Perhaps some one may think, "How is it that, after so many years, you have been able to remember the composition of your work?" To say the truth, even I am surprised; but it must be taken into consideration that, besides being gifted with a most tenacious memory, the first efforts of the mind remain more firmly engraved thereon, being produced by the workings of one's whole soul. So it is with one's affections and one's hopes. Add, therefore, to this, the brutality of the offence, and it will be seen that I could not forget it in any way.
In the meantime, in Sani's shop I had made for myself an almost enviable position. All the works of a certain importance were given to me. The principal placed entire confidence in my judgment and skill—so much so, that he put me at the head of the young men in the shop, and delegated to me the direction of the great works that were being executed at that time for the approaching nuptials of the Grand Duke Leopold II. with the Princess Antoinetta of Naples. I had even the satisfaction of directing a certain Saladini, a young Sienese who had come to help us, and whom I had known at Siena at the Academy of Fine Arts. There we had been companions and fellow-students, sharing the same desk; but to say the truth, he drew better than I did, which irritated me, and one day we came to words, and I said boastfully that I defied him to draw with me, and could easily beat him.
BRAGGING AND BIRCHING.
It appears that the master heard loud words, and from the glass bull's-eye in the door of the room from which he dominated the whole school, he saw me standing by the desk with one leg in the air, my arm passed under my thigh, making a drawing of a Corinthian capital. I could not see the master, as my back was turned to him; neither did I perceive how silent the school was, nor the singular attention my rival was devoting to his work.
The reason of it all, however, I soon discovered, or rather felt, from a sharp switch on my back, and before I could put my leg down, three or four good blows, accompanied with these words, "And this is the prize for those who are skilful in drawing from under their legs." These words were accompanied by the general ill-repressed hilarity of the school, and especially of my rival Saladini. I confess the blows, and even the laughter of my companions which made them more stinging, were well merited; but I remember that I took it in bad part, especially as my friend Saladini, who certainly had seen the master, had not warned me, as I felt I should have done in his place. For this reason I rejoiced when he came to Florence to work in our shop, and was put by the principal under my direction, when I could and was obliged to correct him and say, "No, it is not right in this way; you must do so and so." I must add, however, that I did not make any abuse of my power, that Saladini had no reason to complain, and that we became good friends.
THE BIRCH AT SCHOOL.
It now occurs to me to make an observation. I had a switching, therefore the "birch" existed in our schools. The master could administer it and the scholar receive it coram populo officially, according to the natural order of things, as a legitimate correction; but I ask, if to-day a master in our Academy, or in fact in any academy in Italy, gave four blows on the back of a young man, be his fault even much greater than mine, what would happen? The heavens would fall; there would be a revolution in the school and shouts without, and a scandal for the master. The ill-advised master would be reprimanded by the head-master; a report made to the Minister of Public Instruction; the master dismissed altogether or sent elsewhere; and perhaps even, if the Ministry be Progressista, all would lose their places.
So it is. "O tempora! O mores!" But is it, after all, a bad thing to administer a good whipping to a rascal who, instead of studying himself, annoys those who are really working, instigates them to leave school, and leads them to do wrong by using bad and obscene words, swearing, and drawing and writing improper things on the Academy walls? They can be sent away from school, but they must not be beaten, is the answer. But the fact is, that though they ought to be sent away, they are always allowed to remain. Would it not, therefore, be better to administer a little corporal punishment with the "birch" before arriving at this finale? Where is the harm of it? I have had it myself, and at fifty years of age am well and strong. But enough of this.
SALADINI—BAD COMPANIONS.
The good Saladini, therefore, was placed under me. He endured and even appeared to enjoy my corrections. In fact, he had a character and temperament that prevented his feeling anything. He was a young fellow about eighteen or nineteen, older than I was, small, fat, with good colouring, chestnut hair, and light eyes which never grew animated and moved slowly, seeing little and being surprised at nothing. He never got angry, and laughed in the same way when he heard of an accident as when he heard a joke. It was not that he was stupid, for his words, though few, were not devoid of sense. He ate more than I did, and drank more too, and retired to bed early, being an enemy of walks, of discussions, and merrymaking even of the most discreet and proper kind. He lived but a short time, and died as soon as he returned to Siena, I don't know of what malady. Not of disease of the heart, however; for although his heart was not bad, yet it seemed a useless part of him, never beating with any feeling of emotion or passion: there it was, quite stock-still, seeming even dead, like the hearts of stoics or stupid people, which are about the same thing. Those, however, who have the misfortune to be made in this way, live a long time, eat much, drink much, and sleep—above all things sleep—profoundly; and so did he, though only for a short time, because he died. It was better so, for who knows whether his heart would not have waked up some day, repented the time lost in sleeping, and quickened its beat? Therefore it was better so. May the earth weigh lightly on you, my friend, and the peace of the Lord rejoice your spirit!