(i) I have heard Thee with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye

seeth Thee.'

In the drawing, the friends do not turn their faces away from the presence of God, but towards Him, though kept buried in their hands. There is a fine aspect of portent in the sky and background to the right.

(j) Job's Sacrifice for his Friends.

Job here stands full-fronting the spectator: the friends are more upright than in the engraving.

(k) Every one also gave him a piece of money.'

The neighbours are three only, instead of four, and the design otherwise somewhat different from the engraving the latter having the advantage. (1) Job and his Three Daughters.

Very bad in the handling of the colour, which is evidently Mrs. Blake's. Differs considerably from the engraving. The history narrated by Job, as shown forth by way of vision, comes overhead, instead of in rounded sidecompartments. The group of Job and his Daughters is surrounded by grazing sheep, with a lamb and a sheep-dog lying in the foreground to right and left.

(m) The final Prosperity of Job.

On the sun is written: 'Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true.'

98. 1823-5-A SECOND COMPLETE SET of Water-colour Designs for the Job Engravings. [Mr. Linnell.]

See p. 283, Vol. I., and, under the preceding No., the observations on the set belonging to Mr. Milnes. The two sets correspond closely enough, Mr. Linnell's being somewhat higher in colour, and more developed in style generally. The following are noticeable :—

(a) Satan before the Lord.

Highly coloured; the flame about Satan is especially vivid in effect.

(b) Then went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord.'

The guardian angels are represented as overclouded.

(c) Satan pouring Disease on Job.

Powerful in lurid colour.

(d) Job's terrific Dream.

The serpent (contrary to Mr. Milnes's example, 97 ƒ) is dull grey. The lower part of the design has a powerful effect.

(e) God appearing to Job in the Whirlwind.
Dark grey tone of colour.

(f) 'When the morning stars sang together.'

See 97 g, with which this design corresponds in the point there adverted to.

(g) Leviathan and Behemoth.

Deeper in colour than 97 h.

(h) Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked.'

Strong in colour.

(i) I have heard Thee with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye

seeth Thee.'

Corresponds with 97, in the position of the friends. The expression of Job is exceedingly noble.

(j) Job's Sacrifice for his Friends.

Corresponds with the engraving, rather than with 97 j. The engraving, however, introduces an additional point of advantage, by making the composi tion upright, instead of lengthways.

(4) Every one also gave him a piece of money.'

Also closer to the engraving than 97 k. Pale in colour.

(1) Job and his Three Daughters.

Comes very near the engraving in the details. It so far corresponds, however, with 97 7, that three sheep and a sheep-dog are introduced in the foreground. Almost colourless.

99. 1825 (2).

The same subject. [Mr. Strange, from Mr. Butts.] Tempera. Also a near approach to the engraving; the visionary incidents being here much as in that, though somewhat higher up in the composition. Fearfully dilapidated.

100. 1825.-TWELVE DESIGNS to 'Paradise Regained.' [Mr. Linnell.]

Small water-colours neatly executed, the finishing carried to the point of stippling. See Vol. I. p. 334. Spite of its merits, the series has a remarkable affinity to the character of the poem, which is more distinguished by stately and elaborated method than by inspiration.

(a) Christ and the Baptist, with two Angels.

(b) The Baptism of Christ.

The figures of a woman and child are very pleasing.

(c) Satan in Council.

The devils are seated in yellow fire.

(d) The First Temptation-Command that these stones be made

bread.'

Fine. The mass of trees behind the figures is effective.

(e) Mary at her Distaff, watched by two Angels.

Graceful.

(f) Christ refusing the Banquet offered by Satan.

Satan, in the form of an old man, swoops in the air above. The chief female figure has a seductive aspect, well conceived.

(9) The Second Temptation-Satan displaying the Kingdoms of the Earth.

The kingdoms are seen within a flaming glory. Satan has a black nimbus, of barred form.

(h) Christ's Troubled Dream.

