over Darius. A celebrated picture by Albert Altdorfer (d. 1538), a German painter, and considered his masterpiece. It was painted in 1529 for Duke William of Bavaria, and is now in the Gallery of Munich, Bavaria.

Victoria Docks. The docks bearing this name, which occupy 200 acres on the left bank of the Thames, London, were opened in 1856.

Victoria Embankment. See THAMES EMBANKMENTS.

Victoria Hall. A building in Edinburgh, Scotland, used for the meetings of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. An Victoria Park. extensive pleasure-ground in London, originated by act of Parliament in the fourth and fifth years of the reign of Queen Victoria.

Victoria Theatre. A theatre in Waterloo Bridge Road, Lambeth, London, originally called The Coburg.

Victoria Square. A public ground in Montreal, Can. Victoria Tower. See WESTMIN

STER PALACE.

"It is in truth a little world on

a few square feet of canvas; the hosts of combatants who advance on all sides against each other are innumerable, and the view into the background appears interminable. In the distance is the ocean, with high rocks and a rugged island between them; ships of war appear in the offing, and a whole fleet of vessels. On the left the moon is setting on the right the sun is rising; both shining through the opening clouds a clear and striking image of the events represented.. The character and exécution of the figures is most masterly and profound."

Frederic Schlegel, Trans. Victory of Constantine. A fresco by Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520). In the Vatican, Rome. Vicus Judæorum. See GHETTO.

Vicus Sceleratus. [The Accursed Street.] A street in ancient Rome, reputed to be the one in which the daughter of Servius Tullius drove over the corpse of her father, after he had been murdered by the emissaries of Tarquin, her husband. Vierge à la Diadème. [The Virgin with the Diadem.] "The

Madonna, kneeling, is lifting the veil from the sleeping Child, in order to show it to the little St. John, who kneels in joyful adoration. In the background a rich landscape." This picture, which has been considerably injured, is now in the Louvre, Paris. [Called also Vierge au Linge.]

"The subject of the Sleeping Christ is beautifully varied by the introduction of St. John, as where Mary lifts the veil, and shows her Child to the little St. John kneeling with folded hands. Raphael's well-known Vierge à la Diadèine' is an instance replete with grace and expression."

Mrs. Jameson.

Vierge à l'Oreiller verd. [Virgin of the Green Pillow.] A beautiful picture of the Madonna and Child by Andrea Solario, the early Italian painter. The picture derives its name from the color of the pillow on which the Child is lying. In the Louvre, Paris.

Vierge au bas-relief.

A picture of the Madonna and Child by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1520), the Italian painter. It is so called from the small sculptured stone in the corner, and is supposed to have been executed about 1490. "This is probably one of the earliest specimens of that arrangement of the Holy Family which Raphael afterwards consecrated." It is now in the possession of Lord Monson at Gatton Park. A very similar picture to this by Leonardo is in the Hermitage at St. Petersburg.

Vierge au Donataire. See MADONNA DI FOLIGNO.

Vierge au Lapin. [Virgin with the Rabbit.] A beautiful picture of the Madonna and Child by Titian (1477-1576). In the Gallery of the Louvre, Paris.

"This Arcadian sentiment is carried as far as could well be allowed in a picture by Titian known as the Vierge au Lapin. The Virgin holds a white rabbit, towards which the infant Christ, in the arms of St. Catherine, eagerly stretches his hand."

Mrs. Jameson. Vierge au Linge. See VIERGE À LA DIADEME.

Vierge au Palmier. See HOLY

FAMILY OF THE PALM-TREE. Vierge au Panier. [The Virgin with the Work-basket.] A wellknown picture of the Madonna, by Antonio Allegri, surnamed Correggio (1494-1534), in which the Virgin is represented dressing her Child, with a work-basket standing beside her. This picture is now in the National Gallery, London.

"Mary holds the Child upon her knee, looking down upon him fondly. ... A finished example of

that soft yet joyful maternal feeling for which Correggio was remarkable." Mrs. Jameson.

"This picture shows that Correggio was the greatest master of aërial perspective of his time." Mengs. Vierge au Voile. See VIERGE À LA DIADÈME.

Vierge aux Candélabres. See MADONNA DELLA CANDELABRA.

Vierge aux Cerises. [Virgin with Cherries.] A well-known picture of the Madonna and Child by Annibale Caracci (1560-1609), in which Joseph is seen presenting cherries. Now in the Louvre, Paris.

"It is related, that before the birth of our Saviour, the Virgin Mary wished to taste of some cherries which hung upon a tree high above her head: she requested Joseph to procure them for her, and, he reaching to pluck them, the branch bowed down to his hand."

Mrs. Jameson.

Vierge aux Rochers. [Madonna of the Rocks.] A picture of the Madonna and Child, by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1520), the Italian painter. It derives its name from the dismal dark cavern with stalactite forms in which the figures are placed. It is thought that others beside Leonardo had a hand in this composition. There are similar pictures in the Louvre, the Naples Museum, and elsewhere, which are undoubtedly the work of pupils, and probably taken from Leonardo's cartoon of the subject. This picture was formerly at Milan, but is now in possession of the Earl of Suffolk at Charlton Park.

Vierge au Silence. [The Silent Virgin.] The name given to pictures of the Madonna and Child, in which the latter is represented as sleeping. For an example, among others, see VIERGE À LA DIADEME. See also SILEN

TIUM.

Vierge aux Anges [with Angels]. A picture by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), representing the Virgin and Chil led by a

host of children. In the Gallery of the Louvre, Paris.

