CHAR AG TERS, 
yvourable as had been represented 
to his holiness. The marble was 
more difficult to work, and of infe- 
rior quality ; added to which there 
was no practical means of conveying 
itto Florence, without making aroad 
of many miles to the sea, through 
mountains, to be cut at a considera- 
ble expence, and over marshes which 
would require to be traversed with 
fascines and rafts to make them 
passable. These objections, how- 
ever, made but a slight impression 
on the pope’s mind, comparing them 
with the advantages which result 
from obtaining so valuable a mate. 
vial for building, in a territory 
which he could at any time call his 
own; Michel Angelo was therefore 
desired to proceed, and it is a mor- 
tifying reflection, that the talents of 
this great man should have been bu- 
ried in these mountains, and his time 
consumed, during the whole reign 
_ of Leo X. in little other than raising 
stone out of a quarry, and making 
a road to convey it to the sea.”’ 
' & To seek for reasons why Mi- 
chel Angelo was not more fortu- 
nately employed during this reign, 
might afford a wide field of specu- 
lation; but if it should appear that 
‘the attachment of this pope to the 
arts, proceeded rather from their 
importance to the pomp and shew 
of ‘power, which was the delight of 
his mind, than from a more noble 
feeling of their worth; it is suffi. 
ciently satisfactory to account for 
his indifference and procrastination, 
to know, that wars, alliances, and 
subsidies, exhausted his treasury, 
and that the money was spent which 
was to have been appropriated to 
the facade of St. Lorenzo. At the 
death of Leo this part of the build- 
ing was not advanced beyond its 
foundation, and the time of Michel 
$7 
Angelo had been consumed in mak- 
ing a road, in seeing that five co-’ 
Jumns were made at the quarry of 
Pietra Santa, in conducting them to’ 
the sea-side, and in transporting one’ 
of them to Florence ; this employ- 
ment, with. occasionally making 
some models in wax, and some 
trifling designs for the interior of a 
room in the Medici Palace, appears 
to have been all the benefit that was 
derived from his talents, during the 
whole of this pontificate. As the 
patronage of the great often depends 
upon the character of the man as 
well as upon his genius, it has been 
supposed that the independent spirit 
which resisted the impetuosity of 
Julius II. was ill calculated to con- 
ciliate the accomplished manners of 
Leo X. however this may have been, 
there appears no evidence that Mi- 
chel Angelo ever refused submis- 
sion to his will, or opposed his au- 
thority with disrespect: but as the 
surest way to every man’s feelings is 
through his heart, it is easy to con- 
ceive that he was not likely to have 
the affections of a prince, in whose 
mind there was no congeniality of 
sentiment with his own.” af 
Under the pontificate of Clement 
VII. Florence for a short time ree 
sumed its ancient form of govern- 
ment, and made its last struggle for 
liberty. In such a struggle, how- 
ever unfortunate its termination, it 
is glorious to have borne a part. 
The interests of that state were be- 
trayed by France, and the emperor 
prepared to reinstate the Medici in 
their tyranny by force. The rea 
public, feeble as its hopes were, re- 
solved upon defence, and Michel 
Angelo was appointed military ar- 
chitect and master of the ordnance. 
Whatever this wonderful man did, 
he did well. The enemy, imme- 
“3H3 diately 
