cultivated, with his usual ardour and success, the art of engraving foliages on daggers and swords.

At this period it was, that the Duke de Bourbon laid siege to Rome, on which occasion, our author raised a company of fifty men. Determined, he says, to perform some manly action, he one day repaired to the walls, and

Having," he continues, "taken aim with my piece, where I saw the thickest croud of the enemy, I fixed my eye on a person who seemed to be lifted up by the rest: but the misty weather prevented me from distinguishing whether he was on horseback, or on foot. Then turning suddenly about to Alexander and Cecchino, I bid them fire off their pieces, and shewed them how to escape every shot of the besiegers. Having accordingly fired twice for the enemy's once, I softly approached the walls, and perceived that there was an extraordinary confusion among the assailants, occasioned by our having shot the duke of Bourbon: he was, as I understood afterwards, that chief personage, whom I saw raised by the rest."

Our soldier was equally successful in directing the guns in the castle of St. Angelo, and, with a cannon, charged with certain antique javelins, he killed the Prince of Orange. History, however, has not deigned to record any of the extraordinary feats of our hero, at this memorable siege.

The next event, of any great importance, which happened to Cellini, was in the way of his profession, and this was his being employed to make the button for the pontifical cope, the execution of which gained him great fame, and is spoken of, by Vasari, in terms of high praise. In this piece, God, the Father, was to be represented in half relievo, and there were no less than thirty rival models, made by able designers, who, as the artist says, not being acquainted with the jeweller's business, had placed the large and beautiful diamond in the breast of the father. The Pope, who was a person of genius, took notice of this blunder, and, after he had inspected ten of the models, he threw the rest on the ground, and called for Benvenuto's; "thereupon," says the Artist, with infinite satisfaction," I opened a little round box, when instantly there seemed to flash from it a lustre which dazzled the Pope himself, and he cried out, with a loud voice, Benvenuto, had you been my very self, you could not have designed this with greater propriety." To some of our readers, it may not be unacceptable, to have the Artist's account of the design of this celebrated button.

"I had laid the diamond exactly in the middle of the work, and over it I had represented God the Father sitting in a sort of free, easy attitude, which suited admirably well with the rest of the piece, and did not in the least croud the diamond; his right hand was lifted up,

giving his blessing. Under the diamond I had drawn three little boys, who supported it, with their arms raised aloft. One of these boys, which stood in the middle, was in full, the other two in half, relievo. Round it was a number of figures of boys, placed amongst other glittering jewels. The remainder of God the Father was covered with a cloak, which wantoned in the wind, from whence issued several figures of boys with other striking ornaments most beautiful to behold. This work was made of a white stucco, upon a black stone."

The Pope was so delighted with this specimen of the Artist's talents, that he proposed to employ him to stamp the coins of the Mint. Although he had never been engaged in this business, and had only seen how it was done, he produced, in a surprising short time, a specimen to the Pope, together with the old coins, struck by the eminent Artists employed by Popes Julius and Leo; and, perceiving the one stamped by him gained higher approbation than the rest, took advantage of the time, and petitioned for the place of Stamp Master to the Mint, which was granted to him upon the spot.

Benvenuto was in his twenty-ninth year, when his brother died, of wounds which he had received from a musqueteer in a street rencontre. Our author could find no peace until he had revenged his death, which he at length effected, by stabbing the unfortunate musqueteer; on which occasion, the Pope's countenance was of some assistance to him. Whilst the artist was employed in drawing the design of a magnificent chalice, for the Pope, he, one evening, finding his holiness had forgotten his promises of preferment, took the opportunity of asking him for the place of one of the fraternity del Piombo, then vacant. The scenes, between the Pontiff and his Artist, are wonderfully edifying, and we shall give them in the author's own words.

