sco worked, and how he robbed Rome of this
precious relic, and how he painted it in oils, although in all his life he
had never been a painter in oils, and only made pictures hitherto easily
contained on a small parchment."

"How can it be," said M. Lactancio, "that one who never painted in oils is
capable of doing it, and that one who has always done little things can
also do big ones?"

And as I did not reply, Michael Angelo answered him:

"Do not be surprised, sir, and as regards this I wish now to state my
views about the noble art of painting. Let every man who is here
understand this well: design, which by another name is called drawing, and
consists of it, is the fount and body of painting and sculpture and
architecture and of every other kind of painting, and the root of all
sciences. Let whoever may have attained to so much as to have the power of
drawing know that he holds a great treasure; he will be able to make
figures higher than any tower, either in colours or carved from the block,
and he will not be able to find a wall or enclosure which does not appear
circumscribed and small to his brave imagination. And he will be able to
paint in fresco in the manner of old Italy, with all the mixtures and
varieties of colour usually employed in it. He will be able to paint in
oils very suavely with more knowledge, daring and patience than painters.
And, finally, on a small piece of parchment he will be most perfect and
great, as in all other manners of painting. Because great, very great is
the power of design and drawing. Senhor Francisco d'Ollanda can paint, if
he wishes, everything that he knows how to draw."

"I will not ask again about another doubt," said M. Lactancio, "because I
dare not."

"Please to dare, Your Excellency," said Michael Angelo, "for as we have
already sacrificed the day to painting, let us likewise offer up the night
which is setting in."

He then said: "I wish finally to know what this painting that is so fine
and rare must possess or what it is? Whether there must be tourneys
painted, or battles, or kings and emperors covered with brocade, or
well-dressed damsels, or landscapes and fields and towns? Or whether
perchance it must be some angel or some saint painted and the actual form
of this world? Or what must it be? Whether it must be done with gold or
with silver, whether with very fine tints or with very brilliant ones?"

"Painting," M. Angelo began, "is not such a great work as