"Rubens has more than once committed the same fault against eccle. siastical canons and decorum (i.e., introducing into a glory round the Virgin, female angels), for instance in his Madonna aux Anges in the Louvre." Mrs. Jameson. Vigilant, The. A French frigate captured by the British frigate Massachusetts at the taking of Louisbourg in 1745.

Villa Adriana. See HADRIAN'S VILLA.

Villa Albani. A Roman villa built in 1760 by Cardinal Albani, and now owned by Prince Torlonia. It contains a collection of sculptures and paintings, once of great merit, but now of reduced value in consequence of the loss of 294 of its best specimens which were taken to Paris by Napoleon, and there sold. Among the treasures of art in the villa, are the bronze Apollo Sauroctonos, q. v., and a beautiful rilievo of Antinous, q.v.

Villa Aldobrandini. A celebrated villa in Frascati, near Rome. It was erected towards the close of the sixteenth century by Cardinal Aldobrandini, nephew of Pope Clement VIII. It is famous for its water-works, the water being made to flow in every fantastic form.

1644, 5 May. We tooke coach and went 15 miles out of the Cittie to Frascati, formerly Tusculanum, a villa of Cardinal Aldobrandini, built for a country house, but surpassing, in my opinion, the most delicious places I ever beheld for its situation, elegance, plentifull water, groves, ascents and prospects. Just behind the palace (which is of excellent architecture) in the centre of the enclosure rises an high hill or mountaine all overclad with tall wood, and so formed by nature as if it had been cut out by art, from the sum'it whereof falls a cascade, seeming rather a great river than a streame precipitating into a large theater of water. Under this is made an artificial grott, wherein are curious rocks, hydraulic engines and all sorts of singing-birds moving and chirping by force of the water, with severall other pageants and surprising inJohn Evelyn.

ventions.

"This is the Italian rural palace constructed for a noble of classic

ing to the landscapes of Poussin and Claude Lorraine. In the interior the walls are decorated with 'Apollo and the Nine Muses,' 'The Cyclops and Vulcan at his Forge,' David and Goliath,' and a Judith,' simple and beautiful, by Domenichino."

Taine, Trans. Villa Borghese. A villa or country house just outside the Porta del Popolo, Rome, belonging to the Borghese family. It contains a The collection of sculptures. grounds connected with this villa are very beautiful.

"The scenery is such as arrays itself to the imagination when we read the beautiful old myths, and fancy a brighter sky, a softer turf, a more picturesque arrangement of venerable trees, than we find in the rude and untrained landscapes of the Western world.... A seclusion, but seldom a solitude; for priest, noble, and popu lace, stranger and native, all who breathe the Roman air, find free admission, and come hither to taste the languid enjoyment of the day-dream Hawthorne. which they call life."

"The Villa Borghese is a vast park four miles in circumference, with buildings of all kinds scattered over it.

Here is a little temple, there a peristyle, further on a ruined colonnade, a portico, balustrades, large round vases, and a sort of amphitheatre. The undulating surface rises and falls in beautiful meadows, red with the delicate trembling anemone. Fountains murmur at every turn of the avenues, and in small valleys grand old oaks send up their valiant, heroic, antique Taine, Trans.

forms.'

I walked to the Villa Borghesi, a house and ample garden on Mons Pincius, yet somewhat without the Citty walls, circumscribed by another wall full of small turrets and banqueting-houses, which makes it appeare at a distance like a little towne. Within it is an elysium of delight, having in the centre a noble Palace, but the entrance of the garden presents us with a very glorious fabrick or rather dove-case adorned with excellent marble statues. This garden abounded with all sort of delicious fruit and exotiq simples, fountains, groves, and rivulets.

John Evelyn

"I was never weary of seeing from the Villa Borghese the sun go down behind the cypresses of Monte Mario, and the pines of the Villa Pamphili planted by Le Notre."

Chateaubriand, Trans.

"1644, Nov. 10. We went to see Prince Ludovisio's villa, where was formerly the Viridarium of the poet Sallust. The house is very magnificent, and the extent of the ground is exceeding large, considering it is a Citty; in every quarter of the garden are antiqu statues, and walkes planted with cypresse." John Evelyn.

"The villa is charming. This kind of landscape is unique: you find the vegetation of all climates mingled and grouped together. And a still more peculiar sight is the old walls of Rome, a veritable natural ruin, that serves as an enclosure. Hot-houses are supported against red arcades; lemontrees in pale rows hug the disjointed bricks, and in the vicinity fresh green grass is growing abundantly." Taine, Trans. Villa Madama. A deserted villa near Rome, containing some interesting frescos.

One event in nature, on the cor like a sunset from the Villa Ma work of art like the much-re

make a deep and inspiring

Villa Medici. A villa upon a beautiful situation in Rome, built in 1540, afterwards passing into the possession of the Medici family, and now the seat of the French Academy. It contains a valuable collection of casts.

"The grounds of the Villa Medici are laid out in the old fashion of straight paths, with borders of box. There are green alleys with long vistas overshadowed by ilex-trees, . . . and in their season a profusion of roses from which the genial sun of Italy distils a fragrance, to be scattered abroad by the no less genial breeze."

Ildwthorne.

Villa Massimo. A villa in Rome near the Church of S. Maria Maggiore, and formerly one of the most beautiful in the city. [Called also Villa Negroni and Villa Massimo Negroni.]

Villa Mozzi. A noted villa in the vicinity of Florence, Italy, once the residence of Lorenzo de' Medici.

Villa Nazionale. See VILLA REALE.

Villa Negroni. See VILLA MAS