THE pictures in the National Gallery are arranged according to the schools of painting in their historic order, thus enabling one to treat of its treasures in a very satisfactory way, by natural rogression. The comparative value of the schools may come within the scope of this book, although, since the chain is not absolutely complete, and some examples are necessarily missing, it is not the authors intention to claim that she offers a history of the various scllools of art. Only so far as it is possible to illustrate by examples, will the historic continuity be emphasized. In tracing the early history of the art of painting, it has been thought more interesting to consult the original authorities and the contemporary treatises, rather than later commentators, when dealing with technical processes, such as tempera, fresco, encaustic, and oil-painting. As the spelling of the names of foreign painters is often made a subject for discussion, the orthography of the Official Catalogue of the National Gallery has in each case been adopted. In this gallery, more than in most collections, one is unwilling to pass by the minor pictures the unusual standard of excellence has led the writer into a casual mention of nearly every work. While such notices are in many cases extremely brief, an effort has been made to have these few words pertinent, at least to the reader vho is in the presence of the picture to which allusion is made. The National Gallery having been for many years the only great collection of pictures nrith which the writer was familiar her childhood having been passed in England, the preparation of this volume has been much enjoyed, and if any of the delight which these masterpieces of art have awakened in her has been communicated to others, she will feel more than repaid...
