THE MENTOR 1916.12.01, No. 120,
Rembrandt
LEARN ONE THING
EVERY DAY
DECEMBER 1 1916
SERIAL NO. 120
THE
MENTOR
REMBRANDT
By JOHN C. VAN DYKE
Professor of the History of Art
Rutgers College
DEPARTMENT OF
FINE ARTS
VOLUME 4
NUMBER 20
FIFTEEN CENTS A COPY
Christmas Giving
The old question—What shall we give? Too oftenanswered by giving the easiest thing. “There, that’soff my mind for another year!” Yes, off your mind—buthow does your heart feel when your friend sends you somethingthat shows that he has cherished a little specialthought of you?
Christmas giving may be a blessing or a blight—accordingto the spirit of the giver. It is a blessingwhen it carries with it a thought that honors the onethat gives and benefits the one that receives.
“Benefit is the end of Nature,” says Emerson, “andhe is great who confers the most benefits. Bewareof good staying in your hand. Pay it away quickly tosomeone.”
Thousands of you tell me in the daily mail howThe Mentor benefits you. Can you give a bettergift to your friend than this same benefit? If we benefityou, we can also benefit him. With whole heart wepledge full service to him as to you. Give, then, thisChristmas, The Mentor and all its service to your friend.Your message of friendship will be repeated to him twicea month throughout the year.
THE EDITOR.
IN THE HERMITAGE, PETROGRAD
SOBIESKI—Portrait by Rembrandt
REMBRANDT
Early Years
ONE
Sometimes it is difficult to learn the truth about agreat man. This is particularly so in the case ofone who lived three centuries ago; for in those dayspeople were not as careful to keep records as theyare today. For years the great painter Rembrandt wasregarded as having been ignorant, boorish, and avaric