fineness of its Glass. Judging from the curious specimens to be seen in this country, the Venetian Glass-blowers must have been artists of considerable skill. A Glass knife-handle, supposed to be their work, has an exterior coating of white transparent Glass, enclosing differently coloured Glass, fused into one variegated mass. The effect of these colours under the white Glass is very pleasing. The Venetian ball is a similar specimen of ingenuity. The exterior coating of white Glass is, in some specimens, much decomposed and defaced by time; but the beauty of the interior workmanship is easily restored by the usual mode of polishing Glass. (See PLATE 6, fig. 1.)

The Bohemians were formerly very celebrated for their extensive Glass-works. They imitated the Venetians in their curious method of ornamenting Glass-ware, which has since become well known, and was at one time much in repute in this country. In making the stems of wine-glasses and goblets, they enclosed white and coloured enamel tubes, twisted together with colourless transparent Glass. A most beautifully engraved vase by a Bohemian artist, is in the possession of the author; the workmanship is even more elaborate than that of the Portland Vase: the subject is from Le Brun's painting of the conquest and final overthrow of the Persians at the battle of Arbela, by Alexander the Great. For depth of workmanship and artistic execution, as a modern intaglio engraving, this vase is unrivalled.

In Howel's Familiar Letters we find some curious details of Venice, and her Glass-making celebrity. The first Letter containing these records, is dated, "Venice, May 30, 1621," and states: "Among other little gentile ilands which attend