he monument was unveiled Thorwaldsen
received the cross of an officer of the Legion of Honor.

Thorwaldsen's place in Rome was a very important one, not only as an
artist, but as a man. He had the respect and esteem of many good men of
all nations; he also suffered some things from the envy of those who
were jealous of him, as is the case with all successful men; but he was
a fearless person, and did not trouble himself on account of these
things. The frequent agitations of a political nature, however, did
disturb him, and he began to think seriously of returning to Denmark. In
1837, when the cholera broke out in Rome, he determined to leave; his
countrymen were delighted, and a government frigate was sent to take him
home; he sailed from Leghorn in August, 1838. His arrival was hailed
with joy in Denmark, and wherever he went his progress was marked by
tokens of the pride which his countrymen felt in him. As soon as it was
known in Copenhagen, on September 17th, that the "Rota," which brought
the sculptor, was in the harbor, a flag was run up from St. Nicolas
Church as a signal for the beginning of the festivities which had been
arranged.

Although it rained heavily, boats filled with artists, poets, students,
physicians, mechanics, and naval officers went out to meet him; each
boat had a flag with an appropriate device, that of the artists having
Thorwaldsen's Three Graces, the poets, a Pegasus, and so on. The meeting
with his friends on the deck of the ship was a pleasant surprise to the
artist, who was hurried ashore amid the firing of salutes and all sorts
of joyous demonstrations, a vast number of boats rowing after that in
which he was seated. His carriage was drawn by the people from the quay
to Charlottenburg, where a vast crowd assembled to get a sight at him.
His form was tall and erect, his step firm; his long white hair fell on
his shoulders, and his clear eye and benevolent face beamed with
intelligence and sympathetic interest in all around him. He was led out
on a balcony, where, uncovered, he saluted the people, who greeted him
with wild applause. Thorwaldsen smiled and said, "Would not any one
think that we were in Rome, and I were the pope about to give the
benediction _urbi et orbi_ from the balcony of St. Peter's?"

One ovation after another followed, day by day, and such crowds of
visitors went to see him that he was unable to unpack and arrange his
possessions which he had brought from Italy, or