ixth is smaller than the rest, and
the midmost of the other five has a glory round its head. I cannot tell
the meaning of these figures, but between them are suspended censers
attached to crosses; a most beautiful symbolic expression of Christ's
mediatorial function. The whole is surrounded by a rude wreath of vine
leaves, proceeding out of the foot of a cross.

On the bar of marble which separates the two rows of figures are
inscribed these words:

"Here lies the Lord Marin Morosini, Duke."

It is the tomb of the Doge Marino Morosini, who reigned from 1249 to
1252.

Sec. LXXXIV. From before this rude and solemn sepulchre let us pass to the
southern aisle of the church of St. John and Paul; and there, towering
from the pavement to the vaulting of the church, behold a mass of
marble, sixty or seventy feet in height, of mingled yellow and white,
the yellow carved into the form of an enormous curtain, with ropes,
fringes, and tassels, sustained by cherubs; in front of which, in the
now usual stage attitudes, advance the statues of the Doge Bertuccio
Valier, his son the Doge Silvester Falier, and his son's wife,
Elizabeth. The statues of the Doges, though mean and Polonius-like, are
partly redeemed by the Ducal robes; but that of the Dogaressa is a
consummation of grossness, vanity, and ugliness,--the figure of a large
and wrinkled woman, with elaborate curls in stiff projection round her
face, covered from her shoulders to her feet with ruffs, furs, lace,
jewels, and embroidery. Beneath and around are scattered Virtues,
Victories, Fames, genii,--the entire company of the monumental stage
assembled, as before a drop scene,--executed by various sculptors, and
deserving attentive study as exhibiting every condition of false taste
and feeble conception. The Victory in the centre is peculiarly
interesting; the lion by which she is accompanied, springing on a
dragon, has been intended to look terrible, but the incapable sculptor
could not conceive any form of dreadfulness, could not even make the
lion look angry. It looks only lachrymose; and its lifted forepaws,
there being no spring nor motion in its body, give it the appearance of
a dog begging. The inscriptions under the two principal statues are as
follows:

"Bertucius Valier, Duke,
Great in wisdom and eloquence,
Greater in his Hellespontic victory,
Greatest in the Prince his son.
Died in the year 1658."

"Elisabeth Quirina,