According to the judgment of several connoisseurs, Raphael's own
hand had communicated its magnetism to one of these sketches; and, if
genuine, it was evidently his first conception of a favorite Madonna,
now hanging in the private apartment of the Grand Duke, at Florence.
Another drawing was attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, and appeared to be
a somewhat varied design for his picture of Modesty and Vanity, in the
Sciarra Palace. There were at least half a dozen others, to which the
owner assigned as high an origin. It was delightful to believe in their
authenticity, at all events; for these things make the spectator more
vividly sensible of a great painter's power, than the final glow
and perfected art of the most consummate picture that may have been
elaborated from them. There is an effluence of divinity in the first
sketch; and there, if anywhere, you find the pure light of inspiration,
which the subsequent toil of the artist serves to bring out in stronger
lustre, indeed, but likewise adulterates it with what belongs to an
inferior mood. The aroma and fragrance of new thoughts were perceptible
in these designs, after three centuries of wear and tear. The charm lay
partly in their very imperfection; for this is suggestive, and sets
the imagination at work; whereas, the finished picture, if a good one,
leaves the spectator nothing to do, and, if bad, confuses, stupefies,
disenchants, and disheartens him.
Hilda was greatly interested in this rich portfolio. She lingered so
long over one particular sketch, that Miriam asked her what discovery
she had made.
"Look at it carefully," replied Hilda, putting the sketch into her
hands. "If you take pains to disentangle the design from those
pencil-marks that seem to have been scrawled over it, I think you will
see something very curious."
"It is a hopeless affair, I am afraid," said Miriam. "I have neither
your faith, dear Hilda, nor your perceptive faculty. Fie! what a blurred
scrawl it is indeed!"
The drawing had originally been very slight, and had suffered more
from time and hard usage than almost any other in the collection; it
appeared, too, that there had been an attempt (perhaps by the very hand
that drew it) to obliterate the design. By Hilda's help, however, Miriam
pretty distinctly made out a winged figure with a drawn sword, and a
dragon, or a demon, prostrate at his feet.
"I am convinced," said Hilda in a low, reverential tone, "that Guido's
own touches are on that ancient scrap of paper! If so, it must be his
original sketch for the picture of the Archangel Michael setting his
foot upon the demon, in the Church of the Cappuccini. The composition
and general arrangement of the sketch are the same with those of the
picture; the only difference being, that the demon has a more upturned
face, and scowls vindictively at the Archangel, who turns away his eyes
in painful disgust."