1
Without knowing it, I was doing what Leonardo advises—New way of decorating the walls of one's house—I wish to study design at the Academy, but cannot carry this into effect—A bottle of anise-seed cordial—Intelligent people are benevolent, not so those of mediocre minds—The statues in the Piazza della Signoria and alabaster figures—The discovery of a hidden well—My father returns home without work, and leaves for Rome—Young Signor Emilio del Fabris—Sea-baths and cholera at Leghorn—With help I save a woman from drowning—I go to San Piero di Bagno—My uncle the provost dies—My father returns from Rome, and settles in Florence—My work, a group of a Holy Family, is stolen—Description of this group,
18
A punishment well deserved, and my satisfaction—Different times, different customs—The use of the birch given up in schools—A portrait—Companions and bad habits—How I became acquainted with my dear Marina—My first time of speaking with her—Difficulty to obtain my mother's consent to our marriage—She makes trouble, thinking to do well—I am sent away from my betrothed, and return to bad habits—An escapade—The public baths of Vaga-Loggia—My clothes stolen,
35
Return to the house of my betrothed, and put an end to my thoughtless ways—A talking parrot—He who does not wish to read these pages knows what he has to do—How I went to prison, and how I passed my time there—"The Death of Ferruccio," by the painter Bertoli—Signor Luigi Magi, the sculptor—How I learnt to become economical—Shirts with plaited wrist-bands—The first love-kiss, and a little bunch of lemon-verbena—My marriage—My wife has doubts as to my resolution of studying sculpture—Pacetti's shop in Palazzo Borghese—I sell the "Santa Filomena" to a Russian, who re-christens her "Hope"—I begin to work on marble—I make a little crucifix in boxwood, which is bought by Cav. Emanuel Fenzi—Verses by Giovanni Battista Niccolini,
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