But the Christian cannot thus conceive the mystery of the soul "fallen on sleep." His art must suggest a time of waiting and a time of waking; and this it does partly through the ministration of attendant angels, who would not be standing there on guard if the clay-cold corpse had no futurity, partly by breathing upon the limbs and visage of the dead a spirit as of life suspended for a while.

Thus the soul herself is imaged in the marble "most sweetly slumbering in the gates of dreams." What Vespasiano tells us of this cardinal, born of the royal house of Portugal, adds the virtue of sincerity to Rossellino's work, proving there is no flattery of the dead man in his sculpture.[103] "Among his other admirable virtues," says the biographer, "Messer Jacopo di Portogallo determined to preserve his virginity, though he was beautiful above all others of his age.

Consequently he avoided all things that might prove impediments to his vow, such as free discourse, the society of women, balls, and songs.

In this mortal flesh he lived as though he had been free from it--the life, we may say, rather of an angel than a man.

And if his biography were written from his childhood to his death, it would be not only an ensample, but confusion to the world.