the tie of marriage was less sacred in that Catholic | last, and alas! posthumous son of the marriage of country, than among those nations where the laws the Doges with the Adriatic, who fought his frigate and religion admit of its being dissolved. Because with far greater gallantry than any of his French they could not break the contract, they feigned that coadjutors in the memorable action off Lissa. I it had not existed; and the ground of nullity, im- came home in the squadron with the prizes in 1811, modestly alleged by the married pair, was admitted and recollect to have heard Sir William Hoste, and with equal facility by priests and magistrates, alike the other officers engaged in that glorious conflict, corrupt. These divorces, veiled under another speak in the highest terms of Pasqualigo's behavior. name, became so frequent, that the most important There is the Abbate Morelli.

There is Alvise act of civil society was discovered to be amenable Querini, who, after a long and honorable diplomatic to a tribunal of exceptions; and to restrain the career, finds some consolation for the wrongs of his open scandal of such proceedings became the office country, in the pursuits of literature, with his of the police. In 1782 the Council of Ten decreed, nephew, Vittar Benzon, the son of the celebrated that every woman who should sue for a dissolution beauty, the heroine of "La Biandina in Gondoletof her marriage should be compelled to await the ta." There are the patrician poet Morosini, and decision of the judges in some convent, to be the poet Lamberti, the author of the "Biondina," named by the court.* Soon afterwards the same &c., and many other estimable productions; and, council summoned all causes of that nature before not least in an Englishman's estimation, Madame itself. This infringement on ecclesiastical jurisdic- Michelli, the translator of Shakspeare. There are tion having occasioned some remonstrance from the young Dandolo, and the improvisatore Carrer, Rome, the council retained only the right of reject- and Giuseppe Albrizzi, the accomplished son of ing the petition of the married persons, and con- an accomplished mother. There is Aglietti, and, sented to refer such causes to the holy office as it were there nothing else, there is the immortality should not previously have rejected. of Canova. Cicognara, Mustoxithi, Bucati, &c., "There was a moment in which, doubtless, the &c., I do not reckon, because the one is a Greek, destruction of private fortunes, the ruin of youth, and the others were born at least a hundred miles the domestic discord occasioned by these abuses, off, which, throughout Italy, constitutes, if not determined the government to depart from its a foreigner at least a stranger, (forestiere.) established maxims concerning the freedom of manners allowed the subject. All the courtesans were banished from Venice; but their absence was not enough to reclaim and bring back good morals to a whole people brought up in the most scandalous licentiousness. Depravity reached the very bosoms of private families, and even into the cloister; and they found themselves obliged to recall, and even to indemnify women who sometimes gained possession of important secrets, and who might be "IL y une prédiction fort singulière sur Venise: usefully employed in the ruin of men whose fortunes. Si tu ne changes pas,' dit elle à cette république might have rendered them dangerous. Since that altière, ta liberté, qui déja s'enfuit, ne comptera time licentiousness has gone on increasing, and we

VI.

Extrait de l'ouvrage-Histoire littéraire d'Italie, par P. L. Gingu né, tom. ix. chap. xxxvi. p. 144, Edition de Paris, MDCCCXIX.

have seen mothers, not only selling the innocence pas un siècle après la millième année.'

"En faisant remonter l'époque de la liberté of their daughters, but selling it by a contract, Vénitienne jusqu'à l'établissement du gouverneauthenticated by the signature of a public officer, and the performance of which was secured by the ment sous lequel la république a fleuri, on trouvera que l'élection du premier Doge date de 697, et si protection of the laws. "The parlors of the convents of noble ladies, and cents ans, on trouvera encore que le sens de la l'on y ajoute un siècle après mille, c'est-à-dire onze the houses of the courtesans, though the police carefully kept up a number of spies about them, prédiction est littéralement celui-ci: Ta liberté ne were the only assemblies for society in Venice; and comptera pas jusqu'à l'an 1797. Rappelez-vous in these two places, so different from each other, there was equal freedom. Music, collations, gallantry, were not more forbidden in the parlors than at the casinos. There were a number of casinos for the purpose of public assemblies, where gaming was the principal pursuit of the company. It was a strange sight to see persons of either sex masked, or grave personages in their magisterial robes, round a table, invoking chance, and giving way at one instant to the agonies of despair, at the next to the illusions of hope, and that without uttering Bien des a single word.

