Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/365

Rh younger artists at the same moment raising the bier; this they did with so much promptitude that blessed was he who could approach near enough to get a shoulder under it, all desiring the glory of having to say in after years that they had borne to earth the remains of the greatest man ever known to their arts.

The sight of a certain number of persons assembling round San Pietro, had caused others to stop, and the rather as a rumour had got abroad, that the body of Michelagnolo had come, and was to be carried to Santa Croce, although everything had been done to keep the matter secret, as I have said, that a great crowd might not be attracted, which could not fail to cause confusion, and also because it was desired that all then to be done should proceed with more quiet than pomp, all display being reserved to a more convenient time. Yet the contrary happened in both these things; for as to the crowd, the news passing from mouth to mouth, the Church was completely filled in the twinkling of an eye, so that at length it was not without the utmost difficulty that the corpse could be taken from the Church to the Sacristy, there to be freed from its wrappings, and placed in the receptacle destined to receive it. Then for the pomp—although the number of priets, wax-lights, and mourners clothed in black, are without doubt imposing and grand in funeral ceremonies, yet it cannot be denied that the sight of all the distinguished men, some of whom are now highly honoured, and others promising to be still more so in the future, gathered in so much affection around that corpse, was also a very grand and imposing spectacle.

And of a truth the number of such artists, (and they were all present), was at that time very great in Florence; the Arts have indeed ever flourished there in such sort, that without offence to other cities, 1 believe I may say that their first and principal abode is in Florence, as that of the Sciences was at Athens. But besides the number of artists, there were so many citizens following them, and such masses of people joined the procession in the streets through which it had to pass, that the place would hold no more, and what is greater than all, nothing was heard but the praise of Michelagnolo. True art has indeed so much power, that after all hope of further honour or profit from a distinguished man has ceased, yet for its own merit and qualities it is ever