253 
more than you think. Iam proud to find myself 
capable of exciting your jealousy, and my reason 
for saying so is, that Iam no stranger to that feel- 
ing myself; but there are very few people that I 
honour with it. Indeed I rather wish never to feel 
it again, for it is in me connected with such a degree 
of esteem and affection as scarcely any human be- 
ing can merit or return; yet the sufferings it oc- 
casions are those of a martyr, and bring with them 
in a great measure their own reward. This is far 
different from that jealousy which is founded in 
pride, accompanied (however paradoxical it may 
seem) with a sense of meanness, which is so com- 
mon among foolish people, and so general with 
married persons, who feel themselves unworthy of 
their partners. I admire above all things your 
comparison of the tour of Italy to a journey through 
life-—'tis just what I have felt. I long to know 
whence you took it, as you seem to say tis not 
your own. 
Leaving Rome we came to Loretto by Bologna, 
which we saw without any diminution of our en- 
joyment. But Venice disappointed us; its singu- 
larity will always be striking, but nothing there is 
in a good taste, riches are squandered injudiciously, 
and dirt deforms every thing. The ceremony of 
the Doge’s marriage with the Sea pleased us by its 
novelty rather than by its pomp. We had scarcely 
any relish for the fair of St. Mark, which is held in 
a temporary building in the square, and lasts three 
weeks ; it is lifeless and uniformly tedious. There 
is a good library at Venice, and indeed all through 
