The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume I / Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.

by Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

LETTER XXV.

SIR,Venice, April 27, 1730.

I wrote to you from Inspruc the very Day before I set out from thence for this Place, to which I arriv'd without any Misfortune. About three quarters of a League from Inspruc we came among very tiresome and disagreeable Mountains, the highest of which is call'd the Brenner, a Name that the Country People gave it when they clear'd it of the Wood, and burnt it. This Mountain is much more rugged on the side of Trent than 'tis towards Inspruc; 'tis for nine Months together cover'd with Snow, and I found a great deal remaining on it still; yet 'tis inhabited to the very Top. There is a Post-House, a Tavern, and a Chapel in which Mass is only said when the Snows

are melted: It produces Corn and Hay in abundance. Near the Post-House there is a considerable Spring which at first forms a large Basin, and then divides into two Torrents which quickly change into Rivers, one whereof falls into the Inn above Inspruc, and the other, after becoming navigable two Leagues from Bolsano, loses itself in the Adige above Trent. The Passage of the Brenner is very painful, and sometimes impracticable when it snows or rains; so that Travellers are often oblig'd to stay several Days till the Return of fair Weather, which is the more inconvenient because the Inns on both Sides are of the worst sort.

Stertzingen a little Town four Post-Stages from Inspruc, has nothing remarkable; however I was well accommodated there. Next Day I went and din'd at Brixen an Episcopal City in an agreeable Valley, where I found the Season very forward. The Country between Brixen and Bolsano is extremely populous, and so manur'd that the steepest Mountains are cultivated.

Bolsano is a pretty Town well inhabited, and drives a considerable Trade, having no less than four Fairs a Year. Its Situation is very agreeable, in the middle of a fine large Valley full of Villages and Vineyards. The Air here is much softer than in the rest of Tirol, and I found Trees here in full Verdure while in the Country they were but just budded. The Vines are very carefully watched by Men who keep Guard in Huts rais'd upon three Poles plac'd cross-wise, and high enough to command the Vineyards. Misson in his Voyage to Italy says, that these Huts or Guerites were for lodging the Guards that are posted to hinder the Bears from eating the Grapes. I know not who could tell him that there were any Bears in this Country, and if there are 'tis hardly probable they would venture into a Valley so populous as that of Bolsano. The

Wines of this Valley are the best in all Tirol; but they must be drank, as must all the Wines of this Country, the very Year of their Growth, or else they grow luscious, and then turn crabbed.

The Valley of Bolsano which extends to Trent is throughout equally agreeable; and is not incumber'd by those horrid Mountains that we were pester'd with in the Road from Inspruc.

Trent is celebrated for the Council formerly held there. I went to see the Church of St. Mary major, where the Fathers of that Council held their Assembly. It has nothing remarkable besides its Organs which are of too enormous a Size for a Church, but are a very curious piece of Work; for they not only exhibit various Sounds, but imitate Vocal Music, the Notes of divers Birds, and the Noise of Kettle-Drums and Trumpets. The Bishop of Trent is a Prince of the Empire. The See is now vacant by the Death of the Count de Wolckenstein the last Bishop. The Chapter has fix'd the Election for next May. A great many Travellers highly extol the Bishop's Palace, but for my own part, I was not so fortunate as to observe any thing in it that was worthy of Attention.

Throughout all Tirol the Common People are very ill-favour'd: Most of the Women are disguis'd by Wens in their Throat[160], and as if that was not enough they disfigure themselves by their Dress. The Country Women wear Stockings which have no Feet, and are gather'd into many little Folds from the Ancle to the Calf of the Leg: Their Shoes are exactly like those the Men wear. Their Petticoats are exceeding short, and ty'd up almost as high as their Breasts which are very large. With all this they have a Pair of Stays which reaches down to

their Waist, and renders them compleatly deform'd. Instead of other Head-dress they wear a green high-crown'd Hat, the Brims of which are let down, and is as unbecoming a part of their Dress as any of the rest. At Brixen the Blood mends, the Women are handsomer, the Men more genteel, and the People in general more civiliz'd; tho' take 'em all together the Tirolese are very honest People. They are staunch zealous Catholics, tho' they say that some of the Peasants, are Lutherans. The Holy Virgin and St. Christopher are the principal Objects of the People's Devotion: The latter is painted on all their Houses, and the Roads are full of little Chapels of the Virgin who is represented in all manner of ways. I have seen her painted in a Chapel standing with a great Veil over her Head which she extended with her Arms to cover the Pope, the Emperor, seven Kings, and as many Electors, who seem to be prostrate at her Knees.

