FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130  
131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>   >|  
here? What figure is that on the poop of the vessel? Can it be---- _Lucullus._ The subject was dictated by myself; you gave it. _Caesar._ Oh, how beautifully is the water painted! How vividly the sun strikes against the snows on Taurus! The grey temples and pierhead of Tarsus catch it differently, and the monumental mound on the left is half in shade. In the countenance of those pirates I did not observe such diversity, nor that any boy pulled his father back: I did not indeed mark them or notice them at all. _Lucullus._ The painter in this fresco, the last work finished, had dissatisfied me in one particular. 'That beautiful young face,' said I, 'appears not to threaten death.' 'Lucius,' he replied, 'if one muscle were moved it were not Caesar's: beside, he said it jokingly, though resolved.' 'I am contented with your apology, Antipho; but what are you doing now? for you never lay down or suspend your pencil, let who will talk and argue. The lines of that smaller face in the distance are the same.' 'Not the same,' replied he, 'nor very different: it smiles, as surely the goddess must have done at the first heroic act of her descendant.' _Caesar._ In her exultation and impatience to press forward she seems to forget that she is standing at the extremity of the shell, which rises up behind out of the water; and she takes no notice of the terror on the countenance of this Cupid who would detain her, nor of this who is flying off and looking back. The reflection of the shell has given a warmer hue below the knee; a long streak of yellow light in the horizon is on the level of her bosom, some of her hair is almost lost in it; above her head on every side is the pure azure of the heavens. Oh! and you would not have shown me this? You, among whose primary studies is the most perfect satisfaction of your guests! _Lucullus._ In the next apartment are seven or eight other pictures from our history. There are no more: what do you look for? _Caesar._ I find not among the rest any descriptive of your own exploits. Ah, Lucullus! there is no surer way of making them remembered. This, I presume by the harps in the two corners, is the music-room. _Lucullus._ No, indeed; nor can I be said to have one here; for I love best the music of a single instrument, and listen to it willingly at all times, but most willingly while I am reading. At such seasons a voice or even a whisper disturbs me; but music refreshes
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130  
131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Lucullus
 

Caesar

 

countenance

 

willingly

 

replied

 
notice
 
heavens
 

streak

 
detain
 

flying


reflection

 

terror

 
horizon
 

yellow

 
warmer
 

corners

 
remembered
 
making
 

presume

 

single


instrument

 

whisper

 

disturbs

 

refreshes

 

seasons

 

listen

 

reading

 

pictures

 

apartment

 

studies


primary

 
perfect
 

satisfaction

 

guests

 

extremity

 
history
 

descriptive

 
exploits
 

pirates

 
observe

diversity
 

differently

 
monumental
 
pulled
 

finished

 

dissatisfied

 
father
 

painter

 
fresco
 

Tarsus