maintenant que Venise a cessé d'ètre libre en l'an
cinq de la République francaise, ou en 1799; vons
verrez qu'il n'y eut jamais de prediction plus précise
et plus ponctuellement suivie de l'effet. Vous note-
rez donc comme très remarquables ces trois vers de
'Alamani, adressés à Venise, que personne pourtant
n'a remarqués :

'Se non cangi pensier, l'un secol solo
Non conterà sopra 1 millesimo anno
Tua libertà, che va fuggendo a volo.'

prophéties ont passé pour telles, et bien des gens ont été appelés prophètes à meilleur

"The rich had private casinos, but they lived marche." incognito in them; and the wives whom they abandoned found compensation in the liberty they enjoyed. The corruption of morals had deprived! them of their empire. We have just reviewed the

VIL

L. Ginguéné, vol. ix. p. 144. Paris Edit. 1819.

whole history of Venice, and we have not once Extract from the Literary History of Italy, by P. seen them exercise the slightest infinence." From the present decay and degeneracy of Venice, under the barbarians, there are some honorable individual exceptions. There is Pasqualigo, the

"THERE is one very singular prophecy concerning Venice: If thou dost not change,' it says to that proud republic, thy liberty, which is already on the wing, will not reckon a century more than the thousandth rear.'

"If we carry back the epocha of Venetian freedom to the establishment of the government under which the republic flourishes, we shall find that the date of the election of the first Doge is 697; and if we add one century to a thousand, that is, eleven hundred years, we shall find the sense of the pro

diction to be literally this: Thy liberty will not carefully avoided as any kind of intercourse with last till 1797.' Recollect that Venice ceased to be his countrymen,-excepting the very few who were free in the year 1796, the fifth year of the French a considerable time resident in Venice, or had been republic; and you will peceive that there never was of my previous acquaintance. Whoever made him prediction more pointed, or more exactly followed any such offer was possessed of impudence equal to by the event. You will, therefore, note as very that of making such an assertion without having remarkable the three lines of Alamanni, addressed to Venice, which, however, no one has pointed out: 'Se non cangi pensier, l'un secol solo Non conterà sopra, 'l millesimo anno Tua libertà, che va fuggendo a volo.'

Many prophecies have passed for such, and many men have been called prophets for much less."

had it. The fact is, that I hold in utter abhorrence any contact with the travelling English, as my friend the Consul-General Hoppner, and the Countess Benzoni, (in whose house the Conversazione mostly frequented by them is held,) could amply testify, were it worth while. I was persecuted by these tourists even to my riding-ground at Lido, and reduced to the most disagreeable circuits to avoid them. At Madame Benzoni's I repeatedly

If the Doge's prophecy seem remarkable, look to the above, made by refused to be introduced to them;-of a thousand

Alamanni two hundred and seventy years ago,

such presentations pressed upon me, I accepted two, and both were to Irish women.

I should hardly have descended to speak of such trifles publicly, if the impudence of this "sketcher" THE author of "Sketches Descriptive of Italy," had not forced me to a refutation of a disingenuous &c., one of the hundred tours lately published, is and gratuitously impertinent assertion;-so meant extremely anxious to disclaim a possible charge of to be, for what could it import to the reader to be plagiarism from "Childe Harold" and " Beppo." told that the author "had repeatedly declined an He adds, that still less could this presumed coinci- introduction," even had it been true, which, for the dence arise from "my conversation," as he had reasons I have above given, is scarcely possible. repeatedly declined an introduction to me while in Except Lords Lansdowne, Jersey, and Lauderdale; Italy. Messrs Scott, Hammond, Sir Humphrey Davy, the Who this person may be, I know not; but he late M. Lewis, W. Bankes, Mr. Hoppner, Thomas must have been deceived by all or any of those who Moore, Lord Kinnaird, his brother, Mr. Joy, and "repeatedly offered to introduce" him, as I have Mr. Hobhouse, I do not recollect to have exchanged invariably refused to receive any English with whom a word with another Englishman since I left their I was not previously acquainted, even when they country; and almost all these I had known before, had letters from England. If the whole assertion The others-and God knows there were some hunis not an invention, I request this person not to sit dreds-who bored me with letters or visits, I refused down with the notion that he COULD have been to have any communication with, and shall be proud introduced, since there has been nothing I have so and happy when that wish becomes mutual.

