If I begged the Pope and Cardinal to give me full control over the business, it was that I might be able to conduct it to those places where the best marbles are.

Nobody here knows anything about them.

I did not ask for the commission in order to make money; nothing of the sort is in my head." This proves conclusively that much which has been written about the waste of Michelangelo's abilities on things a lesser man might have accomplished is merely sentimental.

On the contrary, he was even accused of begging for the contract from a desire to profit by it.

In another letter, of April 18, the decision of the Wool Corporation was still anxiously expected.