As I left Trent I began to ascend a Mountain which does not become smooth till we reach to Berschen which is a Post-Stage and a half from Trent. This Mountain is exceeding steep, troublesome, and tiresome, and after 'tis pass'd, one is in a manner buried among Rocks and horrid Mountains which seem as if they would fall on the Heads of the Travellers; and I have been assur'd that this sometimes happens in rainy Weather, when so many Pieces crumble off of the Rock that it requires 4 or 500 Carts to clear the Roads. In short, all the Way till one comes within a League of Bossagno a City in the State of Venice is full of Rocks and Precipices; but from that Town to Mestre which is four Post-Stages from it, the Country is the finest in the World; and in short, every thing is good and pleasant except their Wine and their publick Houses. The Wine has naturally a musty Taste, and no Body, and the Colour is like that of the thick Wine of Bourdeaux.

This Country so abounds in Quails that the Post-Master of Bossagno assur'd me he had taken 720 in a Morning, that he drove a great Trade with 'em, and sent some of 'em to the State of Venice, and to Lombardy. Whether he said true, I know not, but he shew'd me 1100 live Quails which he kept in Wicker-Cages in a great Barn where he had hung all the Cages to Pack-Thread to keep them from Rats and Cats.

At Mestre one embarks for Venice which is about seven Leagues from it; I made the Voyage in a Gondola in less than an Hour and half. As I travell'd post to Mestre, my Gondoliers, when I came to Venice, carry'd me to the Post-Office, where I was oblig'd to tell my Name, and the Business for which I came to Venice; but this is a Ceremony to which they who don't travel post are not subject. I went and took up my Lodging at the White Lion, highly rejoic'd that I could rest my self there after my Fatigue, and that I had lost sight of the Alps, those horrid Mountains which no body would chuse to live amongst but a Swiss or a Tirolese, who, as Cardinal Bentivoglio justly observes in his Voyage to Swisserland, are a People made for the Alps, and the Alps for them.

As I have been twice before at Venice, I serve as a Cicerone[161] to two Bohemian Counts whom I was acquainted with at Prague, and whom I happen'd to meet with at my Quarters. As 'tis customary to do to all Foreigners, I began with shewing them the Square of St. Mark, the chief Square of Venice, if not of the whole World. 'Tis adorn'd by the Palace of the Doge, the Church of St. Mark, and the Procuraties, or Houses of the Procurators, and has been pav'd within these few Years with

great Squares of Free-stone. We ascended the famous Tower of St. Mark which is a four-square Building, by a Stair without Steps. It was built by the Doge Domingo Morosini, to serve as a Watch-Tower to Ships at Sea; and that it might be seen a great way off he caus'd the Angel on the top of it to be gilt; but Time the Destroyer of all Things has stripp'd off the Gold. From this Tower one sees the whole City of Venice, the neighbouring Islands, and the Terra Firma, which all together makes a noble Prospect.

We afterwards enter'd St. Mark's Church, which is an Edifice of Grecian Architecture, pretty dark and not very high, but after all, full of Curiosities worthy the Attention of a Traveller. As this Church has been describ'd with more Exactness than I can pretend to, I shall treat very succinctly of the chief Things which it contains. The grand Portico is so low that one must even go down some Steps to enter into the Church. There is a Platform over it on which are plac'd four brazen Horses brought from Constantinople, to which they were first carry'd from Rome by Constantine when that Prince transferr'd the Seat of the Empire from the one City to the other. Nothing is so magnificent and beautiful as those Horses. They were heretofore all over gilt, but People out of mere Avarice scrap'd off great part of the precious Metal, and all the rest is almost worn off by Time.

At the Entrance of the Church on the right-hand Side there is a square Stone which seem'd to me to be of white Marble, and is said to be a piece of the Rock which Moses struck in the Wilderness, whereupon there issued out Water. If this be really that Stone, what that Legislator did is so much the more to be admir'd, and may be reckon'd doubly miraculous; first in fetching Water to a Place where there was none before, and then the

bringing a quantity of it through four Holes no bigger than Pease sufficient to quench the Thirst of so numerous a Multitude. The Pavement of this Church is very grand, being of Mosaic Work exceedingly diversify'd with Stones of various Colours, Marble and Porphyry: But the stateliest Thing in all the Church are the Ornaments of the Altar for the great Holidays, of which that of St. Mark the Patron of the Republic is the most strictly kept. St. Mark's Treasure is then all laid open, which consists in the rich Spoils taken from the Emperors of Constantinople. Every part shines with solid Gold, Pearls, and Diamonds; so that the Temple of Jerusalem excepted, I believe there's not a House devoted to God that could ever boast of so much Riches. All this Treasure is kept in St. Mark's Tower, and none of it can be taken out but in presence of one of the Procurators, who must also be at the Altar when the Treasure is plac'd on it, and dare not stir from it till 'tis put up safe again.

