d suffered from the procrastination and
uncertainty of the patronage of the Popes, that his work took him so long
to finish that sometimes it had to be left incomplete. His early works
were remarkable, not only for their high finish but also for the
expedition with which they were carried out.

Condivi has given us the story of his early difficulties and of his first
picture,(60) probably in Michael Angelo's own words; we may supplement
this account by the following extract from Vasari, who gathered his
information from the gossip of the workshops of Florence, and from Ridolfo
Ghirlandaio, the son of his first master. "Michael Angelo grew in power
and character so rapidly that Domenico(61) was astonished, seeing him do
things quite extraordinary in a youth, for it seemed to him that he not
only surpassed the other students, of whom Domenico had a large number,
but that he often equalled the work done by him as master. Now, one of the
lads who studied under Domenico made a pen-drawing of some women, draped,
after Ghirlandaio. Michael Angelo took up the paper, and with a thicker
pen went over the outline of one of the women with a new line, correcting
it, and making it perfect, so that it is wonderful to see the difference
between the two styles, and the ability and judgment of a boy, so spirited
and bold that he had the courage to correct his master's handiwork. This
drawing is to-day in my possession, valued as a relic. I had it from
Granacci to put it in my book of drawings with others given to me by
Michael Angelo. In the year 1550, being in Rome, I, Giorgio, showed it to
Michael Angelo, who recognised it and was pleased to see it again, saying
modestly that he knew more of art as a child than now as an old man.(62)
It happened that Domenico was working in the great Chapel of Santa Maria
Novella, and one day when he was out Michael Angelo set himself to draw
from nature the scaffolding, the tables with all the materials of the art,
and some of the young men at work. Presently Domenico returned, and saw
Michael Angelo's drawing. He was astonished, saying this boy knows more
than I do; and he was stupefied by this style and new realism: a gift from
heaven to a child of such tender years."

The first art school of Michael Angelo was the beautiful Church of Santa
Maria Novella, called by him affectionately "_Mia Sposa_." Here, day by
day, he beheld the "Last Judgment" of Orcagna, the enthroned figures in
the Spanish C