the self-denial of the saint, a mouse is peeping into an empty 281 81 In another example, the lion enters the cell, and three monks, attendants on St. Jerome, flee in terror. 8. The last communion of St. Jerome is the subject of one of the most celebrated pictures in the world, the St. Jerome of Domenichino, which has been thought worthy of being placed opposite to the Transfiguration of Raphael, in the Vatican. The aged saint-feeble, emaciated, dying-is borne in the arms of his disciples to the chapel of his mo Carpaccio. Bologna Gal. Eng. in Louvre. Sp. Gal. nastery, and placed within the porch. A young priest sustains him; St. Paula, kneeling, kisses one of his thin bony hands; the saint fixes his eager eyes on the countenance of the priest, who is about to administer the sacrament,—a noble dignified figure in a rich ecclesiastical dress; a deacon holds the cup, and an attendant priest the book and taper; the lion droops his head with an expression of grief; the eyes and attention of all are on the dying saint, while four angels, hovering above, look down upon the scene. Agostino Caracci had previously treated the same subject with much feeling and dramatic power; but here the saint is not so wasted and so feeble; St. Paula is not present; the lion is tenderly licking his feet. Older than either, and very beautiful and solemn, is a picture by Vittore Carpaccio, in which the saint is kneeling in the porch of a church, surrounded by his disciples, and the lion is seen outside. 9. "The Death of St. Jerome." In the picture by Starnina he is giving his last instructions to his disciples, and the expression of solemn grief in the old heads around is very fine. In a Spanish picture he is extended on a couch, made of hurdles, and expires in the arms of his monks. In a very fine anonymous print, dated 1614, St. Jerome is dying alone in his cell; (this version of the subject is contrary to all authority and precedent :) he presses to his bosom the gospel and the crucifix; the lion looks up in his face roaring, and angels bear away his soul to heaven. 10. "The Obsequies of St. Jerome." In the picture by Vittore Carpaccio, the saint is extended on the ground before the high altar, and the priests around are kneeling in various attitudes of grief or devotion. The lion is seen on one side. I will mention here some other pictures in which St. Jerome figures as the principal personage. Giordano. St. Jerome introducing Charles V. into Paradise, is the Luca subject of a large fresco on the staircase of the Escurial. St. Jerome conversing with two Carmelite nuns, probably Louvre, intended for St. Paula and St. Marcella. Standish Gal. The sleep of St. Jerome. He is watched by two angels, Eng. Loli. one of whom with his finger on his lip commands silence. The history of St. Jerome in a series generally consists of the following subjects, of which the fourth and sixth are often omitted. 1. He is baptized. 2. He receives the cardinal's hat from the Virgin. 3. He does penance in the desert, beating his breast with a stone. 4. He meets St. Augustine. 5. He is studying or writing in a cell. 6. He builds the convent at Bethlehem. 7. He heals the wounded lion. 8. He receives the Last Sacrament. 9. He dies in the presence of his disciples. 10. He is buried. Considering that St. Jerome has ever been venerated as one of the great lights of the Church, it is singular that so few churches are dedicated to him. There is one at Rome, erected, according to tradition, on the very spot where stood the house of Santa Paula, where she entertained St. Jerome during his sojourn at Rome in 382. For the high altar of this church, Domenichino painted his masterpiece of the Communion of St. Jerome, already described. The embarkation of Saint Paula, to follow her spiritual teacher St. Jerome to the Holy Land, is the subject of one of Claude's most beautiful sea pieces, now in the collection of the Duke of Wellington; another picture of this subject, the figures as large as life, is in the Brera, by a clever Cremonese painter, Guiseppe Bottoni. St. Jerome has detained us long; the other Fathers are, as subjects of art, much less interesting. 002 v. Carpaccio, Juan de G. Palma, Valdes, &c. ST. AMBROSE. Ger. Lat. S. Ambrosius. Ital. Sant' Ambrogio. Fr. St. Ambrose. WE can hardly imagine a greater contrast than between the stern, enthusiastic, dreaming, ascetic Jerome, and the statesman-like, practical, somewhat despotic, AMBROSE. This extraordinary man, in whose person the priestly character assumed an importance and dignity till then unknown, was the son of a prefect of Gaul, bearing the same name, and was born at Treves, in the year 340. It is said, that, when an infant in the cradle, a swarm of bees alighted on his mouth, without injuring him. The same story was told of Plato and of Archilochus, and considered prophetic of future eloquence. It is from this circumstance that St. Ambrose is represented with the bee-hive near him. Young Ambrose, after pursuing his studies at Rome with success, was appointed prefect of Æmilia and Liguria (Piedmont and Genoa), and took up his residence at Milan. Shortly afterwards the Bishop of Milan died, and the succession was hotly disputed between the Catholics and the Arians. Ambrose appeared in his character of prefect, to allay the tumult; he harangued the people with such persuasive eloquence that they were hushed into respectful silence; and in the midst a child's voice was heard to exclaim, "Ambrose shall be bishop!" The multitude took up the cry as though it had been a voice from heaven, and compelled him to assume the sacred office. He attempted to avoid the honour thus laid upon him by flight, by entreaties, pleading that, though a professed Christian, he had never been baptized in vain! the command of the Emperor enforced the wishes of the people; and Ambrose, being baptized, was, within eight days afterwards, consecrated bishop of Milan. He has since been regarded as the patron saint of that city. He began by distributing all his worldly goods to the poor; he then set himself to study the sacred writings, and to render himself in all respects worthy of his high dignity. "The Old and the New Testament," says Mr. Milman, "met in the person of Ambrose :-the implacable hostility Hist. of to idolatry, the abhorrence of every deviation from the established formulary of belief: -the wise and courageous benevolence, the generous and unselfish devotion to the great interests of humanity." He was memorable for the grandeur and magnificence with which he invested the ceremonies of worship; they had never been so imposing. He particularly cultivated music, and introduced from the East the manner of chanting the service since called the Ambrosian chant. Two things were especially remarkable in the life and character of St. Ambrose. The first was the enthusiasm with which he advocated celibacy in both sexes: on this topic, as we are assured, he was so persuasive, that mothers shut up their daughters lest they should be seduced by their eloquent bishop into vows of chastity. The other was his determination to set the ecclesiastical above the sovereign or civil power: this principle, so abused in later times, was in the days of Ambrose the assertion of the might of Christianity, of mercy, of justice, of freedom, over heathenism, tyranny, cruelty, slavery. The dignity with which he refused to hold any communication with the Emperor Maximus, because he was stained with the blood of Gratian, and his resolute opposition to the Empress Justina, who interfered with his sacerdotal privileges, were two instances of this spirit. But the most celebrated incident of his life is his conduct with regard to the Empereor Theodosius, the last great emperor of Rome; a man of an iron will, a despot, and a warrior. That he should bend in trembling submission at the feet of an unarmed priest, and shrink before his rebuke, filled the whole world with an awful idea of the supremacy of the Christianity. |