DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61893#0212
184
CLASSICAL TOUR
Ch AN
indolent, se-e-saw motion of Gondolas. He long’s
o
to expatiate in fields, and to range at large
through the streets, without the encumbrance of
a boat and a retinue of Gondolieri. We there-
fore left Venice on the sixth of March, without
much regret, and embarking at the inn door,
proceeded towards Fusina. As we rowed over
the Lagune, we prevailed upon our Gondolieri to
sing, according to an ancient custom, mentioned
I think by Addison, some stanzas of Tasso ; but
hovyever beautiful the poetry might be, we thought
the tune and execution no ways superior to that
of a common ballad-singer in the streets of Lon-
don. This classical mode of singing· verses alter-
nately, a remnant of the ancient pastoral * so
long preserved in Italy, has been much on the de-
cline in Venice since the French invasion, which
has damped the ardor of the people, and almost
extinguished their natural mirth and vivacity.
From Fusina we ascended the Brenta in the same
manner as we had descended it, and arrived late
at Padua.
The next morning, after a second visit to the
most remarkable edifices, such as St. Giustina,
the Santo, the Cathedral, the Salone, we turned
* Alternis dicetis, amant alternae Camenax Virgil.
CLASSICAL TOUR
Ch AN
indolent, se-e-saw motion of Gondolas. He long’s
o
to expatiate in fields, and to range at large
through the streets, without the encumbrance of
a boat and a retinue of Gondolieri. We there-
fore left Venice on the sixth of March, without
much regret, and embarking at the inn door,
proceeded towards Fusina. As we rowed over
the Lagune, we prevailed upon our Gondolieri to
sing, according to an ancient custom, mentioned
I think by Addison, some stanzas of Tasso ; but
hovyever beautiful the poetry might be, we thought
the tune and execution no ways superior to that
of a common ballad-singer in the streets of Lon-
don. This classical mode of singing· verses alter-
nately, a remnant of the ancient pastoral * so
long preserved in Italy, has been much on the de-
cline in Venice since the French invasion, which
has damped the ardor of the people, and almost
extinguished their natural mirth and vivacity.
From Fusina we ascended the Brenta in the same
manner as we had descended it, and arrived late
at Padua.
The next morning, after a second visit to the
most remarkable edifices, such as St. Giustina,
the Santo, the Cathedral, the Salone, we turned
* Alternis dicetis, amant alternae Camenax Virgil.