prepared all the machines and instruments required for the construction of the edifice, he ceased not to employ all his time in taking thought for its future requirements, providing and preparing all the minutice, even to guarding against the danger of the marbles being chipped as they were drawn up; to which intent the arches of the tabernacles were built within defences of wood-work; and for all beside the master gave models and written directions, as we have said.
How beautiful this building is, it will itself bear testimony. With respect to the height, from the level ground to the commencement of the lanthorn, there are one hundred and fifty-four braccia;[1] the body of the lanthorn is thirty-six braccia high; the copper ball four braccia;[2] the cross eight braccia; in all two hundred and two braccia. And it may be confidently affirmed that the ancients never carried their buildings to so vast a height, nor committed themselves to so great a risk as to dare a competition with the heavens, which thisstructure verily appears to do, seeing that it rears itself to such an elevation that the hills around Florence do not appear to equal it.[3] And of a truth it might seem that the heavens did feel envious of its height, since their lightnings perpetually strike it.[4] While this work was in progress, Filippo con-
- ↑ Masselli observes that the Tuscan braccio, which is the ancient Roman foot doubled for the greater convenience, is equal to one foot nine inches and six lines Paris measure. The Florentine editors of 1846-9 add the remark, that the measure of the whole building, as given by Vasari, differs from that given by Fantozzi to the extent of six braccia, the latter assigning a hundred and ninety-six braccia as the total height.
- ↑ The ball, with the cross (the work of Andrea Verrocchio, whose life follows), was fixed in its place twenty-three years after the death of Brunelleschi; but, having been thrown down by the lightning in the year 1601, it has been replaced by one somewhat larger.—Masselli.
- ↑ It exceeds the Cupola of the Vatican, both in height and circumference, by four braccia; and although supported by eight ribs only, which renders it much lighter than that of the Vatican, which has sixteen flanking buttresses, it is nevertheless more solid and firm. Thus it has never required to be supported by circling hoops of iron, nor has it demanded the labours of the many engineers who have printed volumes of controversies on that subject. See the Tempio Vaticano of Fontani, the Discorsi dell'Architettura, etc. Schorn remarks that the columns on the south side did at first sink a little, which caused some slight cracks, but they were immediately closed. — German Edition, vol. ii, p. 204.
- ↑ See the Metropolitana Illustrata of G. del Rosso, for an account of the most important injuries inflicted by lightnings down to that of 1776.
