The interior of S. Maria Novella is very fine and spacious, and it gathers and preserves an exquisite light at all times of the day.  Nowhere in Florence is there a finer aisle, with the roof springing so nobly and masterfully from the eight columns on either side.  The whole effect, like that of S. Croce, is rather northern, the result of the yellow and brown hues; but whereas S. Croce has a crushing flat roof, this one is all soaring gladness.

The finest view of the interior is from the altar steps looking back to the beautiful circular window over the entrance, a mass of happy colour.  In the afternoon the little plain circular windows high up in the aisle shoot shafts of golden light upon the yellow walls.  The high altar of inlaid marble is, I think, too bright and too large.  The church is more impressive on Good Friday, when over this altar is built a Calvary with the crucifix on the summit and life-size mourners at its foot; while a choir and string orchestra make superbly mournful music.

I like to think that it was within the older S. Maria Novella that those seven mirthful young ladies of Florence remained one morning in 1348, after Mass, to discuss plans of escape from the city during the plague.  As here they chatted and plotted, there entered the church three young men; and what simpler than to engage them as companions in their retreat, especially as all three, like all seven of the young women, were accomplished tellers of stories with no fear whatever of Mrs. Grundy?  And thus the “Decameron” of Giovanni Boccaccio came about.

S. Maria Novella also resembles S. Croce in its moving groups of sight-seers each in the hands of a guide.  These one sees always and hears always:  so much so that a reminder has been printed and set up here and there in this church, to the effect that it is primarily the house of God and for worshippers.  But S. Maria Novella has not a tithe of S. Croce’s treasures.  Having almost no tombs of first importance, it has to rely upon its interior beauty and upon its frescoes, and its chief glory, whatever Mr. Ruskin, who hated them, might say, is, for most people, Ghirlandaio’s series of scenes in the life of the Virgin and S. John the Baptist.  These cover the walls of the choir and for more than four centuries have given delight to Florentines and foreigners.  Such was the thoroughness of their painter in his colour mixing (in which the boy Michelangelo assisted him) that, although they have sadly dimmed and require the best morning light, they should endure for centuries longer, a reminder not only of the thoughtful sincere interesting art of Ghirlandaio and of the pious generosity of the Tornabuoni family, who gave them, but also of the costumes and carriage of the Florentine ladies at the end of the fifteenth century when Lorenzo the Magnificent was in his zenith.  Domenico Ghirlandaio may not be quite of the highest rank among the makers of Florence; but he comes very near it, and indeed, by reason of being Michelangelo’s first instructor, perhaps should stand amid them.  But one thing is certain—­that without him Florence would be the poorer by many beautiful works.