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i 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 HERCULANEUM, 
 
 THE 
 
 Subterranean City, 
 
 Lately difcovered at the 
 
 Foot of Mount Fefuvius^ 
 
 GIVING 
 
 A particular Account of the moft remarkable 
 Buildings, Statues, Paintings, Medals, 
 and other Cufiofities found there to the pre- 
 fent Time. 
 
 Tranflated from the Italian of a Memorial drawn up by 
 the Secretary of the Marquis d' Hofpital Ambaffador 
 from France to the Court of his Sicilian Majefty at 
 Naples. 
 
 And illuflrated with Notes, > 
 
 By WILLIAM FORDTCE, M.A, 
 
 To which are added 
 
 An Extrad from Xiphiliniis's Epitome of Dion and 
 Pliny the younger's Two Letters, giving an Ac- 
 count of the Overthrow of this City, and the 
 Eruption of Vefuvius that occafioned it. 
 
 LONDON: 
 1 rinted for D. Wilson Bookfeller, ^tPlafo's Head, near 
 Round Courty in the Strand, MDCCL. 
 
THE 
 
 Tranflator's Preface 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 READER. 
 
 AS I had an Opportunity laft 
 Winter, when in//^/);,of view- 
 ing the Subterranean City, 
 and examining the Curiofities they had 
 found there, 1 could not help wi£h- 
 ing, that fomebody who had been on 
 the Spot for fome time, and who had 
 had Accefs to know all the Progrefs 
 they had made, might draw up a Me- 
 morial of their Obfervations. Altho' I 
 had feen MarchefeV enuti\Kzco\xwt of 
 the firfl: Difcoveries of the antient City 
 of Heraclea^ yet I imagined that its be- 
 ing fo mixed with Fable, and Criti- 
 cifms on Infcriptions, ^c. would pre- 
 vent its pleafing the Generality of Read- 
 ers, and the more fo, as he had not been 
 upon the Spot for the laft ten Years, 
 A 2 and 
 
(4 ) 
 
 and his Defcription of confequence 
 defedtive in a Number of Particulurs, 
 which would be extremely agreeable 
 to the Reader; I afterwards, by acci- 
 dent, met with the Memoirs which I 
 have attempted to tranflate, and which, 
 I don't doubt, will give the Reader the 
 fame Pieafure they did me. As it was 
 drawn up by the Secretary of the Mar- 
 quis D' Hofpital^ Ambaffador from the 
 Court of Fra72ce to his Sicilian Maje- 
 fty, who undoubtedly had fufficient 
 Opportunities of examining in this Af- 
 fair particularly, I am perfuaded it will 
 prove fatisfadory. To render it the 
 more agreeable, I have added fuch 
 Notes as are requifite to illuftrate the 
 Subjed. 
 
 N. B. As Diojt and Pliny the younger have 
 both mentioned the Overthrow of thefe 
 two Cities, I thought it would be agree- 
 able to the Reader to give a Tranflation 
 of thefe Paflages. I find thefe Letters of 
 ' Fliny% fo well tranflatcd in the Englijh 
 ■ Edition of thefe Letters, publifhed by R, 
 Dodjley^ that I have given them juft as I 
 found them there. 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 Concerning 
 
 HERGULANEUM. 
 
 HIS Highnefs the Prince of Elbeuf 
 having gone to Naples^ in the Year 
 1706, and married in 17 13, the 
 Daughter of the Duke of Sal/ay he gave 
 orders to build a Country-houfe at fome Miles 
 diftance from that City, in a Place called 
 GranatiellOy near Po7^tici : His Workmen 
 digging in fearch of Water cut their Way 
 into a Vault, under which they found fome 
 Statues, which he ordered to be taken up^ 
 and with great Advantage continued his Re- 
 fearches, without having any Notice taken of 
 it at fir ft by the FifcaK The Noife, how- 
 
 * In 1689, as fome Workmen were digging in the 
 Side of Mount Fefuvius^ at about a Mile's diftance from 
 the Sea, they found Strata of horizontal Earth, like fo 
 many Pavements laid on purpofe, and fome Infcriptions 
 fhewing that in that Place there had been the Villa Pom- 
 peja ; but digging deeper their Search was ftopt by Water, 
 which they found in great abundance. See IJioria Uni^ 
 verfaL di M» Bianchlni Roma 1699, p. 246 ^ hi 1748. 
 
