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A PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE LAST ERUP-
TION OF MOUNT VESUVIUS.

[Translated from the French]

This account is dated 15th July, 1806, from Resina, which is four miles distance from Naples, at the foot of the mountain leading to the bottom of the cone that forms the volcano.

On May 31, about ten o'clock in the evening, as I was retiring to bed, I heard a noise something like a violent gust of wind; at which I was so much the more surprised, as a moment before I had observed that the sky was fine and clear. However, I would not take the trouble of enquiring into the cause of this unexpected change, but a person whom I had sent to Naples returning a quarter of an hour after, I got up to speak with him. As I passed near the stair-case, I could see through the trees of a grove, a blaze issuing from Mount Vesuvius, in height about 100 toises. This flame alternately rose and sunk, and resembled those beautiful sheaves which are so greatly admired in well executed fire-works. It was a confused mixture of stones and inflammable matter, thrown up from the crater of the volcano, and which, as they fell, seemed to be fluid. We were then threatened with two dreadful calamities, an earthquake which generally precedes the eruption, and the eruption itself, on that side where the lava would flow. I spent the whole night in observing this sheaf of fire which continually increased, and diffused such a light, that at a league's distance, one might easily have read a letter. I endeavoured to conjecture in what other part of the mountain it was probable another eruption would take place; when at four o'clock precisely, the volcano began to discharge inHamed matter through three new mouths, without the discharge having been preceded by an earthquake. These mouths, or issues, were near one another, at about one hundred toises from the top of the mountain. The Java issued from the side of the Torre del Greco, and l'Annunziata, near Portici, on the road from Naples to Pompeia. I went in the evening to the foot of Vesuvius, to examine a torrent of lava that had already reached to a distance from the mountain. Although it was the most inconsiderable branch, yet it was at least, 12 or 13 feet wide, and 8 deep; a very torrent of fire.

June 2, between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the smoke began to rise with greater violence than on the preceding day; it was also thicker. During the whole day a hollow sound prevailed, similar to that of two armies engaged, whose artillery and musketry are well served. Towards night I approached the great torrent of lava, which was rather slow in its progress. I estimated it 200 feet long, and 15

deep. The whole mass resembled a wall of
glass in the act of melting; sometimes I could
see flashes of lightning shooting from it,
and these were followed by a report as loud
as that of a gun of a large calibre. Whatever
happened to impede the course of the lava,
vines, trees, houses, &c. was instantly melted
or devoured. I arrived at the moment when
the lava was sapping the foundations of a wall
in front of which was the bed of a torrent
from thirty to forty feet deep. I saw the wall
give way, and the lava precipitate itself like a
cataract of fire, nearly perpendicular, into the
bed of the torrent. This kind of sea of fire
which covers three miles of a most fruitful
country, forms but one mass from the mouth
whence it issued to the point where it stops, is
a sight, at once amazingly grand and dreadful.
June 3, the lava ran very slowly, and through
a single opening. The matter which on the
2d ran from the other two apertures, had stop-
ped at the foot of Vesuvius. At night the
whole mass had ceased to advance, the borders
were already cool, although the middle was
burning. Á few detonations were heard, but
not so frequently as on the preceding day.
The mountain continued to emit clouds of
smoke.

On the 4th and 5th the hollow noise from the interior of the mountain became much louder, and continued during much longer periods than before. The bellowing was distinctly heard both at Naples and at Portici, notwithstanding they are two leagues distant from one another. A thick smoke continued to issue from every part of the crater. Soon after, clouds of ashes rose, and overspread the country around; the lava next followed. It issued from the same chasm, as the most considerable torrent had ran in the same direction. On the 6th and 7th the volcano vomited a large quantity of ashes: Portici, Resina, and la Torre del Greco, were entirely covered with them, but the internal noise had subsided. It was renewed with still greater violence on the 8th and 9th, over Portici and Resina, poured a sable and thick rain, consisting of mud and sulphureous particles. On the following days, the noise from the interior rolled at long intervals only; the smoke, though not so thick, continued to rise from the mountain; a small quantity of ashes also rose, but fell back into the crater.

