Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/314

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benefits derived by some men of distinction from the poverty of tbeir youth, and how potent an assistant poverty sometimes proves in the cultivation of the faculties and for the attainment of excellence, may be clearly perceived in the history of Pietro Perugino. This artist, seeking to escape from the extreme of penury in Perugia, departed to Florence, hoping, by means of his abilities, to attain to some distinction. He there remained many months without even a bed to lie on, and miserably took his sleep upon a chest; but, turning night into day, and labouring without intermission, he devoted himself most fervently to the study of his profession. Continual labour thus became the habit of his life: he knew no other pleasure than that of toiling incessantly in his vocation, and, therefore, painted perpetually.

Having the prospect and terrors of poverty constantly before his eyes, Pietro undertook works for gain, on which he would probably not have cast his eyes if he had possessed wherewith to support himself; but it is very possible that riches would have closed the path to eminence offered by his talents, as effectually as it was opened to him by poverty and by the impulse received from his need, for he was thereby impelled to struggle, that he might escape from so wretched and debased a condition, and, at least, secure the means of life, if he might not hope to attain to the highest eminence. With this in view he did not permit himself to regard cold, hunger, fatigue, or privation of any kind, nor was he ashamed to perform any work that might help to promote his object, which was to obtain the power of some • t