VENICE.

BY MRS. BUSHBY.

VEN in Italy, that land of beauty and of romance-of past heroism and grandeur of crime and of bigotry-there is no place which partakes more largely of these characteristics than does VENICE; the "Ocean-Rome," as it has been named by more than one celebrated author. "Everything about Venice," says Lord Byron, "is, or was, extraordinary; her aspect is like a dream, and her history is like a romance;" her annals are those of "the most singular government, city, and people of modern history."

Floating, as it were, upon the glassy bosom of the sea, her palaces rise as if they had been called into existence by the magic wand of some potent enchanter; some genius, or spirit of the deep, the creations of whose brilliant fancy, rivalling the poetical imaginings of an Ariosto, had assumed, from "airy nothings," "a local habitation and a name;" and had become "a sceptred city,"

"Of joy the sojourn, and of wealth the mart."

Although the power which Venice wielded when her doges were mighty princes; when the islands of Greece owned her sway; and when her richly-laden galleons covered the Adriatic and the Mediterranean; although all that glory has passed away, she still remains an object of wonder and of admiration ;

"Still in her day of woe,

A boast, a marvel, and a show."

Tradition assigns a very ancient origin to the Venetians; tracing their descent to a band of emigrants from Paphlagonia, who, not long after the fall of Troy, conducted by Antenor, settled themselves near Padua. These people are said to have been called Veneti; and from them the name of Venice is supposed to have been derived. History dates the origin of the Venetian republic from the time of Attila.* This celebrated king of the Huns, whose Oriental name, Etzell, signified a river, or torrent, a name indeed typical of his ever-restless impetuosity, flourished in the earlier part of the fifth century. Having overrun Thrace, Macedonia, and Thessaly, destroying alike the country and the • Attila died in 453; and the empire of the Huns perished with him.

towns in his progress, he carried his victorious arms into Germany and Gaul, where again he spread ruin and desolation around him. Thence he penetrated into Italy; and it was, when flying from this " Scourge of God," as Attila was appropriately called, that some families from Acquileja and Padua, took refuge, about the year 420, in the islands of the Lagunes.

At first these little island-communities were governed by consuls and tribunes; but, in the year 697, they elected a common chief, who assumed the title of DOGE. Paul Anafesti, commonly called Paoluccio, was the first doge; he died in 717, after a glorious reign of twenty years.

The Venetians were engaged with their own affairs, and their domes tic quarrels, when the dominion of the Lombards was overthrown in Italy, and replaced by that of the Carlovingians. Pepin, on the Venetians refusing to join him in a war against the Greek empire, turned his arms against them, and burned some towns, among which was Heraclea, which had once been the capital of the republic. The fourth doge had transferred the seat of government to Malamocca. Pepin afterwards made a descent on the island of Albiola, which is only separated from Malamocca by a narrow canal. At this critical moment, the Venetians determined to abandon their capital, and to transport themselves and their riches to RIALTO, an island in the centre of the lake. The vessels of Pepin endeavoured to follow them, but getting into low water, were attacked and burnt by the Venetians. Pepin, in revenge, reduced to ashes all the Venetian towns of which he had become possessed, and then retired to Ravenna. Peace was soon after concluded between the emperors of the East and those of the West; and Venice was included as an ally of the former.

From that period RIALTO became the capital of the new state. The sixty islets which surround it were united by bridges to the island of Rialto, and these, with some others, now form THe town of Venice. The Ducal palace was erected where it still stands; and the name of Venice, which belonged in common to the whole republic, was given to the capital. Twenty years later, the body of St. Mark was trans

St. Mark, one of the seventy disciples, preached in different parts of Asia, and in Egypt. He is said to have suffered martyrdom at Alexandria, ▲.d. 68, by being bound with cords, and dragged through the streets till he was dead. His body, or his ashes, having been subsequently removed to Venice with great pomp, a splendid church was erected there to his memory. He is the tutelar saint of Venice.

ferred from Alexandria to Venice; from that time St. Mark became the patron of the republic, and his lion, the stamp of their money, and the standard of their arms.

Towards the middle of the ninth century, a quarrel between some noble families divided the whole republic. The exterior defence of their country was sacrificed to the fury of private animosity; and the Adriatic became exposed to the piracies of the Saracens, and of the Narentins; the former of whom were inhabitants of Sicily and of Africa; the latter, pirates of Dalmatia, who had established themselves in the town of Narenta. A century later, other pirates settled in some towns of Istria, and, by a daring exploit, drew on themselves the atten tion and indignation of Venice. According to an old custom, the marriages of the nobles, and of the principal citizens, were celebrated at Venice on one especial day, and in the same church. On the day set aside for this public fête-for such it was-gondolas, elegantly ornamented, gathered in the morning from all parts of the town, and repaired to the island of Olivolo, or of Carello, the residence of the bishop. Here the brides and bridegrooms, followed by their friends and relations, richly dressed, and carrying jewels and magnificent presents, advanced in a procession to the church, amidst bands of music and crowds of spectators.

The pirates of Istria, on the occasion alluded to, aware of this national custom, concealed themselves, the night before the fête, in a desert islet near, and just as the procession had entered the church, and the solemn ceremonies of the day had commenced, these corsairs crossed the canal of Olivolo with the rapidity of lightning; broke, sword in hand, into the church, and, seizing on the brides at the foot of the altar, carried them off forcibly to their vessels, having also secured their jewels. They then disappeared with equal celerity, and, rowing with redoubled vigour, endeavoured to regain the ports of Istria. The doge, Peter Candiano III., was present at the ceremony; he partook of the rage which animated the bridegrooms and their friends, at this second edition of the abduction of the Sabines. The inhabitants of the adjacent quarters were called on to give assistance; some vessels from the parish of Santa Maria Formosa were procured; and the pirates were immediately followed.

The pursuers were so fortunate as to overtake them in the lakes of Caorlo; the massacre that then took place was frightful; not one of the robbers escaped; and the young Venetians were brought back in triumph to the church, on the same day on which they had been