[Illustration: Cover art] [Frontispiece: _The Bridge of Sighs._] Venice THE QUEEN OF THE ADRIATIC _By_ CLARA ERSKINE CLEMENT _Author of "Naples, the City of Partbenope," "Constantinople, the City of the Sultans," etc._ Illustrated BOSTON Dana Estes and Company PUBLISHERS _Copyright, 1893_ BY ESTES AND LAURIAT _All rights reserved_ _COLONIAL PRESS Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. Boston, U.S.A._ CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. To-Day and Long Ago II. A Summer Day III. The Doges: their Power and their Achievements IV. The Venetians at Constantinople V. Modern Processions and Festivals VI. Gradenigo, Tiepolo, and the Council of Ten VII. Murano and the Glass-Makers VIII. Marino Faliero; Vettore Pisani and Carlo Zeno IX. Burano and Torcello X. The Two Foscari; Carmagnola and Colleoni XI. An Autumn Ramble XII. Venetian Women: Caterina Cornaro, Rosalba Carriera XIII. The Archives of Venice XIV. The Treasures of the Piazza XV. Glory, Humiliation, Freedom XVI. Saints and Others XVII. Historians and Scholars XVIII. Palaces and Pictures XIX. The Accademia; Churches and Scuole INDEX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The Bridge of Sighs (Photogravure) ... Frontispiece Cathedral of San Marco Ducal Palace Festival Scene, Bridge of the Rialto Church of Santa Maria Della Salute Bridge of the Rialto Molo of San Marco; Columns of Execution The Piazzetta; Ducal Palace; San Marco Panorama from the Campanile of St. Mark Museo Civico; formerly Palazzo Ferrara, later Fondaco dei Turchi Piazza of St. Mark Horses of St. Mark Campanile of St. Mark Torre dell' Orologio; Clock Tower Ca' d' Oro, on the Grand Canal Dario Palace, on the Grand Canal Court of the Ducal Palace; Giants' Staircase {1} THE QUEEN OF THE ADRIATIC; OR, VENICE, MEDIÆVAL AND MODERN. CHAPTER I. TO-DAY AND LONG AGO. The Venice which one visits to-day is so curiously a part and not a part of the ancient Venice of which we dream, that one feels, when in that sea-enveloped and fairy-like city, a strange sense of duality,--of being a veritable antique and an equally veritable modern. He has a genuine sympathy with the past, and regrets that he has not the enchanter's wand to bring it all back again,--long enough, at least, for him to revel in its magnificence. If he believes in reincarnation, he is speedily convinced that he was once a Venetian indeed; else how could he feel so much at home, and how love Venice as he does! And yet, alas! he cannot quite lose his modern point of view.