ITALY. 565 



In the abundance, variety, and flavour of its fruits, no country in 

 Europe can vie with Italy ; which, besides oranges, lemons, citrons, 

 and figs, produces such quantities of chesnuts, cherries, and plums, 

 that they are of little value to the proprietors. 



Animals. ...There is little difference between the animals of Italy, 

 and those of France and Germany already mentioned. 



Natural curiosities.. ..Among the natural curiosities of Italy the 

 most conspicuous are its volcanoes. Mount Vesuvius, is five Italian 

 miles distant from the city of Naples. The declivity of this mountain 

 towarcis the sea is every where planted with vines and fruit-trees, and 

 it is equally fertile towards the bottom. The circumjacent plain af- 

 fords a delightful prospect, and the air is clear and wholesome. The 

 south and west sides of the mountain form very different views, being, 

 like tne top, covered with black cinders and stones. The height of 

 Mounc Vesuvius has been computed to be 3,900 feet above the sur- 

 face of the sea; and it has been a volcano beyond the reach of history 

 or tradition. An animated description of its ravages in the year 79, is 

 given by tne younger Pliny, who was a witness to what he wrote. 

 From that time to the year 1631, its eruptions were but small and 

 moderate; then, however, it broke out with accumulated fury, and 

 desolated miles around. In 1694, was a great eruption, which continu- 

 ed near a month, when burning matter was thrown out with so much 

 force, that some of it fell at thirty miies distance, and a vast quantity 

 of liquid lava ran down like a river for three miles distance, carrying 

 every thing before it which lay in its way. In 1707, wnen their was 

 another eruption, such quantities of cinders and ashes were thrown, 

 out, that it was dark at Naples at noon-day. In 1767, a violent erup- 

 tion happened, which is reckoned to be the 27th from that which 

 destroyed Herculaneum, in the time of Titus. In this eruption, the 

 ashes, or rather small cinders, showered down so fast at Naples, that 

 the people in the streets were obliged to use umbrellas, or adopt 

 sornt other expedient, to guard themselves against them. The tops 

 of the houses and the balconies were covered with these cinders j 

 and ships at sea, twenty leagues from Naples, were covered with 

 them, to the great astonishment of the sailors. An eruption happened 

 also 1766, another in 1779, which have been particularly described 

 by sir William Hamilton in the Philosophical Transactions ; and 

 another in June, 1794, which laid waste a considerable tract of coun- 

 try, and destroyed several villages, and a great number of habita- 

 tions. It has been observed by a modern traveller, that though 

 Mount Vesuvius often fills the neighbouring country with terror, yet, 

 as few things in nature are so absolutely noxious as not to produce 

 some good, even this raging volcano, by its sulphureous and nitrous 

 manure, and the heat of its subterraneous fires, contributes not a lit- 

 tle to the uncommon fertility of the country about it, and to the pro- 

 fusion of fruits and herbage with which it is every where covered. 

 Besides, it is supposed that, while open and active, the mountain is 

 less hostile to Naples, than it would be, if its eruptions were to cease, 

 and its struggles confined to its own bowels, for then might ensue 

 the most fatal shocks to the unstable foundation of the whole district 

 of Terra di Lavoro. 



Mount iEtna is 10,954 feet in height, and has been computed to be 

 180 miles in circumference at its base ; while Vesuvius is only about 

 30. It stands separate from all other mountains, its figure is circular, 

 .and it terminates in a cone. The lower parts of it are very fruitful 



