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Sermon to the Fish

Dearly beloved fish! From God you have received life and being; motion and sense; he has given you the liquid waters for your habitation, as is most suitable to your inclinations; there has he made for you most spacious lodgings, chambers, grottoes, caverns, and secret places, more dear and more grateful to you than regal halls and palaces; and for your dwelling-place ye have the water, an element diaphanous, transparent, and always clear as crystal, or glass; and from your profound and deepest chambers can ye see all that is done, or that passes on the surface of the waves, for ye have the eyes of a lynx, or of Argus. Moreover ye are guided by an unerring cause, so that you do what is good for you and pleasing, and avoid what is hurtful; ye have a natural desire to propagate yourselves according to your respective species; and ye do, and ye operate, and ye travel wheresoever nature dictates without any molesta

tion.

Neither the frosts of winter, nor the heats of summer, offend you, or hurt you; be the heavens serene, or clouded, no harm can come to your dwellings; be the earth blessed, or bereaved of its fruits, to you it signifies not: rain, thunder, lightning, thunderbolts, earthquakes, what matter they to you? neither the promise of spring, or the heats of summer; the fruits of autumn, or the frosts of winter, affect you a jot; neither the fleeting hours,

Sermon to the Fish.

315

or days, nor the passing away of months, or years, nor the mutability of times, nor the change of seasons, ever give you a thought, but you live on always secure, and tranquil, and joyful. Oh, how great, how very great, is the majesty of God seen in ye! Oh how wonderful his power! Oh, how stupendous, and marvellous, his providence! since you only, of all the creatures of the universe, did not perish in the universal deluge; nor feel the miseries which it brought upon the world; and all these things which I have told you ought to move you to praise God, and to thank his divine majesty for so many, and such singular benefits which he has done for you; for so many favours which he has conferred upon you; and for so many kindnesses which he has shown you; so that if you cannot unloose your tongues to thank your benefactor; and if you know not how by words to express his praise, at least make some sign of reverence; bow down at his name; show some appearance of gratitude in any way you are able; and return thanks for his goodness in the best mode you can. O, ye Fishes, ye do know, ye are not ignorant of his benefits, and be ye not ungrateful for his favours."

St. Anthony having talked thus much, O marvellous to say! the fishes as though they had been endued with human intellect and discourse, immediately, with gestures of profound humility, and with reverential appearance of religion, bowed

down their heads, and twisted about with their bodies, in token of their approbation of what the holy father St. Anthony had been preaching to them!

From Padua we continued our drive along the banks of the Brenta, pleased with the fertility and verdure of the scene around, and interested with the passing inspection of the adjacent villas of the Venetian nobles.

Fusina was soon reached, which being situated on the shores of one of the Lagune, or shallows which flows immediately to Venice, here it was that we were to embark.

Having, as already observed, been compelled from accident to take post horses from Lago-scuro to Padua, we were, by the regulations of Padua, also compelled to take post horses on to Fusina; and by similar regulations, obliged at Fusina to take the government water post to Venice.

This compulsion certainly signified not at all to us, who had not our own carriage and horses, the only difference being a trifling expence greater than if we had wished to have made a bargain with some individual to convey us from Lago-scuro to our destination; nevertheless this notice may be şerviceable for the guidance of others.

Embarking therefore in the government Gondola, we glided o'er the glassy wave, absorbed in the singular scene before us. The isle of St. Giorgio,

mid way up, was passed unheeded, for all our thoughts and attentions were rivetted upon the once proud and splendid Venice, appearing in the distance, crowned with towers, enriched with palaces, impregnable in herself, without art, or fortification, disdaining connexion with earth, or aught besides herself, and reposing in calm and tranquil majesty mid the waves of the Adriatic!

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Venice.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

VENICE-ITS APPEARANCE ORIGINCESSION OF RIGHT TO BY CHARLEMAGNE-FOURTH CRUSADE-HENRY DANDOLOSTIPULATIONS BY VENICE-CAPTURE OF ZARA—ALEXIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE-CAPTURE OF THAT CITY--REVOLUTION OF CONSTANTINOPLE

BY

MOURZOUFLE-RECAPTURE

NICETAS

BALDWIN ELECTED EMPEROR-PORTION GAINED BY VENICE-LOSS OF CONSTANTINOPLE-RIVAL COMMERCE OF GENOA AND VENICE-MARCO POLO-VENICE IN FIF TEENTH CENTURY-PASSAGE TO INDIA BY CAPE OF GOOD HOPE-LEAGUE OF CAMBRAY BATTLE OF LEPANTADREADFUL CONSPIRACY OF 1618-ITS PROJECTORS-PROGRESS DISCOVERY BY JAFFIER-ITS

FAILURE-HIS

DEATH, &C-VENICE IN ARMS AGAINST THE TURKS-FINAL CONQUEST BY FRANCE, AND AUSTRIA-NATURE OF THE GOVERNMENT-FIRST DOGE-HISTORY OF THE HAPLESS FOSCARI, AND OF HIS FATHER, THE DOGE.

VENICE is unique; a mighty city, seven miles in circumference, that once contained 200,000 inhabitants, standing isolated in the ocean; built amid the waves of the Adriatic.

As the gondola skimmed swiftly o'er the gulph, the distant city appeared to most advantage, splendour only was shown, the lofty spire, dome, tower, and palace; the immense range of human habitations reposing tranquilly in the bosom of the crystal seas; and the lesser isles around, each with its little church, and petty dwellings; occasional verdure, and distant trees peeping out of the ocean diversified the prospect, while in the remoter