Many curious points, both of minute criticism and broad opinion, might still be gleaned from the dialogues set down by Francis of Holland.  It must suffice here to resume what Michelangelo maintained about the artist’s method.  One of the interlocutors begged to be informed whether he thought that a master ought to aim at working slowly or quickly.  “I will tell you plainly what I feel about this matter.  It is both good and useful to be able to work with promptitude and address.  We must regard it as a special gift from God to be able to do that in a few hours which other men can only perform in many days of labour.  Consequently, artists who paint rapidly, without falling in quality below those who paint but slowly, deserve the highest commendation.  Should this rapidity of execution, however, cause a man to transgress the limits of sound art, it would have been better to have proceeded with more tardiness and study.  A good artist ought never to allow the impetuosity of his nature to overcome his sense of the main end of art, perfection.  Therefore we cannot call slowness of execution a defect, nor yet the expenditure of much time and trouble, if this be employed with the view of attaining greater perfection.  The one unpardonable fault is bad work.  And here I would remind you of a thing essential to our art, which you will certainly not ignore, and to which I believe you attach the full importance it deserves.  In every kind of plastic work we ought to strive with all our might at making what has cost time and labour look as though it had been produced with facility and swiftness.  It sometimes happens, but rarely, that a portion of our work turns out excellent with little pains bestowed upon it.  Most frequently, however, it is the expenditure of care and trouble which conceals our toil.  Plutarch relates that a bad painter showed Apelles a picture, saying:  ’This is from my hand; I have just made it in a moment.’  The other replied:  ’I should have recognised the fact without your telling me; and I marvel that you do not make a multitude of such things every day.’” Michelangelo is reported to have made a similar remark to Vasari when the latter took him to inspect some frescoes he had painted, observing that they had been dashed off quickly.

We must be grateful to Francis of Holland for this picture of the Sunday-morning interviews at S. Silvestro.  The place was cool and tranquil.  The great lady received her guests with urbanity, and led the conversation with highbred courtesy and tact.  Fra Ambrogio, having discoursed upon the spiritual doctrines of S. Paul’s Epistles, was at liberty to turn an attentive ear to purely aesthetical speculations.  The grave and elderly Lattanzio Tolomei added the weight of philosophy and literary culture to the dialogue.  Michelangelo, expanding in the genial atmosphere, spoke frankly on the arts which he had mastered, not dictating ex cathedra rules, but maintaining a note of modesty and common-sense and deference to