The statue is more than twice the size of life.

At the right hand of this statue, under a niche, is one that represents Contemplative Life--a woman, larger than life and of rare beauty, with bent knee, not to the ground but on a plinth, with her face and both her hands raised to heaven, so that she seems to breathe love in every part.

On the other side, that is to say on the left of Moses, is Active Life, with a mirror in her right hand, into which she gazes attentively, meaning by this that our actions should be governed by forethought; and in her left hand a garland of flowers.

In this Michael Angelo followed Dante, of whom he was always a great student, for in his Purgatorio he feigns to have the Countess Matilda, whom he takes to represent Active Life, in a field full of flowers.

The Tomb is altogether beautiful, especially the binding of the several parts together by the great cornice, to which no one could take exception.
LII.