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MOUNT VESUVIUS. 



This celebrated Volcano is situate on the shores of the Baj of Naples, 

 to whose singularity and beauty it adds in a striking degree. A 

 volcanic mountain might be considered as any thing but a pleasant 

 neighbour, yet, except when it is in a state of violent eruption, the 

 Neapolitans look upon it without dread. Though Herculaneum, Pompeii, 

 Stabia, and other places of less note, lie buried by the lava and other 

 matter thrown out by the volcano, still many beautiful towns and villages 

 flourish around Vesuvius with numerous and happy populations. Some 

 of these places are not only built over ancient interred cities, but have 

 themselves in modern times experienced the violence of the Volcano, and 

 been wholly or partially destroyed by vast rivers of lava. This is 

 particularly the case with Torre del Greco, where the road is deeply cut 

 through a bed of lava, and where other broad beds of the same material 

 (which in some places have encroached far into the sea, forming little 

 volcanic promontories) are found on every side of the town. The 

 inhabitants however, in their attachment to the spot, have always persisted 

 in building their houses above those that have been buried, thus keeping 

 up, as it were, a struggle with one of the most fearful powers of nature. 



The mountain is little more than four miles from the City of Naples, 

 and, owing to the transparency of the atmosphere, seems even less. It 

 rises quite alone from the plain, declining on one side to the shores of the 

 sea, and on the other towards a chain of the Apennines. 



Its base occupies an irregular space, said to be about twelve miles 

 round, it rises conically to the height of somewhat more than three 

 thousand feet, where it terminates in two mamillae or breasts, one of 

 which is called Somme, the other being that of the great Orator of the 

 Volcano. From its form and entirely isolated situation, it looks like some 

 tumulus or sepulchral barrow, except where broken by some chasms, and 

 covered by courses of the lava, which have not yet had time to acquire a 

 superficies of soil and vegetable matter. Mount Vesuvius is cultivated 

 and inhabited for two thirds of its height. The soil that accumulates 

 over (and is mainly produced by volcanic matter of different natures) is 

 wonderfully firm and admirably adapted for vineyards. Here are 

 produced the far famed Lacryma Christi, (tears of Christ) the Greco and 

 other wines of superior quality. 



