I do not boast ..... I do what many dream of all their lives, Dream? Strive to do, and agonize to do, And fail in doing." And yet conscious of his failures and his limitations, " There burns a truer light of God in them In their vexed beating stuffed and stopped up brain, Heart or whatever else, than goes on to prompt This low-pulsed forthright craftsman's hand of mine. Their work drops groundward, but themselves, I know, Reach many a time a heaven that's shut to me, My works are nearer heaven, but I sit here. All is silver grey Placid and perfect with my art : the worse. I know both what I want, and what might gain, And yet how profitless to know, to sigh ' Had I been two, another and my self, Our head would have o'er looked the world ! '" But from Lucrezia Andrea gained no inspiration ; not even sympathy in his work, which to her was only a means whereby coin came into her pocket money to be spent with selfish egoism on her own small needs and wishes. " Had you given me soul, We might have risen to Raphael, I and you ! 18 ANDREA DEL SARTO Nay Love, you did give all I asked, I think