with him for so many years, are well able to bear testimony. And
although there was always between us a certain proper emulation, by
reason of the desire that good craftsmen have to surpass one another,
none the less, with regard to the claims of friendship, there was never
any lack of love and affection between us, although each of us worked in
competition in the most famous places in Italy, as may be seen from a
vast number of letters that are in my possession, as I have said,
written by the hand of Francesco. Salviati was affectionate by nature,
but suspicious, acute, subtle, and penetrative, and yet ready to believe
anything; and when he set himself to speak of some of the men of our
arts, either in jest or in earnest, he was likely to give offence, and
at times touched them to the quick. It pleased him to mix with men of
learning and great persons, and he always held plebeian craftsmen in
detestation, even though they might be able in some field of art. He
avoided such persons as always speak evil, and when the conversation
turned on them he would tear them to pieces without mercy. But most of
all he abhorred the knaveries that craftsmen sometimes commit, of which,
having been in France, and having heard something of them, he was only
too well able to speak. At times, in order to be less weighed down by
his melancholy, he used to mingle with his friends and force himself to
be cheerful. But in the end his strange nature, so irresolute,
suspicious, and solitary, did harm to no one but himself.

His dearest friend was Manno, a Florentine goldsmith in Rome, a man rare
in his profession and excellent in character and goodness of heart.
Manno is burdened with a family, and if Francesco had been able to
dispose of his property, and had not spent all the fruits of his labours
on offices, only to leave them to the Pope, he would have left a great
part of them to that worthy man and excellent craftsman. Very dear to
him, likewise, was the above-mentioned Avveduto dell'Avveduto, a dresser
of minever-furs, who was the most loving and most faithful friend that
Francesco ever had; and if he had been in Rome when Francesco died,
Salviati would probably have arranged certain of his affairs with better
judgment than he did.

[Illustration: MEDAL OF POPE CLEMENT VII

(_After =Francesco dal Prato=. London: British Museum_)]

His disciple, also, was the Spaniard Roviale, who executed many works in
company with him, and by himsel