420 ' OF THE REPUBLIC OF GENdlA. 



tranflated Watelet's art of painting into* Italian verfe ; 

 and has excelled the original, Chiabrera, the italian 

 Pindar, was born in the genoefe territory, and the 

 abbe Frugoni, a celebrated poet of our times, came 

 into the world at Genoa. The flourifhing univerfity 

 of this place, degli Addormentati, holds out encou- 

 ragement and opportunity both to young and old, to 

 exercife themfelves in the liberal arts. 



The fuperior clergy have great revenues, but the 

 common fecular priefts are very poor. Hence it is, 

 that they fubmit to the loweft offices in the houfes of 

 the great. Neither are the generality of them, from 

 their extreme ignorance, deferring of a better fortune. 

 The monks imagine themfelves to be much fuperior to 

 the fecular priefts. They have fuch a fway among 

 both the nobles and the vulgar, that they are aim oft 

 the only perfons that hear confeffions, and have map- 

 ped up all the profits from the fecular clergy. Num- 

 bers of the latter have fcarcely a garment to cover 

 them. A part of them go, under various pretences, 

 to beg in France and Italy ; and, with the money they 

 thus obtain, lead a loofe and diforderly life, both on 

 their journies, and after their return. The principal 

 of their eeclefiaftical feftivals is that of the benediction 

 of the fea, which is celebrated annually on the Sunday 

 before Whitfuntide. It is held on the fea, in the old! 

 Molo, and the ceremony is performed by the bifhop, 

 attended by the whole body of the clergy, the doge, 

 and the nobility in much pomp. The voices of a great 

 number of young women, accompanied by a fine band 

 of inftrumental mulic render the ceremony very agreea- 

 ble;ahe whole city keeps holiday on this anniverfary. The 



chu relies 



