of, Caroline. I repeat that I am not smitten with him, and that his name is Mr. Charles Selwyn."

"I was also thinking of Mr. Charles Selwyn," replied Caroline.

66 And you are not smitten with him any more than I am or he is with you?" continued I, smiling, and looking her full in the face. Caroline coloured, and said,

"I like him very much from what I have seen of him, Valerie; but recollect our acquaintance has been very short."

"A very proper answer, my dear Caroline, and given with due maidenly decorum-but here we are; and there is Madame Gironac nodding to us from the window."

The next day, Caroline went back to Mrs. Bradshaw's, and I did not see her till the music-lesson of Wednesday afterwards. Caroline, who had been watching for me, met me at the door.

"Oh! Valerie, I have a great deal to tell. In the first place, the establishment is in an uproar at the disappearance of Adele Chabot, who has removed her clothes, and gone off without beat of drum. One of the maids states that she has several times seen her walking and talking with a tall gentleman, and Mrs. Bradshaw thinks that the reputation of her school is ruined by Adele's flight. She has drank at least two bottles of eau-de-Cologne and water to keep off the hysterics, and is now lying on the sofa, talking in a very incoherent way. Miss Phipps says she

thinks her head is affected."

"Well, is that all ?"

"I should think it was," replied I. "All! why, Valerie, you appear to think nothing of an elopement. All! why is it not horrible ?"

"I do not think it very horrible, Caroline; but I am glad to find that you have such correct ideas on that head, as it satisfies me that nothing would induce to take such a step."

you

"Well," replied Caroline, quickly, "what I had also to communicate is, that I have seen my father, who has informed me that on their return from Brighton in October, they expect that I will come home. He said that it was high time that I was settled in life, and that I could not expect to be married if I remained at a boarding-school."

“Well, and what did you say?"

"I said that I did not expect to be married, and I did not wish it; that I thought my education was far from complete, and that I wished to improve myself."

"Well?"

"Then he said that he should submit to my caprices no longer, and that I should go back in October, as he had decided."

"Well ?"

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'Well, I said no more, and he went away."

Having received all this intelligence, I went up-stairs. I found Mrs. Bradshaw crying bitterly, and she threw herself in my arms.

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Oh, Mademoiselle Chatenouf!-the disgrace! - the ruin! I shall never get over it," exclaimed she.

"I see no disgrace or ruin, Mrs. Bradshaw. Adele has told me that a gentleman had proposed marriage to her, and asked my advice." "Indeed!" exclaimed Mrs. Bradshaw.

"Yes."

"Well, that alters the case; but still, why did she leave in this strange way ?"

" I presume the gentleman did not think it right that she should marry out of a young ladies' establishment, madam.'

"And why not?" said Mrs. Bradshaw.

"The example to the young ladies, madam.” "Very true: I did not think of that."

"After all, what is it? Your French teacher is married-surely that will not injure your establishment ?"

"No, certainly-why should it ?-but the news came upon me so abruptly, that it quite upset me. I will lie down a little, and my head will soon be better."

Time went on; so did the school. Miss Adele, that was, sent no wedding-cake, much to the astonishment of the young ladies, and it was not till nearly three weeks afterwards that I had a letter from Adele Chabot, now Mrs. Jervis. But before I give the letter to my readers, I must state that Mr. Selwyn, junior, had called upon me the day before Caroline went to school, and had had a long conversation with her, while I went out to speak to Madame Gironac on business: further, that Mr. Selwyn, junior called upon me a few days afterwards, and after a little common-place conversation, à l'Anglais, about the weather, he asked after Miss Caroline Stanhope, and then asked many questions. As I knew what he wished, I made to him a full statement of her position, and the unpleasant predicament in which she was placed. I also stated my conviction that she was not likely to make a happy match, if her husband was selected by her father and mother, and how much I regretted it, as she was a very amiable, kind-hearted girl, who would make an excellent wife to any one deserving of her. He thought so too, and professed great admiration of her; and having, as he thought, pumped me sufficiently, he took his leave. A few days afterwards, he came upon some pretended message from his father, and then I told him that she was to be removed in October. This appeared to distress him; but he did not forget to pull out of his pocket a piece of music sealed up, telling me that, by mistake, Caroline had left two pieces of music at Kew, and had taken away one belonging to his sister Mary; that he returned one, but the other was mislaid, and would be returned as soon as it was found; and would I oblige him so far as to request Miss Stanhope to send him the piece of music belonging to his sister, if she could lay her hand upon it.

