490, "La Chapelle de l'Albergo eft jolie; on y voit un bas relief de Michael Ange; c'eft la tête d'un Vierge

qui voit Jefus Chrift mort, et fur le maitre autel une belle affomption en marbre, du Puget. Sa tête a quelque chofe de divin."

Here is a virgin afcending to heaven as a dame d'atour would ascend the great staircase at Verfailles. What flouncing and plaiting of drapery, what plunging and fluttering, but it is no matter, a Frenchman guided the chiffel. Sa tête a quelque chofe de divin. If fhe had had but a chinion à la du Barré, a toupet bien frifée, et des boucles mignionnes en maron, Laland would have been in ecstasy.

There are others befides this hospital, where the fick are faid to be equally attended to; but I have been very exact, and even tedious in regard to the Albergo; as we inquired particularly, and went there ourselves to have ocular demonftration of what we had heard. But before I quit the topic of charity, I think it but just to mention one private family, who are worthy members indeed of any republic, let their profeffion of faith be what it will. The Cambeaces, of which there are now five families, were originally fprung from trade, being merchants; about an hundred years fince they were ennobled. They give every day a bowl of foup, and a pound of bread, to each of the poor who present themselves at their gate; if it fo happen, that at any time there is not fufficient of

foup

foup for all, the grown perfons receive four fols each, and the children two in lieu of it. The number of poor is generally from three to five hundred they are for the moft part ftrangers, French, Piedmontefe, Lombards, and Milanese; for there are not many natives of the republic in fuch neceffitous circumstances as to want bread. They also give, once a year, to poor women who apply for them, a fmock, with a corfet and petticoat; to the men, a fhirt, a great coat, with a hood to it, a pair of breeches and fhoes. At the end of the year, those who prefent themselves in the clothes that had been given them, are immediately new-clad; but others who fhew no remains of the late bounty, have their conduct ftrictly fcrutinised; as fome unworthy objects have been known to abuse the goodness of this family, by pretending to be in diftreffed circumftances, and have vilely difpofed of the charitable donations they had received. However, all poffible caution is used to prevent impofition, as a certificate of the curée of the parish is generally required, in order to ascertain the truth in regard to their poverty, &c. One of the brothers, late a very confiderable banker, I think at Venice, bequeathed, at his death, an income for ever to this charity, equal to that proportion of his fortune which he had annually devoted to it. I forgot to mention, that a little of the foup out of the great boiler is always carried to one of the family to tafte, before it is diftributed to the poor, left by

Galleys

the want of attention, or neglect of fervants, it should not be good. We both had also the curiofity to tafte it, and found it very good peafe-foup. This charity is thought by fome people to augment the number of poor; poffibly it may; but furely this family ought not to lofe their reward. It is remarkable that the great expence which they are at, has had no tendency to diminish their circumftances; as they have, for more than a century paft, been increafing in riches.

As the quay, where the galleys lie, is not far and flaves. from our inn, I have been to fee them; we had no fooner reached it, than we met a whole poffe of gallerians extremely drunk and good-humoured, It seems it was St. Martin's-day, and a high fefti. val amongst the galley-flaves. They all with one voice cried out to us, in very bad Italian, to this effect: "Illuftrious perfonages, give a little money to poor Christians, who have entirely abandoned Mahomet, and have taken to the worthy cause of Christianity." We complied with the request, to get rid of their clamour, when having but juft paffed them, I ftarted at a moft ftrange and fudden noife, which was immediately followed by bursts of applause and laughter; I turned to fee what had happened, when, lo! one of the good Christians having tumbled into a porridge-pot, lay extended on the pavement, invoking all Mahomet's Paradise to his fuccour. Having reached a large galley, we went on board by the means of planks instantly put out from it for that purpose,

They received us most hospitably, and feated us on a kind of elevated deck at one end, which is protected from the fun. In a few moments appeared a small band of musicians, chained two and two; for the polite arts are not unknown on board the galleys; fo great a variety of people, of every rank and condition in life, are there (unhappily) to be found. Their mufic was by no means bad, but the wretched appearance of the musicians fhocked me at first, particularly their poor legs, which were naked, almost black, and, of some, the flesh had partly grown over their fetters. Whilst these were playing, others brought us bifcuits and coffee. Not having much stomach for mufic or refreshments, I expreffed my wish to walk along the galley, in order to shorten a visit, the ftrange appearance of our hofts rendered irkfome to me. I thought I fhould never have reached the end; the flaves chained to the oars imploring us to liften to the detail of their calamities, and to give them money. The galleys are really of a very great length, though I allow my uneafiness may have helped to extend this one. The Turkish prisoners on board of them are computed to be about 350 at present. There are feldom any women taken; when that happens, they are prefented to the noble Genoefe ladies, who employ them in the most menial departments of their households. M informs me, and he has been at pains to learn the particulars, that in time of war each galley carries about 400 men,

eighteen

eighteen nine pounders, and two fixteen; each piece of cannon is ferved by fix men, two of which are Turks, two condemned Geroese, and the other two of those who have fold themfelves to the republic. In time of peace, and in the fummer (the only feason they can put out to fea), each galley carries 200 men only; they have thirty livres per month wages, and all maintenance. A tax raised, of eight fols the head, is levied upon each Genoefe, for the permiffion to eat butter, eggs, and cream in Lent; which money is appropriated to defray the expences of the galleys. Alfo each Noble pays from fifty to an hundred livres for himself and family, for the enjoyment of the above privilege; which, upon calculation, amounts to about 20,000 livres annually. This fum goes alfo to the fupport of their galleys. Befides Turks, who have been taken prifoners, and thofe Genoese condemned for their crimes, for a limited time, or for life, there are a third fort who fell themselves; amongst whom are Italians of other ftates, Piedmontefe, and even French, who offer themselves to fale for the pace of two years certain, for fixty livres; but many of them have been known to have continued flaves by a progreffive fale of themfelves for the reft of their lives. Thofe, who behave well, live much more comfortably than their fellows; and there is always a confiderable diftinction made between these voluntary bondmen and their companions; they, for instance, are allowed to have little fhops,

or