294 TOUR THROUGH ITALY. [1804. 



a delicious two hours, quite still ; moon shone with a 

 full glow on the cupolas and palaces. Ships look fine ; 

 coasted round the lagune to the outer or quarantine 

 roads, then round the islands. The canal Giudecca, 

 nearly half a mile broad and two long, in a sweep, 

 with cupolas of San Giorgio Maggiore at one end and 

 the Salute on other side ; it is a noble view. 



Oct. 18. St Mark's. Shop of pictures; a good 

 Veronese, smaller than usual. 



At night to the theatre ; Mareschini, a new trage- 

 dian ; for the first time " Idomeneus' Eeturn to Crete," 

 founded on his vow to kill the first he met as a sacri- 

 fice to Neptune for his safety from the storm. Mare- 

 schini a very fine actor; same nudity; liked him 

 better, because chaster, than Deblairis. He was so 

 applauded as I never saw before ; three times called, 

 one after another ; made neat speech : name of poet 

 called, and he came forward and acknowledged it; 

 others all called and applauded ; very interesting. 

 Had spell again at Eeview for Jeffrey, the subject 

 being, " On the Military Character of the different 

 European Armies." * 



Oct. 1 9. St Mark's. Ducal palace ; inside of square 

 very rich architecture ; two colossal statues of Neptune 

 and Justice, brought from Athens. Golden stair 

 whereby ambassadors ascended to the Hall of the 

 Grand Council, which assembled every Sunday to the 

 number of 800 ; long benches, plain, and in rows ; 



* See Edinburgh Review,' January 1805, p. 451. Review of a French 

 Pamphlet, ' Caractere des Armies Europe'enes,' &c. 