 B ever. 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 ever, which thefe Searches foon occafioned, 
 opened the Eyes of the Government at laft, 
 who did not proceed therein, but fhut up the 
 Place for the prefent. 
 
 This Difcovery was too frefh to be forgot- 
 ten, when his Sicilia?! Majelly chofe Portici 
 for a Country Seat. It was the firft Care of 
 this Prince to give Orders to digg 80 Feet 
 deep, when they found the Pavement of an 
 ancient City fituated under Portici and Refmci, 
 neighbouring Villages about fix Miles diftant 
 from NapleSy between Mount Fefuvius and 
 the Sea-lhore. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 T>ij^ere7it Opinio?2s concerning the Si^bterra" 
 nean City. 
 
 T TPON this Difcovery, there was a variety 
 ^ of Opinions among the Learned about 
 the ancient Name of this City. Some would 
 have it to be Pompeja ; others, upon the Credit 
 of Carnillo Pelkgrino maintained that it 
 was Retina^ of which P//«y ^ makes mention 
 in a Letter he wrote to Cornelius Tacitus^ 
 giving him an Account of all the Circum- 
 ftances attending his Uncle's Death. This 
 Jaft Opinion appears the more plaufible, as 
 this City ftands in the fame Situation which 
 
 ^ Carnillo P tile grimes Jpparaio alle Antiqu'iia di Capua 
 Difccrfo ficund. Sect, xxiii. « Flln, lib. 6, Epift. 16. 
 
 Pliny 
 
{ 3 ) 
 
 Pliny the younger afligns to Retina ^, and as 
 it extends under the Village now called Refma^ 
 which in one Letter only varies from Reti?ia ; 
 and it will hardly be wondered at, that fo 
 fmall a Change as that of one Letter, fhould 
 happen in the Name of a Place during the 
 Courfe of almoft eighteen Centuries. 
 
 But Pellegrino^ and the Writers who fol- 
 low him, have not taken Notice that Fliny 
 does not call Retina a City {CivitaSy Uri>s, or 
 Oppidum^ but only a Country Seat [Villa) 
 which in the Latin Idiom never fignifies a 
 City : As then this Difcovery is of a City, 
 we conclude that this was not Retina, which 
 is never placed by the Ancients among the 
 Cities fituated on the Coaft of Naples : Pliny 
 explains himfclf thus % ' On this Shore lie 
 
 * Naples and Hercukmeimy which is but a 
 
 * little Way diftant from Pompeja, at the 
 
 * Foot of VefuviitSy and on the Banks of 
 
 * SarnOy &c/ Strabo places Herculaneum quite 
 adjoining to Naples, Dionyf, lialicarnaj] . ^ 
 fays, that this City was between Naples and 
 Pompeja. Seneca ^ gives it the fame Situation, 
 in a Letter he writes to his Friend LticiliuSy 
 about the Earthquake which threw down 
 Pompeja^ under the Confulfhip of Memmius 
 Regulus and Virgifiiiis Rujus, The Cities 
 
 *^ Nam Villa ea fuhjacehat^ Plin. lib. 6. Epift. 23. 
 " Plin. lib. 3. cap. V. ^ Dionyf, Halicarrj. lib. i. 
 
 5 Se/ie£a de ^ceft, Fat. 1. vi. 
 
 B 2 which 
 
(4) 
 
 ^hich are on this Sea-Coaft, fays Florus^^ are 
 Fcnnlce^ Cinna, Pvzzuoliy IsJaples^ Herada- 
 neum and Pomf eja. Ovid ' conducing lEnea^ 
 from makes hirxi coaft alono: the Iiland 
 
 of Caprcea, the Proniontory of Minerijay So^- 
 rie?2to, Stabia^ Hercuianeum and Naples. Co^ 
 liimella ^ fays, that the Marfhes of Pompeja 
 are in the Neighbourhood of the Salt- Pits of 
 Hercuianeum, In fliort, none of thefe A\i- 
 thor*s reckon Retina among the Cities which 
 were in the Gulph of Naples^ and all agree 
 in placing Hercuianeum between Naples and 
 Pompeja : And this new difcovered City is 
 fituated precifely between thefe two. We 
 cannot then doubt but that this City is Her-- 
 culanetim, as it is at an equal Diftance from 
 Naples and the Mouth of the Samo^ where the 
 Ruins of Pompeja are. 
 