Serpents, a lion, &c. haunt the sleeper. Able.

(i) Morning chasing away the Phantoms.

The morning is a woman with rosy hair and azure nimbus. The finest design of the series.

(5) The Third Temptation-Christ on a Pinnacle of the Temple.

The Temple is of a Gothic type, with many pinnacles. Satan, finally baffled, falls downward.

101.

(k) Christ ministered to by Angels.

Good.

(1) Christ returning to Mary.

Two other figures appear to represent Joseph and the Baptist. 1825-6.- NINETY-EIGHT DESIGNS from Dante's 'Divina Commedia.' [Mr. Linnell.] Water-colours, often decidedly unfinished, seldom quite complete: occasionally pencil-drawings only, which are retained in this List, rather than the second, for convenience. See p. 333. Vol. I.

These are among the last works executed by Blake, and form, on the whole, a very fine series, though not uniformly equal in merit seven only, all from the Hell, have been engraved. So individual an artist as Blake could not fail frequently to run counter to other people's conceptions of the poet; but he certainly united in a singular degree the qualifications needed to translate Dante into form. Among the points necessary to be preserved, perhaps the one least fully expressed is the peculiar mediavalism of Dante, though Blake was by no means destitute of the feeling at times. Dante is represented throughout as a noble-looking, ideal young man, often almost feminine in person, clad in red. Virgil, not older than of early middle age, is in blue. (Besides the ninety-eight designs here enumerated, a slight inscribed diagram of the Hell-circles, and two other mere sketches, one of them of uncertain subject, may be considered as outlying members of the series.)

THE HELL-Sixty-eight Designs.

(a) Dante running from the Three Beasts.-Canto I.

Virgil comes floating through the air. The beasts are all sorts of colours; the leopard, for instance, being varied with lake and blue, and without spots. There is a wonderful effect of light beaming prismatic round the sun.

(b) Dante and Virgil penetrating the Forest.-Canto I. Very unfinished. Fine in feeling.

(c) The Mission of Virgil.-Canto II. Unfinished.

Beatrice contemplates Dante, beset by the beasts. At the summit is a large group of the Deity in wrath, and a supernatural being, presumably the Genius of Florence. Two side-figures below, seated amid flames, here blue, there red, are very fearful-looking. There are several other details carrying out the meaning of the whole subject.

(d) The Inscription over Hell-Gate.-Canto III. Unfinished.

Grand. Terrible conical upright flames, blue, red, and many-tinted, burn amid the mounded circles of Hell.

(e) The Vestibule of Hell, and the Souls mustering to cross the Acheron.-Canto III.

The souls unworthy of either heaven or hell are tormented by the hornets and worms above, in the dusky air, are their companion-angels, equally excluded. The heavy, murky Acheron is noble, and the whole design very fine upon examination.

(f) Charon and the Condemned Souls.-Canto III.
pencil.

Charon is very grotesque-almost ludicrous.

(g) Minos.-Canto IV.

Little beyond

Contains some wonderfully energetic and inventive actions. Terrible retributive angel-heads glance out from behind Minos.

(h) Homer, bearing the sword, and his Companions.-Canto IV, Pencil-slight.

(i) The Antique Poets and Philosophers, &c.-Canto IV. Half finished.

Quite a different composition from the preceding. The poets are under ideal trees, the leafage of which has a certain suggestion of the laurel or bay. (5) The Circle of the Lustful-Francesca da Rimini.-Canto V.

Engraved in close correspondence with the design, but this is considerably the finer; very wonderful in the sweep of the vortex and in colour; the flesh of the sufferers crimson-streaked. Virgil's head is fused into the light of the visionary disc representing the kiss of Francesca and Paolo.

(4) The Circle of the Gluttons, with Cerberus.-Canto VI. A mere preparation for colouring.

His doggish heads have a dragon-like character. He grips in human hands the souls, which are pigmies in comparison.