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Well, I will do your bidding, Mr. Selwyn," replied I; "it is a very proper message for a music-mistress to take; and I will also bring back your sister's music when Caroline gives it to me, and you can call here for it. If I am out, you can ask Madame Gironac to give it to you." Upon which, with many thanks and much gratitude for my kindness, Mr. Selwyn withdrew.

Having made all this known to the reader, he shall now have the contents of Adele's letter.

Jan.-VOL. LXXIX. No. CCCXIII.

G

A PILGRIMAGE TO THE SANCTUARY OF VARALLO.

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BY THE AUTHOR OF ECHOES FROM THE BACKWOODS."

LIFE OF GAUDENZIO FERRARI.

"Fuor di quest' eccezioni che nelle opere migliori schivò del tutto, Gaudenzio è pittor grandissimo, ed è quegli fra gli aiuti di Raffaello che più si avvicini à Perino è a Giulio' Romano. e parve unico in esprimere la maestà dell' Esser divino, i misteri della religione, gli affetti della pietà, della quale fù lodevol seguace, detto eximie pius in un sinodo Novarese. In questa grande opera ha spiegato carattere di pittor vago, più forse che in attia; inserendovi teste bellissime e angioletti quanto gai nelle forme, altrettanto spiritosi nelle azioni. Ho udito celebrar questo come la migliore sua opera; ma il Lomazzo, e l' autor della Guida, asseriscono che la via tenuta da Gaudenzio nel sepolcro di Varallo è stata miglior di tutte."-Lanzi. Storia Pittorica, vol. iii., p. 175.

GAUDENZIO FERRARI was born at Valduggia, the principal town in the valley of that name, and which is one of the lateral valleys of the Sesia. He was the son of Franchino Ferrari, and of a Vinzio, who brought him into the world, in the He showed an early pre1484. year dilection for painting, and no sooner had he ascertained the bent of his mind than he left his native place, went to Vercelli, and became a pupil of Girolamo Giovenone, a painter of some reputation of that time. He worked with such zeal and assiduity, that in a few years he painted in a masterly style (so says his biographer); and an altar-piece, with foldingdoors (the fashion of that time) and in different compartments, still exists in the old church of Quarona, of which although much injured, sufficient remains to attest his early talents; he likewise, at that time, painted a "Pièta" in the Franciscan convent in Varallo, in such good fresco, that it still remains fresh and beautiful; also an "Ancona" for the church of Gattinara, still much prized.

At Vercelli they have a tradition, that Giovenone was his master; giving as a reason, that on a picture of this same Giovenone he has placed his own signature, with the addition, " Maestro di Gaudenzio ;" thereby intimating that he considered it an honour to have formed a painter of such merits. Should a stronger argument be required, say they, it is to be found in the resemblance of style in the above-mentioned painting, finished by Ferrari before he was twenty years of age.

Taking courage, from having so soon been able to imitate his master, he determined to advance himself as much as possible in his art; and for that purpose went to Milan, where he was delighted to find that Scotto Luini, and all the pupils of Leonardo da Vinci, were painting with the greatest success, in a style at once freer and more flowing than had been practised in the schools he had just left; and the progress he there made is very visible in the frescoes on the walls of the chapel of the Pièta (No. 40), in the Sacro Monte, at Varallo, and which he executed about the year 1504, being then but twenty years of age.

But he was not satisfied with the progress he had made, nor yet with what he saw of the art in Lombardy and Piedmont, and determined to go to the fountain-head. He, therefore, placed himself under Pietro

Perugino, the leading artist of Italy, according to the opinion of that day. Here he learned to give more grace to his heads, and a better style of colouring; and became acquainted with the works of Raphael, who had greatly surpassed Perugino. He set to work to follow his traces; and, in their common pursuit of the art, contracted an intimacy with Raphael himself; and it so happened that towards the year 1506, whilst Raphael was colouring the picture of the "Deposition from the Cross," for the Baglioni chapel at St. Francesco, he commissioned Ferrari to paint the half-figure of God the Father, with some heads of angels, in which he succeeded admirably.

Raphael was so pleased with Gaudenzio's skill and his amicable disposition, that he became much attached to him; and took him as one of his assistants in carrying out the great works which he was called to execute at Rome.

In the meanwhile, all the lovers of the arts, and an infinity of painters, were attracted to Florence by the "Cartoons" of Leonardo; the "Battle of Pisa," designed by Leonardo da Vinci; also by Michael Angelo. Raphael, and Gaudenzio, were amongst the number; the latter being well aware of the value of Leonardo's works. Ferrari must have followed Raphael there, as it could only have been at that time he painted the two pictures mentioned in the catalogue of the gallery there: the one representing the "Virgin and Child," to whom St. Anna is offering fruit, with St. James and another saint in attendance; the other, the "Murder of the Innocents;" both works of great expression, and for which he acquired much praise.

