| 247] 
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 
pats, a fingle night in it, even in the 
amiddile of the fummer}; whereas in 
‘Tufcany, whith is peopled andcul- 
tivated to the utmott, one may fleep, 
the whole fummer in the open air 
without fearing more injury from it 
than from the air within the houfe. 
The Pontine Lake, j Lacus Pontinus, 
in the dominions of | the pope, in 
which formerly, when cultivated, 
were numbers of inhabitants, fup- 
plying Rome with the beft produc- 
tions of the earth, is at prefent a 
moft difmal defert, {preading round 
about it tnwholefome and deadly | 
: exhalations, fo that fcarce any liy- 
: ae animal can breathe this air - with- 
L2 out 
