In company with Mr. Simos as usual made a tour through the building forming part of the place Saint Mark (or rather one side of the square called the new procuratoria's) - and at present occupied as the viceregal palace. The architect of this princely edifice was Sansovino - a contemporary of Michelangelo. It is rich with bas-reliefs and statuary - particularly that end of it facing the old Ducal palace - Palladio used to any of it- quil etoit a dessus de l'envie. Every time I pass it perhaps several times a day, I stand looking at it with admiration - internally it is elegantly furnished and ornamented with fresco by modern artists. There are some good paintings by the Bassano's, Bellini and Zuccarelli, and one in the chapel of Albert Durer - extraordinary for the age in which it was done - - descended to the garden in front of the palace, - and extending to the waters edge, small but tastefully laid out with a beautiful view of the port and islands -

A fine bright day took an open bark - and went to an island about two miles from the city - called Murana - where is a town celebrated for its manufacture of looking glasses and glass beads such as are used in the Indian and African trades - also for ornamental work as bags, purses etc.

The process was shown to us in all its stages - and is very curious - on return entered the city by the back part, there are as many canals as streets, and bridges without end - dined at a truttona called the Napore - dinner not first rate.

Not at all pleased with my room at the Europa - have been looking for furnished apartments - visited the Palazzo Ducale - constructed of marble and richly ornamented with sculpture and bas reliefs - as a description of the works of art in architecture, sculpture & painting that I may see in Venice would necessarily be very long shall only mention a few that happen to attract my admiration the most - in ascending the grand stairs at the entrance are two fine statues of Mars & Neptune - by the first sculptor of the 16th century - Sandovino.

The saloon of the grand council is after the saloon of the Palazzo Vechio at Florence - perhaps the largest room in Europe, and magnificently adorned with statuary and paintings of the victories of the Venetians - by Titian - Tintoretto and other great masters— and also a number of other rooms - the tribunals of justice - and the ancient prisons underneath called the Pozzi - are deep, dark & gloomy - in several of them are names and writing scratched on the wall - as follows:

Non ti fidar di alamo, pendu e taci!
Se fuggir vuvi de spioni - insidie e lacci!
II puntirti, il pentute, nulla giova
Ma in valortuo, fa vera prova
Also Di chio me fido, guardami Dio
Di chi no mo fido, ma guadera io
M La Sta Csa Cca Rna
Io Francesso abiot Marco

It would appear the writer of the last was an ecclesiastic - and had probably been imprisoned as a spy or traitor - in the war the Venetians had with Rome in ___________ - the place where criminals were strangled and the door thro which the bodies were taken away in boats for interment - from one of the tribunals runs a passage, which leads to a bridge, elevated and over a canal, and thro which prisoners were conducted from the larger prisons adjoining the Ducal palace - this is called the Bridge of Sighs.

The steamer running between Trieste and Venice is small - wrapped in pelissi and slept on a sofa - but not very soundly - up before day and on deck to see the entrance into the port of Venice - a glorious sun rise - was eight o clock by the time we got in sight of the tower of Saint Mark - the entrance - is a winding channel among the islands in front of the port - passed the public gardens - and anchored opposite the Ducal palace - the venerable building stands in front of the city, - associated with events illustrious in the history of the past republic - immediately came crowding round the steamer numbers of boats and among them some of a long narrow construction with a canopy in the centre - covered with black cloth - these are gondolas - the hacking couches of Venice.

Embarked with my luggage in one and landed on the steps of the Albergo Europa - a building on the Canale Grande - once a sumptuous palace - now in its delapidated state used as an hotel - spent the rest of the day in going about the city mostly in Gondola - among palaces and churches - the grandeur of times past - now in a venerable state of decay - viewing them with feelings of regret that such noble specimens of architecture cannot be preserved to posterity - - in the evening promenaded in the piazza a St Mark - the collonades lighted with lamps and filled with company have a cheerfull and pleasing effect - at the Teatro Bennedetto - the Opera Buffa chi dum

Packed books and trunks - to leave by the steamer for Venice at 11 o clock tonight - took Mr. Auguste Rossi to dine with me at the albergo Grande - in the evening at the opera - Mrs. Shaw very much applauded in a part she sang in the Bravo - took leave of my acquaintances in Mr. Rossi's box Mongolfo, etc. - at half past ten left the theatre for the steamer - luggage etc. all on board - a fine moonlight night - and the Adriatic calm and placid

Purchased a small collection of Italian books - the works of the eminent poets and historians - could not find all that I enquired for - intend therefore to make some further additions at Venice - to form a small Italian library - on Friday evening dined with Mr. Moore the American consul - after dinner his weekly soiree attended by about twenty ladies and gentlemen residents of Trieste and mostly English - and among them Mrs. Shaw - Maria the sopra alto cantante at the opera - far from handsome but interesting in conversation - will be in Milan in March next - and some years hence expects to visit the U. States - Miss Moores played the piano - Mr. Moore and the elder persons of the party at whist - amusements & conversation kept up to near midnight - a pleasant merry party - Mr. Moores younger daughters very accomplished girls, natives of Trieste - as also his son Mr. Edward Moore.

Called on Mr. Moore the American consul - in the evening found my friend at his fathers house, where were his sisters and other ladies - also Badiali the vocalist who makes himself very agreeable in company - accompanied Mr. R and his sisters to the opera - the piece performed was Sappho - ending in his precipitating himself from the rocks of Leucadia - the scenery was good.

The artists evidently exerted themselves to get the applause of the audience - the prima donna that performed Sappho - Signora Derancourt - Mrs. Shaw - performed Clymene with more applause than before - and Badiali as Alicandro - a fine display of the ladies in the boxes - and a good deal of coquetry.