[ 14 ] 
a granite predominates of the fame nature with that oh- 
ferved in the columns. It is alfo remarkable, that gra- 
nite in general, throughout V elay and the neighbouring 
province of Auvergne, is frequently intermixed with the 
bafaltine, and other common vulcanic hills. I have ob- 
ferved the fame in Italy, particularly in the Euganean 
hills near Padua, and on the confines of the Roman with 
the Tufcan State, about Viterbo, Boifano, 8cc. ; which 
tracts are alfo molfly vulcanic. The mountain of Radico- 
fani, and its environs, with thofe of Aquapendente, are 
chiefly of the fame character; and near the lake of Boi- 
fano, by the road fide leading to Viterbo, is the group of 
prifmatic bafaltine columns defcribed by kircher in his 
Mundus Subterraneus^‘\ andw'hich is the only one in Ita- 
ly known to me, befides thofe of the Venetian State. But 
the profufion of bafaltine phaenomena in the provinces 
of Auvergne and Velay is really furprizing. In a morn- 
ing’s ride, of about a dozen or fifteen miles, round Ifen- 
chaux, which is the centerof the Velaybafaltes, I counted 
.twelve diflinct groups of columns, in fo many different 
hills, detached, and at a diftance from each other; and as 
thefe prefented themfelves to my view accidentally, w'ith- 
out going out of the way in fearch of them, it is to be pre- 
fumed, that many others, in the fame neighbourhood, 
probably efcaped me. They alfo abound about Puy, the 
capital of Velay, and ftill more fo throughout all Au-^ 
vergne. Nor is it merely a church, a caftle, or perhaps 
a village, as in other countries, that fometimes crowms 
{e) Lib, viii. fcft. i. c. 9. 6:c, 
the 
