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are. Indeed, one might not know whether his virtue or his dignity shines more brightly among men; and among his own virtues, which one excels the others—if indeed any does excel, and if each does not contain within itself every measure of perfection, such that each person, insofar as he especially cultivates a certain virtue, thinks it especially present in this man. Just as you sometimes do, and I as well, regarding prudence, both in other matters and truly in those of letters. For what is so arduous, so difficult, so profound, that he does not resolve, complete, and settle it with the depth of his counsel? The many affairs of the supreme pontificate, which he had received nearly torn apart and shipwrecked, by which he is distracted, and a part of which would overwhelm any other man—he alone manages everything, sustains everything upon his own shoulders, he alone handles everything, and (which increases our admiration all the more) not only bravely, but even willingly. Truly, the speed and power of his intellect are divine. Furthermore, how often, after the waves of his occupations, does he speak with us or some other learned man about letters? I pass over with what majesty and grace of delivery, with what memory, with what abundance of subject matter, with what expertise in all branches of knowledge he shines—whether human, such as history, oratory, grammar, philosophy, or poetics, and even metrics; or divine, such as theology, all manner of law, and that which the Greeks call metaphysics. Nothing is so arduous, nor so hidden, that it escapes him; nothing is so slight or meager in letters (at which I am not less astonished) that it eludes him. And so, I never wish to speak less and attend more than when I am listening to him; yet, may it be said with his permission, he does not ornament that dignity less than he is ornamented by it. Nor do I venerate his virtue in my heart any less than the Apostolic keys given by God, especially since the knowledge of sacred letters is called a key, bestowed by the same God, which opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. Thus, he carries keys in both hands: one of wisdom, the other of power. Wherefore (to say freely what I feel), I shall have even more cause to rejoice and boast if I am praised by a man so upright, so holy, and so wise, than if I were praised by the Supreme Pontiff. For there have been many Supreme Pontiffs, but one or two like this man, hardly any; and far be it from me to have praised him more excessively for the sake of earning favor, for I know that men would disapprove of me if I were to lie, and I know that he is such a man that he is not ignorant of himself and would prefer the testimonies of his praises to be in hearts rather than on tongues. Nor would I wish for you to show this letter. Although he is praised in it, this is not done so that he himself might read these praises, but that others might; and (as far as we are concerned) a great addition to your honor and mine will indeed be made from this commemoration of Pope Nicholas. For indeed, if in triumphal arches, and columns, and other works of that kind in honor of someone...