manly grace that defies description. This work was esteemed by all to
be most beautiful, and it was a great satisfaction to herself, thinking
that with this illustration from the Old Testament she had partly
quenched the raging fire of her own passion. Nor would she ever do any
more work in connection with that building, although there was no person
who did not beseech her that she should go on with it, save only Maestro
Amico, who out of envy always dissuaded her and went so far with his
malignity, ever speaking ill of her to the Wardens, that she was paid a
most beggarly price for her work.

She also made two angels in very strong relief and beautiful
proportions, which may now be seen, although against her wish, in the
same building. In the end she devoted herself to copper-plate engraving,
which she did without reproach, gaining the highest praise. And so the
poor love-stricken young woman came to succeed most perfectly in
everything, save in her unhappy passion.

The fame of an intellect so noble and so exalted spread throughout all
Italy, and finally came to the ears of Pope Clement VII, who,
immediately after he had crowned the Emperor in Bologna, made inquiries
after her; but he found that the poor woman had died that very week, and
had been buried in the Della Morte Hospital, as she had directed in her
last testament. At which the Pope, who was eager to see her, felt much
sorrow at her death; but more bitter even was it for her
fellow-citizens, who regarded her during her lifetime as one of the
greatest miracles produced by nature in our days.

In our book are some very good drawings by the hand of this Properzia,
done with the pen and copied from the works of Raffaello da Urbino; and
her portrait was given to me by certain painters who were very much her
friends.

[Illustration: TWO ANGELS, _after_ Madonna Properzia de' Rossi

(THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN, _after_ Tribolo)

(_Bologna: S. Petronio_)

_Alinari_]

But, although Properzia drew very well, there have not been wanting
women not only to equal her in drawing, but also to do as good work in
painting as she did in sculpture. Of these the first is Sister
Plautilla, a nun and now Prioress in the Convent of S. Caterina da
Siena, on the Piazza di S. Marco in Florence. She, beginning little by
little to draw and to imitate in colours pictures and paintings by
excellent masters, has executed some works with such diligence, that she
has caused the cr