St. Mark's Church serves as a public Chapel to the Doge, who always is or at least ought to be attended thither by the Pope's Nuncio and the Ambassadors; but M. de Gersi the French Ambassador, from I know not what Punctilio of Honour, avoids being present at the same Functions with the Count de Bolagnos the Emperor's Ambassador[162], whom he can't endure to see go before him. When the Doge goes to St. Mark's Church 'tis always with great Ceremony: He walks between the Pope's Nuncio and the Emperor's Ambassador, and the other Ambassadors walk in the same Row according to the Rank of their Masters. They are preceded by six Trumpets, and six Banners are born before the Doge together with a Chair or Stool of State,

there being no Back to it, and a Cushion of Gold Brocade. The Prince is dress'd in a long Robe of Gold Brocade also lin'd and fac'd with Ermin. The Senators follow him in Robes of red Damask, walking two and two. He is receiv'd at the Entrance of the Church by the Clergy of St. Mark who bring him Holy Water and Incense, which the Ambassadors receive after him. His Serenity and the Ambassadors fall on their Knees in the middle of the Nave, and then repeat the Prayers of Domine salvum fac Principem nostrum. Afterwards the Doge goes and places himself at the End of the Choir on the right Hand as we go in, and sits in the first upper Row of the Canons with the Pope's Nuncio on his Right and the Emperor's Ambassador on the Right of the Nuncio, and so on with the rest. The Doge does not sit down 'till the Senators are all enter'd, who, as they pass by his Serenity, make him a profound Obeisance, to which the Doge makes no manner of return. When every body is seated, the Doge accompany'd by the Ambassadors advances towards the Altar, the Nuncio strikes up High Mass and says the Overture, to which the Doge answers. After this, the Doge and the Ambassadors return to their Places, and the Prelate of St. Mark who is in waiting, continues the Office.

After the Mass is over, the Doge returns to his Palace attended by the same Train that accompanied him to Church. When he has ascended the grand Stair-case of his Palace he seats himself in an Arm-Chair which is plac'd over-against the Stair-case. After he has sate a few Moments, he dismisses the Ambassadors and the other Persons of his Retinue, and retires to his Apartment.

Next to St. Mark's Church is the Doge's Palace, a vast Building, of which you will find a large Account in Misson's Travels.

The present Doge is Aloisio Mocenigo[163], a Prince as much to be respected for his Merit as for his Dignity. He is a Gentleman of great Sagacity, talks well, is very polite, and has infinitely more Generosity than is ascribed to those of his Country. He is a handsome Man, and has a noble Aspect that is improv'd by his white Locks of Hair which render him venerable. Before he was advanc'd to be a Doge, which was in 1722, he serv'd the Republic with distinction in quality of Generalissimo. The vain Honours which this new Dignity has procur'd him have not puff'd him up, and he seems to think them rather a Burden than a Pleasure. Before he came to be Doge he was the most sociable Nobleman at Venice, and he now sees more Company than ever his Predecessors did. He masks himself at publick Rejoicings, goes out every Night in a common Gondola without Guard or Retinue, and diverts himself at his Brother's. He has sometimes too been upon Terra Firma, not valuing it tho' he lost for a while all the Honours annexed to his Dignity as Doge; for you know that this Character does not go beyond the Lakes. He is oblig'd to be present at all the public Ceremonies, tho' very much against his Inclination and Temper, which is far more uniform than that of the other Italians.

