aced; this
was not done, and he was much grieved at his failure to carry out the
idea. But he determined that from this time he would devote his life and
fortune to religion, and resolved to erect a church at Possagno, to
adorn it with works of art, and to make it his own burial-place.

On July 8th, 1819, Canova assembled his workmen in his native town, and
gave them a _fete_; many peasant girls joined in the festivities and
assisted in the breaking of the ground; at evening, as they all passed
before Canova to bid him farewell, each one received a gift from him.
Three days later the religious ceremony of laying the corner-stone of
the future church took place. An immense number of people from the
surrounding country and from Venice were present; Canova, in his robes
as a Knight of Christ, and wearing the insignia of other orders, led the
procession; all who had seen Canova when a poor boy in their midst were
much impressed by this occasion. Here, in a public manner, he
consecrated his life and fortune to the service of God and the benefit
of his birthplace. Every autumn Canova went to Possagno to encourage the
workmen and to give directions as to how the whole should be done.
Between these visits he worked devotedly, for he was forced to earn all
he could in order to pay for his great undertaking.

At this time he executed a statue of Washington, and was making an
equestrian statue of Ferdinand of Naples, and in the month of May, 1822,
went to that city, where he fell ill; he returned to Rome, and revived
somewhat, and resumed his work. On September 17th he went to Possagno,
in October to Villa Faliero, where, fifty years before, he had spent
such happy days. From here he went to Venice, and on the 13th of the
same month he died.

Solemn services were held in the cathedral, and his remains were then
intrusted to the priests of Possagno, who bore them to their temple,
where he was buried on the 25th of the month; the crowd was so great
that the oration was delivered in the open air. Canova's heart was given
to the Academy of Venice, and an elegant little monument was erected in
the Palace of Arts to contain this relic of the sculptor. The Venetian
artists arranged to erect to him a monument, and chose the design which
he himself had made for the tomb of Titian; it is in the Church of Santa
Maria de' Frari. In Rome a statue was decreed to him, and he was
declared the perpetual President of her chief academy.

In pers