K 
difleding this mountain, taking its meafures, and 
making drawings of its ftratas ; for, I perceive, it is 
compofed of dratas, like Mount Vefuvius, but without 
lavas. As this mountain is fo undoubtedly formed 
entirely from a plain, I fliould think my projedt may 
give light into the formation of many other moun- 
tains, that are at prefent thought to have been ori- 
ginal, and are certainly not fo, if their ftrata corre- 
fpond with thofe of the Montagno Nuovo. I fhould 
be glad to know whether you think this projedl of 
mine will be ufeful ^ and, if you do, the refult of my 
obfervations may be the fubjedl of another letter. 
I cannot have a greater pleafure than to employ my 
leifure hours in what may be of fome little ufc to 
mankind j and my lot has carried me into a country, 
which affords an ample fxeld for obfervation. Upon 
the whole, if I was to eflablifli a fyflem, it would be, 
that mountains are produced by volcanosy and not volca- 
nos by mountains. 
I fear I have tired you : but the fubjedt of vol- 
canos is fo favourite a one with me, that it has led 
me on I know not how : I fliall only add, that 
Vefuvius is quiet at prefent, tho’ very hot at top, where 
there is a depofiiion of boiling fulphur. The lava that 
run in the Foffi Grande during the lad: eruption, and 
is at lead 200 feet thick, is not yet cool j a dick, put 
into its crevices, takes fire immediately. On thefides 
of the crevices are fine crydalline falts : as they are the 
pure falts, which exhale from the lava that has no com- 
munication with the interiour of the mountain, 
.they may perhaps indicate the compofition of the 
lava. I have done. Let me only thank you for 
