ng that
their request and those of the wardens did not suffice to detain him,
caused several of his friends to entreat his stay; but Filippo not
yielding to these prayers, the wardens, one morning, ordered him a
present of money; this was on the 26th of May, 1417, and the sum is to
be seen among the expenses of Filippo, in the books of the works. All
this was done to render him favorable to their wishes; but, firm to his
resolution, he departed nevertheless from Florence and returned to Rome,
where he continued the unremitting study of the same subject, making
various arrangements and preparing himself for the completion of that
work, being convinced, as was the truth, that no other than himself
could conduct such an undertaking to its conclusion. Nor had Filippo
advised the syndics to call new architects for any other reason, than
was furnished by his desire that those masters should be the witnesses
of his own superior genius: he by no means expected that they could or
would receive the commission for vaulting that tribune, or would
undertake the charge, which he believed to be altogether too difficult
for them. Much time was meanwhile consumed, before the architects, whom
the syndics had caused to be summoned from afar, could arrive from their
different countries. Orders had been given to the Florentine merchants
resident in France, Germany, England, and Spain, who were authorized to
spend large sums of money for the purpose of sending them, and were
commanded to obtain from the sovereigns of each realm the most
experienced and distinguished masters of the respective countries.

"In the year 1420, all these foreign masters were at length assembled in
Florence, with those of Tuscany, and all the best Florentine artists in
design. Filippo likewise then returned from Rome. They all assembled,
therefore, in the hall of the wardens of Santa Maria del Fiore, the
Syndics and Superintendents, together with a select number of the most
capable and ingenious citizens being present, to the end that having
heard the opinion of each on the subject, they might at length decide on
the method to be adopted for vaulting the tribune. Being called into the
audience, the opinions of all were heard one after another, and each
architect declared the method which he had thought of adopting. And a
fine thing it was to hear the strange and various notions then
propounded on that matter: for one said that columns must be raised from
the ground