which once formed a part of his immense collection, some occasionally occur that seem to have been the objects of his more particular admiration, and bear upon some conspicuous part the name of their former proprietor, thus expressed, LAVR. MED. (a) Nor is it improbable, that Michelagnolo, who passed among these treasures a considerable portion of his time, was indebted to the liberality of LoFF

VOL. II.

renzo

(a) These letters appear on a cameo in onyx, of different colours, repre. senting the entry of Noah and his family into the ark, of which an engraving is given by Gori in his edition of the life of Michelagnolo by Condivi. Among the gems or cameos of this description, of which I have met with impressions, or gessi, are those of Diomed with the palladium, a large oval Cameo, in which the letters LAUR. MED. are engraved on the side of the rock or stone on which he sits-A centaur, with the letters engraved on the exergue-Dædalus fixing on the wings of Icarus; the inscription is on the pedestal upon which Icarus stands, extending his wings over the upper part of the piece; and lastly, the celebrated gem representing Apollo and Marsyas, of which I shall transcribe a more particular account from the excellent work of Mr. Tenhove. "La gravûre antique qui servait de cachet à Laurent, et qui apartient encore "au Grand-Duc de Toscane, est un morceau accompli. Les suffrages qu'elle

66

a mérités dans tous les tems, sont suffisamment attestés par cette foule de copies "qui en ont été faites dans les tems anciens & modernes. Apollon dans une atti❝tude noble tient sa lyre, & regarde avec dédain Marsyas, qui, les mains liées der"riére le dos, & attaché à un arbre, attend la juste punition de sa témérité. "Le jeune Scythe qui doit exécuter la sentence, est à genoux aux pieds d'Apol"lon, & semble implorer sa clémence. Le carquois & les fléches du Dieu sont suspendus à une des branches de l'arbre, & sur la terrasse sont les flûtes "qui ont si mal servi le Satyre. Cette même pierre montée en bague avait "autrefois décoré la main parricide de Néron; ce monstre était dans l'usage "d'en sceller ses sanguinares réscrits. On sçait qu'il eut la folie de s'estimer le "premier musicien de son tems, & par le choix qu'il fit de ce sujet il voulut 66 sans doute écarter les concurrens, & intimider ceux qui oseraient entrer en "lice avec lui. Peut-être même regarda-t'il sa main gauche & prit-il Apollon "pour modèle, lorsqu'il fit fouetter jusqu'au sang & écorcher, pour ainsi dire, "ce chanteur Menedême dont il était jaloux, & dont les hurlemens mêmes lui "parurent si mélodieux, qu'il ne pût s'empêcher d'y aplaudir avec transport.

renzo for the beautiful Cameo which he is supposed to have worn as his seal. (a)

to

The protection and encouragement afforded by Lorenzo every other branch of art, was not withheld from this his favorite department. From the early part of the fif teenth century, some specimens of the astonishing proficiency of the ancients in works of this nature, had occasionally been discovered, and as the public taste improved, they were sought for with avidity, and only to be purchased at considerable prices. In the pontificate of Martin V, and again in that of Paul II, some attempts had been made to rival, or at least to imitate these productions, but the first artist whose name stands recorded in modern times, is Giovanni delle Corniuole, so called from his having generally exercised his skill upon the stone called a Cornelian. The museum of Lorenzo de' Medici was the school in which he studied. The proficiency he made corresponded to the advantages which he possessed, and answered the purposes which his liberal patron had in view. The nu

merous

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Les vûes de Laurent étaient un peu plus raisonnables, sans doute il ne "choisit cette pierre qu'à cause de la beauté merveilleuse du travail.'

(a) Chiaro documento si ha, che uno degli estimatori e raccoglitori intelligenti de' più preziosi avanzi dell' erudita antichità, e di gioie intagliate da eccellenti Maestri greci, e di medaglie, e di altre simili rarità, fu il Mag. Lorenzo, per tale celebrato, e riconosciuto dall' insigne Ezec. Spanemio nella Diss. i. De præstan. et usu Numism. antiquor. Nè è maraviglia se Michelagnolo potè acquistare la stupendissima gemma annulare, la quale passò poi nelle mani e nel tesoro del re Cristianissimo; e forse ch' anch' esso altre si fatte rarità averà acquistate de' più eccellenti artefici greci.

Gori. Notiz. Storic. sopra la vita di Michelagn. di Condivi. p. 101.

merous pieces of his workmanship in various sizes, and on various materials, were the admiration of all Italy. One of his most celebrated productions was the portrait of Savonarola, who was then in the meridian of his popularity at Florence. Giovanni immediately met with a formidable competitor in a Milanese, who also lost the name of his family in that of his art, and was called Domenico de' Camei. The likeness of Lodovico Sforza, engraved by Domenico in a large onyx, was considered as the most extraordinary specimen of modern skill. By these masters, and their scholars, this elegant but unobtrusive branch of the fine arts, kept pace with its more ostentatious competitors, and even in the most flourishing period of their elevation, under the pontificate of Leo X, the eye that had contemplated the divine sculptures of Michelagnolo, or had dwelt with delight on the paintings of Raffaello, or of Titian, might have turned with pleasure to the labours of Valerio Vicentino, or of Giovanni Bolognese, which compressed into the narrowest bounds the accurate representations of beauty, strength, or grace, and gave to the most inestimable productions of nature, the highest perfection of art.

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LORENZO de MEDICI intends to retire from public life-Is taken sick and removes to Careggi-His conduct in his last sickness-Interview with Pico and PolitianoSavonarola visits him-Death of Lorenzo-His character -Review of his conduct as a statesman—Attachment of the Florentines to him-Circumstances attending his death— Testimonies of respect to his memory-Death of Innocent VIII and accession of Alexander VI-Irruption of the French into Italy-Expulsion of the Medici from FlorenceDeath of Ermolao Barbaro-Of Pico of MirandulaOf Agnolo Politiano-Absurd accounts respecting the death of Politiano-His monody on Lorenzo-Politiano celebrated by Cardinal Bembo-Authentic account of his death -Disturbances excited by Savonarola-Adherents of the Medici decapitated-Disgrace and execution of Savonarola— Death of Piero de' Medici-His character-Sonnet of Piero de' Medici-Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici-Restoration of the family to Florence-Elevation of Leo X-Leo promotes his relations-Restores his dominions to peace-Rise of the reformation-Age of Leo X-The Laurentian library restored-Giuliano de' Medici duke of Nemours-Ippolito de' Medici-Lorenzo de' Medici duke of Urbino-Alessandro de' Medici-Descendants of Lorenzo de' Medici the brother of Cosmo-Giovanni de' Medici-Lorenzino de' MediciAlessandro assumes the sovereignty of Florence-Is assassinated by Lorenzino-Motives and consequences of the attempt-Cosmo de' Medici first grand duke-Death of Filippo Strozzi and final extinction of the republic-Con

clusion.