cult for a man so steeped in design, and accustomed to choice
works, to come out of with credit. He was full of disdain, and
rightly, against anyone who did him an injury, but he was never seen
to run to take revenge; nay, rather, he was most patient, modest in
all his ways, very prudent and wise in his speech, with answers full
of weight, and at times sayings most ingenious, amusing, and acute. He
said many things that have been written down by me, of which I shall
include only a few, because it would take too long to give them all. A
friend having spoken to him of death, saying that it must grieve him
much, because he had lived in continual labour in matters of art, and
had never had any repose, he answered that all that was nothing,
because, if life is a pleasure to us, death, being likewise by the
hand of one and the same master, should not displease us. To a citizen
who found him by Orsanmichele in Florence, where he had stopped to
gaze at Donato's statue of S. Mark, and who asked him what he thought
of that figure, Michelagnolo answered that he had never seen a figure
that had more of the air of a good man than that one, and that, if S.
Mark was like that, one could give credence to what he had written.
Being shown the drawing of a boy then beginning to learn to draw, who
was recommended to him, some persons excusing him because it was not
long since he had applied himself to art, he replied: "That is
evident." He said a similar thing to a painter who had painted a
Pieta, and had not acquitted himself well: "It is indeed a pitiful
thing to see." Having heard that Sebastiano Viniziano had to paint a
friar in the chapel of S. Pietro a Montorio, he said that this would
spoil the work for him; and being asked why he said that, he answered:
"Since they have spoiled the world, which is so large, it would not be
surprising if they were to spoil such a small thing as that chapel." A
painter had executed a work with very great pains, toiling over it a
long time; but when it was given to view he had made a considerable
profit. Michelagnolo was asked what he thought of the craftsman, and
he answered: "As long as this man strives to be rich, he will always
remain a poor creature." One of his friends who was a churchman, and
used formerly to say Mass, having arrived in Rome all covered with
points and silk, saluted Michelagnolo; but he pretended not to see
him, so that the friend was forced to declare his name to him.
Michelagn