Harford, John Scandrett: The life of Michael Angelo Buonarroti: with translations of many of his poems and letters : also memoirs of Savonarola, Raphael,, and Vittoria Colonna (Vol. 1) (London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts, 1858)

86

LIFE OF MICHAEL ANGELO.

CHAPTER VI.
THE POLITICAL CHARACTER OF LORENZO DE' MEDICI
CONSIDERED.
In the Fourth Chapter we have contemplated the
advantages accruing to the youthful Buonarroti
from his intimate association, through his patron's
favour, with a galaxy of learned men, zealously
engaged, under his auspices, in promoting the pro-
gress of literature, philosophy, and taste. Lorenzo
shines forth among them, not as a mere Maecenas,
but as himself occupying one of the foremost places
as a scholar, a philosopher, and a poet; and in
these capacities, as well as in his generous pa-
tronage of learning, his name will never cease to
attract to itself the esteem and admiration of the
most distant ages.
But there is another point of view in which it is
essential to contemplate him, with reference to
many of the coming facts of the present biography;
we mean his political character. Even while his
power was at its height, he was regarded by the
popular party at Florence with great jealousy, from
their conviction that it was his fixed aim to deprive
them of what remained to them of their constitu-