C 147 3 



and inhabited. And in our days, 

 being not far from a real defert, it 

 is fo notorious for being unwhole- 

 fome, that the people of the coun- 

 try think it highly dangerous to 

 pafs a fmgle night in it, even in the 

 middle of the fummer ; whereas in 

 Tufcany, which is peopled and cul- 

 tivated to the utmoft, one may lleep 

 the whole fummer in the open air 

 without fearing more injury from it 

 than from the air within the houfe. 

 The Pontine Lake, Lacus Pontinus^ 

 in the dominions of the pope, in 

 which formerly, when cultivated, 

 were numbers of inhabitants, fun- 



7 A. 



plying Rome with the belt produc- 

 tions of the earth, is at prefent a 

 molt difmal defert, fpreadine round 

 about it unwholefome and deadly 

 exhalations, fo that fcarce any liv- 

 ing animal can breathe this air with- 

 L 2 out 



