fer of the merchant to be very far from the just demand of Donatello,
and turning towards him, observed that he offered too small
compensation. The merchant replied that Donatello could have made it in
a month, and would thus be gaining half a florin a day (about one
dollar). Donatello, disgusted and stung with rage, told the merchant
that he had found means in the hundredth part of an hour to destroy the
whole labor and cures of a year, and knocked the bust out of the window,
which was dashed to pieces on the pavement below, observing, at the same
time, that "it was evident he was better versed in bargaining for
horse-beans than in purchasing statues." The merchant now ashamed of his
conduct, and regretting what had happened, offered him double his price
if he would reconstruct the bust,--but Donatello, though poor, flatly
refused to do it on any terms, even at the request of Cosmo himself.

DONATELLO AND HIS KINSMAN.

When Donatello was very sick, certain of his kinsfolk, who were well to
do in the world, but had not visited him in many years, went to condole
with him in his last illness. Before they left, they told him it was
his duty to leave to them a small farm which he had in the territories
of Prato, and this they begged very earnestly, though it was small and
produced a very small income. Donatello, perceiving the motive of their
visit, thus rebuked them: "I cannot content you in this matter, kinsmen,
because I resolve--and it appears to me just and proper--to leave the
farm to the poor husbandman who has always tilled it, and who has
bestowed great labor on it; not to you, who without ever having done
anything for it, or for me, but only thought of obtaining it, now come
with this visit of yours, desiring that I should leave it to you. Go!
and the Lord be with you."

DEATH OF DONATELLO.

Donatello died on the 13th of December, 1466. He was buried with great
pomp and solemnity in the church of San Lorenzo, near the tomb of Cosmo,
as he himself had commanded (for he had purchased the right), "to the
end," as he said, "that his body might be near him when dead, as his
spirit had ever been near him when in life." Bottari observes that
another reason for his choice of San Lorenzo, may have been that many of
his works were in that church.

DONATELLO AND MICHAEL ANGELO COMPARED.

"I will not omit to mention," says Vasari, "that the most learned and
very reverend Don Vincenzio Borghini, o