ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



his nephew Gian Matteo in Venice, begging him to 

 send a few trifles such as women like, as prizes on this 

 occasion a mirror and a pair of combs, worth about 

 two and a half lire each, and a coloured waistband, 

 together with six lire of pretty pink and white sugared 

 confetti. The death of his old gardener, Piero 

 Antonio, was a real sorrow. " This year," he wrote 

 to his friend Flavio Crisolino, the Papal Secretary, " I 

 have lost my Piero Antonio, and although he was 

 only a servant, his death has grieved me more than 

 you would have thought possible. But he was good 

 and faithful, and had been constant in all the changes 

 of fortune which have befallen me during the last 

 twenty-five years. I cannot and will not forget 

 him." 1 



From his quiet retreat, Bembo kept up an active 

 correspondence with his old friends and colleagues, 

 and watched the critical events that were taking place 

 in Rome. He received the news of the sudden death 

 of his patron, Leo X, without any pretence at excessive 

 sorrow, and lamented the accession of Pope Adrian IV, 

 whose Papacy was, in his eyes, more hurtful than any 

 vacancy. " Cursed," he cried, " a thousand times 

 cursed, be the blind goddess Fortune, for her deplor- 

 able lack of judgment ! " And in common with 

 all the friends of Art and Letters, he rejoiced at 



1 Lett ere, iii. 120. 

 144 



