nor Soranzo was a man of great natural excellence of character,
and the charities of his domestic circle had assisted in confirming his
original dispositions. Like others of his rank and expectations, he had,
from time to time, made the history and polity of the self-styled
Republic his study, and the power of collective interests and specious
necessities had made him admit sundry theories, which, presented in
another form, he would have repulsed with indignation. Still the Signor
Soranzo was far from understanding the full effects of that system
which he was born to uphold. Even Venice paid that homage to public
opinion, of which there has just been question, and held forth to the
world but a false picture of her true state maxims. Still, many of those
which were too apparent to be concealed were difficult of acceptance,
with one whose mind was yet untainted with practice; and the young
senator rather shut his eyes on their tendency, or, as he felt their
influence in every interest which environed him, but that of poor,
neglected, abstract virtue, whose rewards were so remote, he was fain to
seek out some palliative, or some specious and indirect good as the
excuse for his acquiescence.

In this state of mind the Signor Soranzo was unexpectedly admitted a
member of the Council of Three. Often, in the day-dreams of his youth,
had he contemplated the possession of this very irresponsible power as
the consummation of his wishes. A thousand pictures of the good he would
perform had crossed his brain, and it was only as he advanced in life,
and came to have a near view of the wiles which beset the
best-intentioned, that he could bring himself to believe most of that
which he meditated was impracticable. As it was, he entered into the
council with doubts and misgivings. Had he lived in a later age, under
his own system modified by the knowledge which has been a consequence of
the art of printing, it is probable that the Signor Soranzo would have
been a noble in opposition, now supporting with ardor some measure of
public benevolence, and now yielding gracefully to the suggestions of a
sterner policy, and always influenced by the positive advantages he was
born to possess, though scarcely conscious himself he was not all he
professed to be. The fault, however, was not so much that of the
patrician as that of circumstances, which, by placing interest in
opposition to duty, lures many a benevolent mind into still greater
weakne