220 On Volcanoes. 



the quantity of burnt, melted, calcined, and vitrified materials 

 which is thrown out at the orifice is so plentiful, that they enter 

 towns and forests, cover the fields to more than a hundred feet in 

 thickness, and sometimes form hills and mountains. The action 

 of this fire is so great, and the force of explosion so violent, that 

 its re-action has been known to shake the earth, agitate the sea, 

 overthrow mountains, and raze the most solid edifices and towns, 

 even to very considerable distances. In Europe there are three 

 celebrated volcanoes, namely, mount ^tna in Sicily, mount Hec- 

 la in Iceland, and mount Vesuvius in Italy, near Naples. iEtna 

 is unquestionably the most ancient on record; but as no mention 

 is made of its burning or eruption by Homer, who flourished 

 about 980 years before Christ, it is reasonable to suppose that a 

 phenomenon at once so tremendous and extraordinary, did not 

 take place before his time. Pindar, who lived 480 years after 

 Homer, is the first poet who has given us a description of its fiery 

 eruptions. He has feigned the giant Typhoeus to be overthrown 

 by Jupiter, and overwhelmed by jEtna, whose agitations and 

 eruptions were caused by his vain attempts to release himself 

 from its incumbent pressure. Of this fiction Mr. West has given 

 the following translation: 



Now under sulphurous Cuma^s sea-bound coast, 



And vast Silicia, lies his shaggy breast; 

 By snowy ^tna, nurse of endless frost. 



The pillar'd prop of heav'n, forever press'd; 



Forth from whose nitrous caverns issuing rise 



Pure liquid fountains of tempestuous fire. 

 And veil in ruddy mists the noon-day skies, 



While wrapt in smoke the eddying flames aspire. 

 Or, gleaming through the night with hideous roar, 

 Far o'er the redd'ning main huge rocky fragments pour. 



But he, Vulcanian monster, to the clouds 



The fiercest, hottest inundations throws. 

 While, with the burden of incumbent woods. 



And ^Etna's gloomy ciiff!s, o'erwhelm'd he glows. 



There on his flinty bed outstretch'd he lies. 



Whose pointed rock his tossing carcass wounds' 



There with dismay he strikes beholding eyes, 

 Or frights the distant ear with horrid sounds. 



Whole chains of volcanic mountains are found upon some pla- 

 ces of the earth's surface; and there are, in many other places, 

 traces of volcanoes that have become extinct. There seems to 

 be some connexion between volcanoes and the presence of water. 



