an Eruption of Mount Vefuvius. 55 
above mentioned column of fire. The King of Naples 
did me the honour of informing me of this curious cir- 
cumftance. 
Sunday, Auguft the 8 th, Vefuvius was quiet till 
towards fix o’clock in the evening, when a great fmoke 
began to gather again over its crater, and about an hour 
after, a rumbling fubteranneous noife was heard in the 
neighbourhood of the volcano ; the ufual throws of red- 
hot ftones and fcoria began, and increafed every inftant. 
I was at this time at Paufilipo, in the company of feveral 
of my countrymen, obferving with good telefcopes the 
curious phenomena in the crater of Vefuvius, which, 
with fuch help, we could diftinguifli as well as if we had 
been actually feated on the fummit of the volcano. The 
crater feemed much enlarged by the violence of laft 
night’s explofions, and the little mountain no longer 
exifted. At about nine o’clock there was a loud report, 
which ftiook the houfes at Portici and its neighbourhood 
to fuch a degree as to alarm their inhabitants, and drive 
them out into the ftreets ; and, as I have fince feen, many 
windows were broken, and walls cracked, by the concuf- 
fion of the air from that explofion, though faintly heard 
at Naples. 
In an inftant a fountain of liquid tranfparent fire be- 
gan to rife, and, gradually increafing, arrived at fo amazing 
a height 
