HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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the rcilowned Andrew Doria, who put himself at the head of the fleet, in thehope of wiping off that stain which he considered the arms of his country hadreceived by the former defeat.

When rival nations, mutually animated and exasperated against each other,enter into contest, the commanders on both sides frequently feel themselvesurged by a stronger impulse than that of public animosity, and seek the termi-nation, if possible, of the pending dispute in all the avidity, of personal quarrel.T he fleets soon met, say historians, and the battle was fought with the utmostresolution, skill, and obstinacy. Hatred, revenge, and glory, animated both par-ties, and a rivalship subsisted as well between the commanders themselves, as thestates, whose armaments they conducted. The honour of each country was con-sidered to depend on the ability and courage of the two admirals, so that nothingwas left undone which great and skilful officers ought to direct, or soldiers per-form ; but fortune did not second the great qualities and merit of the renownedDoria. After one of the most bloody actions recorded in history, the Genoeseline was broken, but not the courage of the commander : he continued to defendhimself with infinite intrepidity, after the greatest part of his fleet was taken,sunk, or burnt. At last, overpowered by numbers, he fell into the hands ofthe Venetians, a circumstance which gave them juster cause of triumph than alltheir other conquests. This victory cost the republic many of her best officers,together with an incredible number of private men ; but the public joy at havinghumbled a proud rival, suppressed all reflections on the loss sustained. It was thefirst fair trial of valour and skill the two republics had ever made, the event ofwhich gave the Venetians that superiority at sea which they maintained for a seriesof years. The conduct of the admirals was no less to be admired after, thanduring the battle. One bore his adversity with that greatness of soul, that invin-cible spirit and resolution, which made even the enemy acknowlege he deservedvictory : the other, his prosperity, with a moderation, calmness, and generosity,which obliged Doria to confess that he ought to conquer. In short, those twoo-reat men, who were inveterate enemies before fortune had declared herself infavour of either, became the warmest friends, as soon as their almost equalmerit had proved to each, how deserving he was of the other’s esteem.

Notwithstanding the preceding victory, peace still continued denied to theVenetians, owing to the uneasy and jealous temper of their rivals. The continuedexertions of the latter raised a third fleet so powerful, that it was considered neces-sary to send a further reinforcement to that of Venice. This supposed necessity

appeared,