THE CERTOSA OF FLORENCE 



may practise different trades, and for spacious gardens 

 where they may take recreation. Annexed to the 

 monastery was a noble building, with battlements 

 and a quadrangle, destined to receive fifty scholars 

 with professors and lecturers, for whose use Nic- 

 colo had formed a large library of manuscripts, 

 but this institution was unfortunately not kept up 

 by the Grand Seneschal's heirs. What, however, 

 occupied his attention more than all at this time was 

 the building of a house adjoining the monastery, 

 which he intended as a residence for himself. He 

 dwells with the greatest delight and affection on this 

 his " dear abitaculo, from which he would not part, 

 for all the lands round Florence," and gives the minu- 

 test directions for the building of kitchen, loggia, 

 halls, and even chimney-pieces. Everything is to be 

 broad and spacious, the garden as beautiful as it is 

 possible to make it, the vaulting of the rooms very 

 lofty, since in his eyes the finest feature in a building 

 is great height and space. In all his letters he presses 

 on the completion of his " abitaculo" and expresses 

 his anxiety that all should be ready when the time 

 comes for him to leave public life. Then, if only 

 God grant him this desire of his heart, he hopes to 

 retire there and spend his last days unvexed by the 

 clash of arms and the turmoil of the world, in this 



peaceful retreat, with only the company of the monks, 



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