Page:The Life of Benvenuto Cellini Vol 1.djvu/59

Rh  Pur fra color, che son di vita privi, Vivo vorrei Benvenuto Cellini, Che senza alcun ritegno o barbezzale Delle cose malfatte dicea male, E la cupola al mondo singolare Non si potea di lodar mai saziare; E la so lea chiamare, Alzandola alle stelle, La maraviglia delle cose belle; Certo non capirebbe or nella pelle, In tal guisa dipintala veggendo; E saltando e correndo e fulminando, S' andrebbe querelando, E per tutto gridando ad alia voce, Giorgin d' Arezzo metterebbe in croce"

In spite of his vehemence and passion, Cellini had not depth or tenacity of feeling. His amours were numerous, but volatile and indiscriminate. As a friend he seems to have been somewhat uncertain; not treacherous, but wayward. Hospitable indeed and generous he proved himself by his conduct toward Italians in Paris, and by his thoroughgoing kindness for the Sputasenni family in Florence. Still, if anything, either in love or comradeship, crossed his humour, he sacrificed emotion to vanity. Like many egotistical people, he extended the affection he felt