sometimes been so long without taking them off
that when he did so the skin came off with them like the slough of a
snake. He was never miserly with his money, nor did he hoard it, contented
with enough to live honestly. Works from his hand were sought for more and
more by the gentry and rich people with large promises, but he has rarely
satisfied them; and when he has done so, it has been from friendship and
goodwill rather than for hope of reward.

LXVII. He has given away many of his things, which, if he had wished to
sell them, would have brought him in endless money; as, for example, were
there no others, the two statues that he gave to Roberto Strozzi, his
great friend.(56) He has not only been liberal with his works, but with
his purse also he has often helped the talented and studious poor in their
need, whether men of letters or painters; of this I am able to testify,
having benefited by it myself. He was never jealous of the labours of
others even in his own art, more by his goodness of nature than any
opinion he had of himself. On the contrary, he has praised all
universally, even Raphael of Urbino, between whom and himself there was
formally some rivalry in painting, as I have written; only I have heard
him say that Raphael had not his art by nature, but acquired it by long
study. Nor is it true what many say of him, that he would not teach; on
the contrary, he has done so willingly, as I know myself, for to me he has
made known all the secrets of his art; but unfortunately he has met either
with pupils little apt, or even if apt without perseverance, so after
working under his discipline a few months they thought themselves masters.
Now, although he would readily do kindly acts, he was unwilling to have
them known, wishing more to do well than to appear to do so. It must also
be known that he has always desired to cultivate the arts in persons of
nobility, as was the manner of the ancients, and not in plebeians.

LXVIII. Michael Angelo had a most retentive memory, so that although he
has painted so many thousand figures, as may be seen, he has never made
one like to another, or in the same pose; indeed, I have heard him say
that if ever he draws a line which he remembers to have drawn before, he
rubs it out if it is to come before the public. He has also a most
powerful imagination, from whence it comes, firstly, that he is little
contented with his work, his hand not appearing to carry out the ideas he
has