permitted to feel the currents of literature and the great world's thought
in religion freshly and directly, they seldom speak of these things,
except in that tone of obsolete superiority which Italians are still prone
to affect, as the monopolists of culture. As to Art, the Venetians are
insensible to it and ignorant of it, here in the very atmosphere of Art,
to a degree absolutely amusing. I would as soon think of asking a fish's
opinion of water as of asking a Venetian's notion of architecture or
painting, unless he were himself a professed artist or critic.

Admitting, however, that a great part of the corruption of society is
imputed, there still remains, no doubt, a great deal of real immorality to
be accounted for. This, I think, is often to be attributed to the bad
system of female education, and the habits of idleness in which women are
bred. Indeed, to Americans, the whole system of Italian education seems
calculated to reduce women to a state of imbecile captivity before
marriage; and I have no fault to find with the Italians that they are
jealous in guarding those whom they have unfitted to protect themselves,
but have rather to blame them that, after marriage, their women are thrown
at once upon society, when worse than helpless against its temptations.
Except with those people who attempt to maintain a certain appearance in
public upon insufficient means (and there are too many of these in Venice
as everywhere else), and who spare in every other way that they may spend
on dress, it does not often happen that Venetian ladies are housekeepers.
Servants are cheap and numerous, as they are uncleanly and untrustworthy,
and the Venetians prefer to keep them [Footnote: A clerk or employe with a
salary of fifty cents a day keeps a maid-servant, that his wife may
fulfill to society the important duty of doing nothing.] rather than take
part in housewifely duties; and, since they must lavish upon dress and
show, to suffer from cold and hunger in their fireless houses and at their
meagre boards. In this way the young girls, kept imprisoned from the