a delegation or province of Austrian Lombardy, within the government of Venice. It is bounded on the north-west by the Tyrol, on the north-east by Belluno, on the east by Treviso, on the south-east by Padua, and on the south-west by Verona. It extends over 836 square miles, is divided into thirteen districts or circles, and these into 113 communes, containing 297,447 inhabitants, who are all of the Italian race, except those who live in seven of the Alpine districts, who are Germans; but all adhere to the Catholic religion. The land is generally level, but some spurs of the western Alps project themselves into the plain on the northern side. It is watered by several streams, which unite near the capital, and there assume the name of Bachiglione. This river is then navigable to the Brenta below Padua, and with it enters the Adriatic sea. The soil is generally good, and for the most part well cultivated, and the face of the country excites the highest gratification to one who travels through it with an agricultural eye. Maize is the chief corn crop. Wheat and rye are likewise cultivated, but are far less productive than maize, which forms almost exclusively the food of the peasantry. Flax and hemp are grown, but not extensively. The chief object of the farmers is the mulberry tree, whose number is rapidly increasing, as well as that of the silk worms that are fed with the leaves. The vines are mixed with the trees, and trained in festoons from one to the other. This has a most charming effect, but is said not to be favourable to the produce of wine, which article is in general of bad quality. A great number of sheep and oxen is fed near the streams or meadows, which are mowed three or four times in the year. The wool is fine, and that, with the cheese, forms a valuable portion of rural wealth.

a city, the capital of the delegation of that name in Italy. It is built on two streams, the Bachiglione, and the Recone, which divides it into two parts connected together by four bridges. It is surrounded with walls, having six gates, one of which, leading to the Field of Mars, is considered the master-piece of the celebrated Palladio. Vicenza contains an ancient castle, twenty-two churches, and thirty-three chapels or oratories, with several hospitals. The inhabitants within the walls amount to 20,478, but including the suburbs, are 33,000. These chiefly find occupation in the various stages of preparing silk. The winding and throwing it, to furnish distant markets, is the chief pursuit, and one which of late has vastly increased, and promises in future a still more rapid increase from the great number of mulberry trees that have been reared. Although some of the streets are narrow, and some few of them crooked, yet no place exhibits such specimens of architectural art as this city and its environs. The most distinguished of the edifices were built by Palladio, who was born here in 1518. The cathedral is a noble Gothic building; but the church of Santa Corona is most admired, especially as it is ornamented with some fine mosaic work and several exquisite paintings. The town-house is the finest specimen of the taste and skill of Palladio, and next to it the palazzo capitano, besides which, the palaces of Triffino, of Volpi, of Darnieri, and the opera-house, are beautiful piles of building. The environs are also distinguished by beautiful villas from the same master, the finest of which is that of Balmarana without the gate. Vicenza, like Verona in the middle ages, became an independent state, and like it, was, in 1405, subdued by the Venetians.