was also complied with; and he was at length CHAP. prevailed upon to intercede with the pope, to VIII. relieve her from the ecclesiastical censures which she had incurred by her crime. The reason given by Bentivoglio to Lorenzo, for requesting his assistance in this last respect will perhaps be thought extraordinary-He had an intention of providing her with another husband! CHAP. IX. PROGRESS of the arts-State of them in the middle ages-Revival in Italy-Guido da Sienna -Cimabue-Giotto-Character of his worksThe Medici encourage the arts-MasaccioPaolo Uccello-Fra Filippo-Antonio Pollajuolo -Baldovinetti-Andrea da Castagna-Filippo Lippi-Luca Signorelli-Progress of Sculpture -Niccolo and Andrea Pisani-Ghiberti-Donatello-Imperfect state of the arts—Causes of their improvement-Numerous works of Sculpture collected by the ancient Romans-Researches after the remains of antiquity-PetrarcaLorenzo de' Medici brother of Cosmo-Niccolo Niccoli-Poggio Bracciolini-Collection of antiques formed by Cosmo-Assiduity of Lorenzo in augmenting it-Lorenzo establishes a school for the study of the antique-Michelagnolo Buonarroti-Resides with Lorenzo-Forms an intimacy with Politiano-Advantages over his predecessors-His sculptures-Rapid improvement of taste-Raffaelle d' Urbino-Michelagnolo unjustly censured Other artists favoured by Lorenzo-Gian-Francesco Rustici Francesco Granacci-Andrea Contucci-Lorenzo encourages the study of Architecture-Giuliano da San Gallo-Attempts to renew the practice of Mosaick-Invention of engraving on copper Revival of engraving on gems and stones. the arts. THOSE periods of time which have been Progress of most favourable to the progress of letters and science have generally been distinguished by an equal proficiency in the arts. The productions of Roman sculpture, in its best ages, bear nearly the same proportion to those of the Greeks, as the imitative labours of the Roman authors bear to the original works of their great prototypes. During the long ages of ignorance that succeeded the fall of the Western empire, letters and the fine arts underwent an equal degradation; and it would be as difficult to point out a literary work of those times which is entitled to approbation, as it would be to produce |