them where he could: when he could not find them, he could sit alone. This seems an easy matter: and yet, masters, there are more people who could run along a rope from yonder spire to this grassplot, than can do it.

Oldways. Come, gentles: the girl raps at the garden-gate: I hear the ladle against the lock: dinner waits for us.

XVII. MACHIAVELLI AND MICHEL-ANGELO BUONARROTI.

Michel-Angelo. And how do you like my fortification, Messer Niccolo ?

Machiavelli. It will easily be taken, Messer Michel-Angelo, because there are other points, Bello-squardo for instance, and the Poggio above Boboli, whence every street and edifice may be cannonaded.

Michel-Angelo. Surely you do not argue with your wonted precision, my good friend. Because the enemy may occupy those positions and cannonade the city, is that a reason why our fort of Samminiato should so easily be surrendered?

Machiavelli. There was indeed a time when such an argument would have been futile: but that time was when Florence was ruled by only her own citizens, and when the two factions that devoured her, started up with equal alacrity from their prey, and fastened on the invader. But it being known to Charles that we have neglected to lay in provisions, more than sufficient for one year, he will allow our courageous citizens to pelt and scratch and bite his men occasionally, for that short time; after which they must surrender. This policy will leave to him the houses and furniture in good condition; and whatsoever fines and taxes may be imposed, will be paid the more easily; while the Florentines will be able to boast of their courage and perseverance, the French of their patience and clemency. It will be a good example for other people to follow: and many historians will praise both parties; all will praise one.

I have given my answer to your question; and I now approve and applaud the skill and solidity with which you construct the works,

regretting only that we have neither time to erect the others that are necessary, nor to enroll the countrymen who are equally so for their defence. Charles is a prudent and a patient conqueror, and he knows the temper and the power of each adversary. He will not demolish nor greatly hurt the city. What he can not effect by terror he will effect by time; that miner whom none can countermine. We have brave men among our citizens; men sensible of shame and ignominy in enduring the dictation of a stranger, or the domination of an equal: but we have not many of these, nor have they any weight in our counsels. The rest are far different, and altogether dissimilar to their ancestors. They, whatever was their faction, contended for liberty, for domestic ties, for personal honour, for public approbation; we for pictures, for statues, bronze tripods, and tesselated tables these, and the transient smiles of dukes and cardinals, are deemed of higher value than our heirloom, worm-eaten, creaking, crazy freedom.

:

Michel-Angelo. I never thought them so: and yet somewhat of parental love may be supposed to influence me in favour of the fairer, solider, and sounder portion of the things you set before me.

Machiavelli. It is a misfortune to possess what can be retained by servility alone; and the more precious the possession, the greater is the misfortune.

Michel-Angelo. Dukes and cardinals, popes and emperors, can not take away from me the mind and spirit that God has placed immeasurably high above them. If men are become so vile and heartless as to sit down quietly and see pincers and pulleys tear the sinews of their best benefactors, they are not worth the stones and sand we have been piling up for their protection.

some.

Machiavelli. To rail is indecorous; to reason is idle and troubleWhen you seriously intend to lead people back again to their senses, do not call any man wiser or better than the rabble; for this affronts all, and the bad and strong the most; but tell them calmly that the chief difference between the government of a republic and a dukedom is this: in a republic there are more deaths by day than by night; in a dukedom the contrary: that perhaps we see as many taken to prison in a republic; certainly we see more come out.

Michel-Angelo. If any man of reflection needs to be shown the futility and mischief of hereditary power, we Florentines surely may show it to him in the freshest and most striking of examples.

Lorenzo de' Medici united a greater number of high and amiable qualities than any other man among his contemporaries; and yet Lorenzo lived in an age which must ever be reckoned most fertile in men of genius and energy. His heart was open to the poor and afflicted: his house, his library, his very baths and bed-rooms, to the philosopher and the poet. What days of my youth have I spent in his society! Even after he was at the head of the commonwealth he had society; for even then he had fellow-citizens. What lessons has

he himself given me in everything relating to my studies! in mythology, in architecture, in sculpture, in painting, in every branch and ramification of eloquence! Can I ever forget the hour when he led me by the arm, in the heat of the day, to the eastern door of our baptistery, and said, "Michel-Angelo! this is the only wonder of the world: it rose, like the world itself, out of nothing: its great maker was without an archetype; he drew from the inherent beauty of his soul: venerate here its image." It was then I said, "It is worthy to be the gate of Paradise" and he replied, "The garden is walled up; let us open a space for the portal." He did it, as far as human ability could do it: and if afterward he took a station which belonged not of right to him, he took it lest it should be occupied by worse and weaker men. His son succeeded to him: what a son ! The father thought and told me that no materials were durable enough for my works: perhaps he erred: but how did Piero correct the error? He employed me in making statues of snow in the gardens of Boboli; statues the emblems at once of his genius and his authority.

Machiavelli. How little foresight have the very wisest of those who invade the liberties of their country! how little true love for their children! how little foresight for their descendants, in whose interest they believe they labour. There neither is nor ought to be any safety for those who clap upon our shoulders their heavy pampered children, and make us carry them whether we will or not. Lorenzo was well versed in history: could he forget, or could he overlook, the dreadful punishments that are the certain inheritance of whoever reaps the harvest of such misdeeds? How many sanguinary deaths by the avenging arm of violated law! how many assassinations from the people! how many poisonings and stabbings from domestics! from guards! from kindred! fratricides, parricides; and that horrible crime for which no language has formed a name,

A citizen may

the bloodshed of the son by the parental hand. perhaps be happier, for the moment, by so bold and vast a seizure as a principality; but his successor, born to the possession of supremacy, can enjoy nothing of this satisfaction. For him there is neither the charm of novelty nor the excitement of action, nor is there the glory of achievement: no mazes of perplexing difficulty gone safely through, no summit of hope attained. But there is perpetually the same fear of losing the acquisition, the same suspicion of friends, the same certainty of enemies, the same number of virtues shut out, and of vices shut in, by his condition. This is the end obtained, which is usually thought better than the means. And what are the means, than which this end is better! They are such as, we might imagine, no man who had ever spent a happy hour with his equals would employ, even if his family were as sure of advantage by employing them as we have shown that it is sure of detriment. In order that a citizen may become a prince, the weaker are seduced, and the wiser are corrupted for wisdom on this earth is earthly, and stands not above the elements of corruption. His successor, finding less tractability, works with harder and sharper instruments. The revels are over; the dream is broken; men rise, bestir themselves, and are tied down. Their confessors and wives console them, saying, You would not have been tied down had you been quiet." The son is warned not to run into the error of his father, by this clear demonstration: "Yonder villa was his, with the farms about it: he sold it and them to pay the fine."

Michel-Angelo. And are these the doctrines our children must be taught? I will have none then. I will avoid the marriage-bed as I would the bed of Procrustes. O that by any exertion of my art I could turn the eyes of my countrymen toward Greece ! I wish to excell in painting or in sculpture, partly for my glory, partly for my sustenance, being poor, but greatly more to arouse in their breasts the recollection of what was higher. Then come the questions, whence was it? how was it? Surely, too surely, not by Austrians, French, and Spaniards; all equally barbarous; though the Spaniards were in contiguity with the Moors, and one sword polished the other.

Machiavelli. The only choice left us was the choice of our enslaver: we have now lost even that. Our wealthier citizens make up their old shopkeeping silks into marquis-caps, and tranquilly fall