The Ceremony in which he shines with the greatest Lustre, is that of marrying the Sea, which without dispute is one of the finest Shews in all the World. 'Tis perform'd on Ascension-Day, when the Doge, the Ambassadors, and the Senate ride out into the Adriatic on board a Vessel call'd the Bucentaur, attended by the State-Gondolas of the Ambassadors gilded, with a vast number of other Gondolas and Galleasses which surround the Bucentaur, the most stately Vessel that was ever built, and more magnificent than all that History (or

even Romance) tells us of the sumptuous Vessel of Cleopatra. When the Doge goes on board the Bucentaur he is saluted by the great Guns from the Galleys, the Men of War, and the Merchant-Ships in the Harbour; and while he performs the Ceremony of marrying the Sea by throwing in a Ring to denote the Sovereignty of the Republic over the Gulph, there's nothing heard but Kettle-Drums, Trumpets, and Concerts of Music, with the loud Acclamations of the People.

His Serene Highness marries two other Wives whom he maintains with as little Trouble as the Sea. They are the Abbesses of the Convents of the Virgin and St. Daniel. This Ceremony is perform'd upon St. Philip's Day, when the Doge in a Galeass accompany'd by the Ambassadors and the Senate, repairs with a great Train to those Convents which are situate on the Shore behind the Arsenal. The Prelate who officiates for the Day receives him at the Entrance of the Church, brings him the Holy Water, and conducts him to a Place prepared for him in the Choir where he assists at High Mass. Then he repairs to the Grate, in which there's a large Opening where the Lady Abbess appears with her Nuns. The Abbess addressing herself to the Doge intreats him to continue the Favour of his Protection to herself and the Nuns; to which the Doge returns answer, that she and all the Convent may depend upon his Good-Will. Then he turns about and walks on foot to the Convent of St. Daniel, where his Reception and Transaction are the same as at the Convent of the Virgin. These two Convents have very singular Privileges. The Abbesses have the Crosier-Staff, and both they and their Nuns depend solely upon the Doge, and not at all upon the Pope or the Court of Rome either in Spirituals or Temporals. They have good Revenues and live as much as can be at their Ease. The

Dress of these Nuns is rather gay than modest. Like the Nuns at Strasbourg they wear their Hair in Tresses: Their Petticoats are so short that you may see their Ancles; and instead of Stays they wear Jackets with short Skirts, which are very becoming to those that are of a good Shape. Their Necks are quite bare, only when they go into the Choir they cover them with Veils of fine white Wool, which trail on the ground. These Nuns are the Daughters of the Nobles, and enjoy great Liberty, more than I believe they have under their Father's Roof.

The Festival of St. Mark is always celebrated with very great Solemnity. On the Day preceding, the Doge accompany'd by the Ambassadors repairs with a great Train to St. Mark's Church, where he assists at the Vespers. Next Day the Confraternities, who are nine in number, meet at the Ducal Palace, accompany the Doge to Church in Procession, and are present at High Mass. After this the Doge returns to his Palace, and the Brotherhoods go round the Square. Each Society has magnificent Images, and two Canopies richly embroider'd with Gold and Silver; whose Poles or Supporters are of solid Silver. The Procession is clos'd by a Man dress'd in a Gown of red Damask, carrying a Pole with a moving Wheel at the end of it; which serves to support a gilt Lion surrounded with Laurel Branches, and little Standards of divers Colours. The Lion turns round incessantly, and the Man who carries it makes him leap, and play a hundred Gambols: He is surrounded with a Multitude of People, who cry out, God bless St. Mark. This Sight, how ridiculous soever, is nevertheless amusing, draws abundance of the Nobility to the Square, and on that Day every body is mask'd. After the Procession is over, the Maskers go to see the Doge's Table, who entertains

the Ambassadors and the Senate at Dinner, on a Table in form of a Horse-shoe; which is extravagantly adorn'd with Kickshaws, and Machines made of Starch, which are here call'd Triumphs. Nothing of the kind can be better executed, or more magnificent. As there is a great Apprehension of a Croud, all the Maskers are turn'd away at Dinner-time. They keep on their Masks all day long; and after Dinner all the Nobility, or to speak more properly, the whole City of Venice appears mask'd upon the Square of St. Mark; and indeed, for one who never saw it before, 'tis a remarkable fine Shew. What surpriz'd me, and if I may say it, made me laugh, was to see all the Maskers fall on their Knees at the Sound of the Angelus; you wou'd swear every body was in Rapture, yet every thing that goes before and that follows the Stroke of the Bell is not the most devout.

