158 THE ADRIATIC BRIDE. 



to her !" And so saying, he dropped the ring into the sea, and looked 

 anxiously after it as it disappeared amid the lightly curling waves, 

 and sunk beneath to his bride, who had found a nuptial couch in the 

 vast depths of the ocean. 



But the Pope, who put a different construction on Ziani's words, 

 replied, " Well said, noble Duke ! The sea shall henceforth be your 

 bride, you have gained her by force of arms. In remembrance of 

 this great day, I command, that you and your successors shall an- 

 nually, on the feast of the Assumption, wed yourselves in this man- 

 ner with the sea, as a testimony of your sovereignty over her, which 

 I here concede to you !" 



The Venetians shouted with applause at the institution of this 

 feast, which so much flattered their pride : but Ziani with a look 

 of deep melancholy, pressed the hand of his friend, who had alone 

 understood him. 



After they had entered Venice in triumph, Ziani sent his prisoner 

 Prince Otto, as a messenger of peace to his afflicted father, and Ve- 

 nice had soon the proud pleasure of seeing the Emperor and the 

 Pope brought to a reconciliation within its walls, by the mediation 

 of their great Doge. 



Ziani remained unmarried, and celebrated several times the feast 

 instituted by himself and the Pope, on the day of the Assumption ; 

 but ever with the sentiment of a sacred unalterable love for Giovanna, 

 and he cast down the betrothing ring, as a testimony that he remain- 

 ed true to her till death. 



Ninety-one Doges have ascended the ducal throne since Ziani. 

 During the space of six hundred years, they have celebrated the 

 feast of the Marriage with the Sea. But none were acquainted with 

 the deep and tender sentiment which urged the founder to cast the 

 first ring into the waves, and while they all, in their own vain opi- 

 nions, conceived they were wedding themselves to the sea, as a proof 

 of their power over it, its immense waves were only the silken cur- 

 tains to Giovanna's bridal bed, whereon she slept, embosomed in the 

 watery chambers of the fearful deep, and received the betrothing 

 rings, only as a testimony of the tender and inviolable fidelity of her 

 Ziani. V. 



PUSS IN BOOTS AND THE PRINCESS VICTORIA. 



THE daily papers tell us that her delectable little Royal Highness 

 has been to Covent Garden for the purpose of seeing ' ' Masaniello" 

 and " Puss in Boots." We are sorry for it. " Masaniello" to be 

 sure might have taught her some wholesome truths, but of " Puss in 

 Boots," nothing favourable can be said : for it is a modern pantomime. 

 It is cruel to take children to see such an exhibition. Pantomimes, 

 as at present perpetrated, are decidedly diabolical ; they are even 

 worthy of being knocked on the head by the mace of Lord Brougham. 

 Why has he not shaken his wig at them ? He knows that they are 

 not merely absurd but flagitious thatthey make felony outrageous fun 

 breaking of heads a mere cracking of jokes cruelty pleasant and 

 swindling amiable. As the keeper of the king's conscience, we are 



