Returning to Florence in an interval of this work, he sculptured the
magnificent Medici monuments, to see which they often visited the Chapel
of the Medici. At the same time, since the prospect of war had come to
the beautiful city, he built those famous fortifications on San Miniato
through whose gateway they entered whenever they visited this lovely
hill, crowned by a noble old church and a quiet city of the dead.

They drove out to Settignano to visit the villa where he lived when a
child, and which he owned all his life; and went to Casa Buonarroti in
Florence, where his descendants have gathered together what they could
of the great master's sketches, early bas-reliefs, and manuscripts. Here
they looked with reverence upon his handwriting, and little clay models
moulded by his own fingers.

They talked of his affection for the noble Vittoria Colonna, and read
the sonnets he wrote to her.

In short, they admired his great talents, loved his character, condoned
his faults of temper, and felt the utmost sympathy with him in all the
vicissitudes of his grand, inspiring life.

"It seems strange," said Mr. Sumner one day, as they returned from the
Academy, where they had been looking at casts and photographs of his
sculptured works, "that though Michael Angelo was undoubtedly greatest
as a sculptor, yet his most important works in the world of art are his
paintings. Those grand frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in Rome alone
afforded him sufficient scope for his wonderful creative genius. When we
get to Rome I shall have much to tell you about them."

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