There let them rest in peace, and if sleep has not already overpowered you, indulge it now--I shall not be offended with you. I am aware, that however refined and extatic the satisfaction, the objects I have mentioned afford to the senses, this pleasure is not to be communicated in a description by so humble a Dilettante as your poor friend. I have, therefore, nearly confined myself to an abridgment of the catalogue, which, as I before apprised you, fills a large volume. And since a long list, even of painters, and sculptors, statues, and paintings, must ever be dry and tautological, what can we expect from its epitome? But to me, I confess, it has afforded the greatest satisfaction; that of proving that to please you, I willingly risk exposing myself.
LETTER XXIV.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Naples, April 23, 1788.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
We left Florence on the 27th of March, and, on the 6th instant, sailed from Leghorn.
The little island of Elba lying in our course towards Naples, we meant to stop there, for a few hours, to examine the harbour, which, it is said, is a very convenient one for vessels watching an enemy in Leghorn Roads; but, having no wind till three o'clock in the afternoon, we did not reach it till dusk. We were now going nine knots an hour. Nothing could be seen till the morning; and, as we did not think it right to lose a night's run with so favourable a wind, we were deprived of the satisfaction of informing ourselves with regard to the harbour, and of gratifying our curiosity, by seeing the natural state of the curious stones found in this island.
The wind continuing fair, we passed Mount Cercelle, and the coast of Rome, on the 7th; at day-light on the 8th, were in sight of Ischia and Capria; but, our fair wind dying away, we did not get to an anchor in the bay of Naples till the afternoon of the next day.
Mount Vesuvius is in a very different state from that in which we left it. There have been several eruptions. The sides of the crater or cone have fallen in, and the lava has given itself vent, by forcing the side of the mountain. It is now running; and, as this is a phenomenon I had not an opportunity of seeing when I was here last autumn, I made it my first object on my return.