New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-09


Importance. al will undertake them" replied Gel
lni, aupon being paid beforehand" Pope Clement
heard of this reply. and very much it ticked the
pOntifica midrif. Work IN plenty came to Cellini,
and soon he opened shop entirely on his own
account.
But Cellini was always a dangerous man to dis
pute with He seems to have been afraid of moth
ing. While the plague was raging fearfuly IN
Rome, he continued to indulge himself IN certain
recreatlons draw from the antiquities OF the CITY,
to soace himself with pigeon shooting; and he con-
tinued in perfect health. Aterward he divided MS
days between art and pleasure, giving his whole
soul alternately to both He had his turn OF sol
diering when the Duke of Bourbon besieged Rome,
and POSSIBLY it twas shot from his musket which
killed that parsonage. He also won distinction as
an engineer and it must be confessed that he brags
immensely. off were to give account" he
SAYS, of all the exploits | performed in this in
fernal employment. should astonish the world"
After the sack of Rome he went to Florence, where
he once more embraced his aged father, who does
not appear upon this occasion to have said word
about the flute. The Did man died of the plague,
while his son was at Nantua. Soon after at
Florence he met Michel Angelo Buonarotti, who
praised his work, and afterward WHEEL asked to do
a certain piece said Go to young jeweller
whose name Is Benvenuto" At Rome, his
no was abundantly able to take care of himself
His story of killing Pompeo of Milan. who had
magned him TO the Pope, is tiercelg picturesque
but it is impossible here recapituate all the adj
ventures of CenL He is the same everywhere
Arriving at Venice his first application is for per-
mission TO wear a sword, which during short stay
he came very near needing. His turbulence is per-
sistent Returning flom Venice to Rome. he be
comes enraged with landlord who demanded his
reckoning before his guests went to bed. Yielding
to this demand. Cellini went into one of the beds
but could not sleep for rage. He actually purposed
by way of revenge to set the house fire. and to
kill four good horses which the fellow had in his
stable" Giving mp this plan, he actually did 90
back after starting upon his journey. and going
stealthily to the inn, "cut four3 beds till he
had dono damage to the value of upward OF fifty
crowns"
1t was after short visit to France that Cellini
was arrested upon charge of purlonng gems from
the pontical tiara. HIS speech before the judges,
when arragned for this offence was an admirable
specimen of his manner: Gentlemen, yon have Tor
above half an hour been questioning me abont an
idle story and such nonsense that it may be Justly
said of you that you are trliing, and there is
neither sense nor meaning in what you say; so |
beg it of you as n favor that you would tell me
yonr meaning and let me hear something like sense
or reason from you and not idle stories and fabu-
lous inventions" When magistrate answered
him sharply Cellini burst into loud laugh and gave
them a long piece of his mind in return Francis !.
heard of his troubles aud kindly interfered in his
behalf. He made his escape from the castle OF
which he gives wonderfully fine account he was
sheltered by the Cardinal Conaro; but for all that,
he was re delivered to his prosecutors and u second
time locked up in St. Angelo where he was very
badly treated. Hero he found great consolation in
nd M "A A
in writing poetry. His prosecutor WAS Pier LniCi
natural son of Paul Ill and an old enemy. Efforts
were made. az hc says. to kill Inn by putting
pounded diamond in his food. He released at
last unsubdued by captivity and cruelty. upon the
intercession of the Cardinal Of Ferrara for whom he
gratefully made fine cup. lie entered the service
again Of Francis L. and was soon al F0ntaIncblcau,
where ne was most graclously received. Francis
was in "a great hurry TO yet him to work. and among
other things ordered dozen silver c8ndlesticks. |
six gods and six gOddesSes. OF course his new |
career began with troubles The KING assigned him |
a honse called the Petit-Nesle. which had pre-
viously been granted to the Provost of Paris. Gel |
lini was obliged to proceed violence 10 get pos
session of his quarters. But he "purcha.cd
different wcarons" and prepared for action. lie
received various insults but appealed to The King
and held his own. He made statues, basins cups.
salt cellars OF silver for the monarch; he modelled,
ana often he obliged and indeed quito ready TO
fight. To him Francis once in a moment OF great
good nature, clapping him the shoulder all
dressed the following speech: Non ami do not
know which pleasure Is the greatest, that OF
prince who meets with man after his own heart.
or that of the artist who finds prince that gives
him ali the encouragement necessary TO carry all
his great aud sublime ideas into execution But
all aid not go smoothly. Madame d'Esiampes be-
came his ovnycd enemy. he was no q N good terms
with many of the court; and no was involved in
lawsuits. Al last he begged permission of the King
TO return TO Italy. He gracousy received by
Cosmo d'Medci, Grand Duko of Tuscany, and was
taken INTO his service He began,.oi cOuIse with
quarrel with the Dukes steward, who is described
as n pedantic old fool He made n short visit TO
Venice. apparently to get rid for a time of the dis
agreeable steward, where he saw Titan and was
highly carcsscd by hun. Returning, ne resumed
his work his great statue in bronze OF Pcrscus,
made other statues, and kept up the old business OF
artistic lator and undgnifed disputes. Going to
Rome he met Michel Angelo upon friendly terms.
One OF the first things which he did was to kiss the
Pope's foot for no was always religious man.
Returning to Florence he managed TO get upon very
bad terms with the Duchess who took such a dis
like TO him that she could not bear the sight his
person. He had great triumph when his Perseus
was set up, and tells us with pardOnabe compla-
cency that people gazed more at him than at his
statue. Then camc disputes afterward with The
Duke about the value of Cellinl's services; but
long before the middle Of this work one expects !
disputes and gets accustomed to them Sickness
followed and he was supplanted at court. lie was
poisoned nearly TO death. His narrative closes
when he had attained his sixty -second year. He
lived for seven years longer.
There are so many curious things in this book |
hot I'll his hnr knows w
to select The story OF Cellinis poisoning toward the
end of his life story which he tolls admirably, is
good illustration of the manners of the time He |
had bought life interest a farm of Sbietta |