In Paris, in 1854, there were only 4,206 registered 'filles publiques,' when the population of the city numbered 1,500,000 persons; while those who exercised their calling clandestinely were variously computed at 20,000 or 40,000 and upwards to 60,000.

Accurate statistics relating to the population of any Italian city in the fifteenth century do not, unfortunately, exist.
[2] _Memoirs,_ lib.vii.

'C'est la plus triomphante cite que j'ai jamais vue, et qui plus fait d'honneur a ambassadeurs et etrangers, et qui plus sagement se gouverne, _et ou le service de Dieu est le plus solemnellement faict.'_ The prostitutes of Venice were computed to number 11,654 so far back as the end of the 14th century.

See Filiasi, quoted by Mutinelli in his _Annali urbani di Venezia._ [3] Satires, ii.
But the characteristic vice of the Italian was not coarse sensuality.

He required the fascination of the fancy to be added to the allurement of the senses.[1] It is this which makes the Capitoli of the burlesque poets, of men of note like Berni, La Casa, Varchi, Mauro, Molsa, Dolce, Bembo, Firenzuola, Bronzino, Aretino, and de' Medici, so amazing.