. Letters of an architect, from France, Italy, and Greece. ns thanVenice itself. The architects of that period did not confine themselvesto one disposition, but endeavoured sometimes to produce the appear-ance of a centre, by other arrangements of the windows, but still withoutmaking any break in the wall. Whatever the architecture of these Ve-netian palaces may be, their size and number produce a great show ofmagnificence. Venice appears the residence of princes. It must be con- .fessed that in their present state, they seem to be the dwellings of poorprinces, but perhaps the ideas of wealth
. Letters of an architect, from France, Italy, and Greece. ns thanVenice itself. The architects of that period did not confine themselvesto one disposition, but endeavoured sometimes to produce the appear-ance of a centre, by other arrangements of the windows, but still withoutmaking any break in the wall. Whatever the architecture of these Ve-netian palaces may be, their size and number produce a great show ofmagnificence. Venice appears the residence of princes. It must be con- .fessed that in their present state, they seem to be the dwellings of poorprinces, but perhaps the ideas of wealth and power which no longer exist,are not less interesting than those of present prosperity. They are in-deed of a very different sort, but they harmonize better with the fallenstate of Venice; fallen probably to rise no more; for the Austrian govern- 264 VENICE. ment bestows its favour on other ports; and amidst the political revolu-tions with which Europe is still menaced, one can hardly imagine onewhich would restore her power and consequence to SKETCH OF A HOUSE AT VERONA. 265 LETTER XIX. VENICE. Venice, 28th Nov. 1816. I HAD heard so much of the canals and gondolas of Venice, that I was ra-ther surprised to find that I could go by land to any part of the city, ex-cept the Giudecca. It is indeed sometimes round about, and the alleys,for there are no streets, are narrow, crooked, and intricate. Yet in thiscold weather I generally prefer encountering all their difficulties, to beinghalf frozen in a gondola. These gondolas, at least the smaller ones, con-sist of a wherry with a little black box, into which you must enter back-wards, because it would be exceedingly difficult to turn round. They arerowed by one man, who places his oar, not behind, but at the side; and itis surprising with what dexterity he will direct his boat, by means so appa-rently insufficient. The larger boats have of course two rowers, but in allcases they stand to row, looking forward, and throwing
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