"The good Pope no longer recollecting the florid harangue he had made upon my finishing the other work, answered me thus; The place you ask, has annexed to it a salary of above eight hundred crowns a year, so that if you were to have it, you would think of nothing after but indulging yourself, and pampering your body;, thus you would entirely forget that admirable art, of which you are at present so great a master, and I should be condemned as the cause of it. I instantly replied, that good cats mouse better to fatten themselves, than merely through hunger; and that men of genius exert their abilities always to most purpose when they are in affluent circumstances; insomuch that those princes, who are most munificent to such men, may be considered as encouraging, and, as it were, watering the plants of genius; left to themselves they wither and die away, 'tis encouragement alone that makes them spring up and flourish. I must, however, inform your holiness, that I did not petition for this preferment, expecting to have it granted me; I looked upon myself as happy in getting the poor place

of mace-bearer; it was only a thought that just came into my head. You will do well to bestow it upon some man of genius that deserves it, and not upon an ignorant person, who will make no other use of it but to pamper his body, as your holiness expresses it. Take example of Pope Julius of worthy memory, who gave such a place to Bramante, an ingenious architect. Having spoke thus, I made him a low bow, and took my leave. Bastiano, the Venetian painter, then coming forward, said to him; Most holy father, please to give this place to some person that exerts himself in the ingenious arts; and, as your holiness knows me to have dedicated my time to those studies, I humbly request you would think me worthy of that honour. The Pope made answer: this devil Benvenuto cannot bear a word of rebuke; I did intend to bestow the place upon him; but it is not right to behave so proudly to a Pope : I therefore don't know how I shall dispose of it."

He, however, bestowed it on Bastiano. The Pope, who was uncommonly anxious for the completion of the chalice, on leaving Rome for Bologna, commanded the Cardinal Salviati to hurry it on, expressing himself in these words:

"Benvenuto is a man that sets but little value upon his abilities, and less upon me; so be sure you hurry him on, that the chalice may be finished at my return. This stupid cardinal sent to me in about eight days, ordering me to bring my work with me; but I went to him without it. As soon as I came into his presence, he said to me, Where is this fantastical work of yours? have you finished it? I made answer; Most reverend sir, I have not finished my fantastical work, as you are pleased to call it, nor can I finish it, except you give me wherewithal to enable me. Scarce had I uttered these words, when the cardinal, whose phyz was liker that of an ass than a human creature, began to look more hideous than before, and immediately proceeding to abusive language, said, I'll confine you a-board a galley, and then you will be glad to finish the work. As I had a brute to deal with, I used the language proper on the occasion, which was as follows; My lord, when I am guilty of crimes deserving the gallies, then you may send me thither; but for such an offence as mine, I am not afraid; nay I will tell you more, on account of this ill treatment, I will not finish the work at all; so send no more for me, for I will not come, unless I am compelled by the city-guards. The foolish cardinal then tried by fair means to persuade me to go on with the work in hand, and to bring what I had done, that he might examine it: in answer to all his persuasions, I said; Tell his holiness to send me the materials, if he would have me finish this fantastical work; nor would I give him any other answer, insomuch, that despairing of success, he at last ceased to trouble me with his importunities. The Pope returned from Bologna, and immediately enquired after me, for the cardinal had, already, given him, by letter, the most unfavourable account of me, he possibly could. His holiness being incensed against me to the highest degree, ordered me to come to him with my work; and I obeyed. During the time he was at Bologna, I had so severe a defluxion upon my eyes, that life became almost insup

