Michelangelo spent nearly a year at the Carrara quarries, getting out
materials and making plans for forwarding the scheme. But gradually it
came over him that the question of economy, which was deeply rooted in
the mind of Julius, forbade the completion of such a gigantic and costly
work. Had Julius given Michelangelo "carte-blanche" orders on the
treasury, and not meddled with the plans, this surpassing piece of
architecture might have found form. But the fiery Julius, aged
seventy-four, was influenced by the architect Bramante to demand from
Michelangelo a bill of expense and definite explanation as to details.

Very shortly after, Michelangelo quit work and sent a note to the Pope to
the effect that the tomb was in the mountain of Carrara, with many
beautiful statues, and if he wanted them he had better look for some one
to get them out. As for himself, his address was Florence.

The Pope sent couriers after him, one after another until five had been
dispatched, but neither pleading, bribes nor threats could induce him to
return.

As the scientist constructs the extinct animal from a thigh-bone, so we
can guess the grandeur of what the tomb might have been from the single
sample that has come down to us. The one piece of work that was completed
for this tomb is the statue of "Moses." If the reputation of Michelangelo
rested upon nothing else than this statue, it would be sufficient for
undying fame. The "Moses" probably is better known than any other piece
of Michelangelo's work. Copies of it exist in all important galleries;
there are casts of it in fifty different museums in America, and pictures
of it are numberless. There it stands in the otherwise obscure church of
Saint Pietro in Vincolo today, one hand grasping the flowing beard, and
the other sustaining the tables of the law--majesty, strength, wisdom