Alonzo Cano, a Spanish sculptor, being employed by a lawyer
of Grenada to make a statue of St. Antonio de Padua, and
having mentioned how much it would cost, the lawyer began
to reckon how many pistoles per day the artist had earned.
“You have,” said he, “been five-and-twenty days carving this
statue, and your exorbitant demand makes you charge the rate
of four pistoles per day, while I, who am your superior in
a profession, do not make half your profits by my talents.”
“Wretch!” exclaimed the artist; “do you talk to me of your
talents? I have been five-and-twenty years learning to make this
statue in five-and-twenty days.” So saying, he dashed it on
the pavement.--CROAKE JAMES, “Curiosities of Law and
Lawyers.”
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