ded in his perfidious policy as to draw
Vitellezzo Vitelli, Oliverotto da Fermo, Paolo Orsini, and Francesco
Orsini, Duke of Gravina, into his nets at Sinigaglia. Under pretext of
fair conference and equitable settlement of disputed claims, he
possessed himself of their persons, and had them strangled--two upon
December 31, and two upon January 18, 1503. Of all Cesare's actions,
this was the most splendid for its successful combination of sagacity
and policy in the hour of peril, of persuasive diplomacy, and of
ruthless decision when the time to strike his blow arrived.

CORTONA.

After leaving La Magione, the road descends upon the Lake of Thrasymene
through oak-woods full of nightingales. The Lake lay basking,
leaden-coloured, smooth and waveless, under a misty, rain-charged,
sun-irradiated sky. At Passignano, close beside its shore, we stopped
for mid-day. This is a little fishing village of very poor people, who
live entirely by labour on the waters. They showed us huge eels coiled
in tanks, and some fine specimens of the silver carp--Reina del Lago. It
was off one of the eels that we made our lunch; and taken, as he was,
alive from his cool lodging, he furnished a series of dishes fit for a
king.

Climbing the hill of Cortona seemed a quite interminable business. It
poured a deluge. Our horses were tired, and one lean donkey, who, after
much trouble, was produced from a farmhouse and yoked in front of them,
rendered but little assistance.

Next day we duly saw the Muse and Lamp in the Museo, the Fra Angelicos,
and all the Signorellis. One cannot help thinking that too much fuss is
made nowadays about works of art--running after them for their own
sakes, exaggerating their importance, and detaching them as objects of
study, instead of taking them with sympathy and carelessness as pleasant
or instructive adjuncts to our actual life. Artists, historians of art,
and critics are forced to isolate pictures; and it is of profit to their
souls to do so. But simple folk, who have no aesthetic vocation, whether
reative or critical, suffer more than is good for them by compliance
with mere fashion. Sooner or later we shall return to the spirit of the
ages which produced these pictures, and which regarded them with less of
an industrious bewilderment than they evoke at present.

I am far indeed from wishing to decry art, the study of art, or the
benefits to be derived from its intelligent enjoyment. I only mean to
sug