[Two Senators pass over the stage, as in their way to "the Hall of the Council of Ten." You see the number is complete. [Exit LOREDANO. Bar. (solus.) Follow thee! I have follow'd long Thy path of desolation, as the wave

Follow me.

Sweeps after that before it, alike whelming

The wreck that creaks to the wild winds, and wretch
Who shrieks within its riven ribs, as gush

The waters through them; but this son and sire
Might move the elements to pause, and yet
Must I on hardily like them-Oh! would
I could as blindly and remorselessly!—

Lo, where he comes!-Be still, my heart! they are
Thy foes, must be thy victims: wilt thou beat
For those who almost broke thee?

Enter Guards, with young FosCARI as prisoner, &c.
Guard.
Let him rest.
Signor, take time.

Jac. Fos.

I thank thee, friend, I'm feeble; But thou may'st stand reproved.

Lor. Feels he, think you?

Bar.

He shows it not.
Lor. I have mark'd that-the wretch !
Bar. But yesterday, I hear, on his return
To the ducal chambers, as he pass'd the threshold,
The old man fainted.

Lor.

Bar. (advancing to the Guard.) There is one who
does :

Yet fear not; I will neither be thy judge
Nor thy accuser; though the hour is past,
Wait their last summons-I am of "the Ten,"
And waiting for that summons, sanction you
Even by my presence: when the last call sounds,
And should be all mine- We'll in together.-Look well to the prisoner!

It begins to work, then.

Bar. The work is half your own.
Lor.

My father and my uncle are no more.
Bar. I have read their epitaph, which says they
died

By poison.

Lor.

When the Doge declared that he Should never deem himself a sovereign till

The death of Peter Loredano, both

The brothers sicken'd shortly;-he is sovereign.
Bar. A wretched one.

Jac. Fos. What voice is that ?-'Tis Barbarigo's
Ah!

Our house's foe, and one of my few judges.
Bar. To balance such a foe, if such there be,
Thy father sits among thy judges.

Jac. Fos.

He judges.

Bar.

True

Then deem not the laws too harsh Which yield so much indulgence to a sire

What should they be who make As to allow his voice in such high matter

And his son's. I'm faint;
Jac. Fos.
Let me approach, I pray you, for a breath
Of air, yon window which o'erlooks the waters.

Enter an Officer who whispers BARBARIGO. Bar. (to the Guard.) Let him approach. I must not speak with him

Further than thus; I have transgress'd my duty
By all the laws In this brief parley, and must now redeem it
Within the Council Chamber. [Exit BARBARIGO
[Guard conducting JACOPO FOSCARI to the window
Guard.
There, sir, 'tis

Bar.
They are such in this
Our state as render retribution easier
Than mongst remoter nations. It is true

Jac. Fos. Limbs! how often have they borne me
Bounding o'er yon blue tide, as I have skimm'd
The gondola along in childish race,

And, masqued as a young gondolier, amidst
My gay competitors, noble as I,

Raced for our pleasure, in the pride of strength;
While the fair populace of crowding beauties,
Plebeian as patrician, cheer'd us on
With dazzling smiles, and wishes audible,
And waving kerchiefs, and applauding hands,
Even to the goal!-How many a time have I
Cloven with arm still lustier, breast more daring,
The wave all roughen'd; with a swimmer's stroke
Flinging the billows back from my drench'd hair,
And laughing from my lip the audacious brine,
Which kiss'd it like a wine-cup, rising o'er
The waves as they arose, and prouder still
The loftier they uplifted me; and oft,
In wantonness of spirit, plunging down
Into their green and glassy gulfs, and making
My way to shells and sca-weed, all unseen
By those above, till they wax'd fearful; then
Returning with my grasp full of such tokens
As show'd that I had search'd the deep: exulting,
With a far-dashing stroke, and drawing deep
The long-suspended breath, again I spurn'd
The foam which broke around me, and pursued
My track like a sea-bird.—I was a boy then.

Guard. Be a man now: there never was more need Judged and destroy'd in silence,-all things wear Of manhood's strength.

The self-same aspect, to my very sire!