July 1, as I supposed the eruption to be terminated, although the mountain continued to smoke, I set off with a few friends to visit Vesuvius. At 10 o'clock in the evening we reached the hermitage, where we stopped till midnight. We then proceeded, and were obliged to climb rather than to walk; however, by half after 1 o'clock, we arrived at the summit. We found the ascent very difficult, · as the eruption had destroyed the former path way. We were under a necessity of proceed

ing up a new one on the opposite side, which | ON THE ACQUISITION OF SEVERAL PRO

was almost perpendicular. This path way was composed of ashes and stones, in which we sunk up to our knees. We found the mountain totally altered. Those parts which had formerly been filled with the lava and pebbles, and over which it was equally diificult and dangerous to proceed, are now become a plain, and so levelled, that an army might manoeuvre there. If the volcano were but extinguished, certain hillocks here and there might be cultivated; but no doubt it is far from that state.

The former crater has disappeared, it is filled up with ashes and lava, but a new one has been formed at the eastern part of the mountain, which is about one hundred fathoms deep, and nearly as wide at its opening. We descended about half way, but dared not proceed any farther. We were already close to the flames, and felt a most violent heat. In this position we continued half an hour, admiring the spectacle offered by the liquid lava bubbling at the bottom of the crater; which resembles the melted matter in the boiler of a glass-house. The stones that we threw into it were instantly melted. The mountain is considerably lowered, and has two large clefts, one facing la Torre del Greco, the other fronting Resina. A new eruption is very much apprehended, on account of the large quantity of melted matter which remains in the crater, and of the clefts observed in the mountain. These clefts are not in the crater, some are a mile distant from it; the most considerable hardly reaches the top.

The damage occasioned by this eruption is immense. The governor of la Torre del Greco, has reported the great distress of so many families, and of most of the country people,

DUCTIONS OF THE EAST-INDIES, IN AD-
DITION TO THOSE WHICH HAVE BEEN
ALREADY DERIVED FROM THAT COUNTRY.

By M. Le Goux de Flaix, of the Corps of
Engineers, Member of the Academy of
Sciences at Paris, the Asiatic Society at
Calcutta, &c.

PART I.-OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM.

Among all the regions of the globe there is none which contains so many useful or agreeable productions, as the Indies, particularly in that district to which both ancient and modern writers have given the name of Hindoostan. It is situated under a serene and clear sky, animated throughout the year by the operative and fertilizing rays of the sun; and its plains are watered by periodical rains, and copious dews. All the regions of this vast empire enjoy a perpetual spring; it abounds in corn and fruits of the most exqui site kinds, and breeds animals interesting by their use, their beauty, or their curiosity.

The advantages attending so many bounties of nature, have been felt by man from the earliest periods; here he has perfected civilization, and in this country the human race, perhaps, is superior in moral qualities to those of the species which inhabit other parts of the globe.

Into this fine country, and among the people which anciently inhabited it, the most celebrated nations of the west formerly travelled, in order to obtain a knowledge in the sciences and arts. They also transported into their own countries the rich productions of this happy soil.

The modern inhabitants of Europe, when the principles of learning and knowledge, which they had derived from antient Greece, whose whole harvest has been destroved. were effectually rooted and cultivated among The first step towards their relief has been them, crowded towards these countries so exempting from all taxes the property that highly favoured by nature, to procure whathad suffered. A resolution has also passed ever might augment their enjoyments. Althat the Benevolent Commission should in ready have many plants and trees, natives of future raise a fund to indemnify such land- India, and many arts practised among its owners or farmers in the neighbourhood of people, during a long period of ages, in the Vesuvius, as might become sufferers by erup-highest degree of excellency, been transferred tions of the volcano a Subscription will be opened for the immediate relief of the unfortu-peans in America. nate sufferers.

EAST-INDIA PRODUCTIONS.

The following article is a translation from the French: that it is capable of being correeted and improved, we are well fersuaded, but we have made no alteration in it, presuming that the opinion of an intelligent foreigner, though not infallible, yet should rest on its own merits.

