Though abundantly rich
enough to have gone occasionally to Rome, or even to have resided
there entirely, if he had chosen to do so, he had, on the contrary,
preferred to pass his whole life in his native city. And Ravenna was
flattered by this, to begin with. Then his residence in the
provincial city had been in many respects a really useful one, not
only to that section of the body politic which is called, par
excellence, society, but to the public in general. He had held
various municipal offices, and had discharged the functions
belonging to them with credit and applause. He was treasurer to a
hospital, and a generous contributor to its funds. He was the
founder of an artistic society for the education of young artists
and the encouragement of their seniors. He was the principal
director of a board of "publica beneficenza." He was the manager,
and what we should call the trustee for the property of more than
one nunnery. He was intimate with the Cardinal Legate, and a
frequent and honoured guest at the palace. Of course in matters of
orthodoxy and well-affected sentiments towards the Church and its
government he was all that the agents of that government could
desire. It has already been said that he was at the head of all
matters musical and theatrical in Ravenna. And besides all this, he
gave every year three grand balls in Carnival; and his house was at
all times open every Sunday and Wednesday evening to the elite of
the society of the city.
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