Addison, Joseph: Remarks on several parts of Italy: &c. in the years 1701, 1702, 1703 (London: Tonson, 1718)

68 VENICE.
Venetians pretend they could set our, in
Case of great Necessity, Thirty Men of
War, a Hundred Gallies, and Ten Ga-
lea Acs, tho’ I cannot conceive how they
could Man a Fleet of half the number.
It was certainly a mighty Error in this
S^ate to affest so many Conquests on the
Terra Firma^ which has only served to
raise the Jealousie of the Christian Prin-
ces, and about Three Hundred Years
ago had like to have ended in the utter
Extirpation of the Common-wealth >
whereas, had they applyed themselves
with the same Politics and Industry to
the Increase of their Strength by Sea,
they might perhaps have had all the
Issands of the Archipelago in their Hands,
and, by Consequence, the greatest Fleet,
and the most Sea-men of any other State
in Europe. Besides, that this would have
given no Jealousie to the Princes their
Neighbours, who would have enjoyed
their own Dominions in Peace, and
have been very well contented to have
seen so strong a Bulwark against all the
Forces and Invasionsof the Ottoman Em-
pire.
This Republick has been much more
powerful than it is at present, as it is still
likelier to sink than increase in its Domini-
ons. It is not impossible but the Spaniard
may,

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