Rubens seems to have let them into his Assyrian den, in order to let the world see from how dreadful animals Providence was protecting its favoured minister.
[No. XVI.]
Rubens has here painted one Lion as scowling, another as if in a sort of mysterious meditation, and a third yawning with ennui—no doubt to diversify a composition wherein he was of necessity obliged to introduce a considerable number of animals of the same kind.
The Lion has been, of all quadrupeds whatever, the most idealised by the Arts, and the most variously represented. The tide of opinion ran for centuries in his favour. Kings took their designations from him: amongst whom have been our first Richard; but of late years very reputable travellers and other authors have appeared, who would bring down the poetic generosity, the reputation of which the Lion has so long enjoyed, to the plain prose craft and cruelty of the rest of the feline race.
The noble disdain with which a Lioness, though half famished, and “with udders all drawn dry,”—scorned to prey on a sleeping man—Must we part with the sentiment? Must we also disbelieve the story which has been commemorated by a large French engraving, of a Lion gently taking up in his mouth a fallen infant, and as gently setting it down again, to the infinite delight of its terrified mother?—Such anecdotes have pleased and flattered us; but may possibly have gained undeserved credit because they pleased, and have pleased because they flattered—human nature.
[15]
E. Spilsbury delt. T. Landseer sculpt.
Lions after Rubens.
