1499): an Italian scholar and philosopher. Pico della Mi rän'do lä (1463–1494): an Italian theologian and philosopher. Pō li zi (tsē) ä'no or Po l'tian (shan). (1454-1494): a celebrated Italian classical scholar and poet, the intimatefriend of Michael Angelo. Gi ro la'mo Säv ō nä rō'lä (1452-1498): a famous Italian religious reformer. Duo'(dwō) mỏ: cathedral. Sis'tine: a chapel in the Vatican at Rome, decorated with fresco paintings by Michael Angelo and Raphael. The tomb of the Pope Julius II., the plan of which had been abandoned. Brä män'te: a famous architect of the time. Cär rä'rä: famous marble quarries. Cär toon': a design or study drawn of the full size of the projected fresco or tapestry. Myth'us: myth. Cä pěl'lä Sistï'nä: Sistine Chapel. Beginning of sin: Genesis ix. Spăn'drěl : the irregular triangular space between the curve of an arch and the inclosing right angle. Sib'yls: women supposed to be endowed with the power of prophecy. Lū nětte': any surface of semicircular or segmental form. Vit tō'ri ä Cỏ lòn'nä: a lady to whom Michael Angelo addressed a series of sonnets.

The Casting of the Statue of Perseus

BY BENVENUTO CELLINI

Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1570): An Italian artist, celebrated as a sculptor, engraver, and goldworker. He worked in Paris for Francis.I. and in Florence for Cosimo de' Medici. His autobiography is an entertaining and curious work. In it he gives this interesting account of the casting in bronze of one of his masterpieces, "Perseus and Medusa."

I strengthened my heart, and with all the forces of my body and my purse, employing what little money still remained to me, I set to work. First, I provided myself with several loads of pine wood from the forests of Serristori. While these were on their way, I clothed my 5 Perseus with the clay which I had prepared many months beforehand, in order that it might be duly seasoned.

After making its clay tunic, for that is the term used in this art, and properly arming it and fencing it with iron girders, I began to draw the wax out by means of a slow fire. This melted and issued through numerous air5 vents I had made; for the more there are of these, the better will the mold fill. When I had finished drawing off the wax, I constructed a funnel-shaped furnace all round the model of my Perseus. It was built of bricks, so interlaced the one above the other that numerous aper10 tures were left for the fire to exhale at. Then I began to

lay on wood by degrees, and kept it burning two whole days and nights. At length, when all the wax was gone and the mold was well baked, I set to work at digging the pit in which to sink it. This I performed with scrupu15 lous regard to all the rules of art. When I had finished that part of my work, I raised the mold by windlasses and stout ropes to a perpendicular position, and suspending it with the greatest care one cubit above the level of the furnace, so that it hung exactly above the middle of 20 the pit, I next lowered it gently down into the very bottom of the furnace, and had it firmly placed with every possible precaution for its safety. When this delicate operation was accomplished, I began to bank it up with the earth I had excavated; and, ever as the earth grew 25 higher, I introduced its proper air-vents, which were little tubes of earthenware, such as folk use for drains and such like purposes. At length I felt sure that it was admirably fixed, and that the filling-in of the pit and the placing of the air-vents had been properly performed. 30 I also could see that my workpeople understood my method, which differed very considerably from that of

all the other masters in the trade. Feeling confident, then, that I could rely upon them, I next turned to my furnace, which I had filled with numerous pigs of copper and other bronze stuff. The pieces were piled according 5 to the laws of art, that is to say, so resting one upon the other that the flames could play freely through them in order that the metal might heat and liquefy the sooner. At last I called out heartily to set the furnace going. The logs of pine were heaped in, and what with the 10 unctuous resin of the wood and the good draft I had given, my furnace worked so well that I was obliged to rush from side to side to keep it going. The labor was more than I could stand; yet I forced myself to strain every nerve and muscle. To increase my anxieties, the 15 workshop took fire, and we were afraid lest the roof should fall upon our heads; while, from the garden, such a storm of wind and rain kept blowing in, that it perceptibly cooled the furnace.

Battling thus with all these untoward circumstances for 20 several hours, and exerting myself beyond even the measure of my powerful constitution, I could at last bear up no longer, and a sudden fever of the utmost possible intensity attacked me. I felt absolutely obliged to go and fling myself upon my bed. Sorely against my will having to drag 25 myself away from the spot, I turned to my assistants, about ten or more in all, what with master founders, hand workers, country fellows, and my own especial journeymen, among whom was Bernardino Mannellini of Mugello, my apprentice through several years. To him in particular I spoke: 30"Look, my dear Bernardino, that you observe the rules which I have taught you; do your best with all dispatch,

for the metal will soon be fused. You cannot go wrong; these honest men will get the channels ready; you will easily be able to drive back the two plugs with this pair of iron crooks; and I am sure that my mold will fill miraculously. I feel more ill than I ever did in all my 5 life, and verily believe that it will kill me before a few hours are over." Thus, with despair at heart, I left them, and betook myself to bed.

While I was thus terribly afflicted, I beheld the figure of a man enter my chamber, twisted in his body into the 10 form of a capital S. He raised a lamentable, doleful voice, like one who announces their last hour to men condemned to die upon the scaffold, and spoke these words, "O Benvenuto! your statue is spoiled, and there is no hope whatever of saving it." No sooner had I heard the 15 shriek of that wretch, than I gave a howl which might have been heard from the sphere of flame. Jumping from my bed, I seized my clothes and began to dress. The maids, and my lad, and every one who came around to help me, got kicks or blows of the fist, while I kept cry-20 ing out in lamentation: "Ah! traitors! enviers! This is an act of treason, done by malice prepense! But I swear by God that I will sift it to the bottom, and before I die will leave such witness to the world of what I can do as shall make a score of mortals marvel."

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When I had got my clothes on, I strode toward the workshop; there I beheld the men, whom I had left erewhile in such high spirits, standing stupefied and downcast. I began at once and spoke: "Up with you! Attend to me! Since you have not been able or willing to obey 30 the directions I gave you, obey me now that I am with