strong modes of expression should come here."

Chioggia was once the residence of noble and distinguished persons, among
whom was the painter Rosalba Carrera, famed throughout Europe for her
crayon miniatures; and the place produced in the sixteenth century the
great maestro Giuseppe Zarlino, "who passes," says Cantu, "for the
restorer of modern music," and "whose 'Orfeo' heralded the invention of
the musical drama." This composer claimed for his birthplace the doubtful
honor of the institution of the order of the Capuchins, which he declared
to have been founded by Fra Paolo (Giovanni Sambi) of Chioggia. There is
not much now to see in poor little Chioggia except its common people, who,
after a few minutes' contemplation, can hardly interest any one but the
artist. There are no dwellings in the town which approach palatial
grandeur, and nothing in the Renaissance churches to claim attention,
unless it be an attributive Bellini in one of them. Yet if you have the
courage to climb the bell-tower of the cathedral, you get from its summit
the loveliest imaginable view of many-purpled lagoon and silver-flashing
sea; and if you are sufficiently acquainted with Italy and Italians to
observe a curious fact, and care to study the subject, you may note the
great difference between the inhabitants of Chioggia and those of
Palestrina,--an island divided from Chioggia by a half mile of lagoon, and
by quite different costume, type of face, and accent.

Just between Chioggia and the sea lies the lazy town of Sottomarina, and I
should say that the population of Sottomarina chiefly spent its time in
lounging up and down the Sea-wall; while that of Chioggia, when not
professionally engaged with the net, gave its leisure to playing
_mora_ [Footnote: Mora is the game which the Italians play with their
fingers, one throwing out two, three, or four fingers, as the case may be,
and calling the number at the same instant. If (so I understood the game)