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there is no God。 True and good Catholics and true and good
Protestants have ever been united in one thing；IN THIS BELIEF；
that there is a God who made the heaven and the earth； and that
there is a Christ who made atonement for the sins of the world。 It
is good morals； faith； and love to which both Catholics and
Protestants are exhorted by the Apostles。 When either Catholics or
Protestants accept the one faith and the one Lord which
Christianity alone reveals； then they equally belong to the grand
army of spiritual warriors under the banner of the Cross； though
they may march under different generals and in different divisions
and they will receive the same consolations in this world； and the
same rewards in the world to come。
AUTHORITIES。
Villari's Life of Savonarola； Biographie Universelle； Ranke's
History of the Popes。 There is much in 〃Romola；〃 by George Eliot。
Life of Savonarola； by the Prince of Mirandola。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
A。D。 1475…1564。
THE REVIVAL OF ART。
Michael Angelo Buonarrotione of the Great Lights of the new
civilizationmay stand as the most fitting representative of
reviving art in Europe； also as an illustrious example of those
virtues which dignify intellectual pre…eminence。 He was superior；
in all that is sterling and grand in character； to any man of his
age；certainly in Italy； exhibiting a rugged； stern greatness
which reminds us of Dante； and of other great benefactors； nurtured
in the school of sorrow and disappointment； leading a checkered
life； doomed to envy； ingratitude； and neglect； rarely understood；
and never fully appreciated even by those who employed and honored
him。 He was an isolated man； grave； abstracted； lonely； yet not
unhappy； since his world was that of glorious and exalting ideas；
even those of grace； beauty； majesty； and harmony；the world which
Plato lived in； and in which all great men live who seek to rise
above the transient； the false； and puerile in common life。 He was
also an original genius； remarkable in everything he attempted；
whether as sculptor； painter； or architect； and even as poet。 He
saw the archetypes of everything beautiful and grand； which are
invisible except to those who are almost divinely gifted； and he
had the practical skill to embody them in permanent forms； so that
all ages may study those forms； and rise through them to the realms
in which his soul lived。
Michael Angelo not only created； but he reproduced。 He reproduced
the glories of Grecian and Roman art。 He restored the old
civilization in his pictures； his statues； and his grand edifices。
He revived a taste for what is imperishable in antiquity。 As such
he is justly regarded as an immortal benefactor； for it is art
which gives to nations culture； refinement； and the enjoyment of
the beautiful。 Art diverts the mind from low and commonplace
pursuits； exalts the imagination； and makes its votary indifferent
to the evils of life。 It raises the soul into regions of peace and
bliss。
But art is most ennobling when it is inspired by lofty and
consecrated sentiments；like those of religion； patriotism； and
love。 Now ancient art was consecrated to Paganism。 Of course
there were noble exceptions； but as a general rule temples were
erected in honor of heathen deities。 Statues represented mere
physical strength and beauty and grace。 Pictures portrayed the
charms of an unsanctified humanity。 Hence ancient art did very
little to arrest human degeneracy； facilitated rather than retarded
the ruin of states and empires； since it did not stimulate the
virtues on which the strength of man is based： it did not check
those depraved tastes and habits which are based on egotism。
Now the restorers of ancient art cannot be said to have contributed
to the moral elevation of the new races； unless they avoided the
sensualism of Greece and Rome； and appealed purely to those eternal
ideas which the human mind； even under Pagan influences； sometimes
conceived； and which do not conflict with Christianity itself。
In considering the life and labors of Michael Angelo； then； we are
to examine whether； in the classical glories of antiquity which he
substituted for the Gothic and Mediaeval； he advanced civilization
in the noblest sense； and moreover； whether he carried art to a
higher degree than was ever attained by the Greeks and Romans； and
hence became a benefactor of the world。
In considering these points I shall not attempt a minute criticism
of his works。 I can only seize on the great outlines； the salient
points of those productions which have given him immortality。 No
lecture can be exhaustive。 If it only prove suggestive； it has
reached its end。
Michael Angelo stands out in history in the three aspects of
sculptor； painter； and architect； and that too in a country devoted
to art； and in an age when Italy won all her modern glories；
arising from the matchless works which that age produced。 Indeed；
those works will probably never be surpassed； since all the
energies of a great nation were concentrated upon their production；
even as our own age confines itself chiefly to mechanical
inventions and scientific research and speculation。 What railroads
and telegraphs and spindles and chemical tests and compounds are to
us； what philosophy was to the Greeks； what government and
jurisprudence were to the Romans； what cathedrals and metaphysical
subtilties were to the Middle Ages； what theological inquiries were
to the divines of the seventeenth century； what social urbanities
and refinements were to the French in the eighteenth century；the
fine arts were to the Italians in the sixteenth century： a fact too
commonplace to dwell upon； and which will be conceded when we bear
in mind that no age has been distinguished for everything； and that
nations can try satisfactorily but one experiment at a time； and
are not likely to repeat it with the same enthusiasm。 As the mind
is unbounded in its capacities； and our world affords inexhaustible
fields of enterprise； the progress of the race is to be seen in the
new developments which successively appear； but in which only a
certain limit has thus far been reached。 Not in absolute
perfection in any particular sphere is this progress seen； but
rather in the variety of the experiments。 It may be doubted
whether any Grecian edifice will ever surpass the Parthenon in
beauty of proportion or fitness of ornament； or any nude statue
show grace of form more impressive than the Venus de Milo or the
Apollo Belvedere； or any system of jurisprudence be more completely
codified than that systematized by Justinian； or any Gothic church
rival the lofty expression of Cologne cathedral； or any painting
surpass the holy serenity and ethereal love depicted in Raphael's
madonnas； or any court witness such a brilliant assemblage of wits
and beauties as met at Versailles to render homage to Louis XIV。；
or a