Venice.
We acquire an early partiality for Rome, by reading the classics, and
the history of the ancient republic. Other parts of Italy also interest
us more on account of their having been the residence of the old Romans,
than from the regard we pay to what has been transacted there during the
last fourteen or fifteen centuries.
Venice claims no importance from ancient history, and boasts no
connection with the Roman republic; it sprung from the ruins of that
empire; and whatever its annals offer worthy of the attention of mankind,
is independent of the prejudice we feel in favour of the Roman name.
The independence of Venice was not built on usurpation, nor cemented with
blood; it was founded on the first law of human nature, and the undoubted
rights of man.
About the middle of the fifth century, when Europe formed one continued
scene of violence and bloodshed; a hatred of tyranny, a love of liberty,
and a dread of the cruelty of Barbarians, prompted the Veneti, a people
inhabiting a small district of Italy, a few of the inhabitants of Padua,
and some peasants who lived on the fertile banks of the Po, to seek an
asylum from the fury of Atilla, amongst the little islands and marshes at
the bottom of the Adriatic Gulph.
Before this time some fishermen had built small houses, or huts, on one
of these islands, called Rialto. The city of Padua, with a view to draw
commercial advantages from this establishment, encouraged some of her
inhabitants to settle there, and sent every year three or four citizens
to act as magistrates. When Attila had taken and destroyed Aquileia,
great numbers from all the neighbouring countries fled to Rialto; whose
size being augmented by new houses, took the name of Venice, from the
district from which the greater number of the earliest refugees had
fled. On the death of Attila, many returned to their former habitations;
but those who preferred freedom and security to all other advantages,
remained at Venice. Such was the beginning of this celebrated republic.
Some nice distinguishers pretend, that this was the beginning of their
freedom, but not of their independency; for they assert, that the
Venetians were dependent on Padua, as their mother city. It is certain
that the Paduans claimed such a prerogative over this infant state, and
attempted to subject her to some commercial restrictions; these were
rejected by the Venetians, as arbitrary and vexatious. Disputes arose
very dangerous to both; but they ended in Venice entirely throwing off
the jurisdiction of Padua. It is curious, and not unworthy of serious
attention in the present age, to see the parent now totally subjected to
the child, whom she wished to retain in too rigorous a dependence.
The irruption of the Lombards into Italy, while it spread havoc and
destruction over the adjacent country, was the cause of a great accession
of strength to Venice, by the numbers of new refugees who fled to it with
all the wealth they could carry, and became subjects of this state.
The Lombards themselves, while they established their kingdom in the
northern parts of Italy, and subdued all the ancient district of the
Veneti, thought proper to leave this little state unmolested, imagining
that an attempt against it would be attended with more trouble than
profit; and while they carried on more important conquests, they found
it convenient to be on a good footing with Venice, whose numerous
squadrons of small vessels could render the most essential services to
their armies. Accordingly leagues and treaties were formed occasionally
between the two states; the Lombards in all probability imagining, that
it would be in their power, at any time, to make themselves masters of
this inconsiderable republic. But when that people had fully established
their new kingdom, and were free from the expence of other wars, they
then found Venice so much increased in strength, that, however much they
might have wished to comprehend it within their dominions, it appeared no
longer consistent with sound policy to make the attempt. They therefore
chose rather to confirm their ancient alliance by fresh treaties.
When Charlemagne overturned the kingdom of the Lombards, and, after
having sent their king Didier prisoner to France, was crowned emperor at
Rome, by Leo the Third, the Venetian state cultivated the favour of that
conqueror with so much address, that, instead of attempting any thing
against their independence, he confirmed the treaty they had made with
the Lombards; by which, among other things, the limits, or boundaries,
between the two states, were ascertained.
In the wars with the eastern empire, and in those of later date between
France and the house of Austria, Venice always endeavoured to avoid
the resentment of either of the contending parties; secretly, however,
assisting that which was at the greatest distance from her own dominions,
and, of consequence, the least formidable to her. Those great powers,
on their parts, were so eager to humble, or destroy, each other, that
the rising vigour of Venice was permitted to grow, for ages, almost
unobserved. Like the fame of Marcellus, it might have been said of that
republic,
Crescit occulto velut arbor ævo.
And when, at length, she began to excite the jealousy of the great states
of Europe, she had acquired strength and revenues sufficient to resist
not only one, but great combinations of those powers leagued for her
destruction.
This republic, in its various periods of increase, of meridian splendor,
and of declension, has already existed for a longer time than any
other of which history makes mention. The Venetians themselves assert,
that this duration is owing to the excellent materials of which their
government has been composed, by which they imagine it has long since
been brought to the highest degree of perfection.
As I have bestowed some time since we came hither in considering the
Venetian history and government, I shall, in my next, take a general view
of those boasted materials, that we may be able to judge whether or not
this high eulogium is well founded.