Cold dry air - sky clear and bright. Took advantage of the bright day to see the great works of Paul Veronese at San Sebastiano and of Palma at the church Santa Maria Formosa. Past the church Dei Frari and called in to see what I had overlooked in my visit of Dec. 3rd - a plain wooden coffin said to contain the head of Carmagnuola, beheaded by the senate of the republic in 1431. A subject that is very ably dramatised, by Manzoni.

In a remote quarter of Venice is the church San Sabastiano and here the great artist has perpetuated his memory as long as his works may last. Of the five or six masterpieces, the one that afford me the most pleasure is Saints Mark and Marcellus led out to martyrdom. Their old parents are meeting them on the steps of the prefecture - their wives and children are kneeling, represented with such affectionate grief and respect - and all so natural - happily imagined - pleasing colours, correct drawing, and an inexpressible charm about the unequaled work of art.

Such is the freshness of the colours that the copy along side it now completing for the Duchess of Sutherland looks tame and insipid in comparison. At Santa Mr. Founosa is the noble figure of Santa Barbara by Palma - the church of the Jesuits built beginning of the last century and when the republic was in decline, is a sumptuous affair internally encrusted with oriental marbles and gilded roof.

There is the work of Titian - the martyrdom of St. Lawrence on the Gridiron - it was sent to Paris by Napoleon as a masterpiece and restored in 1820, but is now fast going to destruction, owing to the over varnish or the damn, causing the paint to reel off -