Jac. Fos. (looking from the lattice.) My beautiful, Nothing can sympathize with Foscari,

my own,

My only Venice-this is breath! Thy breeze,
Thine Adrian sea-breeze, how it fans my face!
The very winds feel native to my veins,

And cool them into calmness! How unlike

The hot gales of the horrid Cyclades,

Which howl'd about my Candiote dungeon, and
Made my heart sick.

Guard.

I see the color comes

Not even a Foscari.-Sir, I attend you.

[Exeunt JACOPO FOSCARI, Officer, ye

Enter MEMMO and another Senator.

Mem. He's gone-we are too late:-think you
"the Ten "

Will sit for any length of time to-day?
Sen. They say the prisoner is most obdurate.

Back to your cheek: Heaven send you strength to Persisting in his first avowal; but

Mem. And that is much; the secrets

What more may be imposed !-I dread to think on't.
Jac. Fos. They will not banish me again ?-No-Of yon terrific chamber are as hidden

From us, the premier nobles of the state,
As from the people.

Sen.

Save the wonted rumors,
Which (like the tales of spectres that are rife
Near ruin'd buildings) never have been proved,
Nor wholly disbelieved: men know as little
Of the state's real acts as of the grave's

Let them do so, Unfathom'd mysteries.

So I be buried in my birthplace: better
Be ashes here than aught that lives elsewhere.
Guard. And can you so much love the soil which
hates you?

Jac. Fos. The soil!-Oh no, it is the seed of the
soil

Which persecutes me; but my native earth
Will take me as a mother to her arms.
I ask no more than a Venetian grave,
▲ dungeon, what they will, so it be here.

Enter an Officer.

Ofi. Bring in the prisoner!

Mem.
But with length of time
We gain a step in knowledge, and I look
Forward to be one day of the decemvirs.
Sen. Or Doge?

Mem.
Why, no; not if I can avoid it.
Sen. 'Tis the first station of the state, and may
Be lawfully desired, and lawfully
Attain'd by noble aspirants.

Mem.

To such

I leave it; though born noble, my ambition
Is limited: I'd rather be an unit

Of an united and imperial "Ten,"
Than shine a lonely, though a gilded cypher.➡
Whom have we here? the wife of Foscari?

Enter MARINA, with a female Attendant.

Left barren the great house of Foscari,

Mar. What, no one ?—I am wrong, there still are Though they sweep both the Doge and son from two;

life;

I have endured as much in giving life
To those who will succeed them, as they can
In leaving it: but mine were joyful pangs;
And yet they wrung me till I could have shriek'd,
But did not, for my hope was to bring forth
Heroes, and would not welcome them with tears.
Mem. All's silent now.
Mar.

Perhaps all's over; but
I will not deem it: he hath nerved himself,

Mem. (interrupting her.) High-born dame! be- And now defies them.

And if there were no other nearer, bitterer
Remembrances, would thank the illustrious Memmo
For pointing out the pleasures of the place.
Mem. Be calm!

Sen. (offering to assist her.) I pray thee do so.
Mar. Off! I will tend him.
Mem.

You! Remember, lady!
Ingress is given to none within those chambers,

Mar. (looking up towards heaven.) I am; but Except "the Ten," and their familiars.

No, no; not my husband's- Are judges who give way to anger? they
Who do so are assassins. Give me way.

Sen. Hark.

Mem.

'Twas a cry of

Mar.

Not Foscari's.

Mem.

The voice was→→→

Mar.

Not his no.
He shriek! No; that should be his father's part,
Not his not his--he'll die in silence.

[A faint groan again within.
What!

Mem. Again?

Mar. His voice! it seem'd so: I will not
Believe it. Should he shrink, I cannot cease
To love; but-no-no-no-it must have been
A fearful pang, which wrung a groan from him.
Sen. And, feeling for thy husband's wrongs,
wouldst thou

Have him bear more than mortal pain, in silence?
Mar. We all must bear our tortures. I have not

Sen. Poor lady!
Mem.

[Exit MARINA.

'Tis mere desperation; she
Will not be admitted o'er the threshold.

Sen.
And
Even if she be so, cannot save her husband.
But, see, the officer returns.

|[The Officer passes over the stage with another person.
Mem.
I hardly
Thought that "the Ten" had even this touch of pity
Or would permit assistance to the sufferer.

Sen. Pity! Is't pity to recall to feeling
The wretch too happy to escape to death
By the compassionate trance, poor nature's last
Resource against the tyranny of pain?