y accusing Michelangelo of want of good
faith.

The sculptor, not knowing which way to turn, besought the Pope to allow
him to complete the work he was pledged to. He formed the wildest
projects in order to escape the amicable compulsion of Paul, among others
that of retiring to Carrara, where he had passed some tranquil years
among the mountains of marble. The Pontiff, to put an end to all these
discussions, issued a brief, dated September 18, 1537, wherein he
declared Michelangelo, his heirs and successors, released from all
obligations resulting from the different contracts entered into on the
subject of the monument. This fashion of terminating things could not
satisfy the Duke of Urbino nor relieve Michelangelo. The negotiations
were again resumed, and it ended in their agreement that the monument
should be raised in the form in which we now see it in the Church of
San Pietro in Vinculo, and should be composed of the statue of
"Moses" executed entirely by the hand of Michelangelo; of two figures
personifying "Active Life" and "Contemplative Life," which were already
much advanced, but were to be finished by Rafaello de Monte Lupo; of two
other statues by this master--a "Madonna," after a model by Michelangelo,
and the figure of "Julius," by Maso del Bosco.

Such is the very abridged history of this monument, which was not
entirely completed till 1550, after having caused for nearly half a
century real torment to Buonarroti. The Duke of Urbino was not satisfied,
neither was Michelangelo. The figures, originally intended to form part
of a colossal whole under the great roof of St. Peter's, appear too large
for the place they now occupy. The importance of the statue of "Moses"
misleads the mind, suggesting the idea that the monument itself is raised
to the memory of the Hebrew legislator, rather than to that of the
warrior-pope. At all events, in this statue is centred the principal, we
may say the unique, interest of the tomb. This prodigious work must be in
the memory of all. Amid the masterpieces of ancient and modern sculpture
the "Moses" remains ever unparalleled, a type, not irreproachable, but
the most striking, of a new art. I do not speak of the consummate science
which Michelangelo displays in the modelling of this statue; the Greeks
were learned in another fashion, but were so equally with him. Whence
comes it, nevertheless, that in spite of _bizarreries_ needless to defend
or to deny, and although this au