counting
from the Sea, on the Piazzetta side of the palace, calling that of the
Fig-tree angle the first.

It is the most important capital, as a piece of evidence in point of
dates, in the whole palace. Great pains have been taken with it, and in
some portion of the accompanying furniture or ornaments of each of its
figures a small piece of colored marble has been inlaid, with peculiar
significance: for the capital represents the _arts of sculpture and
architecture_; and the inlaying of the colored stones (which are far too
small to be effective at a distance, and are found in this one capital
only of the whole series) is merely an expression of the architect's
feeling of the essential importance of this art of inlaying, and of the
value of color generally in his own art.

Sec. CXVII. _First side._ "ST. SIMPLICIUS": so inscribed. A figure working
with a pointed chisel on a small oblong block of green serpentine, about
four inches long by one wide, inlaid in the capital. The chisel is, of
course, in the left hand, but the right is held up open, with the palm
outwards.

_Second side._ A crowned figure, carving the image of a child on a small
statue, with a ground of red marble. The sculptured figure is highly
finished, and is in type of head much like the Ham or Japheth at the
Vine angle. Inscription effaced.

_Third side._ An old man, uncrowned, but with curling hair, at work on a
small column, with its capital complete, and a little shaft of dark red
marble, spotted with paler red. The capital is precisely of the form of
that found in the palace of the Tiepolos and the other thirteenth
century work of Venice. This one figure would be quite enough, without
any other evidence whatever, to determine the date of this flank of the
Ducal Palace as not later, at all events, than the first half of the
fourteenth century. Its inscription is broken away, all but "DISIPULO."

_Fourth side._ A crowned figure; but the object on which it has been
working is broken away, and all the inscription except "ST. E(N?)AS."

_Fifth side._ A man with a turban, and a sharp chisel, at work on a kind
of panel or niche, the back of which is of red marble.

_Sixth side._ A crowned figure, with hammer and chisel, employed _on a
little range of windows of the fifth order_, having roses set, instead
of orbicular ornaments, between the spandrils, with a rich cornice, and
a band of marble inserted above. This sculpture assures us of the date
of