246 Mr Forbes's Physkal Notices of the Bay of Naples. 



sent inquiry. Immediately to the west of the town of NapleS 

 lies the fertile and beautiful hill of Pausilipo*, a ridge of vol- 

 canic tufa, somewhat steep on both sides, but exhibiting on 

 the top a flat appearance and saddle-shaped stratification. 

 Nothing of its kind can be more truly delightful, than the 

 drive along the Strada Nuova, or new road formed by Murat, 

 the late Governor of Naples. It keeps nearly at an equal dis- 

 tance from the sea, which washes the base of the hill as it gra- 

 dually declines to the southward, and, acting upon the soft 

 rock, of which it is composed, has rendered it every where 

 somewhat precipitous, and here and there beautifully pictur- 

 esque, from the fantastic masses it has detached from the coast, 

 and the water-worn caves and arches through which here and 

 there it rolls. The trifling tides do not prevent the high luxu- 

 riance of all vegetable nature from descending almost to the wa- 

 ter ; every flat patch is assiduously cultivated for the vine, and 

 the richest wild shrubs clothe every rock and crevice. The aloe 

 especially, throws out its long and thorny leaves, either where 

 it has naturally taken root, or where it has been planted to 

 decorate and diversify the villas and casinos of the Neapoli- 

 tans, which thickly spread over the banks and dells of this fa- 

 voured promontory. The glowing scene in the foreground, 

 with all the retiring bays and salient points of Pausilipo, con- 

 trast finely with the majestic summit of Vesuvius rising across 

 the bay, and the more distant ridge of the Apennines, stretch- 

 ing in perspective from the central part of Italy to their bold ter- 

 mination in Minerva's Point. Nearer on the left, the busy and 

 populous city of Naples, spread in glorious array upon the thea- 

 tric station which it occupies, and crowned behind by the im- 

 posing batteries of the castle St Elmo, which rise upon the 

 summit of the hill behind. Dead must that soul be to all the 

 magnificence and luxuriance of nature, which has not caught 

 a glow of enthusiasm upon the shores of Pausilipo I 



• This name is derived from the ancient one of a Villa of Vedius Polh'o 

 on this promontory, which lie called Pausilypum from its care dispelling 

 heauty and seclusion; {reivct and xwoi) and all will to this day admit the pro- 

 priety of the appellation. It is now written Pausilipo, Pausilippo, or some- 

 times Posillipo. I have here adopted the first as being more consonant to 

 the original orthography, though Pausilypo would be more strictly accurate. 



