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madonnas； or any court witness such a brilliant assemblage of wits
and beauties as met at Versailles to render homage to Louis XIV。；
or any theological discussion excite such a national interest as
when Luther confronted Doctor Eck in the great hall of the
Electoral Palace at Leipsic； or any theatrical excitement such as
was produced on cultivated intellects when Garrick and Siddons
represented the sublime conceptions of the myriad…minded
Shakspeare。 These glories may reappear； but never will they shine
as they did before。 No more Olympian games； no more Roman
triumphs； no more Dodona oracles； no more Flavian amphitheatres； no
more Mediaeval cathedrals； no more councils of Nice or Trent； no
more spectacles of kings holding the stirrups of popes； no more
Fields of the Cloth of Gold； no more reigns of court mistresses in
such palaces as Versailles and Fontainbleau；ah！ I wish I could
add； no more such battlefields as Marengo and Waterloo； only
copies and imitations of these； and without the older charm。 The
world is moving on and perpetually changing； nor can we tell what
new vanity will next arise；vanity or glory； according to our
varying notions of the dignity and destiny of man。 We may predict
that it will not be any mechanical improvement； for ere long the
limit will be reached；and it will be reached when the great mass
cannot find work to do； for the everlasting destiny of man is toil
and labor。 But it will be some sublime wonders of which we cannot
now conceive； and which in time will pass away for other wonders
and novelties； until the great circle is completed； and all human
experiments shall verify the moral wisdom of the eternal
revelation。 Then all that man has done； all that man can do； in
his own boastful thought； will be seen； in the light of the
celestial verities； to be indeed a vanity and a failure； not of
human ingenuity and power； but to realize the happiness which is
only promised as the result of supernatural； not mortal； strength；
yet which the soul in its restless aspirations never ceases its
efforts to secure；everlasting Babel…building to reach the
unattainable on earth。
Now the revival of art in Italy was one of the great movements in
the series of human development。 It peculiarly characterized the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries。 It was an age of artistic
wonders； of great creations。
Italy； especially； was glorious when Michael Angelo was born； 1474；
when the rest of Europe was comparatively rude； and when no great
works in art； in poetry； in history； or philosophy had yet
appeared。 He was descended from an illustrious family； and was
destined to one of the learned professions； but he could not give
up his mind to anything but drawing；as annoying to his father as
Galileo's experiments were to his parent； as unmeaning to him as
Gibbon's History was to George III。；〃Scribble； scribble；
scribble； Mr。 Gibbon； I perceive； sir； you are always a…
scribbling。〃 No perception of a new power； no sympathy with the
abandonment to a specialty not indorsed by fashions and traditions；
but without which abandonment genius cannot easily be developed。
At last the father yielded； and the son was apprenticed to a
paintera degradation in the eyes of Mediaeval aristocracy。
The celebrated Lorenzo de' Medici was then in the height of power
and fame in Florence； adored by Roscoe as the patron of artists and
poets； although he subverted the liberties of his country。 This
over…lauded prince； heir of the fortunes of a great family of
merchants； wishing to establish a school for sculpture； filled a
garden with statues； and freely admitted to it young scholars in
art。 Michael Angelo was one of the most frequent and enthusiastic
visitors to this garden； where in due time he attracted the
attention of the magnificent Lord of Florence by a head chiselled
so remarkably that he became an inmate of the palace； sat at the
table of Lorenzo； and at last was regularly adopted as one of the
Prince's family； with every facility for prosecuting his studies。
Before he was eighteen the youth had sculptured the battle of
Hercules with the Centaurs； which he would never part with； and
which still remains in his family； so well done that he himself； at
the age of eighty； regretted that he had not given up his whole
life to sculpture。
It was then as a sculptor that Michael Angelo first appears to the
historical student；about the year 1492； when Columbus was
crossing the great unknown ocean to realize his belief in a western
passage to India。 Thus commercial enterprise began with the
revival of art； and was destined never to be separated in its
alliance with it； since commerce brings wealth； and wealth seeks to
ornament the palaces and gardens which it has created or purchased。
The sculptor's art was not born until piety had already edifices in
which to worship God； or pride the monuments in which it sought the
glories of a name； but it made rapid progress as wealth increased
and taste became refined； as the need was felt for ornaments and
symbols to adorn naked walls and empty spaces； especially statuary；
grouped or single； of men or animals；a marble history to
interpret or reproduce consecrated associations。 Churches might do
without them； the glass stained in every color of the rainbow； the
altar shining with gold and silver and precious stones； the pillars
multiplied and diversified； and rich in foliated circles； mullions；
mouldings； groins； and bosses； and bearing aloft the arched and
ponderous roof；one scene of dazzling magnificence；these could
do without them； but the palaces and halls and houses of the rich
required the image of man；and of man not emaciated and worn and
monstrous； but of man as he appeared to the classical Greeks； in
the perfection of form and physical beauty。 So the artists who
arose with the revival of commerce； with the multiplication of
human wants and the study of antiquity； sought to restore the
buried statues with the long…neglected literature and laws。 It was
in sculptured marbles that enthusiasm was most marked。 These were
found in abundance in various parts of Italy whenever the vast
debris of the ancient magnificence was removed； and were
universally admired and prized by popes； cardinals； and princes；
and formed the nucleus of great museums。
The works of Michael Angelo as a sculptor were not numerous； but in
sublimity they have never been surpassed；non multa； sed multum。
His unfinished monument of Julius II。； begun at that pontiff's
request as a mausoleum； is perhaps his greatest work； and the
statue of Moses； which formed a part of it； has been admired for
three hundred years。 In this； as in his other masterpieces；
grandeur and majesty are his characteristics。 It may have been a
reproduction； and yet it is not a copy。 He made character and
moral force the first consideration； and form subservient to
expression。 And here he differed； it is said by great crit