Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/311

Rh each other by letter. For details concerning these letters, see the Fehina Pittrice. See aho the Memorie della Vita di Francia, &c,, of Calvi; but for the delectation of the English reader “I will not account it trouble,” as saith our author on various occasions, to reproduce here certain parts of the onlyone by Raphael, which is acknowledged by all writers to be authentic:— “My dear Messer Francesco,— I have this moment received your portrait, which has been brought to me safely and without having suffered any injury Avhatever, by Bazotto. 1 thank you for it heartily, it is singularly beautiful, and so life-like, that I sometimes fancy myself to be near you, and listening to your words. I beg you to have patience with me, and to excuse the long delay of mine, which perpetual and weighty occupations have prevented me from executing with my own hand, as we agreed, and I did not think it becoming to permit that it should be done by my scholars, and only retouched by myself. On the contrary, it will be proper that all shall be able to perceive how little my work is capable of comparing with your own. I beg that you will grant me your friendly indulgence, you may yourself have experienced what it is to be deprived of one’s freedom, and to be obliged to live in the service of nobles. ***

“Meanwhile, I send you, through the same person, who returns in about six days, another drawing, that of the Presepio, already kno-wn to you namely, but very different, as you will see, from the picture which you have honoured with so much praise. And this I constantly hear that you are pleased to bestow on my attempts, insomuch, that I must blush for myself, as indeed, I may well do with respect to the trifle I now send you, but you must accept it as a token of my respect and affection, rather than for any other cause. If I, on my part, might possess your story of Judith, I should certainly treasure it among my most valued and dearest possessions. ‘‘ The honourable Signor Datary is awaiting his little Madonna with great desire, as is the Cardinal Riario his larger one; of ail which Bazotto will inform you more minutely. I shall myself see them with all the pleasure and satisfaction with which I always see and commend your works, than which I find none more beautiful or executed better. Continue to hold me in affection as I hold you with my whole heart; being ever bound to your service, and truly your own,. ” The above is taken from the German. The original Italian of Raphael not being for the moment within reach of the present writer. But the well-known conscientiousness of German translators is a sufficient guarantee for its fidelity. Then Francia, having heard so much discourse concerning the divine paintings of Raphael, desired to see his works, but he was now old and enjoying his ease in his beloved Bologna. It so chanced, however, that Raphael painted a picture of St. Cecilia in Rome, for the Cardinal of Pucci Santi Quattro, and this was to be sent to Bologna, there to be placed in one of the chapels of San