left his studio. But he was not contented to do this in the
manner and with the tools which had been used by so many generations of
sculptors before him. That decided bent of his genius to mechanical
invention which has been mentioned at the beginning of this paper led
him to perceive that an improvement might be made in this respect. For
giving the last finish to the marble, for removing from the surface a
quantity so small that no chisel could be trusted to do the work, it is
obvious enough to suggest the use of a file. And no doubt files are used
for the purpose, but they are liable to a special and very troublesome
source of inefficiency. They become clogged with the excessively fine
dust of the marble in a very few minutes to such an extent as to be
rendered useless, especially as the file must be of an exceedingly fine
description. Powers therefore set his mind to the problem of inventing
some means or some instrument by which this source of trouble could be
avoided; and after considerable vexation, not so much in perfecting his
own conception of the thing needed as in getting careless and not very
competent workmen to execute his orders, he perfected a file of the
necessary fineness upon the principle of a nutmeg-grater. His studio was
at all times full of little ingenious contrivances of all
sorts--contrivances for readily and conveniently modifying the light in
the exact degree desirable; contrivances for the due collocation and
distribution of artificial light; contrivances for the more ready moving
of marbles, etc. etc.

It is the fashion in Florence and in Rome for artists to open their
studios to all visitors. It is a custom which adds much to the amusement
of visitors who are really lovers of art; but it must bring with it, one
would think, consequences which must sometimes be not a little trying to
the painter's or sculptor's temper and patience. Criticism from those
who have some little pretension to the right to criticise is not always
pleasant when volunteered, but criticism from such Philistines of the
Philistines as often haunt the studios must be hard indeed to bear with
common courtesy. Powers invariably received such with the most perfect
suavity and good-temper, but I have sometimes seen him, to my great
amusement, inflict a punishment on the talkers of nonsense which made
them wish they had held their tongues. This consisted simply of
defending his own practice by entering on a lecture upon the