height. They are delicately curved all the way up; and are 2-1/2
in. apart from each other where they are nearest, and about 5 in. at
the necks of their capitals."

7. EARLY VENETIAN DRESS.

Sansovino's account of the changes in the dress of the Venetians is
brief, masterly, and full of interest; one or two passages are deserving
of careful notice, especially the introductory sentence. "For the
Venetians from their first origin, having made it their aim to be
peaceful and religious, and to keep on an equality with one another,
that equality might induce stability and concord (as disparity produces
confusion and ruin), made their dress a matter of conscience, ...; and
our ancestors, observant lovers of religion, upon which all their acts
were founded, and desiring that their young men should direct themselves
to virtue, the true soul of all human action, _and above all to peace_,
invented a dress conformable to their gravity, such, that in clothing
themselves with it, they might clothe themselves also with modesty and
honor. And because their mind was bent upon giving no offence to any
one, and living quietly as far as might be permitted them, it seemed
good to them to show to every one, even by external signs, this their
endeavor, by wearing a long dress, which was in no wise convenient for
persons of a quick temperament, or of eager and fierce spirits."

Respecting the color of the women's dress, it is noticeable that blue is
called "Venetian color" by Cassiodorus, translated "turchino" by
Filiasi, vol. v. chap. iv. It was a very pale blue, as the place in
which the word occurs is the description by Cassiodorus of the darkness
which came over the sun's disk at the time of the Belisarian wars and
desolation of the Gothic kingdom.

8. INSCRIPTIONS AT MURANO.

There are two other inscriptions on the border of the concha; but these,
being written on the soffit of the face arch, which, as before noticed,
is supported by the last two shafts of the chancel, could not be read by
the congregation, and only with difficulty by those immediately
underneath them. One of them is in black, the other in red letters. The
first:

"Mutat quod sumsit, quod sollat crimina tandit
Et quod sumpsit, vultus vestisq. refulsit."

The second:

"Discipuli testes, prophete certa videntes
Et cernunt purum, sibi credunt ese futurum."

I have found no notice of any of these inscriptions in any Italian
account of the chu