And that mighty Judgment-vision Tells how men essayed to climb Up the ladder of the ages, Past the frontier-walls of Time; Heard the trumpet-echoes rolling Thro' the phantom-peopled sky, And the still Voice bid this mortal Put on immortality. CALVERLEY. [Illustration] CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE BY JOHN RUSKIN vii GENERAL INTRODUCTION, WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY x GUIDE TO THE GALLERY AND PLAN OF THE ROOMS xxv INTRODUCTIONS TO THE SCHOOLS OF PAINTING: THE EARLY FLORENTINE SCHOOL 1 THE FLORENTINE SCHOOL 8 THE SIENESE SCHOOL 14 THE LOMBARD SCHOOL 16 THE FERRARESE SCHOOL 19 THE UMBRIAN SCHOOL 22 THE VENETIAN SCHOOL 25 THE PADUAN SCHOOL 32 THE LATER ITALIAN SCHOOLS 34 THE EARLY FLEMISH AND THE GERMAN SCHOOLS 38 THE DUTCH SCHOOL 43 THE LATER FLEMISH SCHOOL 47 THE SPANISH SCHOOL 48 THE FRENCH SCHOOL 51 NUMERICAL CATALOGUE, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE NOTES 55 PICTURES ON LOAN 749 COPIES FROM OLD MASTERS 752 THE ARUNDEL SOCIETY'S COLLECTION 757 SCULPTURES AND MARBLES 770 APPENDIX I. INDEX LIST OF PAINTERS (_with the subjects of their pictures_) 771 APPENDIX II. INDEX LIST OF PICTURES 791 _First Edition printed 1888._ _Second Edition printed 1889._ _Third Edition printed 1890._ _Fourth Edition printed 1893._ _Fifth Edition printed 1897._ _Sixth Edition printed 1901._ _Seventh Edition, Vol. I. printed 1909._ _Eighth Edition, Vol. I. printed 1912._ _Seventh Edition, Vol. II. printed 1912._ _Re-issue 1922._ [Illustration] PREFACE BY JOHN RUSKIN