I bowed to him, and he embraced me and kissed me, and accompanying me into my private room, we sat down. I shall never forget his quiet conversation, which was calm and full of benevolence. While he was speaking, I went over in my memory the beautiful works of this great German artist,—his fine monument to Frederick the Great, his remarkable statue of Victory, and many others. I recalled the sharp passages between him and Bartolini, and without knowing why, I could not help contrasting his gentleness with the caustic vivacity of our master. Their disagreements have long been over; the peace of the tomb has united them; and now the busts of both stand opposite to each other in the drawing-room of my villa of Lappeggi.
RAUCH'S VISIT TO THE GRAND DUKE.
Among other things, we discussed the question of the removal of the David, and its proposed collocation under the Loggia dell'Orgagna. He strongly disapproved of it, and exhorted me to use all my influence (to use his own words) to induce the Grand Duke to alter this decision. I then narrated to him my conversation with the Grand Duke, and the issue of it. He was surprised, and after thinking awhile, said that perhaps there was no ground to despair, and that I ought to speak of it again and to insist. I answered—
"I really cannot do so. You, however, might. Your name, and the friendship of the Grand Duke for you, might perform miracles; and nothing else is needed, as there is already a decree in the way."
"Leave it to me. To-morrow I am invited to dine at Court, and I will manage so that they will speak to me of this; and unless they ask me, I will not let it be known that we have met."
A few days afterwards he returned and told me that he had spoken at length on the subject with the Grand Duke, who did not seem to be annoyed, but on the contrary, listened to him to the end; and then smiling, said that I had advanced the same doubts and objections. He then thought it best to openly confess that we had talked together on the subject. Rauch went away shortly after; but he so well managed the affair, that the Grand Duke thought no more of the removal of the statue to the Loggia, considering the means proper to shield it from the injuries of the weather. He also sent for me to tell me that Rauch had advised him not to place it under the Loggia, and I remember used these words: "Rauch is entirely of your opinion in regard to the David, and he is a man who, on such a ground, deserves entire confidence; and I wish to say this to you, because it ought to give you pleasure, and because it proves that you were right."
LETTER FROM RAUCH ABOUT THE DAVID.
I thanked the Grand Duke for the attention and consideration he had paid to the reasoning of Rauch in regard to the David, as well as for his kindness towards me; and this procured me a dismissal more benignant than the previous one. A short time after, I received a letter from Rauch from Berlin, in which he spoke to me of the David. I showed it to the Grand Duke, who ordered me to leave it with him. But he returned it a few days later, and I have transcribed the passage relating to the David:—
"I learn with great pleasure that his Highness the Grand Duke has resolved to leave the statue of David in its place in consequence of the trial made with the plaster cast. But I should like to recommend to his Highness to remove the group of Ajax and Patroclus from its present position, and to arrange a proper place of just proportion and with a good light, to receive worthily this work of sculpture divinely composed and executed by Greek hands.
"Berlin, 17th December 1854."
This is the reason why the statue of David was allowed to remain in its place for some twenty years more, and until the fear of the danger which this masterpiece undoubtedly incurred induced the Municipality and the Government to order its removal to the Academy of Fine Arts, where it now stands, but where it is not seen; for if the Government is liberal in spending many millions upon a Palace of Finance in Rome, it feels itself so restricted that it obstinately refuses to spend a few thousands to complete the building which is to harbour the most beautiful sculpture in the world.