Her primitive government was a loose mixture of democracy and monarchy; the doge was elected by the votes of the general assembly; as long as he was popular and successful, he reigned with the pomp and authority of a prince; but in the frequent revolutions of the state, he was deposed, or banished, or slain, by the justice or injustice of the multitude.
The twelfth century produced the first rudiments of the wise and jealous aristocracy, which has reduced the doge to a pageant, and the people to a cipher.

[39] [Footnote 35: History, &c., vol.iii.p.

446, 447.] [Footnote 36: The foundation and independence of Venice, and Pepin's invasion, are discussed by Pagi (Critica, tom.iii.

A.D.81, No.

4, &c.) and Beretti, (Dissert.Chorograph.Italiae Medii AEvi, in Muratori, Script.tom.x.p.