ced this
gigantic decoration, which was destined to be his most splendid work.
We shall see the resistance he first opposed to Julius' desire, and the
ardor with which he undertook and the rapidity with which he accomplished
the work, once he made up his mind to accept it; but first, since, at the
period we have come to, most of the statues which now adorn the tomb of
Julius II at San Pietro in Vinculo, and those more numerous that belonged
to the original project, but which have been dispersed, were blocked out
or finished, I wish to give, in order not to return to the subject, a
general idea of this monument, to show what, from reduction to reduction,
the original design has become, and what annoyances it occasioned its
author.

The original magnificent design remained unmodified until 1513; but on
Julius' death, his testamentary executors, the Cardinals Santiquatro and
Aginense and the Duke of Urbino, reduced to six the number of statues
that were to form the decoration, and reduced from ten thousand to six
thousand ducats the sum to be employed on it.

From 1513 to 1521 Leo X, who cared less to complete his predecessor's
monument than to endow his native city, Florence, with the works of the
great artist, employed Michelangelo almost exclusively in building the
facade and sacristy of San Lorenzo. During the short, austere pontificate
of Adrian VI, Michelangelo again devoted himself to the sculptures of the
monument, but under Clement VII he had again to abandon them in order
to execute in Florence the projects of Leo X, which the new Pope had
adopted. Toward 1531 the Duke of Urbino at last obtained permission for
Michelangelo to suspend the works at San Lorenzo in order to finish the
tomb so long since begun. Nevertheless it does not appear that he was
allowed much time to devote to it. At last, on the death of Clement
VII, he thought he had regained his liberty, and could, after such long
involuntary delay, fulfil his engagements; but hardly was Paul III
installed than he sent for him, gave him the most cordial reception, and
begged him to consecrate his talents to his service. Michelangelo replied
that it was impossible; he was bound by treaty to terminate the mausoleum
of Julius II Paul flew into a rage and said: "Thirty years have I desired
this, and now that I am pope I am not to be allowed to satisfy it! I
shall tear up this contract. I mean that you shall obey me." The Duke of
Urbino loudly complained, openl