d a
man of the world, and also, above all, a tactful person, both able and
willing to turn the thing into a joke, Visino would have learnt not to
play with savages; for those brutes of Hungarians, not understanding
his words, and thinking that he had uttered something terrible, such
as a threat that he would rob their King of his life and throne,
wished to give him short shrift and crucify him by mob-law. But the
good Bishop drew him out of all embarrassment, and, appraising the
merit of the excellent master at its true value, and putting a good
complexion on the affair, restored him to the favour of the King, who,
on hearing the story, was much amused by it. His good fortune,
however, did not last long, for, not being able to endure the stifling
rooms and the cold air, which ruined his constitution, in a short time
this brought his life to an end; although his repute and fame survived
in the memory of those who knew him when alive, and of those who saw
his works in the years after his death. His pictures date about the
year 1512.

FOOTNOTE:

[17] The words of the text, "un quadro d' una spera," are a
little obscure; but the translator has been strengthened in his
belief that his rendering is correct by seeing a little picture,
painted on a mirror, and numbered 7697, in the Victoria and Albert
Museum. The subject of this picture, which the translator was
enabled to see by the courtesy of Mr. B. S. Long, of the Department
of Paintings, is the same as that of the work mentioned by Vasari,
and it may be a copy.

[18] Florentine puff-pastry.

RAFFAELLINO DEL GARBO

LIFE OF RAFFAELLINO DEL GARBO

PAINTER OF FLORENCE

Raffaello del Garbo, while he was a little boy, was called by the pet
name of Raffaellino, which he retained ever afterwards; and in his
earliest days he gave such promise in his art, that he was already
numbered among the most excellent masters, a thing which happens to
few. But still fewer meet the fate which afterwards came upon him,
in that from a splendid beginning and almost certain hopes, he
arrived at a very feeble end. For it is a general rule, in the world
both of nature and of art, for things to grow gradually from small
beginnings, little by little, until they reach their highest
perfection. It is true, however, that many laws both of art and of
nature are unknown to us, nor do they hold to one unvarying order at
all times and in every case, a thing which very often renders