Venetians, from an inveterate Hatred to the Turks, who are their natural Enemies. The Cavalry are partly compofed of the fame Nations, and partly of Ultramontanes. The General in Chief must always be a Foreigner, and his Power is fo over-ruled by the Proveditore-General, that he has only the Name of Commander of the Forces. The chief Attention of the Senate is paid to the Marine. They have no regular naval Force in Time of Peace; but upon an Emergency, can arm thirty Galleys, able to act against their Enemies, in a very expeditious Manner. They always keep fome Galleys in the Levant, with other Veffels, to guard the Provinces fituated near the Sea; thefe are under the Command of the Proveditore-General. A Squadron of fix Galleys, and feveral other Veffels, are likewife employed to cruize about the Mouth of the Gulph, to fecure the Traders from the Corfairs, and to make the Merchants pay their proper Duties. The Nobleman who commands this Squadron has the Title of General of the Gulph, his Command continues for three Years. The Republic, in Peace as well as in War, creates a Proveditore General, who commands both the Fleet

Fleet and Army; he has an absolute Power to punish with Death all Officers, Soldiers, and Sailors, and to difpofe of all Posts in the Army and Navy ; he refides at Corfu the first three Years he is in Office, and when that Time is expired, he is obliged to render an Account of his Adminiftration to the Senate.

SPIES and INFORMERS.

SPIES have ever been looked upon as infamous Ministers of Tyranny; but the Senate of Venice have found Means to conceal the Shame of fuch Mifcreants, by making Mouths of Stone fpeak for them; for in many Parts of the Palace of St. Mark, and in all the Parts of the City near the public Tribunals, Heads are cut in the Walls with gaping Mouths, into which they caft the Notes of Information. If the Informer has no Scruple to declare him. felf, he goes in Perfon to receive the Reward allowed by Law on this Occafion; if he does not choose to be known, he fends a Friend, with a Piece of Paper that has been torn from that on which the Information was written,

and

and the Money is paid without any other Formality than comparing the two Pieces of Pa-per together. As the great Maxim of the Wenetians is, that the Safety of the State depends upon their having exact Intelligence of every Thing that paffes, efpecially in the Families of Ambaffadors and foreign Minifters, it is incredible what a Number of Spies of all Ranks they keep in conftant Pay. That the Vene tians are often branded with the ridiculous: Epithet of Pantaloons, for this apparent Myfteriousness in their Syftem of Politics, we very well know; but how far they are right or wrong in it, I leave to better Judgments than mine to determine: this however we must allow, that their Government has fubfifted under a republican Form, without any material Alteration, for a much longer Period of Time than any other Republic that Hiftory furnishes us with an Account of, at least that I can recollect. I had a great Curiofity, when I came to Venice, to learn the Etymology of the Name of Pantaloon, and why it is fo particularly applied to the Venetians; I am told it comes from Pianta Leone, and was first appropriated to them for their great Eagerness to plant the

Standard

Standard of Venice, which you know is a Lion, wherever they could by Force or Fraud obtain a Bit of Ground large enough to contain it. How far this etymological Account of honeft Pantaloon may fatisfy you, I know not; but, remember, I do not vouch for the Reality of it, I only offer it to you as I have received it. I propofe by the next Post to fend you a fuccinct Account of the Method of proceeding at Venice in criminal Cases, and am, in the mean Time,

faithfully yours, &c.

AN

LETTER LIV.

Dr. A to Mr. HULL.

Venice, May 1, 1766.

N agreeable Excurfion for a few Days into the Country has prevented my being fo punctual in my literary Engagement as I have hitherto been; but I make no Apology,

for

PROCEEDINGS in CRIMINAL CASES

at VENICE.

WHEN a Crime is fuppofed to have been committed at Venice, the Courts of Justice Best Leger are more folicitous to be afcertained of the

Fact, than to fecure the Offender; and when they have obtained the neceffary Proofs, they fend an Officer to enter publicly the House of the Criminal; and on the Report of this Officer, that he is not be found, (which is generally the Cafe) they fummon him to appear in a longer or fhorter Space of Time, VIJ according to the Enormity of the Crime committed, to anfwer for the Offence, and till

X

that Period is elapfed, the Offender is safe

from any Moleftation, provided he does not appear on the Place of St. Mark, or on the Rialto; and he and he may alfo demand three Delays, and if he thinks he cannot find Means to prevent the Affair coming to a fatal Iffue,

he