About a-third of this your's winter exhibition is devoted to the works of the Jate Dante Gabriel Itnssotti and foremost in importance is The Blessed Damozel, well known even by those who have not seen the original by the numerous platinotypesin all sizes that have been printed of it. The original is, I think, quite one of the most beautiful of Rossetti's works. The Damozel is represented as leaning on the bar of Heaven looking downwards and holding a lily. Above are three red-winged cherubs and below the angel's head in the predella beneath, the lover is represented lying in the twilight looking ups his hands clasped behind his head. All this of course is not shown in the platinotypes nor can any idea be got of the balance of colour which to my mind is one of the great charms of the picture. "A very Strange conception is that of Lady Lilith, supposed to be Adam's first wifo—of which there are three pictures all in much the same style. She is depicted in a dress that almost might be worn as a negligé in the present day, combing her golden hair with quite a modern comb, and Tooking at herself in a small hand-glass—presumably silrer—on a very modern-looking dressing table. At the side is another mirror with sconces and candles, and in one picture she has a lovely cloak of beautiful red brocade, lined with white Persian lamb, thrown over the chair on which she is seated. Tt is quite a new idea that luxuries of this. description were:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.