32 MEMOIR OF PLINY. 



of it. He accordingly ordered a light vessel to be 

 prepared, and offered me the liberty, if I thought 

 proper, to accompany him. I rather chose to conti- 

 nue the employment in which I was engaged ; for it 

 happened that he had given me a certain writing to 

 copy. As he was going out of the house, he re- 

 ceived a note from the commissary of marines at 

 Retina, who were in the utmost alarm at the immi- 

 nent danger which threatened them (for that villa 

 was in the immediate neighbourhood, and there was 

 no means of escape except by sea), imploring him to 

 rescue them from their perilous situation. He ac- 

 cordingly changed his original intention, and instead 

 of gratifying his philosophical spirit, he resigned it 

 to the more magnanimous principle of aiding the dis- 

 tressed. With this view he ordered the gallies im- 

 mediately to put to sea, and went himself on board, 

 intending to assist not only Retina, but other villas 

 which stood extremely thick on that beautiful and 

 salubrious coast. Hastening, therefore, to the place 

 from whence others had fled with the utmost terror, 

 he steered his course direct to the point in danger; 

 and with so much calmness and presence of mind, 

 as to be able to make and dictate his observations 

 upon the appearance and progress of that dreadful 

 scene. He was now so near the mountain, that the 

 cinders grew thicker and hotter as he approach- 

 ed, together with calcined stones like pumice, 

 and broken pieces of black burning rock. They 

 were likewise in danger not only of being a-ground 