 Notwithftanding, however, the Silence of 
 ancient Hiftorians and Geographers about Re^ 
 tijia^ one may prefume that it was a confide- 
 rable Place, as there were Soldiers ftationed 
 there who ferved in the Fleet, as Pliny the 
 younger ^ teftifies, adding, that Retina was at 
 the Foot of Vefuvius, and that no Place was 
 more expofed to the Burnings of this Vulcano. 
 
 ^ Flor. lib. I . Cap. xvi. ^ Ovid. Metamorph. 
 y. 709, ^ fequent, ^ ColumelL de Cultu Her tor. 
 
 Jib. X. V. 135. ' Retina Cajfiarii inminenti peri- 
 
 culo exterriti — Afcendit ipfe non Retina modo^ ^ c. Plin. 
 lib. 6. Epift. 16. 
 
 Hercuianeum 
 
C 5 ) 
 
 Hercidaneum was in the fame Condition, if 
 one may judge from the Situation the Antients 
 have given it, and which fo perfcftiy agrees 
 with this fubterranean City. But how is it 
 poffible that Hercidaneum and Retina fliould 
 poflefs the fame Ground ? Does it not feem 
 that the very fame Circumflances applied to 
 two different Objedls imply a Conttadidion ? 
 But this vaniflies if we refled: on what Dion. 
 Halicarn. fays, concerning the firft Founda- 
 tion of Herculaneicniy ' The Affairs of Italy 
 
 * being fettled to TIercuks's Satisfadion, and 
 
 * his Naval Force being returned from Spain 
 
 * in a good Condition, he offered up in Sa- 
 ' crifice to the Gods, the tenth Part of his 
 ^ Effects, and in the fame Place where he 
 ^ moored his Fleet, He built a City of his 
 « own NamCy inhabited at prefent by the 7?^- 
 
 * mans^ between Pompeja and Naples^ with 
 
 * fecure Harbours in all Weathers.' — It is evi- 
 dent then that Hercules s Fleet was there at 
 Anchor. Is it not therefore natural to think 
 that the Place where they were, was then called 
 Retina, and that flill after the Foundation by 
 Herctdes, the Name of Retina was retained 
 in the Maritime Part of this City, at whofe 
 Extremities were fituated thefe Ports, as Strabo 
 wtll obferves " ? If there are at prefent no 
 Veftiges of thefe, it is owing to their having 
 
 f J)ionyf, Hall earn, lib. x. 
 
 " StrabOy lib. v. 
 
 been. 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 been filled up at the fame time that HercuJa^ 
 neim was buried under the Afhes. 
 
 The Cafe was probably the fame with the 
 Santo °, which paflcd by the Walls of this 
 City, and which by giving the Inhabitants an 
 % eafy way of tranfporting their Merchandize 
 by Water, formed the Magazines of Nola % 
 JNocerdy and Acer r a. 
 
 The Bed of this River muft probably have 
 been filled in the fame manner, by changing 
 the Level of the Ground, and forcing the 
 River to alter its Courfe. But tho* thefe 
 Proofs were not fufficient to demonftrate that 
 this lately difcovered City is truly the old 
 Herculaneum^ all thefe Doubts would vanifli 
 upon feeing the Infcriptions which are daily 
 found, and fome of which fliall be inferted 
 in this Account. 
 
 SECTION ir. 
 
 Of the ancient City of Herculaneum. 
 
 IF we form our Calculation upoh what 
 D/om-f. Halicarnaff, relates of the found- 
 ing of HercuJaneum, it is not difficult to e- 
 iiablilh its Date : He, as it has heen feen, 
 fixes it to the time that Hercules difembark*d 
 in lialy^ afier his Expedition to Spaiji^ viz. 
 
