e through the air, naturally are symbols of
spiritual existence. But the wings of the archangel are the wings of
some great, glorious bird like the eagle, which soars upward toward
the sun; the wings of the dragon are more like the wings of a bat,
which flies only in darkness and clings to the roofs of caves.

After all, the first and last impression which we get from the picture
is the lightning-like movement of the archangel. He darts at the
dragon as if he had come from heaven with the swiftness of light, his
robe flying like the wind away from him, his wings not spread in
flight, but lifted in his poise, and his face bearing the serenity of
an assured victory as he lifts his spear for its final thrust.

The great English poet Milton has made use of this same subject in
"Paradise Lost." Here is a portion of the story in the sixth book,
lines 316-330:--

"Together both, with next to almighty arm
Uplifted imminent, one stroke they aimed
That might determine, and not need repeat
As not of power, at once; nor odds appeared
In might or swift prevention.
But the sword of Michael from the armory of God
Was given him, tempered so that neither keen
Nor solid might resist that edge: it met
The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite
Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor stayed
But with swift wheel reverse, deep entering, shared
All his right side.
Then Satan first knew pain,
And writhed him to and fro convolved; so sore
The griding sword with discontinuous wound
Passed through him."

XV

THE SISTINE MADONNA

As we turn to the picture, famous the world over as the Sistine
Madonna, we seem to be looking through a window opening into heaven.
Faint in the background, yet filling the whole space, is a cloud of
innumerable cherubs; out of this cloud, and enveloped by it, appear
the Mother and Child.

They are taking their way seemingly from heaven to earth. A curtain
has been drawn aside that we may see them, and two figures are on
either side, as if to await their passing, one gazing into their faces
while he points outward, the other also kneeling in devotion yet
looking intently down. The mother's robes are blown back by the wind
as she moves steadily forward.

Underneath is a parapet, as if this were indeed a window, and two
beautiful boy-angels lean upon it, adoration on their faces and rest
in their position, as if they were everlastingl