he Queen of the Air might have been to the
sincere Athenian in the pagan age of faith. The story of her life and
death became an example, the conception of her character, as read in
Carpaccio's picture, became a standard for his own life and action in
many a time of distress and discouragement. The thought of "What would
St. Ursula say?" led him--not always, but far more often than his
correspondents knew--to burn the letter of sharp retort upon stupidity
and impertinence, and to force the wearied brain and overstrung nerves
into patience and a kindly answer. And later on, the playful credence
which he accorded to the myth deepened into a renewed sense of the
possibility of spiritual realities, when he learnt to look, with those
mediaeval believers; once more as a little child upon the unfathomable
mysteries of life.

But this anticipates the story; at the time, he found in Carpaccio the
man who had touched the full chord of his feelings and his thoughts,
just as, in his boyhood, Turner had led him, marvelling, through the
fire and cloud to the mountain-altar; and as, in his youth, Tintoret had
interpreted the storm and stress of a mind awakening to the terrible
realities of the world. It was no caprice of a changeful taste, nor love
of startling paradox, that brought him to "discover Carpaccio;" it was
the logical sequence of his studies, and widening interests, and a view
of art embracing far broader issues than the connoisseurship of "Modern
Painters," or the didacticism of "Seven Lamps," or the historical
research of "Stones of Venice."

Soon after the "Queen of the Air" was published Carlyle wrote:

"Last week I got y'r 'Queen of the Air,' and read it. _Euge,
Ettge._ No such Book have I met with for long years past. The one
soul now in the world who seems to feel as I do on the highest
matters, and speaks _mir aus dem Herzen_, exactly what I wanted to
hear!-As to the natural history of those old myths I remained here
and there a little uncert'n; but as to the meanings you put into
them, never anywhere. All these things I not only 'agree' with, but
w'd use Thor's Hammer, if I had it, to enforce and put in action on
this rotten world. Well done, well done!--and pluck up a heart, and
continue ag'n and ag'n. And don't say 'most g't tho'ts are dressed
_in shrouds_': many, many are the Phoebus Apollo celestial arrows
you still have to shoot into the foul Pyt