just previous to Rossetti's going to Oxford himself for the painting of the "Union."

There was a remarkable "drawing together" of sympathetic minds in this famous undertaking, the leading architect and the leading artist, moreover, both being markedly original. Dante Rossetti was the acknowledged inspiring influence amongst the small band of young painters who voluntarily gave their services towards what was in two cases a first good opportunity of public exhibition, these two being Val. Prinsep and E. Burne Jones, though the latter had already executed designs for the stained glass in Bradfield College, Berks. The subjects chosen by the last-mentioned artists were Merlin being lured into the pit by the Lady of the Lake, and Nimuë bringing Sir Peleus to Ettarde after their quarrel; while amongst the other earliest decorative designs were King Arthur receiving the Sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, by J. H. Pollen (already known by his painting of the roof of Merton Chapel); Arthur conveyed by weeping Queens to Avalon after his death, by Arthur Hughes; Sir Palomides' jealousy of Sir Tristram and Iseult, by William Morris, who also painted the roof; and Sir Lancelot asleep before the shrine of the Sancgrael, by Dante Rossetti. The general effect of glowing colours may be imagined, rich blues, purples, greens, and reds being predominant -indeed only one of the so-called frescoes was in consistently dark hues, namely, that by Mr. Hughes, where the scene is in partly moonlit darkness; but unpleasant effects of contrast were avoided by its being at one end of the room, facing the design by Mr. Pollen, richer in colour certainly than Mr. Hughes',

but more subdued in tone than the other mural paintings. It was originally intended both by the artist himself and by the Committee that Rossetti should paint one and perhaps two more "frescoes," but this never came about; indeed the Sir Lancelot before the Shrine of the Sancgrael remains still with an unfinished "patch" in the foreground; but this does not, however, represent his whole actual work at Oxford, he having also made a design of Arthur sitting at table with his knights, which design was carven in stone and coloured by Mr. Monro, and is now in the tympanum of the porch. Altogether the result of the first half-dozen wall-paintings was looked upon as a daring innovation in the introduction of non-architectural style and colour in conjunction with architectural surroundings; in the words of a contemporary notice, "the result is a departure from precedent as indescribable as complete. Rossetti, whom Mr. Ruskin has pronounced to be the only modern rival of Turner as a colourist, must at least be allowed (whether we admit the rivalry or not) to equal Turner in one of the noblest and least attainable qualities of harmonious colourviz. its mysteriousness; of which quality the apparition of the Damsel of the Sancgrael surrounded with angels, on the wall of the Union, is a remarkable example." In the same critique there is full recognition shown of the successful way in which the young painters "have observed the true conditions and limitations of architectural painting with a degree of skill scarcely to have been expected from their inexperience in this kind of work." The writer is himself evidently a "Romanticist," "Preraphaelite," or "Protester," for his advocacy is thorough throughout, and his theory

as to mural painting not such as was then recognised in England, or indeed elsewhere; for, after acknowledging that an indefiniteness of outline (adding, however, that such does not imply any general dissolution of form) is a necessary result of Rossetti's colourmethod, he goes on to say that this indefiniteness is all the more suited for architectural painting owing to its relieving the general effect of absolute definiteness of outline characteristic of architecture, a definiteness that had hitherto always been emulated rather than relieved. But the writer's confident anticipations as to their lasting success as regards colour-endurance were not well founded, for in a comparatively short period the colours began to lose their brilliancy and later to fade still more decisively; Mr. Gullick and Mr. Timbs, in their popular treatise on painting, being nearer the mark in their prophecy that "as the paintings are in distemper, not fresco, we have no great confidence in their permanency." They were not even in distemper, however—the paints being laid on the brick walls in a way that would have astounded the old fresco painters; and that the result has been proved to be unsatisfactory has for a considerable time past been fully recognised, but of late especially the ravages of time or damp or both have been more marked, and when I saw them a few months ago much of the work throughout was virtually destroyed, here and there indeed a fine piece of colour still remained, but there was little coherency of form and a general decay in tone. They were, as I have said, simply painted on the brick, which, with the easily atmospherically-affected nature of the friable Oxford stone, doubtless fully accounts for their ulti

mate unfortunate condition. Their execution was entirely a labour of love in so far as remuneration was concerned, but the expenses of the young artists at the hotel where they sojourned were defrayed, by no means, in the opinion of the Committee, such a small matter as one might think owing to the decidedly non-anchoritic tastes of the enthusiastic painters. I remember Rossetti always used to refer to the matter with a quiet laugh, adding that he thought it would be a lesson to the Committee to rather pay a definite sum and leave the artists to meet their hotel expenses themselves. As to the subject of the latter's "fresco," it will be remembered that when Lancelot came to the shrine of the Holy Grail he could not enter because of his forbidden love for Guinevere, and being full of sorrow and fatigue lay down before it in a deep sleep; and it is a dream or vision during this sleep that is the subject of the fresco. He sees the Queen herself regarding him half with love and half with triumph, clad in raiment of glowing colours, and with arms intertwining with the branches of an apple-tree, a symbolical allusion that will be at once comprehended; while beyond the interposing figure of Guinevere appears in the air the mysterious figure of the Damsel of the Sancgrael, holding the sacred chalice for him unobtainable, and herself surrounded by angels. The colours are, or rather were, rich and beautiful, and were laid on with an elaborate skill and care, but the drawing was bad. I have heard Rossetti blamed for not fulfilling the original intention as to painting other "frescoes," and also for never having completed the one he did execute; the latter he himself regretted, and often said in a vague way he should like to finally

touch up, but when he first learned of the improbable permanency of the mural paintings he hardly considered it worth while, and this, along with the unremunerated loss of time that would have resulted, amply accounts for his withdrawal from further work at the "Union."

There is another important water-colour of this date which I have forgotten to refer to, the composition called the Gate of Memory, and, like Found, based on some verses in Mr. W. Bell Scott's ballad Rosabel, or Maryanne as called subsequently in the reprint in 1854. The verses are those beginning "On saunters Maryanne,

Once a time the harvest-queen,"

and the specially illustrated lines are those in the next stanza,

"She leaned herself against the wall,

And longed for drink to slake her thirst
And memory at once."

Like the girl in Found, she of the Gate of Memory is also an unfortunate "lost at twenty-five," and has paused in her wanderings in the city to which she was beguiled. She leans against a wall, the rich wealth of her uncovered hair shrouding her comely face, and round her ill-protected frame being a close-wrapt shawl; while between her and an archway, the Gate of Memory, in mid-arch of which hangs a yellowflamed lamp, glides in the dismal dusk a large and evil-looking rat. She peers aside at the vision seen through the "Gate" (against a background of fine mansions lighted up) where is herself as a little girl seated flower-crowned with her young companions dancing and singing around her. This vision is