‘Sir WILLIAM HAMILTON’S Account of 
lefs, and never to reach the ground ; whereas that with 
which the black volcanic cloud of laft night was preg- 
nant appeared mifchievous, like the lightning that at- 
tends a fevere thunder ftorm, as we ihould undoubtedly 
have experienced, had the eruption continued longer, 
and the cloud fpread over Naples, The fame kind of 
lightning proved fatal to feveral people, and did great 
damage within the fpace of many miles round Vefuvius 
(during its great eruption of 1631, as is mentioned in 
one of my former letters on this fubjeft. 
During this day’s eruption the relies of St. Januarius 
were carried in proceffion, and expofed to the furious 
mountain from the bridge of the Maddalena, amidll: a 
prodigious concourfe of people, who are at this moment 
well convinced, that to this ceremony alone Naples may 
attribute ats happy efcape. 
It was if om their Sicilian Majefties palace at Paufilipo 
that 1 made my obfervations on this day’s eruption, and 
in the prefence of their Majefties, who had been pleafed 
to fend for me in the morning, as foon as the volcano 
became turbulent. 
Tuefday, Auguft the 10th, Vefuvius was quiet. 
Wednefday, Auguft the 1 ith, about fix o’clock in the 
-morning, the fifth and laft fever-fit of the mountain, 
came on, and gradually increafed. About twelve o’clock 
it 
