r 490 ] 
LXVI. An Account of the late 2) ifcovoAes 
of Antiquities at Herculaneum, 8x. in 
Two Letters from Catnillo Paderni, Keeper 
of the Mujceum Herculanei. to Thomas 
Hollis, Efq\ T’ranjlated from the Italian 
by Robert Watfon, M D. F. R. S. 
An Extract cf a Letter from Camillo Paderni, 
dated at Naples June 2d, 1755. 
H I S majefty the king, my matter, is always 
increasing his tafte for matters of antiquity, 
which he loves with the zeal of the rnoft paflionate 
antiquary ; for he not only makes all the necettary 
trials and inquiries in thefe cities, which have been 
covered by mount Vefuvius, but extends his refearches 
into other parts of his kingdom ; and buys alfo with 
great pleafure, every piece of antiquity of value, that 
he can meet with. Fortune feconds his endeavours, 
and makes him at this day one of the happiett virtuott 
in Europe; and we may fay, that he hath no ocafion 
to take pains to feek for good fortune, for fhe always 
attends him ; as Sir, you, may fee in the following 
inttance. In April, his majefty was acquainted, that 
a little beyond La Torre della Nunziata, where ttood 
the ancient Pompeii, in digging near the amphithe- 
atre, there was difcovered a marble capital of the 
Corinthian order, and that it was necettary to exa- 
mine farther into what might be there. His majefty 
had formerly caufed fome workmen to dig in this 
place, but upon account of a certain vapour or mem- 
pbites, which arofe here, and which was fo adHve, 
as to deftroy any one, who remained ever fo fhort a 
time 