VOL. F. [Lit. Pan. Dec. 1806.]

either to Europe, or to the colonies of Euro

Nevertheless, a great number of other vegetables, and some kinds of animals, useful or curious, which might be procured from the Coasts of Coromandel and Malabar, from Orissa, Bengal, Cachemir, the Pan-tab, and neighbouring provinces, have escaped our researches.

are, notwithstanding, important, either to These plants and these animals. our commerce, to our nourishment, to our industry, or to our gratification, and deserve to be transplanted to our colonies in the hotter climates; some of them night even be naturalised to advantage in Europe.

X

Among the great number of animals, trees, and plants, which are natives of India, and objects of importance for us to acquire, though hitherto, notwithstanding the intimate connection of Europe with this rich country, they have been overlooked, I shall in this memoir, notice only those which are the most remarkable and the most useful.

1. VARIETIES OF COTTON.

The different species of cotton, white and coloured, which are cultivated in Hindoostan, as well in the northern provinces as in the southern, (improperly called by our geographers, the "Peninsula within the Ganges," whereas in fact it is no peninsula) as well as the other kinds of cottons produced in the adjoining countries. These productions are extremely valuable as articles of commerce, of manufactures, and of colonial agriculture as well as by the qualities of many of them, which are superior to those of the kinds which have hitherto been procured. They might even be naturalised in the southern climates of Europe.

II. VARIETIES OF SUGAR CANES. Those sugar canes of the early kinds, named Kari Karimbone, and Haricli, which no traveller has yet mentioned, although they are cultivated by preference in Hindoostan. These vegetables are extremely important by their qualities, and especially by their for wardness and precocity. These might be naturalized in the South of Europe.

III. VARIETIES OF INDIGOES. The anils, or indigo plants, especially that species which is cultivated in the province of Agra, named nilbodi, i. e. "deep blue," because, in reality, the indigo which it yields is of a dark blue, without having, as other species have, a hue of copper colour or violet: also the anil cultivated at Raja-Mindi; named nerruim in the Telinga dialect, which is the softest of the nineteen languages spoken in Hindoostan. I shall not advert to every other kind of indigo, cultivated in the different climates of this extensive region, which it might be desirable to possess, for the purpose of comparison with others at present known in our colonies: but I ought not to forget the apocyn indigo plant of Sumatra, which M. Cossigny has described in his voyage to Canton, and which the English have transplanted into Bengal. This species is very sich in indigo.

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Europe. It contains a great proportion of glutenous particles, and but little bran. The guhou-boud deserves, in this respect, the name, or rather characteristic epithet, which the Hindoos give it, when they say, it is "the substance of substance." This kind is the more valuable as it is but three months and a half, or four months at furthest in the ground; as are all kinds of grain cultivated in this rich and fertile country. This wheat does not rise above 12 or 14 inches; its stem is very thin, shining, much more white and tender than that of corn in general. Cattle prefer it to the best grass. Three leaves placed at equal distances, the whole length of the stem, and half as long again as the stem itself, give it a graceful and ornamental appearance. This is a distinguishing character of this kind of grain. The ear is bearded, and usually bears 51 to 55 grains, placed on four regular sides, which form the summit of the stem. Such are the distinctions of this wheat; it is semi-transparent, and always fuller, and much whiter, than any other of its kind.

V.-VARIETIES OF RICE.

The Bengal rice, named benafouli, i. c. "odoriferous," that of the Pan jab, another kind named goundouli, which signifies "little sphere,' because this grain is nearly round. The benafouli is a very delicate kind of rice, very white, and extremely long in proportion to its thickness; when dressed, it diffuses a sweet and agreeable odour. The other is the only species of rice which is sometimes cultivated on dry ground. It is inodourous, of a dull white, rather inclining to yellow; it is less transparent than the benafouli. The goundouli is most nutritive when dressed.

In this country where rice is the chief nourishment of the major part of the people, that kind of rice is preferred for constant aliment which is called oubaté, which undergoes boiling a first time, before it becomes white, or is deprived of its capsule. The round, or spherical rice, is usually prepared in hacha, which signifies raw.' This is reserved for the purpose of making pilaw, which is not boiled; as is customary when the kind called oubalé is employed. As this dish is well known to be partly composed of the gravy of flesh meat, there is no need to describe it particularly.

