graven with epitaphs in the Hebraic character, and half buried in the green sward. We had a ramble on the beach of the Adriatic, and amused ourselves with collecting shells. The waves here come in delightfully, and produce a murmur along the shore; but the water is not so beautiful as on the opposite side of Italy. This beach, which is perfectly hard, was the solitary Corso of Lord Byron, during his residence of two years in Italy. He ferried his horses over in a gondola, and came here daily for exercise.

The extremity of the Lido is strongly defended by a fortress, with a double moat, extending quite across the neck. Beyond it stands the church of St. Nicholas, to which we in vain sought admission, as the sexton was not to be found, and the doors, contrary to the usage in Italy, were closed, probably to keep out the Austrian soldiers stationed in the vicinity. The disappointment occasioned some regret, as in this chapel mass was said, at the annual ceremony of marrying Venice to the Adriatic. The wedding party, consisting of the Doge and the dignitaries of church and state, used to embark in the Bucentaur from the Ducal Palace, proceed to the Lido, and there throw bridal rings into the sea, taking care to attach strings to them, when they were of any value. Prayers were then offered up at the shrine of St. Nicholas, and the remainder of the day was devoted to festivity. One of the prettiest pictures I saw at Venice, represents a fisherman in the act of bringing a reclaimed bridal ring to the Doge and his council, convened in their court dresses.

In returning from the Lido, we touched at the Island of St. Lazaro, to visit the establishment of the Armenians. One of the fraternity met us upon the steps of the little quay, where there is a harbour in miniature, with gondolas lying at anchor; the only fleet of this peaceful band of philanthropists. The librarian, who came to welcome us to the Island, was dressed in a monastic habit, wearing a long, thick, glossy beard, expressing great mildness in his features, and much kindness and courtesy in his manners. He conducted us to the chapel, which is remarkable for its neatness and elegance. It contains several handsome sepulchral monuments. One of them is designed for a person not yet dead. Thence we ascended to the Library, which is small, but very select, and rich in manuscripts. Among the greatest curiosities, are a copy of the Scriptures with

splendid illuminations, and a Prayer-book in thirty languages. The librarian read Greek and Armenian to us. He is deep in the dialects. His own tongue'much resembles the Hebrew in sound.

We visited the printing-office, where three men were at the press, striking off an edition of Telemachus, in the Armenian language. Milton's works and a part of Lord Byron have here been translated and published. Most of the books are sold at Constantinople; others at Trieste and Smyrna. A shop is connected with the establishment, where visitants may purchase rare works. This society was founded by Mechitar, a man of profound learning and active philanthropy. The school which still has a high reputation, is confined chiefly to young Armenians; but others may avail themselves of its advantages. All the buildings, gardens, and grounds exhibit much neatness and taste, and the inmates appear to lead a quiet, happy life.

The Lunatic Asylum stands upon a neighbouring island. It appeared to be full of inmates in their maddest moods. As our gondola glided under the walls, the most hideous and appalling shrieks issued from the windows, as if some one was undergoing the keenest torture. or convulsed with the maniac laugh. ed few temptations, to attract us to the shore.

Others were singing, Such a scene present

On our way back to town, we called at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, standing at the Porta Franca, on a separate island. The interior as well as the front facing the water, combines simplicity with grandeur. The tombs of distinguished men, trophies, and inscriptions, impart an interest to most of the Venetian churches, beyond what is to be found in architectural beauty, and no common splendour in the embellishments. We visited a score of them at least, and none, without finding something to admire. In the church of Franciscans, we found the tomb of Titian. He was buried beneath the pavement, near one of the altars. The inscription is as follows:

Qui giace il gran Titiano di Vicelli,
Emulatore de' Zeusi e degli Apelli.

Here lies the great Titian, the rival of Zeuxis and Apelles.

In the same church are the tombs of the Foscari, and many other piles of monumental marble. One of them is orna

mented with the statues of two slaves, which Canova, a native of this city, copied as his first work, besides falling in love during the process.

The Palaces of Venice, rich as some of them are both in architecture and the contents of their galleries, shall be despatched in few words. Of the countless number, the Palazzo Babarigo, once the residence of Titian, and still the depository of some of his finest pictures, is by far the most interesting. His Magdalene produced a very strong impressión upon my mind, and gave me a most exalted idea of his powers as an artist. It appeared to me a more just conception and a more forcible expression of the character of the penitent, than I had found in any other picture of the same description. Her eyes are raised to heaven, swollen and red with weeping: her hand is pressed upon her bosom : her golden tresses descend in negligent tangles to her breast: remorse and sorrow, absorbing all other thoughts, are depicted in the carelessness of her drapery, as well as in the pathos of her face: a book is open before her, and the image of death is at her side. As in a deep tragedy you forget the author, the actor, and the fiction, and seem to mingle with real persons; so here, the skill of Titian is not the object of admiration, but the feelings become interested in the pathetic grief of the penitent.

