say, the ring-finger is called "the finger These questions being put to one or two Oriental scholars, answers have been received more ingenious, perhaps, than convincing. The finger, it has been suggested, is called the "nameless " one because in the human hand it appears to exercise no distinctive function. Any surgeon, it is said, will tell a patient that if he must sacrifice a finger he had better part with his ring-finger, as he will be certain to miss it less from his hand than he would any one of the others. Then with reference to the derivation of the word used to designate the finger, one Oriental scholar remarked that the term "nameless as applied to the ring-finger was most probably taken by the Ayran from the Turanian, since the Turanian is especially rich, when compared with the Aryan, in specific terms, while there is a more copious variety of generic terms in the latter. For instance, the genius of the two languages may be thus roughly exemplified: an Aryan would speak, generally, of a tree; the Turanian would instinctively mention the species of that tree, and refer to it, in conversation, or in writing, as an oak, a fir, or an elm, as the case might be. However, whatever may be the true answers to the questions we have brought before the reader, the simple fact as it stands is a most curious one that in a host of different languages the ring-finger has for ages and ages gone by the somewhat mystic and poetical title of "the nameless thing." AMONG the many services rendered to lit- OLIVE-oil is produced in large quantities in erature by the late King John of Saxony was Tunis. The olive-crops during the past two his early patronage of Professor Tischendorf, years have been so abundant that there is still whose death was recently announced. Dr. a great deal of oil in the country, notwith Tischendorf was in early life a comparatively standing the immense quantities, amounting obscure privat-docent at the Leipsic Uni- in all to 3,472 tuns, of the value of 125,8934.; versity, where the reputation he gradually that have been shipped during the past year made for close palæological research brought to Great Britain, France, and Italy. It is said him to the king's notice. His reports on the that without a great reaction takes place in value of the hidden contents of the convent the oil-trade in Europe, vendors in Tunis will libraries he visited in the East caused him to be puzzled to know what to do with the supbe sent again twice on similar tours of ex-plies they will have on hand. The deposits, ploration; and it was on the second of these, or tanks, in the town are said to be capable of conducted in 1859 at the expense of the Rus- containing 6,000 tuns of oil, but they were not sian government, that he discovered in a clear of the old supplies before the new was Greek convent in Petræa the famous "Codex ready to be brought in. So far as the workSinaiticus," published by order of the Em-ing of the native oil-mills is concerned, it is peror Alexander in 1862 as part of the commemoration ceremonies of the thousandth year of the empire. It is a mistake to assert with the writers of the obituary notices in the German press that this copy of the New Testament is the oldest extant. It admittedly yields in antiquity to that equally famous one which has been long in the Vatican Library; but it certainly stands second. Dr. Tischendorf was not content with mere discoveries and the rewards that followed. He devoted the remaining years of his life mainly to collating the results of his researches. Pall Mall Gazette. stated that no improvement has taken place. An Italian company contemplates the introduction of a steam-mill. For this purpose the British vice-consular house and its premises have been bought, and are to be converted into a mill. Some years ago one was tried at Mehdia, but did not answer. A second was erected near Susa, with the view of buying up the refuse or oil-cake after passing the native mills, and submitting it to further pressure; but this in the hands of the natives blew up. Nature. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY For EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. An extra copy of THE LIVING AGE is sent gratis to any one getting up a club of Five New Subscribers. Remittances should be made by bank draft or check, or by post-office money-order, if possible. If neither of these can be procured, the money should be sent in a registered letter. All postmasters are obliged to register letters when requested to do so. Drafts, checks and money-orders should be made payable to the order of LITTELL & GAY. THE PROMISE OF THE PRESENCE. No cistern, emptied, late or soon ;— BY THE AUTHOR OF "CHRONICLES OF THE No lighted lamp, no mirror moon:- The Sun, the Fount of life and force? From The Quarterly Review. THE REPUBLIC OF VENICE: ITS RISE, DECLINE, AND FALL.* fact; and so obscurely grand is the subject, that the simplest preface or introduction brings the imaginative faculty into play. MARC ANTONIO BARBARO was a Venetian noble of illustrious birth, who filled "In the northern angle of the Adriatic successively each of the highest offices is a gulf, called lagune, in which more in the republic, with the exception of than sixty islands of sand, marsh, and the dogeship, which he narrowly missed. sea-weed have been formed by a concurHe was born in 1518 and died in 1595;rence of natural causes. These islands and adopting him as the type of the patri- have become the city of Venice, which cian of the sixteenth century, the author has lorded it over Italy, conquered of the book before us has undertaken to Constantinople, resisted a league of all connect or associate with his career a the kings of Christendom, long carfull description of the laws, customs, ried on the commerce of the world, and manners, and policy of the Queen of the bequeathed to nations the model of the Adriatic in the height of her prosperity most stable government ever framed and the fulness of her pride. Thus, by man."