s.

The first part of the 'Grammar of the Decorative Arts' appeared in 1881;
the second part, dealing with interior decorations, in 1882. The third
part, 'The Decoration of Cities,' was not completed, owing to his sudden
death. Elected President of the French Academy in 1882, he did not enjoy
this well-deserved honor long. A few weeks before his death--which
occurred on February 17th, 1882, from the effects of an operation for
cancer--he began a catalogue of the collection presented by Thiers to
the Louvre. This was the last work of a pen wielded with unimpaired
vigor to the end.

"The great artist," wrote Blanc, "is he who guides us into the region of
his own thoughts, into the palaces and fields of his own imagination,
and while there, speaks to us the language of the gods;" and to none are
these words more applicable than to himself. In the world of thought he
was a man of great originality, though neither architect, painter, nor
sculptor. He had all the artist nature from a boy, and never lost the
tender sensibility and _naif_ admiration for the beautiful in nature and
art which give such glow of enthusiasm to his writings. His 'Grammar of
Painting and Engraving' founded the scientific method of criticism. In
this work he brought his intellectual qualifications and extensive
reading to bear upon a subject until then treated either by
philosophical theorizers or eloquent essayists. He has left one of the
purest literary reputations in France. He was above all an idealist, and
made the World Beautiful more accessible to us.

[Illustration: _REMBRANDT AND HIS WIFE_. Photogravure from the original
Painting by Rembrandt. Dresden Gallery.] [Illustration]

REMBRANDT

From 'The Dutch School of Painters'

Rembrandt has taken great pains to transmit to us paintings of his
person, or at least of his face, from the time of his youth up to that
of shrunken old age. He was a man at once robust and delicate. His broad
and slightly rounded forehead presented a development that indicated a
powerful imagination. His eyes were small, deep-set, bright,
intelligent, and full of fire. His hair, of a warm color bordering on
red and curling naturally, may possibly have indicated a Jewish
extraction. His head had great character, in spite of the plainness of
his features; a large flat nose, high cheek-bones, and a copper-colored
complexion imparted to his face a vulgarity which, however, was relieved
by the form of his mouth,