"  The  moneta  di  permesso  enjoyed  only  a  premium  of  fifteen
per  cent,  over .  moneta  di  banco,  as  we  find  from  the  tariff  o£
1755.  We  cannot  give  any  account  of  the  origin  of  this  moneys
since  precise  dates  are  wanting  for  that  purpose ;  but  as  we  find
in  the  published  tariffs  that  there  were  current  many  scudi  much
worn,  which  were  permitted  to  circulate  at  a  value,  in  moneta
fuori  banco,  less  than  lires  9.10,  it  is  probable  that  from  this
permission  the  moneta  di  permesso  had  its  origin.^

"  We  have  not  intended,  by  these  observations,  to  furnish  any
definitive  system  of  the  moneys  of  Genoa,  but  present  them  as

1  It  is  not  material  for  our  purpose  to  expose  the  very  serious  errors  in
this  paragraph.  They  are  so  great,  as  to  create  the  suspicion  of  a  misprin^
The  next  paragraph  discloses  that  the  author  had  no  great  confidence  in
this  portion  of  his  labors.
OEOBGB  BATTA  GONDOLVO.  837

our  opinions,  in  the  hope  of  exciting  ulterior  researches  upon
this  subject ;  and  as  a  learned  lover  of  the  history  of  his  coun«»
try,  George  Batta  Gandolfo,  librarian  to  the  University  of
Genoa,  is  collecting  precious  materials  concerning  the  money  of
Genoa,  with  the  view  of  preparing  an  extensive  work,  which  can-
not £ul  to  be  of  the  highest  interest,  we  hope  much  time  will  not
elapse  before  we  shall  have,  upon  this  subject,  statements  and
explax;Lations  sufficient  to  make  the  whole  matter  entirely  plain.'*


NOTE    TO    CHAPTER    XIV.