 • FUn. lib. iii. Cap. v. ? Zlraho^ lib, v. 
 
 3 fixty 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 fixty Years before the War of T^ro)\ and con^s 
 fequently 1342, before the Chriftian iEra. 
 
 This City inhabited fucceffively by the ^0/2-/ % 
 Tujcans^ Pe/agr, Samnites and Romans, was 
 confiderably damaged ' under the Empire of 
 Nero^ by the fame Earthquake that deftroyed 
 Pompeja^ the 5th of February^ in the fixty- 
 third Year of Chrift ; and its Ruin was com- 
 pleated by the Eruption of Vefuvius, which 
 happened in the ift Year of Titus's Reign, 
 according to Eiifebius^ Zonara and /jgricola^ 
 or in the 3d Year according to Georgiiis Ce^ 
 drenuSy Cardinal Baronius^ and many others ; 
 but the Chronology of the ift ought to be 
 preferred. 
 
 In fad we fee in Suetonius^ that Titus 
 fhewed on this Occafion not only the Tender- 
 nefs of a good Father by the Supplies he gave, 
 
 ^ Strah^ lib. v. Capuam. « Pompejos 
 
 celebrem Campaniae Urbem in quam ab altera parte Sur- 
 rentinum Stabianumque Littus, ab altera Hercu'iancnfs 
 conveniunt, mareque ex aperto condu6luai amsno Sina 
 cingit, decediffe terras motu, vexatis qusecumqije adjace- 
 bant Regionibus, Lucili Virorum optime, audivimus, 
 & quidem diebus hibernis quos vacare a tali periculo ma- 
 jores noftri folebant permittere, nonis Februariis fuit 
 motus, Regulo & Virginio Confulibus qui Campaniam, 
 nunquam fecuram ejus mali indemnem tamen & toties 
 defundam metu, magna ftragc vaftavit, nam & Hercu- 
 lanenfis oppidi pars ruit, dubieque ftant etiam quse relicta 
 funt, ^f. ^ejlion. lib, 6. Cap. u 
 
 bilit 
 
( s> 
 
 but the Fore- fight too of a wife Emperor, Iri 
 the Meafures he took, having affigned the 
 Effeds of all thofe Inhabitans who died with- 
 out Heirs for the Re-eftablifhinentof this defo - 
 lated City. 
 
 Diofi ' ar.d Zonara add, that in the Year 
 in which this terrible Accident happened, T/- 
 tui fent Colonies, gave generous Donations, 
 came himfclf into Campania^ examined care- 
 fully with his own Eyes, the Lofles which 
 the People of this Province had fuftcred, 
 gave the Necipolitam magnificent Spedlacles to 
 wear off^ their Grief, and ereded again at his 
 own Expence their Gymnafium, which had 
 been thrown down by thefe continual Earth- 
 quakes, which had attended the Eruptions, 
 and which according to the Teftimony of 
 Pliny the younger * were fo violent that 
 ' the Houfes biing fhaken to the very Foun- 
 
 * dations, quivered and feemed inceflantly as 
 
 * if they were fiiifting from their Place and 
 ' returning again immediately, fo as to threaten 
 
 * inevitable Ruin/ 
 
 7itus^ Journey into Campania is attefted 
 by too many Authors to be called in Queftion, 
 and Vv'ith refpefc to the rebuilding of the 
 Gymnafium of Naples by this Emperor, there 
 is an excellent Proof of it in the Greelz and 
 
 « D'isn, lib. xvi. " 7.on. Fit. Imp. v. ^ella dl 
 
 Tito, lib. II. ^ Piin, lib. 6. Epiil. iD and 20. 
 