portable to me that was the first cause of my not proceeding with the chalice: so much did I suffer by this disorder, that I really thought I should lose my eye-sight; and I computed how much would be sufficient for my support, when I should be blind. In my way to the palace, I meditated within myself, an excuse for discontinuing the work; and thought, that whilst the Pope was considering and examining my performance, I might acquaint him with my case; but I was mistaken; for, as soon as I appeared in his presence, he said to me, with great asperity, Let me see that work of yours: is it finished? Upon my producing it, he flew into a more violent passion than before, and said, As there is truth in God, I assure you, since you value no living soul, that if a regard to decency did not prevent me, I would order both you and your work to be thrown, this moment, out of the window. Seeing the Pope thus inflamed with brutal fury, I was for quitting his presence directly, and, as he continued his bravadoes, I put the chalice under my cloak, muttering these words to myself, The whole world would prove unable to make a blind man proceed in such an undertaking as this. The Pope, then, in a louder voice than before, said, Come hither:-what's that you say?-For a while, I hesitated, whether I should not run down stairs; at last, I plucked up my courage, and, falling on my knees, exclaimed aloud, in these words, because he continued to scoldIs it reasonable, that, when I am blind with a disorder, you should oblige me to continue to work? He answered, you could see well enough to come hither, and I don't believe one word of what you say. Observing that he spoke with a milder tone of voice, I replied, If your holiness will ask your physician, you will find that I declare the truth. I shall inquire into the affair, at my leisure, said he. I now perceived that I had an opportunity to plead my cause, and, therefore, delivered myself thus, I am persuaded, most holy father, that the author of all this mischief, is no other than cardinal Salviati; because he sent for me immediately upon your holiness's departure; and when I came to him, called my work a fantastical piece, and told me he would make me finish it in a galley: these opprobrious words made such an impression on me, that, through the great perturbation of mind I was in, I felt my face, all on a sudden, inflamed, and my eyes were attacked by so violent a heat, that I could hardly find my way home: a few days after, there fell upon them two cataracts, which blinded me to such a degree, that I could hardly see the light, and, since your holiness's departure, I have not been able to do a stroke of work. Having spoke thus, I rose up and withdrew. I was told, that the Pope said, after I was gone, When places of trust are given, discretion is not always conveyed with them; I did not bid the cardinal treat people quite so roughly; if it be true that he has a disorder in his eyes, as I shall know, by asking my physician, I should be inclined to look upon him with an eye of compassion."

The wrath of his holiness was again excited by the delay of the Artist, and, after waiting two months, during which time, Benvenuto, who had declared he would not strike a single stroke, had wrought at it constantly with the utmost diligence, he

deprived him of his place in the Mint. Our author requested the bearer of this intelligence, to inform his holiness, that he deprived himself, and not him, of the place; and that if he should be ever so desirous to restore it, Benvenuto Cellini would, upon no account, accept it. The Pope next required him to deliver the chalice in its present state; but to this, the Artist, with his usual spirit of independance, replied, that this was not like the place in the Mint, of which it was in the power of his holiness to deprive him-that the five hundred crowns, he had received, were, indeed, the property of his holiness, and these he would restore; but, as for the work, it was his, and he would dispose of it as he thought proper. In a few days afterwards, the Pope sent two of his gentlemen to Benvenuto, with orders to conduct him to prison, if he still refused to deliver up the chalice-he refused, and was, in consequence, taken before the Governor and Procurator, who rated, expostulated, and advised, by turns, telling him, that he who was employed by another, in any work, should take it back when required; but Benvenuto made answer "that it was not agreeable to justice, and that a Pope had no right to act in that manner, because his holiness was not like those petty tyrants, who oppress their subjects to the utmost, paying no regard either to law or justice."-" Benvenuto," exclaimed the governor, " you will, at last, oblige me to use you according to your deserts."-" You will, in that case," replied Benvenuto, "behave honorably and politely to me." Intimidation and coaxing, both failing, they applied to the head of the Christian Church, for instructions; he was pleased to command, that, as his honor was concerned, the Artist should bring the work, sealed up in a box, in which state, it should be quickly returned to him: with this command, Benvenuto answered, smiling, he would gladly comply, because he was desirous of knowing what dependance could be placed upon the faith of a Pope. Having, therefore, sent for, and sealed up, his work, he transmitted it, by the governor, to his holiness, who, after turning it round several times, asked the governor if he had seen it, and, on his replying that he had, and that it appeared to him an extraordinary performance, the Pope said,

"You may tell Benvenuto, that Roman Pontiffs have authority to loose and bind things of much greater importance than this; and whilst he uttered these words, he, with an angry look, opened the box, taking off the cord and the seal."

Although the apostolic faith was as easily broken as the seal, our Benvenuto, after some further display of spirit, was prevailed upon to finish this important piece of plate, the Pope promising to grant him any favor he desired.