us and living happily, in the
year 1398 there was born to him a son, to whom he gave the name Filippo,
after his own father, now dead; and he celebrated this birth with the
greatest gladness possible. Thereupon he taught him in his childhood,
with the utmost attention, the first rudiments of letters, wherein the
boy showed himself so ingenious and so lofty in spirit that his brain
was often in doubt, as if he did not care to become very perfect in
them--nay, it appeared that he directed his thoughts on matters of
greater utility--wherefore Ser Brunellesco, who wished him to follow his
own vocation of notary, or that of his great-great-grandfather, was very
much displeased. But seeing him continually investigating ingenious
problems of art and mechanics, he made him learn arithmetic and writing,
and then apprenticed him to the goldsmith's art with one his friend, to
the end that he might learn design. And this gave great satisfaction to
Filippo, who, not many years after beginning to learn and to practise
that art, could set precious stones better than any old craftsman in
that vocation. He occupied himself with niello and with making larger
works, such as some figures in silver, whereof two, half-length
prophets, are placed at the head of the altar of S. Jacopo in Pistoia;
these figures, which are held very beautiful, were wrought by him for
the Wardens of Works in that city; and he made works in low-relief,
wherein he showed that he had so great knowledge in his vocation that
his intellect must needs overstep the bounds of that art. Wherefore,
having made acquaintance with certain studious persons, he began to
penetrate with his fancy into questions of time, of motion, of weights,
and of wheels, and how the latter can be made to revolve, and by what
means they can be set in motion; and thus he made some very good and
very beautiful clocks with his own hand.

Not content with this, there arose in his mind a very great inclination
for sculpture; and this took effect, for Donatello, then a youth, being
held an able sculptor and one of great promise, Filippo began to be ever
in his company, and the two conceived such great love for each other, by
reason of the talents of each, that one appeared unable to live without
the other. Whereupon Filippo, who was most capable in various ways, gave
attention to many professions, nor had he practised these long before he
was held by persons qualified to judge to be a very good archite