We went to the Pisani Palace, to see one of the most celebrated pictures of Paul Veronese-Alexander and the Family of Darius. It is a highly finished production, but not interesting, at least it was not to us. The Palazzo Manfresi contains the most extensive gallery at Venice. Our cicerone with a nationality of feeling, which appears to be universal, pronounced it "the finest collection in all Italy!" He probably had never been at Florence or Rome. The Grimani Palace contains a group of family portraits by Titian, in his most finished style. The cabinet of antiquities is rich and various. We here saw a table, which cost 30,000 ducats. It is inlaid with lapis-lazuli, and other precious gems.

We visited the Academy of Fine Arts, principally for the purpose of examining the Assumption, the chef d'œuvres of Titian. It is worthy of all the praises, which connoiseurs have lavished. The Academy contains a model for the tomb of Titian, by Canova, which he did not live to see completed; and by its side is now placed the model of his own

monument, the expense of which is estimated at five thouand Louis-d'ors. Two thirds of that sum have already een raised by subscription, and the books are open for the emainder. The proud mausoleum is to consist of a pyranid, with suitable embellishments, and the porphyry urn, which contains the heart of the immortal sculptor, bearing The following inscriptions:

"Cor magni Canova."

“Quod mutui amoris monumentum, ídem gloriæ incitamentum siet."

The custode, who conducted us through the halls, was three years in the service of Lord Byron, of whom he related many little anecdotes, which will not bear repetition. He stated that the frail Countess was now on a visit to Venice. She resides at Rome, and is said to possess few personal charms. Byron lived two years at Venice, occupying one of the most stately palaces upon the Grand Canal, near the Post-Office. He here wrote his series of dramatic poems.

The recurrence of a festa soon after our arrival, enabled us to witness the fashionable round of amusements, in a city proverbial for its gaiety. On such occasions, all the beauty, taste, and splendour yet left, may be seen at two o'clock beneath the Arcades of St. Mark's. The women generally are less beautiful than those of Florence or Rome. In dress they resemble the Bolognese, frequently wearing the veil, though nothing loth to be seen. Vivacity and a love of pleasure are depicted in their faces, as well as in their manners. Half of the men are foreigners-Austrians, Greeks, Turks, and Jews, all joining in the promenade, in their national costumes.

In the afternoon we attended a great Concert at the Foundling Hospital, for the benefit of the inmates. All the performers were young females, who had been educated in the school attached to this institution. Many of them had beautiful faces, and appeared like a group of angels thronging the orchestra, which was an open gallery elevated at a great height from the floor. They discoursed sweet music, which descended in silver tones upon the ear. Six of them played the violin, by way of accompaniment; but such an instrument does not become females, and the image detracted much from the seraphic choir.

We returned to St. Mark's by water in the evening. The

canals were covered with gondolas, filled with parties of pleasure, who were abroad to enjoy the mildness of the air and the splendours of the moon. Music and mirth gave animation to the scene. In one boat there was a concert of a dozen voices, accompanied by a violin. The airs were brisk, but wanting in melody.

At the square of St. Mark's, we found an immense crowd, and witnessed a great deal of buffoonery, probably much in the style of the Carnival. The first object that attracted attention, was a mountebank standing in the midst of a throng, in the dress of a priest, with a black cap upon his head, a profusion of rings upon his fingers, and a farthing candle in his hand. He recited a long prospectus of what he was about to write on scientific and literary subjects, in the character of a Caleb Quotem, and deliver for the edification of the public. A young poet, in a more serious vein, walked back and forth in front of a coffee-house, and spouted half a dozen of his latest sonnets, to amuse a circle of both sexes, who were all the while eating ice-creams. An old balladsinger, accompanied by a young girl on the guitar, attracted another audience. The Austrian band played national airs, the Greeks played cards, and others played the fiddle. It was the oddest compound of amusements, as well as of population, that I have ever witnessed.

We went several evenings to the theatre of St. Benedict, the only one open at the time of our visit. Instead of coaches, you see a fleet of gondolas pressing to the doors. Each of the boats carries a lamp, and the gondolier, by day as well as by night, gives warning as he turns a corner, by singing out, to the right! or to the left! as the case may be. St. Benedict furnishes few attractions, except boxes filled with pretty women. But the orchestra and dramatic corps united, can afford more amusement, than the fiddlers and ballad-mongers of St. Mark's. Austrian troops, under arms, are stationed in the pit to keep the audience in order. Most of the plays are translations from the French and German, even in the native city of Goldoni.

The pleasures of the last three or four days of our visit to Venice, were greatly augmented, by the arrival of the American Charge from Naples, on his way to the North of Europe. The incidents of our delightful excursions to Pæstum, Capo di Monte, and Caserta were freshly remembered; and new scenes for recollection were found, in our rambles