And here there comes a Christian, who, because he rates art higher than the faith, deems it a royal spectacle to portray martyrs and virgins in improper attitudes, to show men dragged down by their shame, before which things houses of ill-fame would shut the eyes in order not to see them.

Your art would be at home in some voluptuous bagnio, certainly not in the highest chapel of the world.

Less criminal were it if you were an infidel, than, being a believer, thus to sap the faith of others.

Up to the present time the splendour of such audacious marvels hath not gone unpunished; for their very superexcellence is the death of your good name.

Restore them to repute by turning the indecent parts of the damned to flames, and those of the blessed to sunbeams; or imitate the modesty of Florence, who hides your David's shame beneath some gilded leaves.