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objects, and these occupy the whole of the foreground. The group exhibits in the centre, a beautiful nymph replete with wine lying naked on her back, and on the farther side of her, are two satyrs giving drink to the panthers which draw the car. At the head of the recumbent nymph, is a faun bearing vessels of gold on his shoulders; and close to him are three infants and a goat; two of them are playing on the ground, and the third is resisting the attack of the goat. In advance of the car is a dancing nymph gaily playing on the tambourine, and in the rear are a nymph beating the symbols, and a satyr blowing a horn. Silenus, mounted on an ass and supported on either side by a faun, is passing on the farther side of the panthers. Upon an eminence in the distance, Bacchus is seen with the beautiful Ariadne by his side. Engraved by Beauvais.

211. The Triumph of Bacchus. This splendid picture represents the deity as a youth of great beauty, clothed in a scarlet vesture which floats airily over his shoulder, and seated in a car, holding the thyrsus in his hand; a male and female centaur are attached to the car; the former is mounted by a bacchante, who has a torch and a chaplet in her hand, while cupid directs their course: in advance of them are two of the menades or priestesses, one of whom carries the thyrsus entwined by a snake, and the other has a vine branch. The train of the peaceful conqueror is composed of Hercules, bearing on his shoulders the sacred tripod of Apollo; Pan playing on the syrinx; Silenus with the branch of the sacred tree in his hands, and three fauns: one of the latter bears a banner, on which is written, "Evoe, Evoe, hail, hail, to Bacchus!" The other two play on instruments of music. On the right of the foreground is a male figure recumbent

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(probably intended as an emblem of the groves), his brows are bound with ivy, and a branch of the same is in his hand; and on the opposite side is an infant gathering a bunch of grapes. The surrounding scene exhibits a hilly country adorned with clusters of trees, and represented under the aspect of early morning, indicated by Phoebus rising in splendour above the hills, and shedding his glowing effulgence on the hemisphere. This picture may justly be reckoned among the finest works of Poussin.

4 ft. 3 in. by 5 ft.-C.

Now in the collection of the Earl of Ashburnham.

The

212. A Bacchalian Revel in Honour of Pan. subject is composed of thirteen figures, forming one large group, which occupies the whole extent of the picture. In the centre is placed a statue of the ancient symbolic deity, which a beautiful nymph, clad in a light blue vest, is adorning with flowers; with one hand she embraces the idol, while the other is extended to take some flowers from a faun: a nymph behind her is joyously striking the tambourine, and a third is approaching, bearing a dead faun. In front of these is a smiling nymph loosely clad in a red vesture, pushing backwards a wanton satyr, whom she holds down by his horn; behind her is a fifth female, in a blue mantle, riding on a goat, and extending her hand to take some flowers from a basket presented by a faun on his knees; another faun supports her, and a third close to them is sounding a trumpet. On the opposite part of the picture is a faun endeavouring to raise a drunken satyr, and a youth near them is performing some antic movement. Every figure appears to be excited by the most ecstatic wildness, both of look and gesture, agreeable to

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the spirit of this ancient lubric ceremony, afterwards instituted at Rome, by the name of the Lupercalia. The thyrsus, masks, pipes, and goblets of the festival, lie scattered on the ground. Around is seen a beautiful Arcadian landscape, composed of hills, groves, and rivers. This superb production is painted throughout in the most accomplished style of the master; and having been painted on a light ground, the beauty and clearness of the colours have been preserved in their original purity.

4 ft. 5 in. by 4 ft. 8 in.-C. Now in the collection of the Earl of Ashburnham.

3. A Bacchanalian Festiva land Dance. This, like the preceding picture, is a learned illustration of the symbolical dionysia of the ancients. It exhibits, in glowing characters and classic taste, the wild revelry of bacchanals, fauns, and satyrs. The centre group is composed of a satyr and three fauns, the former is kneeling, emptying the contents of a bowl, which one of the latter (while dancing and waving aloft a vine branch) is replenishing from a vase; a second is animating them with the music of a flute; and the third, overcome by the inebriating juice, lies prostrate on the ground. A little retired is a table, on the farther side of which is a contest between a female centaur and an ass, ridden by a faun; near this, but more towards the side, is a gamesome satyress supported on a riotous goat by a faun. In the opposite side is seen the jolly preceptor and attendant on Bacchus, seated with his leg resting on the back of a tiger, and supported on either side by sylvans, one of whom holds a wreath over his head; this group is placed on the verge of a grove, to the trees of which is attached some drapery. The distance exhibits a wild and rocky country, adorned with clumps of trees. Engraved on a small scale by T. Phillibrown.

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This superlative picture was painted for the Cardinal Barberini; it was subsequently in the possession of John Lock, Esq., from whom it passed into the hands of John Purling, Esq.; at the sale of whose collection, in 1801, it was sold for 6701., and was then bought for J. J. Angerstein, Esq. Engraved by G. Doo.

4 ft. 8 in. by 3 ft. 1 in.-C. Now in the National Gallery.

Worth 12007.

214. A Revel and Sacrifice to Pan. The frequent repetition of these subjects shows how deeply the artist's mind was imbued with the love of sylvan rites and ceremonies, characteristic of the fabled golden age, when "In wanton dance they praise the bounteous Pan." Here the inhabitants of the groves, nymphs, fauns, and satyrs, have joyously assembled round an altar erected to the honour of the "universal deity," whose terminal image stands on the farther side of it. Some of them have partaken freely of the bounties of this "god of nature," and among them is a beautiful bacchante, who lies asleep towards the front of the picture: near to her are a nymph and a faun sitting together; the attention of the former is at the moment attracted by a sylvan, who is dragging a goat by the leg; a third female, with her hand raised to her head, is seen beyond them. In the opposite side of the picture is a car drawn by tigers, by which it would appear that Bacchus was present at the revel. A bacchante gaily striking the cymbals, a satyr laden with a large vase, and a bacchanal boy playing with the tigers, are also introduced. The landscape exhibits a beautiful Arcadian scene, appropriate with the subject. Engraved by J. Rosa.

A picture corresponding with the preceding description is

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mentioned by Cumberland in his catalogue of the King of Spain's pictures at Madrid, and he concludes his notice of it with the following emphatical commendation: It is "formed to captivate all beholders."

215. Bacchanalians. The subject is composed of eleven figures, grouped on the foreground of an open and rocky landscape. In the centre are two beautiful nymphs or bacchantes, one of whom is seated playing on the lute, the other is recumbent near her, leaning on the lap of a faun, listening; the latter sits close to the front with his back to the spectator, and is raising his cup to have it replenished by a slyvan attendant, who is already engaged filling a cup held by an infant bacchanal: two other infants are near, one of whom is terrifying the other with a mask; a fourth boy lies asleep on the opposite side, where the ever-youthful Bacchus is seen recumbent amidst vine foliage; his attention is directed to two fauns, one of whom is dragging forward a goat; the other is cooling his temples with the juice of the grape poured from a cup. This group is in the shade of a cluster of trees. Engraved by Erlinger, and in the Musée by Niquet.

3 ft. 7 in. by 5 ft. 4 in.-C.

Valued by the Experts du Musée, 1816. . 30,000 fs. 12007. Now in the Louvre.

216. Bacchanalians.

A repetition of the preceding picture, with some additional figures in the distance, and several variations in the landscape, is in the collection of Lady Mildmay, at Dogsmersfield.

3 ft. 6 in. by 5 ft. 6 in.-C.