text:  The mercantile spirit of the Venetians prevented them from extending to individuals the quarrels of states; and although the republic was then at war with Spain more than one superb hidalgo might be seen wrapped in his national gravity as in a mantle and affecting a total disregard of the blunt or hostile observations made within his hearing by sailors of the Venetian navy or by individuals smarting under the loss of ships and cargoes captured by Spanish galleys