After his return to Rome, he was entirely employed in assisting Raphael; and his fame having reached his own country, he was invited by the leading people in Varallo, in the name of the community, to return, and paint the Franciscan convent at their expense. He accepted the invitation with much satisfaction, and was the first who practised the Raphaelesque style in Upper Italy; and not Pellegrino Munari, as Lanzi has asserted. These paintings were commenced not later than the year 1510, and were finished in 1513, many years before Pellegrino painted in the Modenese country.

Ferrari began his labours, in the chapel of St. Margaret, in fresco, with "The Dispute of the Doctors," in one corner, and "the Circumcision," in the other. Six Apostles, under the archway, half-lengths; and "The Annunciation" in chiaro-oscuro, on the ceiling. "The Epiphany," "The Flight into Egypt," "The Adoration of the Magi," in small dimensions, and different other figures, in borders of grotesque and various colours; in which performance may be traced the change from his early to his second manner-that of the Raphaelesque prevailing. Afterwards, with a higher and more noble expansion of soul, and with greater labour, he painted in twenty-one compartments, upon a vast screen (which divides the church from the choir)," the Birth, Life, and Death of our Saviour." This is a noble work, in which are combined fine attitudes, expression, admirable design, variety of costume, and brilliant colouring: above all, an invention full of truth and effect; in a word, the work of an able master.

Notwithstanding his labours, when employed on this great work in fresco, he found time to paint several pictures for private individuals, who were desirous of having specimens of his art; amongst others, he painted

a picture of St. Francis, for Emiliano Scarognini, who had erected the first chapel in which mass was celebrated on the Sacro Monte of Varallo. In this picture he introduced the wife and son of the founder, with that of his two friends-it has been quite destroyed by time; as also that of two prophets, in a small chapel in the same vicinity-now demolished.

His next work was an admirable picture in six compartments, for the collegiate church at Arona. "The Nativity" occupies the centre composition; "The Eternal Father and two Angels" are placed above; on either sides, "Saints ;" and below, in small-sized figures, "Our Saviour and his Apostles. The heads are exceedingly graceful, the colouring fine, and the accessories and attitudes express much eloquence; recalling forcibly the style of Perugino perfected by Raphael; at the bottom of the principal compartment may be seen the date 1511. He also painted, in the same church, "The Adoration of the Magi," in fresco; of this, unluckily, nothing remains but the memory. The first picture has been erroneously attributed to Gaudenzio Vinzio; from the fact of the maternal name of Vinzio having been written on the frame (a family still inhabiting the Valduggia); an error very palpable, although, amongst other writers, Lanzi himself has been misled; for it is not likely that, had such a painter existed, he would not have left other specimens of his talents; further, in the archives of the church, the documents have been found, concerning the receipt of the picture, and the hanging of it, which leaves no doubt that it is to be ascribed to Ferrari.

In the church of St. Rocca, he painted on a gold ground, and on folding doors "The Annunciation," various saints, "Two Angels guarding the Sepulchre" (after the Lord has risen). There was also in the oratory of the same church a picture of the Madonna and Child, which is lost; a fate which is said also to have befel the three paintings said to have existed in the church at Romagnano, and the "Supper of Our Lord," which he had painted in the church of Gozzano.

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The family of Morbio, of Novara, possess two pictures which represent "Angels in Adoration," and the church of Quarono a picture of the Virgin and Child," most tastefully designed, and a “Presepio," also from his easel, so highly finished that it has been compared to a miniature, passed during the last reign from the Archbishop of Milan's gallery to Paris.

The last work of Ferrari in his second manner, and of this period of his life, is now placed in one of the chapels of the cathedral of Novara, for which 1250 imperial lire were paid, as is shown by the deed dated June 20th, 1514; it is divided into six compartments: "The Virgin hailed by the Angel," in the upper, and "The Babe in the Manger," is the subject of the centre one. In the lower compartments, "The Virgin and Child" in the middle, with saints on either side, and at the bottom in chiarooscuro, some events from the life of St. Gaudenzio. There is much

* We visited this church, situated about three miles along the high road from Varallo towards Romagnano, and had the picture shown to us by a most civil curate, who was excessively obliging, and offered refreshments and wine. The situation of this church is exceedingly picturesque, placed at the outlet of a deep ravine, and upon the edge of a mountain torrent. The vicar arrived before we had completed our examination, and informed us that the picture was for sale, as they required funds to build a new altar. That in the first instance the government were to have the refusal of it. It would be a delightful acquisition to any collection, but our informant added, that in all probability it would not be allowed to leave the country.