* 30] 
stations near their intended victims, 
waited with impatience for the ap- 
pointed signal. The bell rang— 
the priest raised the consecrated wa- 
ter—the people bowed before it— 
and at the same instant Bandini 
plunged a short dagger into the 
breast of Giuliano. On receiving 
the wound, he took a few hasty 
steps, and fell, when Francesco de’ 
Pazzi rushed on him with incredi- 
ble fury, and stabbed him in differ- 
ent parts of his body, continuing 
to repeat his strokes even after the 
was apparently dead. = Such was 
the violence of his rage, that he 
wounded himself deeply in the 
thigh. The priests, who bad un- 
dertaken the murder of Lorenzo, 
were ‘not equally successful. An 
ill-directed blow from Mafiei, which 
was aimed ‘at the throat, but took 
place behind the neck, rather roused 
him to his defence than disabled 
him. Tle immediately threw off 
his cloak, and holding it up asa 
shield in /his Jeft hand, with his right 
he drew his sword, and repelled his 
assailants. ‘Perceiving that their 
purpose was defeated, the two ec- 
clesiasti¢s, after having wounded 
one of Lorenzo’s attendants, who 
had énterpoved to defend him, en- 
deavoured to save themselves by 
flight. At the'same moment, Ban- 
dini, his dagyer streaming with the 
. blood of Giuliano, rushed towards 
Lorenzo ; ‘but meeting in his way 
with Francesco Nori, a person in 
the service of the Medici, and in 
whom they placed great confidence, 
he stabbed him with a wound in- 
stantaneously mortal. At the ap- 
proach of Bandini, the friends of 
Lorenzo encircled him, and hurfied 
him into the Sacristy, where Poli- 
tiano and others closed the ‘dvors, 
which were of brass. ~ Appréhen- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
sions being entertained that the 
weapon which had wounded him 
was poisoned, a young man, attach. 
ed to Lorenzo, sucked the wound. 
A general alarm and consternation 
took placein the church; and such 
was the tumult which ensued, that 
it was at first believed by the audi- 
ence, that the building was falling 
in; but no sooner was it understood 
that Lorenzo was in danger, than 
several of the vouth of Florence 
formed themselves into a body, and 
receivinghim into the midst of them, 
conducted him to his house, making 
@ circuitous turn’ from the church, 
lest he should meet with the dead 
‘body of his brother. 
Poelitical Character of Politiano; 
} from the same. 
F all these authors, though 
some possess a considerable 
share of merit, not one of them can 
contend, in point of poetical excel- 
lence, with Politiano, who, in his 
composition, approaches nearer to 
the standard of the ancients than 
any man of his time; yet whilst he 
emulates the dignity of Virgil, or 
reminds us of the elegance of Ho- 
race, he suggests not to our minds 
the idea of servile imitation. Of 
the character of his writings various 
opinions have indeed been enter- 
tained, which have been’ detailed 
at Jarge by Baillet, and still more 
copiously by Menckenias. It may 
therefore be sufficient, on this occa- 
sion, to caution the reader against 
an implicit acquiescence in the opi- 
nions of two eminent living authors, 
who have either obliquely censured, 
or too cautiously approved his poe- 
tical works. In the attempt made 
by Politianio, to restore a just tasie 
~ for 
bi 
