as all his reasons ever were, prudent cause; but the end of the matter was, that I received a commission to raise the roof thirteen braccia above its then height, being commanded to make the ceiling in wood-work with rich gilding, and to paint stories in oil on each compartment of the same.
This great and important undertaking, if not above my courage, might yet, perhaps, have proved above my strength; but whether it were that the confidence reposed in me increased my ability, or that the good fortune which the Duke has in all things prevailed here also, or that the hope of distinction, with the occasion offered me by so fine a subject, added to my powers, or that (and this I ought to place before all besides) the grace of God supplied me with force, certain it is that I took it upon me to begin the work, and, as is seen, have brought it to conclusion, in contradiction to the opinions expressed by many, not only in less time than I had promised or than the work merited, but also in less than I had expected, or than his illustrious Excellency had ever hoped to see it completed in; and, as it chanced, he had good reason to be pleased as well as surprised, since the completion could not have taken place at a moment of greater need or on a more fortunate occasion.
This (that the cause of so much haste and solicitude may be understood) was no less than the Marriage of our illustrious Prince with the daughter of the late Emperor and sister of the present, which, having been in treaty for some time, was then concluded on; and it seemed to me to be my duty to make all possible effort, that this Hall, one of the principal apartments of the Palace, and that wherein the most important acts were to be solemnized, should be in such a condition as to permit of the owners availing themselves thereof. And here I submit to the consideration, not only of those connected with our arts, but of all other persons who may have seen these works, whether, the extent and variety of the same being taken into the account, this important and pressing occasion should not be accepted as my excuse, even though I may not, in that eager haste, have fully satisfied all the just demands of those numerous subjects presented there: subjects taken both from earth and sea;—storming of cities in one place for example, and building of the same in another; batteries, assaults, and skirmishes, intermingled with other subjects, such as councils, ceremonies, ancient and