VI. VARIETIES OF PRUITS.

The fruits of Bahar, come from the province of Cashmir, and are, like the ananas, full of juice, small and almost round; but their sweetness and especially their perfume exceeds expression.

The APRICOT of Cashmir, is an exquisite fruit, superior to that of Europe, and even to that of Persia, in size, in the quantity of

its delicious juice, its flavour, and its salubrity. An excellent comfit is made of this fruit, by the addition of a kind of almonds. This fruit is named jamuani; and is absolutely unknown in Europe. The tree rises to the height of 11 or 12 feet; its leaves have the same colour, and general appearance, as those of our apricot trees: only, these leaves are somewhat more lanceolated, and spread about the middle. The Cashmirians cultivate the tree in the open field only, and never graft it. They do the same by a kind of plumb, named kabouli, which is delicious when dried. I ought not to forget to mention two excellent fruits of the same country, which have no stones: one is the beautiful pomgranate named auari; which is carried into all the neighbouring countries, and is capable, on account of its goodness, of being kept more than a year. The other is a kind of grape, of which there are two species, neither of which have stones; but both are very large and extremely delicious.

They are prepared, packed up in cotton, and sent to the lower parts of the Ganges, to Delhi, and even to the coast of Coromandel. The stoneless grape of Cashmir, is divided into white chasselas, and muscate, white and red. This is less scented than common mus

cate, but retains its properties longer. The bark of the pomgranate is well known to be astringent, and to possess some of the same properties as the quinquina bark.

To these fruits may be added, the sweet oranges of Silote, situated between Bengal and the kingdom of Ava, of which there are many varieties unknown in Europe. The green oranges of Arcot, also the green pamplemusses of Bernagor, a city on the river Hughly, between Calcutta and Serampore. This last named fruit, absolutely unknown in Europe, is an orange of a prodigious size, its flesh is sweet, delicious, and green, red, or white. Perhaps this is one of the finest fruits in the universe. A single one fills a plate in a desert.

[This Article will be resumed.]

DIDASCALIA.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

The tragedy of Coriolanus has been presented to the public at this theatre in a stile of elegance, and classical splendor, that reflects the greatest credit on Mr. Kemble's taste, and attention to the very minutiae of the scene; independent of any praise he may merit for the performance of the character of Coriolanus, which we may safely affirm to be a chef-d'œuvre in the dramatic art: nor do we think that any stage can boast its equal-notwithstanding what has been vaunted of the Larives and Talmas of a neighbouring country-both of whom we have seen,

and are proud to hail our countryman as their superior. We, however, as Britons not wholly unused to mobs and to senates, submit to the manager's judgement, whether the addition of a dozen or two of actors to augment the main body of the rabble would not improve the general effect of the scene; whether it would not enrich the picture; for we really imagined that we discovered a paucity of poor and turbulent citizens in the streets of Rome we also wish for a few more Senators in the senate, as at present they seem hardly sufficient to "make a house." Mrs. Siddons sustained her part with great dignity and effect. We wish we could say the same of Mr. Munden, who mixed too much of the buffoon in his character; a too common fault in most performers, who think such characters as Menenius (and Polonius in Hamlet) are played well when they "set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh "to make the tag-rag people clap them,"whereas in fact, these ludicrous personages grossly violate the general tone of the piece, and disturb that repose to the mind which the author had originally in his contemplation, and by means of which he intends to prepare the spectator for the full effect of the principal incidents and characters. And indeed as Shakespeare again observes," Now this, "overdone, though it make the unskilful "laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the censure of which one, must, in your allowance, o'erweigh a whole "theatre of others." Besides, on referring to the Dramatis Personæ, we perceive Menenius is described as the friend of Coriolanus, not as a Roman buffoon:

