As one of his friends said, Corot was "adorably good." He was a good son, for all that he found himself unable to fall in with his father's desire to make him a successful draper: and the fact that "at home" his outstanding abilities were never recognised, could not in the least abate the warmth of his family affections. And he was a good friend. He never forgot a kindness done to him either in word or deed, although his memory seemed to be singularly incapable of retaining a record of anything done to his hurt. It has been said, and the argument could be powerfully supported, that the same qualities that go to the making of a good friend make a bad enemy. Very likely it is true in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred: if so the case of Corot was the hundredth. He seemed to have a natural incapacity to bear malice or retain a sense of injury. Perhaps he was too simple or too wise; or, maybe, both. Not less characteristic of Corot than his manner of going about always with a song on his lips, was his incurable habit of giving. The wonder is that he ever had anything at all left for himself, that even shoes and soup did not follow after francs. And very reprehensibly, of course, he gave to almost every one who had recourse to him, as well as to many who did not. His generosity was all but indiscriminate, and conducted in a manner that, it may be supposed, would drive a charity organisation society to distraction. He was victimised often and knew it, but the knowledge never dulled the edge of an insatiable appetite. To give was at once a luxury and a necessity to him, as appears, and he was never so gay as when he had been indulging himself in this direction rather more recklessly than usual. "He would paint" (I quote from Meynell), "saying to himself, 'Now I am making twice what I have just given.' Or, again, having just emptied his cash drawer, he would take up his easel, saying: 'Now we will paint great pictures. Now we will surprise the nations.'" Rather a foolish fellow evidently: but "one of God's fools," as I heard an old priest say of a somewhat similar example. [Illustration: PLATE VIII.--VUE DU COLISÉE The "Vue du Colisée" is a reminiscence of Corot's first visit to Rome. It plainly shows that even in those early days he had obtained a great mastery of his medium, and could set down with distinction what he so clearly saw. Though the subject is a big one, it is handled in such a fashion that simple dignity is its outstanding characteristic. The "Vue du Colisée" was one of the paintings that first gained for Corot the high consideration of the more discerning among his artist friends.]