diately seized upon by the Lion. Frantic at the disaster, she threw herself on her knees before the animal, and implored, with all the energy and expression of a mother in despair, the life of her child. The Lion stopped-fixed his eyes upon her-placed the infant upon the ground, without having done it the smallest injury, and departed. Such is the pathetic trait chosen by M. Monsiau, for the subject of his picture, which attracted, during its exhibition, peculiar notice, no less from the talent exhibited by the artist, than the interest it conveys.

CHRIST CROWNED WITH THORNS.

(Painted by Titian)

27"Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head." St. Matt. xxvii.

The picture on which this subject has been represented by Titian, is one of the finest of this master, although it is not exempt from those defects for which he has been often reproached. The head of Christ has much dignity; and its agonizing and majestic expression is the more worthy of remark, as Titian, as well as the most skilful painters of the Venetian school, has often neglected the character of these personages. The taste of design in this figure is of the grand style, although it presents some inaccuracies. The feeling of hatred is tolerably well expressed on the countenances of some of the personages; but this passion ought, perhaps, to display itself with greater energy. It has been regretted, that this great artist has not represented the inhuman irony which is indicated in the text. The Jews appear resolved to torment our Saviour; but there is no one, not even the person who is kneeling in the front of the picture, that appears to address him in these words-" Hail, King of the Jews!"

Considered with respect to colouring, the picture is deserving of the highest praise. In no picture has Titian painted his characters with more animation and correctness. The draperies and the accessaries are treated in the same superior manner. The ground is vigorous without being dark; and, composed of the richest tints, corresponds with the imposing aspect of this capital production.

Titian was accustomed to compare the manner in which the lights and shades should be disposed on a picture, to " a bunch of grapes," or many bodies combined, presenting only a general mass, although they preserve their particular forms. This precept has been adopted by artists; and it is only in their conformity to this principle, that they have succeeded in the chiaroscuro. This has been employed by Titian in this picture with the happiest effect. The principal light falls on the figure of Christ, and spreads with much harmony over the other figures. The drapery, of a bright red, has the advantage of being conformable to the text of scripture, and attracts the eye of the chief personage, of which it strengthens the character.

JANE SEYMOUR.

K

HE eagerness with which Henry VIII. hastened to solemnize his third nuptials, was, of itself, sufficient to vindicate the innocence, and justify the memory of his late queen; and was the most effectual apology that he could make to her injured character. It was easy to see how little he had been actuated by justice or humanity in his rigorous condemnation of her; and nothing could be plainer than that, his indifference of Boleyn, and his attachment to another object, had alone influenced his conduct. The glaring indecency of ascending a throne still bedewed with the blood of her predecessor, may excite little esteem for the subject of this memoir. But Henry had long accustomed his subjects to the most servile submission to his will, and the young and artless Jane could not, perhaps, have refused to accept his hand, polluted as it was, without imminent danger to herself.

She was descended of a very ancient family, whose ancestors came over to England with William the Conqueror, or soon after; and their name was, at first, written St. Maur; and, in the old Latin records, De S. Mauro, deduced from a place of the same name in Normandy. The earliest residence of this family, of which we find any account, was at Woundy and Penhow, near Caldecot, in Monmouthshire; but upon the marriage of Roger de St. Maur, Knight, with Cecily, one of the daughters and co-heirs of John Beauchamp, Baron of Hache, in the reign of Edward III., the family removed into Somersetshire. The father of Queen Jane was Sir John Seymour, of Wolf Hall, in Wiltshire, Constable of Bristol Castle, and Groom of the Chamber to King Henry VIII., whom he served in the wars of France and Flanders. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Wentworth, of Nettlested, in Suffolk; and, by her, had six sons and four daughters, of whom Jane was the eldest.

She was early introduced at court, and appointed one of the maids of honour to Queen Anne, and had not long occupied that post, when most unhappily for her royal mistress, she attracted the notice of the king.-He was struck with her youth and beauty, and the uncommon sweetness of her disposition. She possessed a happy medium between the chilling gravity of Katharine, and the thoughtless vivacity of Anne. With Henry, to love, and to determine to become immediately possessed of the object of his affection, was one and the same thing. The existence of a young and innocent queen, to whom no fault could reasonably be ascribed, would have been, to any other prince, an insurmountable obstacle; but to him was a trifling consideration,