Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/402

394 which is still to be seen: a most senseless clioice, of which many still living, who perfectly remember the circumstances, never cease to bewail the absurdity.

But Fra Giocondo, having seen how much more is sometimes to be d,one with nobles and great people by favour than by merit, was so much displeased at finding this awkward unmeaning plan preferred to the beautiful design which he had prepared, that he departed from Venice, and never more, however frequently entreated to return, would he consent to enter that city. The design here described, with many others, remained in the house of the Bragadini family, opposite to Santa Marina; it belonged to the Frate Angelo, who was a member of that family and a monk of San Domenico; this Frate Angelo was afterwards promoted to the Bishopric of Vicenza as a consequence of his numerous excellencies.

Fra Giocondo was a man of universal attainment; and in addition to the pursuits above-described he found pleasure in the most simple occupations, among others in agriculture and gardening. On this subject the Florentine Messer Donato Giannotti, who was his intimate friend during many years that they spent together in France, relates that Fra Giocondo, while they were thus living in the French court, once reared a peach-tree in an earthen vase, when the little tree, prospered so well, and was loaded with such a large quantity of fruit, that it was a marvel to behold. Thereupon he was one day advised by some of his friends to set it in a place which the king was to pass, and where he could not fail to see it; which he did. But it happened that certain of the courtiers came by first, and these men, as is the fashion of such gentry, gathered all the fruit off the little tree, to the great displeasure of Fra Giocondo, and what they could not eat, they scattered along the whole length of the street. The matter coming to the knowledge of the king, he amused himself for a time over the jest with his courtiers; but then, returning thanks to the monk for what he had done to give him pleasure, his majesty caused a gift of such value to be presented to him that Fra Giocondo was consoled.

A man of a most holy and excellent life was Fra Giocondo, and very much was he beloved by all the greatest and most distinguished men of letters of liis time. Among the