each personage in a ribbon
proceeding out of the mouth. But religious subjects are instantly
understood by everybody, and attention is not removed from the picture
to guess what it represents.

Corinne was of opinion that the expression of modern painters was often
theatrical, and that it bore the stamp of their age, in which was no
longer found, as in Andrea Mantegna, Perugino, and Leonardo da Vinci,
the unity and simplicity which characterised the repose of the ancients;
a repose to which is joined that profundity of sentiment which is the
characteristic of Christianity. She admired the artless composition of
Raphael's pictures, especially those in his first manner. All the
figures are directed towards one principal object, without any
contrivance on the part of the artist to group them in various attitudes
in order to produce a laboured effect. Corinne said that this sincerity
in the arts of the imagination, as well as in every other, is the true
character of genius; and that studied efforts for fame are almost
always destructive of enthusiasm. She maintained that there was rhetoric
in painting as well as in poetry, and that all those who could not