Hebrews, who, even in the old jealous times, exercised the noble art of
medicine, and who now rank very highly among their professional brethren.
These physicians haunt the neat and tasteful apothecary shops, where they
sit upon the benching that passes round the interior, read the newspapers,
and discuss the politics of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, with all
the zest that you may observe to characterize their discussions in
Goldoni's plays. There they spend their evenings, and many hours of every
day, and thither the sick send to call them,--each physician resorting to
a particular apothecary's, and keeping his name inscribed on a brass plate
against the wall, above the head of the druggist, who presides over the
reunions of the doctors, while his apprentice pestles away at their
prescriptions.

In 1786 there were, what with priests, monks, and nuns, a multitude of
persons of ecclesiastical profession in Venice; and though many convents
and monasteries were abolished by Napoleon, the priests are still very
numerous, and some monastic establishments have been revived under
Austrian rule. The high officers of the Church are, of course, well paid,
but most of the priesthood live miserably enough. They receive from the
government a daily stipend of about thirty-five soldi, and they celebrate
mass when they can get something to do in that way, for forty soldi.
Unless, then, they have private income from their own family, or have pay
for the education of some rich man's son or daughter, they must fare
slenderly.

There is much said, in and out of Venice, about their influence in
society; but this is greatly modified, and I think is chiefly exercised
upon the women of the old-fashioned families. [Footnote: It is no longer
usual for girls to be educated in convents, and most young ladies of the
better classes, up to the age of thirteen or fourteen years, receive their