NOTES TO MARINO FALIERO.

Note 1, page 94, line 17.

I smote the tardy bishop at Treviso, etc.

An historical fact. See Marin Sanuto's Lives of the Doges.

Note 2, page 107, line 11.

A gondola, with one oar only, etc.

A gondola is not like a common boat, but is as easily rowed with one oar as with two (though of course not so swiftly), and often is so from inotives of privacy; and (since the decay of Venice) of economy.

Note 3, page 146, lines 7 and 8.

An historical fact.

They think themselves

Engaged in secret to the signory, etc.

Note 4, page 181, line 27.

Within our palace precincts at San Polo.

The Doge's private family palace.

Note 5, page 189, line 5.

Signor of the Night.

<< I Signori di Notte» held an important charge in the old Republic.

«Giovedi Grasso,» fat or greasy Thursday,» which I cannot literally translate in the text, was the day.

Note 7, page 200, line 15.

Guards! let their mouths be gagged, even in the act, etc, Historical fact. See Sanuto, in the appendix to this tragedy.

Note 8, page 208, line 26.

Say, conscript fathers, shall she be admitted?

#

The Venetian senate took the same title as the Roman, of « Conscript Fathers."

Note 9, page 224, line 22.

'Tis with age, then.

This was the actual reply of Bailli, Mayor of Paris, to a Frenchman who made him the same reproach on his way to execution, in the earliest part of their revolution. I find in reading over (since the completion of this tragedy), for the first time these six years, « Venice Preserved, a similar reply on a different occasion by Renault, and other coincidences arising from the subject. I need hardly remind the gentlest reader, that such coincidences must be accidental, from the very facility of their detection by reference to so popular a play on the stage and in the closet as Otway's chef-d'œuvre.

Note 10, page 226, line 21.

Beggars for nobles, panders for a people!

Should the dramatic picture seem harsh, let the reader look to the historical, of the period prophesied, or rather of the few years preceding that period. Voltaire calculated their « nostre bene merite Meretrici» at 12,000 of regulars, without including volunteers and local militia, on what authority I know not; but it is perhaps the only part of the population not decreased. Venice once contained 200,000 inhabitants, there are now about 90,000, and THESE!! Few individuals can conceive, and none could describe the actual state into which

the more than infernal tyranny of Austria has plunged this unhappy city.

Note 11, page 226, line 22.

Then when the Hebrew 's in thy palaces, etc.

The chief palaces on the Brenta now belong to the Jews; who in the earlier times of the republic were only allowed to inhabit Mestri, and not to enter the City of Venice. The whole commerce is in the hands of the Jews and Greeks, and the Huns form the garrison.

Note 12, page 227, line 30.

Thou den of drunkards with the blood of princes!

Of the first fifty Doges, five abdicated-five were banished with their eyes put out-five were MASSACRED-and nine deposed; so that nineteen out of fifty lost the throne by violence, besides two who fell in battle: this occurred long previous to the reign of Marino Faliero. One of his more immediate predecessors, Andrea Dandolo, died of vexation. Marino Faliero himself perished as related. Amongst his successors, Foscari, after seeing his son repeatedly tortured and banished, was deposed, and died of breaking a blood-vessel, on hearing the bell of Saint Mark's toll for the election of his successor. Morosini was impeached for the loss of Candia; but this was previous to his dukedom, during which he conquered the Morea, and was styled the Peloponnesian. Faliero might truly say,

K

Thou den of drunkards with the blood of princes!»>

Note 13, page 229, line 23.

Chief of the Ten.

Un Capo de Dieci» are the words of Sanuto's Chronicle.

APPENDIX.

I.

MCCCLIV.

MARINO FALIERO, DOGE XLIX.

« Fu eletto da' quarantuno Elettori, il quale era Cavaliere e Conte di Valdemarino in Trivigiana, ed era ricco, e si trovava Ambasciadore a Roma. E a dì 9. di Settembre, dopo sepolto il suo predecessore, fu chiamato il gran Consiglio, e fu preso di fare il Doge giusta il solito. E furono fatti i cinque Correttori, Ser Bernardo Giustiniani Procuratore, Ser Paolo Loredano, Ser Filippo Aurio, Ser Pietro Trivisano, e Ser Tommaso Viadro. I quali a dì 10. misero queste correzioni alla promessione del Doge : che i Consiglieri non odano gli Oratori e Nunzj de' Signori, senza i Capi de' Quaranta, nè possano rispondere ad alcuno, se non saranno quattro Consiglieri e due Capi de' Quaranta. E che osservino la forma del suo Capitolare. E che Messer lo Doge si metta nella miglior parte, quando i Giudici tra loro non fossero d'accordo. E ch' egli non possa far vendere i suoi imprestiti, salvo con legitima causa, e col voler di cinque Consiglieri, di due Capi de' Quaranta, e delle due parti del Consiglio de' Pregati. Item, che in luogo di tre mila pelli di Conigli, che debbon dare i Zaratini per regalia al Doge, non trovandosi tante pelli, gli diano Ducati ottanta anno. E poi a dì 11. detto, misero etiam altere correzioni, che se il Doge, che sarà eletto, fusse fuori di Venezia, i Savj possono provve