ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



of all that made his friendship pleasant, from regret 

 for all that has been and can never be again, he passes 

 to consider the high teaching of death and the many 

 things which he has learnt by the removal of his friend 

 to another life. He concludes with a generous assur- 

 ance to the Florentine Landolfo to whom the letter 

 is addressed, and who had been intimate with Zanobi, 

 that he will henceforth do his utmost to supply his 

 dead friend's place. " And now, since the time is 

 short, and the space between Zanobi's departure and 

 my own will not be long, I will say no more but this 

 only, that another Messer Zanobi remains to you, 

 that is I, the great Seneschal." 



Zanobi's saying, " Qui mortem metuit cupit nihil," 

 quoted by Niccolo in this letter, and also rendered, 

 "Contemsit omnia ille qui mortem prius," was adopted 

 by him as his motto, and is still to be seen on the 

 Grand Seneschal's tomb at the Certosa. 



It is this gentler side of Niccolo's nature, this 

 strong human tenderness breaking out here and there 

 in his letters, wherever we get a glimpse of his inner 

 feelings, which renders his character so attractive. 

 And as in his friendships so in all his private relations, 

 whether as husband, son, or father, we find the same 

 marks of deep and lasting affection for those connected 

 with him. On the point of embarking for Greece he 



sends back a ring to his wife, Mona Margherita, and 



210 



