honors, and genius receive none? Every noble, and every patrician in Venice has at least given one thought to day to Giorgione. To night we perform his funeral obsequies, and cast aside this glare and pomp, contrived to arrest the vulgar. Go with us, Titian; I know you and Giorgione were friends at heart, and there is no rivalship in the grave."

Rivalship! what would not Titian have given to have had one interview with his early friend, to have exchanged forgiveness! But it was too late, and he could only render unavailing sighs and tears to his memory.

It was weeks after this event took place before Titian recovered his usual tone of spirits, and Ariosto persuaded him to pass some time with him at his house in Ferrara. Here he was much noticed by the Duke of Ferrara, and invited to stay at his palace; but he preferred remaining with Ariosto, who lived in a simple manner in a small house of his own building. The Duke had made him splendid offers, as also had Leo X; but the poet loved ease better than rank, and said he would "not sell his liberty for a cardinal's hat."

Titian expressed to him some surprise

that he had not built a more splendid dwelling. "You," said he, "who have given such descriptions in your Orlando, of palaces and castles, of noble colonnades and marble fountains, must surely have some taste for them."

"Yes," replied he, "I love to describe them; but words are more easily put together than blocks of marble."

"What think you of the inscription over my door?" continued he.

Titian had not observed it—it was in Latin and may be thus translated:

"My house is small, but suits myself;

Is neat, and paid for with my pelf."

While staying with Ariosto, Titian painted a fine picture of him.*

In the Orlando Furioso, Titian is celebrated as conferring not less honor on Cadore, his native place, than Raphael and Giorgione on Venice and Urbino.†

When Titian returned to Venice, he was requested to complete a picture that Giorgione had left unfinished. This was a renewal

Non men Cador, che quei Venezia e Urbino.

of those tender and remorseful feelings, which had before agitated him.

The fame of Titian had now spread wide; he was requested by Bembo the secretary of Pope Leo X, to repair to Rome; but, as he was greatly occupied, he delayed going from day to day, till the intelligence arrived of Leo's and of Raphael's death, and he then concluded to relinquish his purpose. He was requested to paint the portrait of the new Doge Andrea Gritti, and also to copy the portraits of the preceding Doges.

In 1536 he received the news of the death of Ariosto. It is the destiny of man to mourn; and so felt Titian, as, year after year, he was called to part with his early friends.

Of his domestic connexions little is said; but in his two sons he took great pleasure, and visited Rome for the purpose of introducing them to Michelangelo. The eldest, Horatio Vecelli, discovered early a taste for painting, and finished several portraits in the style of his father; but his great delight was in chemistry, and he finally abandoned the pencil for his crucibles.

In 1566, Vasari, the friend of Titian, and afterwards his biographer, came to Venice expressly to visit him, and found him in the

Barberigo palace, on the grand canal, where he resided till his death. Though then in the decline of life, there were no symptoms of infirmity or decay; his mind was bright, his movements vigorous and active. "Welcome, my friend," said he; "you have found me preparing for one of my youthful sports, we are to have a Regatta, and I know not which are most engaged in it, my boys or myself."

Titian then ordered the gondola which he particularly patronized, to be brought before the palace; proudly it moved upon the waters its dress was fantastic, and loaded with ornaments - plumes of burnished gold glittered in the sun, and the winged lions of the republic seemed about to take their flight to the proposed goal.

"Is this merely an amusement?" said Vasari, "or, is there any particular object connected with it?"

"Frequently," replied Titian, "the gondoliers challenge to a Regatta. They then put up a little flag at a distance, and exert all their skill and strength to outstrip each other and obtain the prize. But every now and then a Regatta is ordered by the government, who feel the importance of promoting emula

tion among a class of men on whom we so much depend. The competitors are chosen from among the most respectable of the gondoliers, and I assure you it is no ordinary competition."

"I am fortunate," said Vasari, "in arriving in time to witness an amusement which is peculiar to Venice, and I perceive the policy of your government in encouraging it. It is upon the principle of the ancient Peloponnesian courses."

"And scarcely less noble," said Titian; "for, as a crown of oak was then the victors reward, so a green bough is the signal and prize of the victorious gondolier.”

Titian was engaged in preparing for this amusement till the day came. His easel was set aside, and his noble pictures, which were to earn him the guerdon of undying fame, seemed to him of little comparative worth.

When the morning of the Regatta arrived, the grand canal was alive with boats of every description. Nothing could be more animating than the scene; the gondoliers in the gay and beautiful costume, which Titian has handed down to posterity in some of his finest pictures, each standing on his boat with its bright prow of polished iron gleam