* These are the reflections à propos of Barbaro's rank, we are treated with which Count Daru introduces his to a sketch of the patrician order, with carefully finished and well-proportioned its privileges: on his marriage, to a dis-picture of the republic in all the vicissiquisition on Venetian women. His nom-tudes of her fortunes. The fresh mateination to an embassy suggests the fertile rials accumulated by recent explorers of topic of diplomacy; while his candida- her archives have rather stimulated than ture for the dogeship gives occasion for allayed curiosity. She is still vaguely a complete account of this exalted office known and imperfectly understood; and with its attributes. The conception is we propose, with M. Yriarte's aid, to call ingenious, and the execution leaves little attention to such passages in her history to desire as regards learning, critical and peculiarities in her institutions, as acuteness, and discriminating research. may help to solve the social and political The tone, spirit, and intention of the problems presented by them. We shall work are excellent: but it wants life, light, also show, as we proceed, how far the colour, and illustration. The patrician, leading works of fiction of which the instead of being, as we too fondly hoped, scenes are laid in Venice, agree or disathe centre of a series of animated groups, gree with the facts. is too frequently treated as a peg on The islands of the lagune could hardly which dissertations and descriptions be said to be inhabited, being merely might be hung. Except in two or three used as places of occasional resort by episodes of his career, he is little better fishermen, until towards the end of the than a lay-figure, slenderly draped, with-fourth or the beginning of the fifth cenout expression or individuality; and as tury, when a settled population began to for the romance, poetry, mystery, dra- be formed of refugees :— matic or melodramatic interest, traditionally blended with Venetian annals, M. Yriarte's pages are as free from them as if the people under consideration were the prosaic matter-of-fact Dutch. And yet there is scarcely a prominent incident *Histoire de la République de Venise, &c. Par or. turning-point in those annals which P. Daru, de l'Académie Française. Seconde édidoes not read more like a fiction than ation, revue et corrigée. Paris, 1821. In eight vols. A few in fear, ↑ An enduring debt of gratitude is owing from all • La Vie d'un Patricien de Venise au Seizième recent students of Venetian history to M. Armand Siècle. Les Doges- La Charte Ducale - Les Baschet. We particularly refer to Les Archives de Femmes à Venise – L'Université de Padoue-Les Venise, Histoire de la Chancellerie Secrète, &c., par Préliminaires de Lépante, &c., d'après les Papiers Armand Baschet. Paris, Henri Plon, l'imprimeurd'Etat des Archives de Venise. Par Charles | éditeur, Rue Garancière, 1870: a book full of curious Yriarte. Paris, 1874. information and interesting details. sion of the pope and the emperor was obtained." war. The Gave birth to Venice. Like the waterfowl, They built their nests among the ocean waves.* The oldest document extant relating The first choice fell on Paolo Luca to Venetian history, is a decree of the Anabesto. It was made by twelve electSenate of Padua, A.D. 421, ordering the ors, the founders of what were thenceconstruction of a town on Rialto, the forth termed the electoral families. largest of the isles, with the view of doge was appointed for life: he named bringing together in a single community his own counsellors: took charge of all the scattered inhabitants of the rest for public business; had the rank of prince, the purposes of mutual protection and and decided all questions of peace and support. They appear to have been left The peculiar title was meant to imfree to choose their own form of govern-ply a limited sovereignty, and the Venement; for we find that each island had tians uniformly repudiated, as a disgrace, at first its own magistrate: the magisthe bare notion of their having ever submitted to a monarch. But many centutrates of the most considerable being called tribunes major, the others, trib-ries passed away before any regular or unes minor, and the whole being equally well-defined limits were practically imposed; and the prolonged struggle besubject to the council-general of the community; which thus constituted a kind of tween the people and the doges, dependfederal republic. This lasted nearly 300 ing mainly on the personal character of years, when it was found that the rising the doge for the time being, constitutes nation had fairly outgrown its institu- the most startling and exciting portion of tions. Dangerous rivalries arose among their history. the tribunes. Their divided authority weakened the common action, and their administration became a general subject of complaint. At a meeting of the council-general in A.D. 697, the Patriarch of Grado proposed the concentration of power in the hands of a single chief, under the title of doge or duke. The proposition was eagerly accepted, and they proceeded at once to the election of this chief. "It will be seen (remarks Daru) that the dogeship saved indepen-clea (then the capital) had been distracted dence and compromised liberty. It was a veritable revolution, but we are ignorant by what circumstances it was brought about. Many historians assert that the change was not effected till the permis The first doge proved a wise and sagacious ruler. He reigned twenty years. The second, Marcello Tegaliano, did equally well. The third, Urso, elected in 726, was restless and ambitious. He seized the first opportunity to engage in warlike operations, and it was under him that the Venetians made their first essay as a military power by land. He took Ravenna by assault, and based such pretensions on his victory, that, after Hera and split into factions for two years, the people rose, forced their way into his palace, and cut his throat. He had reigned eleven years; long enough to sicken them of doges for the nonce, so not wishing to revert to tribunes, they appointed a chief magistrate to be elected annually, under the title of maestro della Five such magistrates were Rogers's "Italy." These lines are paraphrased, without acknowledgment, from Gibbon. "It is a saying worthy of the ferocious pride of Attila, that the milizia. grass never grew on the spot where his horse had trod.named, and ruled in succession, when Yet the savage destroyer undesignedly laid the founda tions of a republic which revived, in the feudal state of Europe, the art and spirit of commercial industry. The minister of Theodoric compares them, in his quaint declamatory style, to waterfowl who had fixed their nests on the bosom of the waves." ("Decline and Fall," chap. xxxv.) In his "Italy," Rogers has throughout treated the historians and chroniclers as Byron accuses "sepulchral Grahame" of having treated the scriptural writers: "Breaks into blank the Gospel of St. Luke, And boldly pilfers from the Pentateuch." the institution came to an untimely end with the fifth. For some unexplained reason or possibly caprice, the populace rose again, deposed him, and put out his eyes. The dogeship was then restored in the person of Theodal Urso (son of the last doge), who quitted Heraclea for Malamocco, which thus became the capital. Unluckily he excited suspicion by |