16 Remarks on Mount Vesuvius. 



powers residing in the earth, and of those most especially 

 affecting its constitution, derived from the heavens. Elec- 

 tricity, and consequently magnetism, the equilibrium of the 

 atmosphere, the level of the ocean, the effects of^iveather, 

 the resources of internal fire in all parts of the globe, are 

 all employed, affected by, or subservient to, this vast pro- 

 duction of the mechanism of nature. Surely it is not too 

 much to say, that some indissoluble bond unites these 

 various agencies, which perhaps it is the lot of this age to 

 discover. This idea, which I have long entertained, has 

 been well stated by Mr Playfair as his opinion at the end, 

 (I think,) of the first volume of his Outlines of Natural 

 Philosophy. If such connection exists, and should the la- 

 tent principle be discovered, it is impossible to foresee how 

 great may be the extension of human intellect, how deep 

 our insight into the physical economy of all that surrounds 

 us. 



As rational hopes may yet be entertained of a considerable 

 eruption of Vesuvius in a short time, I subjoin the following 

 diary of the appearance of the mountain from Naples, which, 

 should the event take place, may perhaps be curious. I must 

 premise that, my residence being on the Chiaja, I had not con- 

 stant opportunities of observing the hill, as it cannot be seen 

 from that place. 



Nov. 14th. — Covered with clouds in the morning; after- 

 wards smoking more and more towards night. 



15th and 16th. — Almost entirely covered by clouds from 

 bad weather, but at intervals when I saw it, irregular clouds 

 of smoke, white or dark, were issuing. 



17th. — Being a fine day, I frequently observed the moun- ' 

 tain ; sometimes it was without any smoke, and then in-egular 

 clouds, light-coloured or quite white, rose in considerable 

 quantity. 



18th.— Ascended Vesuvius. From the report of Salvatore 

 junior, I understood that, till yesterday, they did not look for 

 an eruption, as the smoke proceeded chiefly or entirely from 

 the sides of the crater; but that a new aperture opened in the 

 bottom at three this morning, and fire and ashes with a stone, 



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