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No. II.

PAUL PREACHING AT ATHENS.

Vide-Acts of the Apostles, Chap. 17.

THE moment of time which Raphael has chosen in this composition, is that in which Paul rises in the midst of Mount Mars. He is surrounded by the different sects of Philosophers which then divided Athens, and all the heads of the various schools in which science and wisdom were taught in that illustrious seat of learning. We here see the Epicurean, and the Stoic Philosopher; the Peripatetic, and the disciple of Epictetus; the Cynic, and the Areopagite.

must have been his feelings, what the energies of his mind at this moment?-There is a sufficient answer to the question in the figure which Raphael has given us of Paul in the present composition.-We see him placed firmly and immovably upon both

feet, like a column under that new fabric he was about to raise.—Both arms are lifted up; his action is at once simple and full, of almost colossal strength; his countenance is firm, steadfast, and replete with expression: and each attitude and motion carry the stamp and reflect the qualities of that divine faith which he was now promulgating in all its first pureness and simplicity

This figure, as a work of art, leaves us nothing to wish or expect beyond it.

When we consider what must have been Let us now turn to the characters of his the feelings of Paul at this moment; what audience.-How wonderful has been the must have been the energies of his mind variety and discrimination of Raphael in in order to meet the situation in which he this part of his composition.-The leading was thrown, when he beholds himself in figure in this group is that of the Philosothe most cultivated city of the ancient pher who stands forward in the centre of world, and in the midst of the most polish- the Picture.-Not his countexance and ed people,—a people justly proud of their action only, but even his drapery bespeaks pre-eminence in every branch of Philoso- his character and his feelings-He is eviphy and Art, when we consider that he dently occupied in full thought, in tranquil was promulgating, for the first time, the reasoning and the contemplation of ob- . obscure and unknown doctrines of Chris-jects now first starting upon his mind.tianity, of which it was one of its principal The serene and thinking mind is well triumphs that it set at nought all the marked by the grand flow and broad folds efforts of human learning, and placed the of the drapery, and the placidity of his virtues of the man against every talent of aspect denotes the soul of the Philosopher the scholar; when we consider that this This figure is finely contrasted with the chosen Apostle of the Gentiles was now group disputing amongst themselves-The entering, for the first time, upon the great turbulence of controversy is well shewn in objects of his mission, that of confounding the confused folds of the drapery; and the idolatry and crushing paganism wherever scoffers and the hearers are characterized he went; when we consider likewise, that with equal skill and choice-The half he was attacking it in its chosen citadel and yielding convert, leaning on his crutch, is school, where it reigned in all its triumphnobly expressive of a wavering faith, and of pomp and magnificence, surrounded and the countenances of Damaris and Dionydefended by philosophy and science, and sius leave us no doubt of their conviction. supported and decorated with all the splen- It is by reasoning upon these principles of dour and glory that could be derived from science which governed the choice of Rathe art and genius of man, when we re-phael in this composition, that we are led flect, we say, upon this glorious, but no less to a conviction, that as a work of art, in the trying situation, in which Paul was cast, higher qualities of design, expression, and, to combat with all human learning in de- composition, it has never been excelled by fence of its own prejudice and in aid of its the pencil of man. own power, we are naturally led to ask what

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