102 
Description of a Skull found in a Tree• 
[Sept. I. 
others, one of a female, upon whose 
bosom the ashes had so completely fixed 
themselves, that the print is yet visible. 
The paintings which' have been con¬ 
veyed to Portici, present, as I have pre¬ 
viously observed, a great facility of pen¬ 
ciling, and a colouring very natural ; 
the artists not being subjected to such 
absolute and precise rules amours of the 
present day, and criticism, as it should 
appear, being less directed to the mi¬ 
nutiae of the art, their productions are 
consequently much more varied. 
Would you believe that the forms 
of the specimens of armour found at 
Pompeii, bring to mind those worn by 
our ancient knights ?—which fact has 
led some persons to conjecture that this 
city was not entirely destroyed in 79 ; 
but still inhabited until an after erup¬ 
tion caused it completely to disappear. 
Perhaps I may have fatigued you, or 
wearied your patience with my long 
promenade in this buried city. It will 
be fortunate, if in thus dilating on the 
subject, I may not have fallen into that 
obscurity which it has been my endea¬ 
vour to avoid. 
