with the events of the artist's life and the history of
his works, has enabled me to detect in his character a persistent
oscillation. Continual contradictions between great and generous ideas
upon the one side, and puerile ideas upon the other; between the will
and the word, thought and action; an excessive irritability and the
highest degree of susceptibility; constant love for others, great
activity in doing good, sudden sympathies, great outbursts of
enthusiasm, great fears; at times an unconsciousness with respect to
his own actions; a marvellous modesty in the field of art, an
unreasonable vanity regarding external appearances:--these are the
diverse manifestations of psychical energy in Buonarroti's life; all
which makes me believe that the mighty artist was affected by a degree
of neuropathy bordering closely upon hysterical disease." He proceeds
to support this general view by several considerations, among which
the most remarkable are Michelangelo's asseverations to friends: "You
will say that I am old and mad to make sonnets, but if people assert
that I am on the verge of dotage, I have wished to act up to my
character:" "You will say that I am old and mad; but I answer that
there is no better way of keeping sane and free from anxiety, than by
being mad:" "As regards the madness they ascribe to me, it does harm
to nobody but myself:" "I enjoyed last evening, because it drew me out
of my melancholy and mad humour."

Reviewing Parlagreco's argument in general, I think it may be justly
remarked that if the qualities rehearsed above constitute hysterical
neuropathy, then every testy, sensitive, impulsive, and benevolent
person is neuropathically hysterical. In particular we may demur to
the terms "puerile ideas," "unreasonable vanity regarding external
appearances." It would be difficult to discover puerility in any of
Buonarroti's utterances; and his only vanity was a certain pride in
the supposed descent of his house from that of Canossa. The frequent
allusions to melancholy and madness do not constitute a confession of
these qualities. They express Michelangelo's irritation at being
always twitted with unsociability and eccentricity. In the
conversations recorded by Francesco d'Olanda he quietly and
philosophically exculpates men of the artistic temperament from such
charges, which were undoubtedly brought against him, and which the
recluse manner of his life to some extent accounted for.

It may be well he