ITALIAN SCHOOL.oooo P. BUONA CORSI, oooo FRENCH MUSEUM.

Pierus, King of Macedonia, had nine daughters, who, reckoning on their number, their charms, and their accomplishments, dared challenge the Muses, saying to them: « Cease, then, to deceive by your songs the ignorant vulgar; it is with us, if you dare, that you must coutend. We are equal in number, but we are certain not to yield to you, either in the harmony of our voices, or in the choice of our songs. » Ovid afterwards makes one of the Muses say : « It appeared degrading to us to receive such a challenge, but it would have been more so, not to have accepted it: thus acknowledging our defeat. The nymphs whom we took as umpires in this quarrel, after swearing by the Gods they would do justice to merit, sat down on a rock » Then one of the daughters of Pierus sang the War between the Giants and the Gods: Calliope replied by relating the Story of the Rape of Proserpine.

The nymphs taken as umpires in this combat, all pronounced in favour of the Goddesses of Parnassus. But, the Pierides, refusing to acknowledge the equity of this verdict, were instantly punished by being metamorphosed into Magpies.

Pietro Buonacorsi, more generally called, Perino del Vaga, has wandered from Ovid's account, by placing Apollo and Minerva amongst the umpires. This small picture is very graceful; the drawing is correct and the execution carefully attended to. It forms part of the Museum at the Louvre. There are some old prints of it: and latterly one by M. Desnoyers has appeared.

Width 25 inches; height 12 inches.