lmost withdrew from the fellowship of men, only
consorting with a few. So that by some he was held to be proud, and by
others odd and eccentric, though he had none of these vices; but (like
many excellent men) a love of knowledge and continued exercise in the
learned arts made him solitary, and he was so satisfied and took such a
delight in them that company not only did not please him but even annoyed
him, as interrupting his meditations he was never less solitary than when
alone (as the great Scipio used to say of himself).

LXIII. Nevertheless, he willingly kept the friendship of those from whose
wise and learned conversation he could gather any fruit and in whom shone
some ray of excellence, such as the Most Reverend and Illustrious
Monsignor Polo,(55) for his rare learning and singular goodness; and
similarly my Most Reverend patron the Cardinal Crispo, finding in him
besides his many good qualities a rare and excellent judgment. He had also
a great affection for the Most Reverend Cardinal Santa Croce, a man of
great weight and most prudent, of whom I have heard him speak more than
once with the highest esteem; and the Most Reverend Maffei, whose goodness
and learning he always speaks of; and generally loves and honours all the
House of the Farnese, for the lively memory he cherishes of Pope Paul,
recalling him with the utmost reverence, speaking of him constantly as a
good and holy old man. And so, too, the Most Reverend Patriarch of
Jerusalem, formerly Bishop of Cesena, with whom he has often conversed
familiarly, as one whose open and liberal nature much pleased him. He had
also a close friendship with my Most Reverend patron, the Cardinal
Ridolfi, of happy memory, the refuge of all men of talent. There are
others whom I leave out, so as not to be tedious, as Monsignor Claudio
Tolemei, Messer Lorenzo Ridolfi, Messer Donato Giannotti, Messer Lionardo
Malaspini, Il Lottino, Messer Tomaso de' Cavalieri, and other honourable
gentlemen, of whom I will not write at length. Finally, he has a great
affection for Annibal Caro. He has told me that he is sorry not to have
known him before, as he is so much to his taste. More particularly he
loved greatly the Marchioness of Pescara, of whose divine spirit he was
enamoured, being in return loved tenderly by her. He still possesses many
letters of hers, full of an honest and most sweet love, such as issued
from her heart. He has written to her also many and many sonnets, full o