y and political
society in Venice.

[61] Gozzi has not perhaps quite told the whole truth about his
relations to Mme. Tron. They were certainly more intimate at one period
than he here admits. He formed a member of the society whom she received
on Monday evenings at the Casino di San Giuliano, and dedicated his
_Marfisa Bizzarra_ to her in terms of high compliment (V.E. non e
nimica, non e ignorante, non e dispettosa, non e sospettosa, e sa essere
benefattrice volontaria anche di coloro che non le chiedono favori). At
the same time he disagreed with Mme. Tron's liberal opinions, and
disapproved of her philosophising turn of mind. It is quite possible
that before the date 1776 their former intimacy may have cooled.
Gratarol himself observes that Gozzi had not frequented her society
during the seven years prior to these events.

[62] This magistracy exercised control over the morals of Venice.

[63] Gratarol gives a vivid picture of this throng. "Many hundreds of
persons were sent away from the doors, since the vast area of the
theatre was crammed full. Boxes, which on ordinary nights were paid two
pauls, this evening brought a couple of sequins, and not a single one
was empty."--_Narrazione_, vol. i. p. 68.

[64] Gratarol asserts plainly (_Narr. Apol._, vol. i. pp. 63, 65, 66)
that Mme. Tron induced Sacchi to change the roles and to dress up
Vitalba in clothes resembling his own. Gozzi tacitly admits the truth of
this.

[65] Gratarol describes the public excitement of Venice. "In the houses,
the shops, the open squares, all sorts and conditions of folk were
chattering about the play. When I entered the Piazza di S. Marco, the
idle people who crowd the coffee-houses under the Procuratie Vecchie,
lacqueys, barbers, players, spies, pimps, and baser beings, if such
there be, came swarming out by tens and twenties to stare at me, walked
in front, lagged behind, dogged my steps, jostled me, compared notes
with each other as to my resemblance to the vile actor travestied to
mimic me."--_Narrazione_, vol. i. p. 73.

[66] Gratarol has printed his petition to the Inquisitors (_Narr.
Apol._, i. 81). It is not very injurious to Gozzi, if the document is
really what he sent. The reference to Gozzi runs thus: "Umana debolezza
scossa da circonstanze troppo puerili e indegne di riferirsi alla maesta
di questo Supremo Tribunale indusse il Sig. Co. Carlo Gozzi a sparger di
satira una sua commedia tolta dallo Spagnuolo ed intitolata