254 Travels in Italy 



offended the Italians than most other works of a similar kind. 

 The brazen horses, given to Nero by Tiridates, carried to Con- 

 stantinople by Constantine, and brought from thence by the 

 Venetians when they took that city, are admirable: pity they 

 are not nearer to the eye. The mouths of the lions, not less 

 celebrated than Venice itself, are still in existence; I hope re- 

 garded with detestation by every man that views them. There 

 is but one accusation that ought to enter them ; the voice of the 

 PEOPLE against the government of the state. In the evening at 

 the theatre (a tragedy) I was agreeably disappointed to find that 

 the Italians have something besides harlequin and punchinello. 

 November i. The cheapness of Italy is remarkable, and 

 puzzles me not a little to account for; yet it is a point of too 

 much importance to be neglected. I have, at Petrillo's, a clean 

 good room, that looks on the grand canal and to the Rialto, which, 

 by the way, is a fine arch, but an ugly bridge ; an excellent bed, 

 with neat furniture, very rare in Italian inns, for the bedstead 

 is usually four forms like trussels set together; fine sheets, which 

 I have not met with before in this country; and my dinner and 

 supper provided at the old price of 8 paiils a day, or 3s. 4d. 

 including the chamber. I am very well served at dinner with 

 many and good dishes, and some of them solids ; two bottles 

 of wine, neither good nor bad, but certainly cheap; for though 

 they see I drink scarcely half of it in my negus at supper, yet a 

 bottle is brought every night. I have been assured, by two or 

 three persons, that the price at Venice, a la mercantile, is only 

 4 to 6 pauls ; but I suppose they serve a foreigner better. To 

 these 8 pauls I add 6 more for a gondola ;■ — breakfast 10 soldi ; 

 if I go to the opera it adds 3 pauls ; — thus, for about 7s. 3d. a 

 day, a man lives at Venice, keeps his servant, his coach, and goes 

 every night to a public entertainment. To dine well at a London 

 coffe-house, with a pint of bad port, and a very poor dessert, costs 

 as much as the whole day here. There is no question but a man 

 may live better at Venice for £100 a year than at London for 

 £500; and yet the difference of the price of the common neces- 

 saries of life, such as bread, meat, etc., is trifling. Several causes 

 contribute to this effect at Venice ; its situation on the Adriatic, 

 at the very extremity of civilised Europe, in the vicinity of many 

 poor countries; the use of gondolas, instead of horses, is an 

 article perhaps of equal importance. But the manners of the 

 inhabitants, the modes of living, and the very moderate incomes 

 of the mass of the people, have perhaps more weight than either 

 of those causes. Luxury here takes a turn much more towards 



