The gondolas were all painted black, and highly varnished. In the middle of this elegant little vessel is a cushioned bench, for two persons; and on each side there is another, sufficient to hold one person. The tilt, or awning, resembles a hearse, with windows and Venetian blinds. The outer part is covered with black cloth, trimmed with tassels; the inner with silk; and a curtain, of the same materials as the outside, serves as a door of entrance. The gondolas of the foreign ministers, and of other distinguished personages, had generally coloured silk curtains, by which they could always be distinguished from those of the Venetians.

After the conquest of the Greek Islands, Constantinople, Cyprus, Candia, and the Morea, by the Republic, from the vast influx of wealth and luxury, and the great increase of population from the Terra Firma, it became necessary, in order to preserve virtuous females from violence, to allot-in imitation of the ancient Romansa certain retired part of the city, for the habitations of the improperly called Meretrices: and, to prevent those dreadful evils, for which two great cities were once destroyed by fire, the Senators would walk, in the public square of St. Mark, by the side of these necessary evils ; who, at the approach of evening, were required

to exhibit themselves between two lighted candles, at the windows of their apartments. Under the present government, the frail sisterhood are licensed, and pay a regular tax; and are permitted to follow their profession -pro bono publico-wherever they think fit.

A considerable number of the casinos belong exclusively to the gentlemen. The principal ones are Il casino dei Nobili, il casino dei Mercanti, il casino degl' Avocati, il casino dei Literati, il casino detto Cento, il casino dei Filosofi, il casino Filo-dramatico, il casino Euterpiano, il casino dei Vecchij, il casino Filarmonico, il casino dei Consoli, &c. The Freemason's Lodge has been put down, and all who were members thereof have been deprived of their employments, and declared incapable of holding any office under the Austrian government. Many a worthy man has, in this way, been deprived of his situation, without being guilty of any crime. Surely the punishment greatly exceeds the offence! But, the notions of princes and of individuals differ widely as to these matters. The former adduce the irresistible argument-du plus fort: the latter are consoled by the reflection, that there is a Prince of princes, and that the day of retribution, sooner or later, will assuredly arrive.

(54)

CHAPTER VI.

VENICE.

The Venetian Tribunals described...... The Gentlemen of the Bar......Former Greatness of Venice...... Her present fallen condition......Necessity of dividing Italy into separate Governments...... Appeal to England in behalf of Genoa and

Venice.

IF, under the Venetian code of legislation, justice, in some instances, happened not to be obtained, it certainly was not the fault either of the judges or of the tribunals; for every branch thereof was portioned out to different members, who occupied themselves with the civil and criminal departments, the local and external police, &c. All the tribunals, the upper as well as the lower, were exclusively presided over by the nobles, assisted in their jurisdictions by citizens who had been educated for the bar. My reader may form some idea of the multiplicity of the tribunals at Venice, when I tell him that they exceeded those of Paris. First, there was the tribunal appointed to settle all disputes relating to matters of property, and to

houses within the city and the neighbouring

སོ་

islands. Secondly: there was the petty tribunal of the Procuratori, which decided on disputes relating to property in the Terra Firma, the guardianship of children, marriage contracts, &c. Thirdly: the tribunal which settled all differences subsisting between the inhabitants of Venice and foreigners. Fourthly: the tribunal for contested bills of exchange and promissory notes. Fifthly: the tribunal for deciding upon the value of household furniture, and overcharges. Sixthly: the tribunal whose duty it was to superintend the making and repairing of the streets. Seventhly: the Pioveggi, who revised contracts, and settled the rate of interest to be paid for money borrowed. Eighthly: the tribunal whose duty it was to appoint agents, previously to the seizure and sale of property, and empowering those agents to put in execution the sentences of the other tribunals. Ninthly: the tribunal for examining into the right of public officers to make seizures; for putting its seal on property adjudged to be sold or alienated; legacies and donations by persons dying intestate, &c. Tenthly there were the Prefetti degli Voti, or tribunal for seeing into the due collection of the taxes, and the expenses of the several tribunals. The disputes that happened to arise between masters and servants, were confided to

separate officers and magistrates. I have entered into this detail, merely to justify what I have asserted, with respect to the multiplicity of the Venetian tribunals.

The Venetian dialect was the only language allowed to be used in all public pleadings, written or oral, whether carried on at the bar or in the senate, as well as in all affairs of state. The solicitors and counsel, as well as every individual in their employ, were citizens of Venice, and were held in consideration as men of a certain rank, in all the civilized cities of Europe; so that the profession formed a source of great wealth, to those who distinguished themselves, by devoting their talents to the service of the public. Many of these lawyers, and especially those who united the talent of public pleading to that of giving consultations in private, made immense fortunes, and died possessed of much personal as well as landed property.

In strength of argument, in skill, and in beauty of diction, these gentlemen were not inferior to the orators of antient Greece or Rome; and greatly superior, in point of eloquence, to those of any other country; more especially in their criminal pleadings, which took place in open court. The counsel for the Republic was always one of the Avogadori,