NAPLES

On the tenth day of this month we arrived early at Naples, for I think it was about two o'clock in the morning; and fure the providence of God preferved us, for never was fuch weather feen by me fince I came into the world; thunder, lightning, ftorm at fea, rain and wind, contending for maftery, and combining to extinguifh the torches bought to light us the laft ftage: Vefuvius, vomiting fire, and pouring torrents of red hot lava down its fides, was the only object vifible; and that we law plainly in the afternoon thirty miles off, where I afked a Francifcan friar, If it was the famous volcano? “Yes,” replied he, “that's our mountain, which throws up money for us, by calling foreigners to fee the extraordinary effects of fo furprifing a phænomenon.” The weather was quiet then, and we had no notion of paffing fuch a horrible night; but an hour after dark, a ftorm came on, which was really dreadful to endure; or even look upon: the blue lightning, whofe colour fhewed the nature of the original minerals from which fhe drew her exiftence, fhone round us in a broad expanfe from time to time, and fudden darknefs followed in an inftant: no object then but the fiery river could be feen, till another flafh difcovered the waves toffing and breaking, at a height I never faw before.