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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

The Venetians, placing before their eyes the conduct of that people *, whoseexample they appeared so desirous of following, and whose acquired greatnessthey were consequently ambitious of emulating, soon as they began to feelthemselves possessed of such power as enabled them to give the fishing-boat oftheir ancestors a more consequential form, immediately resolved on combining,far as could be found possible, the two points which are the only incentives toan acquisition of maritime greatness. By steps almost insensible, they ac-quired both wealth and strength, without exciting envy in those who mighthave crushed them, and whose favour they had acquired, in a very considerabledegree, either by flattering their pride, under a constant profession of dependance,or pampering their luxury through the medium of a profession, which, in themidst of the sensual gratification derived from it, they affected to despise. Soonas the advantages acquired by the Venetians from their peculiar occupation be-came apparent to the world, it was found necessary not only to profess the in-tention, but to possess the means of defending them by force. The galley ofwar accompanied that of the merchant; and, as though it were in complimentto the genius and temper of their protector Charlemagne, they professed them-selves, with all due humility, ready to embrace the profession of arms on alloccasions, when the peculiarity of their own occupations would permit it, or heshould consider it conducive either to their interests, or to his own.

The emperor, flattered by the demeanour as well as seriously gratified, perhaps,on contemplating the power of those whom he scarcely considered in an higherlight than that of vassals, and whom he had himself contributed materially tothe greatness of, addicted himself totally to those pursuits which his high spiritmade congenial to him. The commencement of the reign of Charlemagnemight be considered as the birth-day of chivalry, and the same spirit or propen-sity progressively acquired strength till the disuse of missile weapons, and theuse of gunpowder put a sudden period to it. The bows or forecastles of thegallies were covered with a platform, on which the soldiers, who were alwavsselected for that purpose from the flower of the armv, could stand as on d r yland, and direct their arrows at pleasure against the bodies of their foes. Everypossible contrivance, however, was made use of, that was considered capable-of contributing to their defence, and improvements introduced, by different

# The Phoenicians.

countries,