Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/47

Rh almost savage strength which one reads in his countenance; and he passed through many a bitter struggle during his life. But he was at the same time mighty in the lofty and tender feelings. His love of his country was great and strong, and his love for the noble woman and poetess, Vittoria Colonna, Marchioness of Pescara, was of the most beautiful and noblest kind. His sonnets to her betray a feeling of the most profound earnestness and sincerity. No wonder was it that the lovely woman returned his devotion with warm friendship and admiration. The most interesting of the rooms is Buonarotti's dining-room, upon the walls of which, he himself painted in his spirited manner, the celebrated men of Tuscany in different groups. On one wall, you see the philosophers; on another, men devoted to natural science;—Galileo is seen in a sudden start of joy, gazing through his telescope;—on a third are shown theologians and philologists; on the fourth, poets and literary men. These last wear laurel-wreaths round their heads, and are surrounded by palm-trees and leaping fountains; amongst them you recognize Dante, Petrarch, Boccacio. In the back ground stands Savonarola, regarding with a gloomy look the garlanded poets. His powerful countenance bears a resemblance to that of Luther. And there was something of Luther's pure zeal and vigorous appearance in Savonarola. He dared to stand up against the Pope and the Popedom, then in the deepest decline. The evil life of Alexander VII. fired him to preach up pure living and a Christian art. He condemned with fervent, but often gloomy eloquence, all worldly art, and worldly