Medicean 
Population. 
stories are 
Senne fee nae! Gh ne eae Des uired so 
a reputation as . 
wy ay teiredgram yh Pago PI gas wa 
rts 
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be 
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fis 
eel 
SEog F. 
rs 
of icean princes and other contribu- 
gallery adorn the vestibule, and, like the tu- 
the place, seem to claim from the passing 
ler the homage due to their munificence. The 
A 
former, however, pee of the most celebrated now 
the galleries of the Louvre, and the hall of the 
enus de Medici is now a temple bereft of its 
divinity. Of those that remain, the most remarkable 
is the group of Niobe and her children ; it consists of 
16 figures, which are ly considered as models 
of the hi ion ; although it is a subject of de- 
bate among critics, whether this group be a copy, or 
iginal, which is ascribed by Pliny the to 
the chissel of Scopas or Praxiteles. 
A minute description, however, of this celebrated 
collection would exceed our limits ; and we must refer 
our readers for this and the account of the natural his- 
tory museum, to the Museum Florentinum, the Pano- 
rama of Florence, and similar publications, 
In 1782, Florence was calculated to contain about 
97,000 inhabitants ; if, however, in this, as well as other 
e it has followed the fate of the other Italian 
cities ; the long period of misery war which has 
er ensued, must have greatly diminished its popu- 
ion. 
As early as the 14th century, while the Venetians 
and Genoese were contending superiority in the 
Levant, Florence had ‘become powerful, and its citi- 
zens wealthy, by théir attention to commerce. As 
they were not at that time, however, possessed of a sea- 
port, their care and attention was principally directed 
to the improvement of their manufactures, and objects 
of industry. It from a contemporary 
historian, that the silks and cloths of Florence were the 
chief manufactures in the 14th century. ‘From their con- 
FLORENCE. 
their individual wealth, the Florentines were naturally = ~ 5 
of Europe, and 
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Europe fell into their hands ; 
collection and administration 
were even confided to their care. 
tunes which were acquired in these ways, 
: 
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i 
Free 
i 
we find Cosmo de Medici-endeavo ing to i 
his countrymen a share in the Indian trade, 
ried on b the Genoese and Venetians. In thi 
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ness of Florence fled with her liberty, and wi 
forsook the fertile plains and es of the Amo, 
the less highly favoured v of Britain, and 
frozen shores of the Baltic. 
The present trade of Florence consists entirely in 
sale of the productions of her own territory, and 
manufactures, &c. Of the former, the chief are 
raw silks, oil; and wines. Of the latter; the most ce- 
lebrated is the manufacture of silks, which still con- 
ze 
stuffs, commonly 
variety of other man 
rcelain has been introduced with great success into 
ritain by the late Mr W: iP 
It is di to ascertain with certainty the 
era of the foundation of Florence. It to have 
been a place used for markets and fairs by the Etrus- 
can inhabitants of the town of Fasule, (now Fiesolé, ) 
ee Velde eate cell cleoted for asap = 
mand the was 8 3 
and the first houses in Florence were the booths erect~ 
ed for the accommodation of traders. Under the go- 
vernment of Sylla, it became the seat of a Roman co- © 
lony. The walls of the new city were first traced ou 
oc 
name from the officer who had the charge of 
ment of the infant colony. 
by that dictator, and it is suresedl toneveensatea “ns 
t 
y. hee 
We find but little mention of it in hi ing the — 
Syl, till the later 
period that elapsed from the time of 
fers tee Raper i gif re inca teres neg 
from the beauty of its situation, and its conveni« 
ence for inland commerce, it must have greatly increa+ 
cod in papain and riches, At the time that it was 
during his war wi 
iniane FI Ri in 
ducts, a sure indication of the wealth and luxury of its 
inhabitants, ig Me 
Desegtne, rom sway of the Lombards in Italy it 
sighth, gentary. ra it was xy Charlemagne, 
ly ated the Lom~ 
a rat SE a 
ee a e 
during the anarchy oF thereigns off the dukes of Friuli” ‘ 
and the other soverei 
who successively assu- 
med the title king of Italy, and the subsequent disputes a 
Manufac- 
tures. 
History. 
entirely destroyed by Totila, king of the Goths, 
SE RR ee ne Pt tT eI ay - 
— + eS CP ta es 
Per te oF 
ghee we 
. ater 44, 