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had been seduced by Prince Altenburg, and afterwards deserted by him, in consequence of his marriage with a German Princes, (who bore him a son, and shortly after died) lived retired in a cottage near the castle, with her supposed son Adro, tier the assumed name of Madame Clermont. Adrian during his childhood. being frequently invited to Roser.heim Castle, as he advanced to manhood, became deeply enamoured of Orrila. Prince Alsburg, who had become a widower, the patron and friend of Count Rosenheim, proposes for the hand of Orrila, and arrives with the Count at his castle to celebrate bis nuptials. His arrival baffles the hopes of the young lovers. Madame Clermont, terrified at the Prince's presence, prevails on Adrian to quit the territories of Saxony; and the Count, suspecting the real state of his daughter's affections, forbids Adrian's presence at the Castle. Lothaire, (page to Altenburg) contrives a meeting between the young lovers at the house of his sister Minna; and while Adrian is on his way to Minna's cottage, he accidentally preserves the life of Altenburg, and refuses to tell who he is. The Prince receives intimation from Lothaire, and waits on Madaine Clermont to thank her for his deliverance, but is disdainfully received, she not even unveiling. During this, a meeting having taken place between the lovers, Orrila consents to ekipe with Adrian. They are intercepted in their flight, and brought back to the Castle. Madame Clermont, hearing of the situation of Adrian (whose life is become forfeited by the laws of Saxony, for endeavouring to run away with the heiress of a noble family,) hastens to the Castle, gets admission to the Count's presence, and in vain pleads for her son. Hearing the voice of Altenburg, she hides her face with her veil. The Prince enters, lading in Adrian (his deliverer), whose pardon he obtains. Madame Clermont kneels to the Prince, unveils, and discovers herself to be Matilda Carlstein, whom the Prince had seduced; and in the relation which she gives of the occurrences of her life, Adrian is discovered to be the legitimate son of Altenburg, whom he imagined had been drowned, but whom Matilda Carlstein had stolen from his house, stripped him of his clothes, and sent them down the Elbe; by which all difficulties in his marriage with Orrila are removed, the Count consents to their union, and the Prince receives Matilda as his wife.

This is not a translation, we believe, but only borrowed" from the German school, and strongly resen bles Lovers' Vows. To say the truth it is all over German, notwithstanding the introduction of a poor Welch harper, who came into Saxony, nobody knows how, to sing ditties" in honour of the Lord of Rosenheim ;" and to preserve this German

character, the Deity is continually invoked usque ad nauseam. Add to this, a plentiful share of declamation, which renders the piece both tedious and dull. However, it was very favorably received, and the audience was contented to wink at the most glaring improprieties—such, for instance, as the tolling of the bell for the execution of Adrian before he is even tried; but then we learn from the next scene that the Count of Rosenheim intends to give him up to the laws of his country; -by this dextrous anachronism the audience is amused with a pretty piece of music to the burden of ding dong bell. The language is sometimes figurative, and now and then approaches the true bombast. "On creation's brink," is a phrase employed to describe the situation of a fair lady dying with grief. Nor is it deficient in many other phrases equally fine.

Although our languor was happily relieved by some sweet music composed by Kelly, Atwood, &c. yet we hope the author will attend to the confort of future audiences who may honor this play, and not only use the pruning knife, but the hatchet, as Mr. Puff says; for it is intolerably long, and certainly a great part of it may be left out without de triment to what remains. When the curtain dropped, it was half past ten o'clock. We are antigallicans, yet we must acknowledge, "they manage these things better in France" -all theatric entertainments being, or at least used to be, over by ten.

Miss Smith, the heroine, displayed great powers, and the energy with which she sustained her praying, extravagant part, materially contributed to the success of the piece: she is second only to Mrs. Siddons. Miss Brunton played very prettily indeed-but her dress reminded us of Mine. Tallien and the Palais-Royal. We notice this merely, en passant, for we shall have much to say in a future number about dresses. Mr. Cooke tripped more than once or twice. Mrs. C. Kemble's character was too contemptible to make any thing of, though she bustled through it, and did all she could for it.

The newspapers have kindly told us that the prologue (written by Mr. Skeffington) was a neat classical production-we thank them; as, without their information, we should not have known it; for notwithstanding we were only three seats from the orchestra, we could not thoroughly understand one line, owing to the imperfect and confused manner in which it was delivered by Mr. Brunton. It certainly had one merit, it was short. The epilogue, by Mr. W. Porter, contained some happy allusions to the present election scenes, and put the goodnatured audience into such a merry humour, that, when the play was given out for a second representation, they gave a proof of their profound taste and judgement, by ap

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