The Day after St. Mark's we had another publick Shew, and by consequence a fresh occasion for the Venetians to masquerade it. That was the Election which the Fishermen, who are here call'd the Nicolotti, made of a Chief, who bears the Title of the Doge of the Nicolotti. Their Choice fell this Bout upon a Gondolier belonging to the noble Giustiniani. After the Election he was conducted to an Audience of the Doge of Venice, dress'd in a Robe of red Sattin, and otherwise accoutred like a Jackpudding. He was preceded by a great Mob of Pipers, Hautboys, and Fishermen. Just before him was carry'd a red Flag, with the Effigies of St. Mark. The Doge receiv'd him sitting on his Throne, and attended by the Council. The Complement of the Doge of the Fishermen was made with great Gravity, and answer'd by the Doge of the Republick in few Words; which done, he return'd in the same Order that he

came. This sham Doge has authority over all the Fishermen, is their Judge, gives them Licence to fish, and takes care that the City be well supplied with that sort of Provision. 'Tis said that this Office, which is for Life, is worth above 1000 Crowns per Annum. He had formerly the Privilege of commanding in a certain Quarter of the City, and assisted at all the Ceremonies where the Doge was present: He even accompany'd that Prince on board the Bucentaur, and had Precedency of all the Ambassadors; but they have lost that Right since, upon what occasion I know not, they gave up the Precedency to an Ambassador from the Emperor.

The Patriarch of Venice is the second Person in the State. The present Patriarch is of the Family of Gradenigo. The Authority of this Prelate is so stinted, that he only nominates to two or three Benefices. The Inhabitants of every Parish chuse their Parsons, which is always attended with Intriguing; for their Livings being very lucrative, have great Interest made for them. The Patriot has a Privilege of having a Gondola painted Purple and Gold, with a Roof or Covering of Red Velvet; but this Gondola must not exceed a certain Degree of Magnificence. You know that the Gondolas of private Men must be black, and that none but Ambassadors have the Privilege of having theirs gilded.

Tho' the Churches of Venice have been sufficiently describ'd, I cannot help saying something of those that I thought the most remarkable. Without doubt the Front of the Church of the bare-footed Carmelites, situate upon the Great Canal, is the most magnificent, not only of Venice, but perhaps of Europe; as well with regard to the Proportions of Architecture that have been carefully observ'd, as with regard to the Fineness of the Marble, white as

Alabaster, with which this beautiful Front is wholly embellish'd. The Inside of this Church is extremely magnificent. The Roof is richly gilded, and curiously painted. The Walls are fac'd with Marble Pilasters; the Floor is of Stones inlaid with various Colours, and the Altars are exceeding stately: But of all these different things there seems to be too great a number, so that I could wish many of the Ornaments had been spar'd; for a noble Simplicity wou'd have look'd much better.

This sort of Simplicity is conspicuous in the Church of St. George, one of the biggest in Venice, the Architecture of which is surprizing. A Convent belongs to it, which for Magnificence and Regularity surpasses many Sovereign Palaces. The great Stair-Case is a fine piece of Architecture, and wou'd become a King's Palace much better than a Convent. This House has two noble Cloysters planted with Orange-Trees, a couple of spacious Courts, and two large Gardens well cultivated, which have Terrasses from whence there is a Prospect of the Sea, and the neighbouring Islands.

The Capuchins, whose Churches are very plain every where else, have a very noble one here, which is called Al Redemptore. It was built by order of the Republic to discharge a Vow they had made in the time of a Plague. The honest Capuchin who shew'd me the Church, made me take special notice of a Crucifix of Brass over the high Altar, whereon our Saviour is represented expiring, with his Head leaning on his right Shoulder. My Guide assur'd me that when the Crucifix was plac'd in the Church the Head of our Lord's Image was erect, but that it fell afterwards into its present Posture.

There are other Churches worth seeing, were it only for the stately Tombs of the most distinguish'd Families of the Republic. Such is the Tomb of the noble Family of Cornaro, in the Church of the

Cajetans, where are the Marble Effigies of eight Cardinals, and four Doges descended from that Family. In the Churches of St. Paul and St. John are Pictures very much esteem'd by the Connoisseurs, and there's the sumptuous Tomb of the Valerios, where the Father, the Mother, with the Son, are carv'd in their natural Proportion in Marble, apparell'd in the Habit of the Doge and Dogess.