(m) The same. Unfinished.

The finer of the two. Dante and Virgil here are made more important.

(n) Plutus.-Canto VII. Colour only begun.

He has an insane look, corresponding to Dante's conception: his right hand is upon a bag marked 'money.' Fine.

(0) The Stygian Lake, with the Ireful Sinners fighting.-Canto VII. Unfinished.

Most admirably invented. The sinners, in two bands, hurl themselves one against the other, through the waters.

(p) Virgil repelling Filippo Argenti from the Boat.-Canto VIII. Unfinished.

Fine.

(2) Dante and Virgil crossing towards the City of Dis.-Canto VIII. Indian ink.

The scene is everything here, not the figures. Interesting.

(r) The Angel crossing Styx.-Canto IX. Only begun.

Would have come very fine. The whirls of the vortex which accompanies the angel coil like a gigantic serpent.

(8) The Gorgon-head, and the Angel opening the Gate of Dis.-Canto IX. Only begun in colour.

The gate, with the angel touching it, forms the chief subject.

(t) Farinata degli Uberti.-Canto X. Only begun. A very fine beginning.

(u) The Minotaur.-Canto XII. Only begun in colour.

The monster is ramping and roaring. Grand and monumental.

(v) The Centaurs, and the River of Blood.-Canto XII. Pencil outline, with only an indication of colour.

(w) The Harpies and the Suicides.-Canto XIII.

The harpies resemble old parrot-like dowagers, with very bright plumage. The trees show the forms of the suicides embodied in them.

(x). The Hell-Hounds hunting the Destroyers of their own Goods.— Canto XIII. Only begun in colour.

Most admirable in motion. The landscape counts for much in this composition.

(y) The Blasphemers.-Canto XIV. Only begun in colour.

The chief group is excellent, running to avoid the rain of fire. A woman is a principal figure in it.

(2) Capaneus the Blasphemer.-Canto XIV.

Not so violent in action as might have been expected. A strange medley of colour.

(a) The Symbolic Figure of the course of Human History described by Virgil.-Canto XIV. Half executed.

The 'great old man,' as Virgil terms him, is beardless. Moderately good. (1) Jacopo Rusticucci and his Comrades.-Canto XVI. Half executed in colour.

Very fine in character of the subject and in motion.

(c) The Usurers.-Canto XVII.

Pencil-sketch.

One of them is in the act of low sarcasm described by Dante-putting out his tongue like an ox that licks his nose.'

(d) Geryon conveying Dante and Virgil downwards.--Canto XVII. Only begun in colour.

(el) The Seducers chased by Devils.-Canto XVIII. Only begun in colour.

Admirable. In front lies a mummy-like figure, preyed upon by a saurian. No such incident is traceable in the poem: perhaps it represents, in this first Circle of the Fraudulent Sinners, 'Fraud, whereby every conscience is bitten,' as Virgil phrases it in Canto XI.

(f) The Flatterers.-Canto XVIII. Only begun in colour.

There are two wonderful floating figures above, whom it is difficult to account for.

(g) The Simoniac Pope.-Canto XIX. The lower part unfinished in

colour.

The figures of Dante and Virgil, locked together, at the moment of launching downwards to gaze upon the tormented soul, are most admirable, and among the most difficult achievements in the series. The colour, except in the unfinished part, is highly powerful in horrid brightness.

(1) The Necromancers and Augurs.-Canto XX. Very unfinished. A fine beginning.

(1) The Devil carrying the Lucchese Magistrate to the Boiling Pitchpool of Corrupt Officials.-Canto XXI. A sketch, almost colourless. (1) The Devils under the Bridge.-Canto XXI. Only begun in colour. Chiefly landscape: the bridge has some indications of monstrous human features. The devils form a fine agile group.

(1) Virgil abashing the Devils.-Canto XXI. Only begun in colour. (71) The Devils setting out with Dante and Virgil.-Canto XXI. Only begun in colour.