the inhabitants of Naples consider as a presage of evil; and we certainly experienced two or three slight shocks of an earthquake during our short residence in that city.

At the time of the late eruption the lava found vent at the base of the cone, and ran in a glowing torrent towards the old crater; and then turning in the direction of Pompeii, overwhelmed an entire village, together with its vineyards and orchards, although several miles distant. In consequence of the uninterrupted exhalations of sulphureous vapour, we did not attempt to descend into either of the craters. In fact their thin, sharp edges rendered this not only dangerous but impracticable, while the space around them is so contracted as scarcely to leave sufficient room for two persons to pass abreast without peril.

Under the guidance of our jettator, we also entered the gloomy depths of Herculaneum, wandered through the streets of Pompeii, now in the same state as they were nearly two thousand years ago, and even penetrated into

the secret chambers of the goddess Isis, in defiance of the superstitious belief still entertained that the impious mortal who dares to violate her privacy will suffer from fever during the remainder of his days. We likewise day after day visited together every spot immortalized by Homer and Virgil, passed through the gloomy cavern of Posilipo, on our way to pay a morning visit to the Sybil in her grotto, without being robbed by brigands, and from thence to the Lago d'Averno, a feat which many a brave Roman of the olden time would not have done, from the fear of being carried away by the sprites and genii who then peopled its romantic banks !

Neither did we forget to visit the baths of Nero, where we were not quite baked with the heat, although we ate an egg that was cooked by the same heat during the time we remained there, and witnessed at the Grotta del Cane the disagreeable spectacle of a poor terrier becoming lifeless in a few seconds because my friends wished to see the influence of the

noxious gas. We also passed whole days together in wandering about the shores of the Bay of Baia, that luxurious winter retreat of the degenerate Romans; moralized over the folly of man and the infantile occupations to which he will descend, when we saw the Piscinai (fish-ponds) of Hortensius, who, history records, clothed himself in mourning on the death of a beloved trout! and having, it would appear, an insane attachment for his finny favourites, decked them with jewelled necklaces, and gave to each a name, which they responded to when called upon by raising their heads out of the water! In the same manner the devout piscatory tribes listened to St. Anthony, when, commiserating their spiritual wants, he preached them a sermon; and whoever doubts the truth of the miracle, has only to journey to Padua, where he will see the fact immortalized in a beautiful painting over the high altar in the cathedral church.

After seeing the various interesting objects

VOL. I.

S

in Naples and its delightful environs, we prepared, though not without some regret, to bid adieu to this charming city. And if the lazzaroni stole a pocket - handkerchief, or cheated me of a few grani, I blamed my own stupidity, and forgave them, for I knew they were nearly starving. Beyond this propensity, and now and then displaying their genius as first-rate actors in counterfeiting death from starvation, and similar able performances, with the object of extracting a few pence from the pocket of a compassionate traveller, they are the same lively, singular people now as they have ever been; and notwithstanding their priests tell them we are heretics, they are far more attached to the English than to the travellers of any other nation. Perhaps it may be that they are found to be more generous; at all events, we know that many a wretched pauper, when he returns at night to his starving family, in the fulness of his gratitude blesses the English Milord who has given him the means of procuring them food.

CHAPTER XI.

Preparations for leaving Naples-Railroad to CapuaNeapolitan officers-A female Jesuit-An embarrassing position-Sketches of a tour from Capua to Gaeta Account of Gaeta Miraculous efficacy attributed to the chair of Pio Nono at Gaeta-Visit to the Monastery of St. Benedict-The birth-place of Cicero Interesting ruins at Arpino-Tomb of Cicero-Itri and its supper of thrushes-Fondi — Arrival in the Papal States-Passports and Customhouse officers-American firmness opposed to Papal police-Sketch of Terracina and its environs-Characteristics of the mountaineers-Insalubrity of the marshes.

We now proposed leaving Naples for Rome, but the preparations for departure are not the work of a moment, for in these days of the