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The Venetian pictures began in 1833, with a painting of the Doge's Palace, Dogana, Campanile, and Bridge of Sighs; and with these were exhibited "Van Tromp Returning from Battle," the "Rotterdam Ferry-boat," and the "Mouth of the Seine."
Beyond, on the river, a few barks silently lying upon the stream, and on the opposite bank some buildings with a church and a campanile dimly seen through the mist. After coffee we were obliged to go to the dogana to see to the searching of all our trunks and luggage. The principals were present and we were not severely searched.
Now, signore, let's be off and trust to our good fortune in getting away. I will tell the officers of the dogana at Ventimiglia a good story trust me! I haven't been smuggling backwards and forwards for ten years without knowing the ropes!" "But where are we going?" asked Hugh bewildered. "You, signore, are going to prison if we fail on this venture, I fear," was the rough-looking driver's reply.
Many ruins of aqueducts and buildings of every kind shewed at every step what treasures of the past here awaited us. I was particularly pleased with the old town-gate Lateran, by which we entered. It was already quite dark when we reached the Dogana. I at once betook myself to my room and retired to rest. I remained a fortnight at Rome, and walked about the streets from morning till night.
The Dogana of Tuscany, a handsome building, stands in the neighbourhood of Ponte Centino. The country here wears a wild aspect; as far as the eye can stretch, it rests upon mountains of different elevations. The little town of Radicofani lies on the plateau of a considerable hill, surrounded by rocks and huge blocks of stone.
At length, after many hours' riding, we drew up before a tall white house, which the gray coat and bayonet of the Croat, and the demand for passports, told me was a police office. It was the last dogana on the Austrian territory. We were next requested to leave the diligence for a little.
"Pardon, I am not allowed to say." "But all this is so very strange so utterly mysterious!" cried Hugh. "I have not committed any crime, and yet I am hunted by the police! They are anxious to arrest me for an offence of which I am entirely innocent." "I know that, m'sieur," was the fellow's reply. "At the dogana, however, we had a narrow escape.
Lover and friend came to no conclusion, except that so lovely a night was not given for slumber. A small round brilliant moon hung almost globed in the depths of heaven, and the image of it fell deep between San Giorgio and the Dogana. Renee had the scene from her window, like a dream given out of sleep.
No. 494 at Hertford House, a glittering view of the Dogana, is perhaps Guardi's masterpiece in England; No. 135 in the National Gallery, Canaletto's. Pietro Longhi was born in Venice in 1702, five years after Hogarth was born in London. He died in 1762, two years before Hogarth in Chiswick. I mention the English painter because Longhi is often referred to as the Venetian Hogarth.
Meanwhile they examined the gilt bronze statue of Christ, standing beside the Samaritan, who was leaning on the curb of the well, the astronomic dial with its zodiac, the grotesque stone mask pouring out the water drawn up from the river below, the stout figure of Hercules supporting the whole thing, and the hollow statue, perched on the topmost pinnacle, that served as a weathercock, like the Fortune on the Dogana at Venice and the Giralda at Seville.
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