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lves to be alive by singing or speaking； wore their natural complexion and a natural costume； and thus the sense of incongruity was removed； while in the house of Riario there was exhibited a living child； gilt from head to foot； who showered water round him from a spring。
Brilliant pantomimes of the same kind were given at Bologna； at the marriage of Annibale Bentivoglio with Lucrezia of Este。 Instead of the orchestra； choral songs were sung； while the fairest of Diana's nymphs flew over to the Juno Pronuba； and while Venus walked with a lion which in this case was a disguised manamong a troop of savages。 The decorations were a faithful representation of a forest。 At Venice； in 1491； the princesses of the house of Este were met and welcomed by the Bucentaur； and entertained by boat…races and a splendid pantomime； called 'Meleager；' in the court of the ducal palace。 At Milan Leonardo da Vinci directed the festivals of the Duke and of some leading citizens。 One of his machines； which must have rivalled that of Brunellesco； represented the heavenly bodies with all their movements on a colossal scale。 Whenever a planet approached Isabella； the bride of the young Duke； the divinity whose name it bore stepped forth from the globe； and sang some verses written by the court…poet Bellincioni （1490）。 At another festival （1493） the model of the equestrian statue of Francesco Sforza appeared with other objects under a triumphal arch on the square before the castle。 We read in Vasari of the ingenious automata which Leonardo invented to welcome the French kings as masters of Milan。 Even in the smaller cities great efforts were sometimes made on these occasions。 When Duke Borso came in 1453 to Reggio； to receive the homage of the city； he was met at the gate by a great machine； on which St。 Prospero； the patron saint of the town； appeared to float； shaded by a baldachin held by angels； while below him was a revolving disc with eight singing cherubs； two of whom received from the saint the scepter and keys of the city； which they then delivered to the Duke； while saints and angels held forth in his praise。 A chariot drawn by concealed horses now advanced； bearing an empty throne； behind which stood a figure of Justice attended by a genius。 At the corners of the chariot sat four grey…headed lawgivers； encircled by angels with banners； by its side rode standard…bearers in complete armor。 It need hardly be added that the goddess and the genius did not suffer the Duke to pass by without an address。 A second car； drawn by a unicorn； bore a Caritas with a burning torch； between the two came the classical spectacle of a car in the form of a ship； moved by men concealed within it。 The whole procession now advanced before the Duke。 In front of the church of St。 Pietro； a halt was again made。 The saint； attended by two angels； descended in an aureole from the facade； placed a wreath of laurel on the head of the Duke； and then floated back to his former position。 The clergy provided another allegory of a purely religious kind。 Idolatry and Faith stood on two lofty pillars； and after Faith； represented by a beautiful girl； had uttered her welcome； the other column fell to pieces with the lay figure upon it。 Further on； Borso was met by a Caesar with seven beautiful women； who were presented to him as the Virtues which he was exhorted to pursue。 At last the Cathedral was reached； but after the service the Duke again took his seat on a lofty golden throne； and a second time received the homage of some of the masks already mentioned。 To conclude all； three angels flew down from an adjacent building； and； amid songs of joy； delivered to him palm branches； as symbols of peace。
Let us now give a glance at those festivals the chief feature of which was the procession itself。
There is no doubt that from an early period of the Middle Ages the religious processions gave rise to the use of masks。 Little angels accompanied the sacrament or the sacred pictures and relics on their way through the streets； or characters in the Passionsuch as Christ with the cross； the thieves and the soldiers； or the faithful women were represented for public edification。 But the great feasts of the Church were from an early time accompanied by a civic procession； and the _naivete _of the Middle Ages found nothing unfitting in the many secular elements which it contained。 We may mention especially the naval car _（carrus navalis）； _which had been inherited from pagan times； and which； as an instance already quoted shows； was admissible at festivals of very various kinds； and is associated with one of them in particular the Carnival。 Such ships； decorated with all possible splendor； delighted the eyes of spectators long after the original meaning of them was forgotten。 When Isabella of England met her bridegroom； the Emperor Frederick II； at Cologne； she was met by a number of such chariots； drawn by invisible horses； and filled with a crowd of priests who welcomed her with music and singing。
But the religious processions were not only mingled with secular accessories of all kinds； but were often replaced by processions of clerical masks。 Their origin is perhaps to be found in the parties of actors who wound their way through the streets of the city to the place where they were about to act the mystery； but it is possible that at an early per；od the clerical procession may have constituted itself as a distinct species。 Dante described the 'Trionfo' of Beatrice； with the twenty…four Elders of the Apocalypse； with the four mystical Beasts； with the three Christian and four Cardinal Virtues； and with Saint Luke； Saint Paul； and other Apostles； in a way which almost forces us to conclude that such processions actually occurred before his time。 We are chiefly led to this conclusion by the chariot in which Beatrice drives； and which in the miraculous forest of the vision would have been unnecessary or rather out of place。 It is possible； on the other hand； that Dante looked on the chariot as a symbol of victory and triumph； and that his poem rather served to give rise to these processions； the form of which was borrowed from the triumph of the Roman Emperors。 However this may be； poetry and theology continued to make free use of the symbol。 Savonarola in his 'Triumph of the Cross' represents Christ on a Chariot of Victory； above his head the shining sphere of the Trinity； in his left hand the Cross； in his right the Old and New Testaments； below him the Virgin Mary； on both sides the Martyrs and Doctors of the Church with open books； behind him all the multitude of the saved； and in the distance the countless host of his enemiesemperors； princes； philosophers； hereticsall vanquished； their idols broken； and their books burned。 A great picture of Titian； which is known only as a woodcut； has a good deal in common with this description。 The ninth and tenth of Sabellico's thirteen Elegies on the Mother of God contain a minute account of her triumph； richly adorned with allegories； and especially interesting from that matter…of…fact air which also characterizes the realistic painting of the