an Eruption of Mount Vefuvius, 57 
lowed the expreffion) behind it; in other parts of the 
iky it was perfectly clear, and the liars were bright. 
The fiery fountain, of fo gigantic a fixe, upon the 
dark ground above mentioned, made the moil glorious 
contrail imaginable, and the blaze of it reflected ftrongly 
on the furface of the fea, which was at that time per- 
fectly fmooth, added greatly to this fublime view. 
The liquid lava, mixed with ftones and fcor'uv , after 
having mounted, I verily believe, at the leaft ten thou- 
fand feet, was partly directed by the wind towards Ot- 
taiano, and partly falling almolt perpendicularly, ftill 
red-hot and liquid, on Vefuvius, covered its whole 
cone, part of that of the mountain of Sorama, and the 
valley between them. The falling matter being nearly 
as vivid and inflamed as that which was continually 
ifluing frefh from the crater, formed with it one com- 
plete body of fire, which could not be lefs than two miles 
and a half in breadth, and of the extraordinary height 
above mentioned, calling a heat to the dillance of at 
leaft fix miles around it. 
The brulh wood on the mountain of Somma was foon 
in a blaze, which flame, being of a different tint from 
the deep red of the matter thrown out of the volcano, 
and from the fiivery blue of the eleClrical fire, llill added 
to the contrail of this moll extraordinary fcene. 
Vol. LXX. I 
The 