Before I have done with the Churches, I think I ought to give you some account of that of the Jesuits; the Front whereof is of noble Architecture, well disposed, and the Ornaments not too much crouded; but the Decoration of the Inside is really grand. Nothing can be richer than the Choir, and the high Altar. The Choir consists of a spacious Dome supported by four large Pillars of white Marble, lin'd with great Flower-pieces of old green Marble. The Roof is painted and gilt. The high Altar, which is all of Marble, is a Pavilion or Dome supported by ten Columns wreath'd of the ancient Greek Marble. The Tabernacle is of Alabaster, incrustated with Lapis-Lazuli. To all this rich Work are added two Angels in their natural Proportion, over which are the Effigies of God the Father, and God the Son. The five Steps leading to the Altar are of green Marble, incrustated with old yellow Marble so artfully that this Work would easily be taken for a Piece of Persian Tapestry. The Pulpit and the Balustrade, which separates the Nave from the Choir, are of Marble, and perfectly answerable to the Magnificence of the whole Church.

I now proceed to the Arsenal, so much celebrated in Europe, perhaps more for what it has been than what it is at present. Three Nobles have the Management or Custody of it, who relieve one another every Week. He that is in waiting must visit the Posts in the Night-time; and the Centinels

are oblig'd each to ring a Bell every Hour, that the Officer upon Guard may know they are at their Posts. No body can see the Arsenal without Leave of the Nobleman in waiting, who never refuses it to Persons of Rank. The first thing I was shew'd were four Rooms full of Arms necessary for the Marines, where are also kept the Cuirasses of those Generals who have most distinguish'd themselves in the Service of the Republic; but they are all full of Dust. Then I was shewed the Magazine of Anchors, and the Cellar to which the Workmen of the Arsenal go when they please to a Fountain of Wine and Water mix'd. As much diluted as this Wine is, 'tis said that there's no less spent here every Year than amounts to 74000 Crowns. This is an Endowment which was settled by one Cornaro Queen of Cyprus, for the Relief of the Workmen. Near this Cellar are the Forges, of which there are twelve; but there are only two actually at work. The Rope-Yard just by it, is 410 Paces in length, and serves at the same time for a Warehouse of Hemp, of which I did not see any great Quantity. In another Court there were a great many Cannon, both Iron and Brass, a Room full of Bullets, a Magazine of Cordage, a Timber-Yard, and three great Rooms full of Arms for the Foot Soldiers. There was another that serv'd as an Arsenal for the Horse, but 'twas lately burnt down by the Carelessness of a Centinel. The Dock for building and refitting of Ships forms a separate Court, in the midst of which there's a great Bason that communicates with the Sea, and is encompass'd with twenty six Sheds cover'd over, which contain as many Ships, Galleys, and Galleasses. The latter are Machines of a terrible Size, which have a sort of Battery at both ends. My Guide assur'd me that a Venetian Galleass was not afraid of twenty five Turkish Galleys: This may be; but I

wou'd venture a Wager on the side of the Infidels. In this same Dock are the Prowes of twelve Turkish Galleys taken at the famous Battle of Lepanto. But the most noble thing in all this Dock, is the Bucentaur, which went out of Port for the first time in the Year 1728. This superb Vessel was built by Antonio Corradini; and is so well design'd, and the Ornaments of Sculpture, of which there's a great number, so well plac'd, that every thing is easily distinguish'd, and strikes with Amazement. 'Tis gilded down to the Water-edge, and 'tis said that the Expence of it amounted to 70000 Sequins. The Deck is cover'd from Head to Stern with Crimson-Velvet, bedaub'd with a broad Lace, and Gold Fringes. And the inside if possible is more magnificent than the Outside. There's a great Room the length of the Ship, where the Doge sits on a Throne, and the Ambassadors and Senators on Seats like those of the Canons in the Choir. The Cieling consists of Bas-reliefs in divers Compartments intirely gilt. The Floor is of Walnut-tree, incrusted with Ebony-Wood and Mother of Pearl. The Rowers who sit in the Hold of the Ship are all of one Livery, and their Oars gilt, which makes a very fine Sight when all hands strike together.

You know that the Bucentaur never goes out but once a-year, upon Ascension-day, when the Captain who then commands must take an Oath before he stirs out of the Harbour, that he will bring her back again into the Arsenal. He carries nothing aboard of his own, for unless the Weather be very fair indeed, the Ceremony is put off to another day. They build a new Bucentaur every hundred Years, and the old ones are laid up till they rot.

I just now hear that the Post is going off, so that I am oblig'd to defer what I have farther to say of Venice till the next. I shall be infinitely pleas'd

if I can satisfy your Curiosity, and much more if I can prove to you that no body has a more profound Veneration for you than I, Who am, &c.

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