noble and industrious spirits were striving, by the
light of the famous Giotto and of his followers, to give to the world
a proof of the ability that the benign influence of the stars and the
proportionate admixture of humours had given to their intellects, and
while, desirous to imitate with the excellence of their art the
grandeur of Nature in order to approach as near as possible to that
supreme knowledge that many call understanding, they were universally
toiling, although in vain, the most benign Ruler of Heaven in His
clemency turned His eyes to the earth, and, having perceived the
infinite vanity of all those labours, the ardent studies without any
fruit, and the presumptuous self-sufficiency of men, which is even
further removed from truth than is darkness from light, and desiring
to deliver us from such great errors, became minded to send down to
earth a spirit with universal ability in every art and every
profession, who might be able, working by himself alone, to show what
manner of thing is the perfection of the art of design in executing
the lines, contours, shadows, and high lights, so as to give relief to
works of painting, and what it is to work with correct judgment in
sculpture, and how in architecture it is possible to render
habitations secure and commodious, healthy and cheerful,
well-proportioned, and rich with varied ornaments. He was pleased, in
addition, to endow him with the true moral philosophy and with the
ornament of sweet poesy, to the end that the world might choose him
and admire him as its highest exemplar in the life, works, saintliness
of character, and every action of human creatures, and that he might
be acclaimed by us as a being rather divine than human. And since He
saw that in the practice of these rare exercises and arts--namely, in
painting, in sculpture, and in architecture--the Tuscan intellects
have always been exalted and raised high above all others, from their
being diligent in the labours and studies of every faculty beyond no
matter what other people of Italy, He chose to give him Florence, as
worthy beyond all other cities, for his country, in order to bring all
the talents to their highest perfection in her, as was her due, in the
person of one of her citizens.

[Illustration: MICHELAGNOLO BUONARROTI: THE HOLY FAMILY

(_Florence: Uffizi, 1239. Panel_)]

There was born a son, then, in the Casentino, in the year 1474, under
a fateful and happy star, from an excellen