Writing to old Samuel Rogers, he said: "There was only one place in Venice which I never lost the feeling of joy in--at least the pleasure which is better than joy; and that was just half way between the end of the Giudecca and St.George of the Seaweed, at sunset.

If you tie your boat to one of the posts there you can see the Euganeans where the sun goes down, and all the Alps and Venice behind you by the rosy sunlight: there is no other spot so beautiful.

Near the Armenian convent is, however, very good too also; the city is handsomer, but the place is not so simple and lovely.

I have got all the right feeling back now, however; and hope to write a word or two about Venice yet, when I have got the mouldings well out of my head--and the mud.

For the fact is, with reverence be it spoken, that whereas Rogers says: 'There is a glorious city in the Sea,' a truthful person must say, 'There is a glorious city in the mud'.