ITALY. LETTER IV. 23 



LETTER IV. 



Venice, Nov. 2, 1771. 



I Returned hither on the 7th of October, afte r 

 my journey to Padua, Vicenza, and Verona ; 

 and have had, fmce, the pleafure to make fome 

 agreeable acquaintances, and to fee here, and in 

 the neighbourhood, whatever is remarkable in 

 Natural Hiftory. 



Mr. Gio. Arduini, publico fopraintendente d'Agri- 

 coltura in ftato Veneto, is a very learned man in 

 Mineralogy, Metallurgy, and Chemiftry. I can 

 rank him amongft my friends. You may guefs 

 at his fkill in Agriculture and Hufbandry, by 

 his uncommon exertions in the Magiftrato d^Agri- 

 coltura. It is he that propofes, advifes, and re- 

 cords the greater part of its undertakings ; it is 

 he that, in fome refpect, is the fac-totum of this 

 college, for this, like other Venetian public de- 

 partments, is filled by over-great people, that is 

 to fay, by noblemen. He affifts likewife, accord- 

 ing to his function, the Magijlrato delk Miniere, 

 The tafte of huftandry is at prefent fo general in 

 C 4 the 



