[Footnote 84: Melchiori informs me of a pupil of his, unknown to Pozzo, probably because a non-resident in Verona. This was Father Massimo Cappucino, a Veronese by birth, and, in the historian's opinion, an excellent artist. In proof of this, he mentions four large pictures, placed in the dome of Montagnana, besides several altarpieces, distributed by him among the churches of his order. Along with this ecclesiastic I find mention of two contemporary lay brothers, who assisted him in the art, neither of them unworthy of being placed upon record. These are Fra Semplice, a native of Verona, and pupil to Brusasorci, and Fra Santo, of Venice; both of whom were particularly employed in painting for churches and convents, within the Venetian territory. Fra Semplice produced also some for Rome. A fine picture of San Felice, from his hand, placed at Castelfranco, was engraved in 1712.] [Footnote 85: Io mi son un che quando Amore spira noto; ed a quel modo Che detta dentro vo significando.--_Purg._ C. 24.] [Footnote 86: Tom. ii. p. 266.] VENETIAN SCHOOL. EPOCH IV. _Of Exotic and New Styles in Venice._ If, according to the plan laid down by Pliny, and which I have hitherto observed, each several epoch ought to be deduced from one or more masters of a school, who may have given a new aspect to the art, it will be proper, in this instance, to vary my system. The epoch here nearest to us will be found to take its rise at a period when the Venetian artists, having almost wholly abandoned their national models, attached themselves some to one, and some to another foreign method, or formed out of them one of their own. Such were the times of which Signor Zanetti, in his work, observes, "there appeared in Venice as many different manners, as there were artists to practise them." This would appear to have been the state of the art towards the end of the 17th century. Those artists who followed, approaching still nearer to modern times, although various in point of style, resembled each other in a study of ideal beauty, and all agreed in copying from the modern Roman, or Bolognese Schools, with the addition, however, of their own defects. Still the old masters were not, on this account, underrated; but were rather spoken of as the ancients who flourished at a golden period, whose customs are to be admired, indeed, but not imitated. Fashion, as it sometimes happens also in sciences, had usurped the seat of reason; while the artists who followed in her train alleged in excuse, that the age was fond of such novelties, and that it was incumbent upon them to second its inclination, in justice to their own fortunes. Amidst these changes, the Venetian School, which had always preserved its ascendency in point of colouring, then began to alter, losing the truth of nature, as it became more brilliant. Thus few artists flourished at that period who might not, more or less, be termed mannerists in colouring. But in