THE GARDENS OF VENICE 
beautiful gardens in Venice, but I will leave something 
for others writers to tell.” 1 
A few months before the Milanese Canon wrote 
these words, Murano was the scene of a splendid 
fete given by Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus, in 
her villa gardens, in honour of Beatrice d’Este, the 
young Duchess of Milan, whose coming as her lord’s 
ambassador was celebrated with great honour by the 
Doge and Signory. And in the same year Queen 
Caterina received Beatrice’s sister, the Marchesana 
Isabella, when she paid her first visit to Venice at 
Ascension-tide, and showed this accomplished lady 
the rare flowers and fruits that were sent her from 
Cyprus. When, seventeen years afterwards, Caterina 
died, and was buried with due pomp in the church 
of the Apostoli, the funeral oration was pronounced 
by an eloquent young Venetian patrician, Andrea 
Navagero, who was one of her neighbours at Murano. 
This fine scholar and distinguished public servant, who 
held the office of Librarian and Historiographer to the 
Republic of Venice, and went as Ambassador to Spain 
and France, had a passionate love of gardening. There 
was a vein of melancholy in his nature which made 
him sigh for peace and repose in the midst of his political 
labours, and escape, whenever he had a chance, from 
the din and turmoil of the city to enjoy the rural 
1 Casola, 142. 
115 
