In "Beatrice at the Wedding Feast, denying her salutation to Dante," a small water-colour of 1849 from the "Vita Nuova," the central figure is a portrait of Miss Elizabeth Siddal who became acquainted with Rossetti at about this date. She was the daughter of a Sheffield cutler and was working in a milliner's shop. Walter Deverell discovered her one day, when he was shopping with his mother. He persuaded her to sit for him for his "Viola" and later to Rossetti. Her portrait can be seen in a picture by Holman Hunt and in Millais' Ophelia. Miss Siddal sat for most of the women in Rossetti's earliest and finest water-colours. To 1851 belongs the beautiful little composition called "Borgia," in which Lucrezia can be seen dressed in an ample white gown brightened all over with coloured ribbons and bows, sitting with a lute in her hands. In the foreground two children are dancing. Leaning over her left shoulder is the Pope Alexander VI., while her brother Cæsar stands on the other side beating time with a knife against a wine-glass on the table. Rossetti was not long in discovering that Miss Siddal had a strong aptitude for art. With his special gift of influencing others the position of model was soon merged into that of a pupil. Under his guidance Miss Siddal made rapid progress and her water-colours show a fine sense of colour. The sympathy between artist and pupil ripened into affection. The exact date of their engagement is not known, but it was probably in 1853, certainly not later than 1854, and was at first kept secret at Miss Siddal's request. To the year 1854 belongs the water-colour, "King Arthur's Tomb," in which Lancelot and Guenevere are seen bidding farewell over the tomb of King Arthur; and to the following year belong the three water-colours, "The Nativity," "La Belle Dame Sans Merci," and the "Annunciation," as well as the drawing for a wood-cut, illustrating a poem called "The Maids of Elfen-Mere" by William Allingham. [Illustration: PLATE IV.--BEATA BEATRIX From the oil painting (34 in. by 27 in.) painted in 1863 for Lord Mount-Temple, now in the Tate Gallery Though undoubtedly inspired by the death of his wife, the motive of this picture was ostensibly taken from the Vita Nuova. The Latin quotation inscribed on the frame, which was designed by Rossetti himself, is taken from the following passage: "After this most gracious creature had gone out from among us, the whole city came to be as it were widowed and despoiled of all dignity. Then I, left mourning in this desolate city, wrote unto the principal persons thereof, in an epistle, concerning its condition; taking for my commencement those words of Jeremias: Quomodo sedet sola civitas! etc." The date of the death of Beatrice is also inscribed on the frame.]