A. D 1492. 719 



Venetians, whofe veflels viflted every port of the Mediterranean, and 

 every coafl of Europe, and whofe maritime commerce was probably 

 greater than that of all the reft of Europe taken together. In Venice 

 the rich manufadlures of filk, cloth of gold and filver, veflels of gold 

 and filver, and glafs, were carried to the higheft degree of perfedion. 

 Tiie Venetian navy was fufficiently powerful to reprefs the piracies of 

 the Turkifli and Barbary corfairs. The government was beneficent : 

 the people were numerous, opulent, and happy. Such was the com- 

 mercial Iplendour and profperity now enjoyed by Venice, from which 

 ihe was foon to decline, without apoflibility of recovery, in confequence 

 of events, which no errors in commercial policy produced, and no hum- 

 an prudence could poffibly avert. 



liND OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 



