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a little mystified and pleased I dont quite know why but [[being?]] clearly instructed in two points at least that one must love to observe and never throw the weight of one's gift into selecting, drawing out the essence, the secret, of what one sees.

San Miniato was lovely this afternoon. I suppose the view from the top of the hill is unique in beauty. It was a long afternoon, and the winding river. The dreamy mountains and the Domes of the city were looking their best. The sides of the hill are covered with olive orchards, and at the top cypress trees stand up around the old churches and walls. There are two beautiful broad Piazzas from which you can lean over a low wall and look down into the valley. The largest - a little below the [[brow?]] of the hill has Micheal Angelo's David, in bronze, on a high 

pedestal in the Centre. He faces and looks down upon the city and you see him against the sky. No words could describe his action. Though nothing could be more simple- One hand hangs at his side the other is raised to his shoulder. Nothing is in violent action, but there is no part of him that is not nerved and poised and ready - for Goliath. The head is large - almost too large - but this gives great refinement to the body - and yet neither weakens nor diminishes it. After the Venus of Milo this seems to me to have more genius in it than any sculpture I have yet seen. We are going to see the original marble tomorrow in the "Bella Arte". And the Donatello's. I hav'nt said a word about them, and I adore him.

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-09-25 14:55:15