y had given him personal offence. He at last succeeded in breaking
away one of the lamps altogether, with a bit of the marble of the
abacus; the whole falling in ruin to the pavement, and causing much
consultation and clamor among a tribe of beggars who were assisting the
sacristan with their wisdom respecting the festal arrangements.

Sec. XXXVI. It is fortunate that the capitals themselves, being somewhat
rudely cut, can bear this kind of treatment better than most of those in
Venice. They are all founded on the Corinthian type, but the leaves are
in every one different: those of the easternmost capital of the southern
range are the best, and very beautiful, but presenting no feature of
much interest, their workmanship being inferior to most of the
imitations of Corinthian common at the period; much more to the rich
fantasies which we have seen at Torcello. The apse itself, to-day (12th
September, 1851), is not to be described; for just in front of it,
behind the altar, is a magnificent curtain of new red velvet with a
gilt edge and two golden tassels, held up in a dainty manner by two
angels in the upholsterer's service; and above all, for concentration of
effect, a star or sun, some five feet broad, the spikes of which conceal
the whole of the figure of the Madonna except the head and hands.

Sec. XXXVII. The pavement is however still left open, and it is of
infinite interest, although grievously distorted and defaced. For whenever
a new chapel has been built, or a new altar erected, the pavement has been
broken up and readjusted so as to surround the newly inserted steps or
stones with some appearance of symmetry; portions of it either covered or
carried away, others mercilessly shattered or replaced by modern
imitations, and those of very different periods, with pieces of the old
floor left here and there in the midst of them, and worked round so as to
deceive the eye into acceptance of the whole as ancient. The portion,
however, which occupies the western extremity of the nave, and the parts
immediately adjoining it in the aisles, are, I believe, in their original
positions, and very little injured: they are composed chiefly of groups
of peacocks, lions, stags, and griffins,--two of each in a group,
drinking out of the same vase, or shaking claws together,--enclosed by
interlacing bands, and alternating with chequer or star patterns, and
here and there an attempt at representation of architecture, all worked
in m