 Lati7i 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 Latin Infcriptions In which the times of 
 the Ruin, and Re-eftablifliment of this Edi- 
 fice are diftindlly marked out. How could 
 it be poffible that Titus fhould have given fo 
 many Orders, made fuch Difpofitions, and 
 endured fuch Fatigues, if the Eruption had 
 happened the laft Year of his Reign ? He 
 could fcarce have had time to think of it as 
 it was not more than i8 Days from the Burn- 
 ing of Fefuvio, which began ^ the 24th of 
 Augufi^ and the Death of this Emperor, 
 which happened the 13 th of September, But 
 every difficulty is removed if we fland to what 
 George Agricola fays H'e fixes the time of 
 the Eruption in the feventh Confulate of T^itus^ 
 
 ' » TITOS KAiSAP 
 
 • " OTESnAXIANOS SEBAST02 
 
 . . EKH2. ESOYZlAS. TO. 1 
 
 . . OEHHATOS. TO H TEIMHTHX 
 
 arwi^ OQEYHSASTO. f. FTMNASIAPXHrAi;* 
 
 STMnESONIA. AHOKATESTHSEN. 
 
 NI. F. VESPASIANUS AUG. 
 
 COS VJII CENSOR P. P. 
 
 terrsmo TIBUS COiNLAPSA. ?vE3TITUlT. 
 
 This Infcription is engraved on a large Piece of Mar- 
 ble, which is ftill to be feen at Naples, fixed in a Wali 
 near the Fountain of the Anunciada. As the Marble is 
 not entire, the Infcription is imperfect in fome F'laces. 
 The Antiquaries who chofe to fill up the Parts which 
 were wanting, have fupplied thefe Letters which you fee 
 above in fmall Chara6ters. y None Cal. Septe?nb>-is 
 
 hord diei fere feptimd^ tffc. Plin. lib. 6. Epift. 1 6. 
 
 * Georg, Agricola^ de Natura eorum qucs off.uiir.t in terra 
 lib. 5. 
 
 C which 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 which Is precifely the ift Year of his Reign, 
 an Epocha eftabhftied by Eujebius and Zonaray 
 and which appears fo much the more certain 
 as it agrees with all the Hiftorical Fadsj 
 fince thus we can eafily conceive that Titus 
 might have time to take, in the following 
 Years, all the Meafures neceflary to repair the 
 Difafters of Campania^ as Sueton and Dion 
 fay he did, and to rebuild the Gymnalium of 
 Naples^ as has been feen in the above-men- 
 tioned Infcription. We may likewife fee 
 that he did this in his eighth Confulate, which 
 falls in exaftly with the 2d Year of his Em- 
 pire. In this manner it is paft all doubt that 
 the Burning of Vefuvius happened in the ift 
 Year of Titus, the 24th of Augujl^ in the 
 79th Year of the Chriftian ^^ra. Now ad- 
 mitting that the Siege of Troy was 60 Years later 
 than the founding of Herculaneum^ this City 
 muft have flood 1420 Years, 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Cj the Lava and Inundations which fomefimes 
 accompany the Burning of Vefuvius. 
 
 'T^HE Matter under which this City lies 
 ^ buried, is not all of one fort ; in fome 
 Plice? it is the Lava of Vefuvius, in others 
 a kind of Mortar or very hard Cement. 
 
 The Neapolitans give the Name of Lava to 
 thefe Rivers of Sulphur, of Rocks and Bitu- 
 I men, 
 
( n ) 
 
 men, mixed together, which Vefiivhis vomits 
 forth in its Fury. Thele burning Materials 
 don't run with the Impetuolity of a Torrenr, 
 but form a thick and vifcous Matter, which 
 h'ke Pafte or melted Glafs, flows flowly and 
 preferves its Heat a great while, till it reaches 
 the Sea, where this Matter has gradually form- 
 ed Promontories in different Places : As the 
 Lava lofes its Heat, it ftops and becomGS 
 as hard a Mafs as Marble itfelf, takes the 
 fame Figure, and ferves for the fame Purpofes. 
 
 One may eafily conceive how, while this 
 Matter is liquid, it infinuates itfelf into all the 
 void Spaces it meets with in its Palfage, and 
 therefore it is not ftrange that thofe Places 
 through which it direcfts its Courfe in Hercii^ 
 laneum^ are as well filled up as if it had been 
 done with melted Lead % Such is one part of 
 the Theatre and many of the neighbouring 
 Buildings, which has undoubtedly been the 
 reafon that they have found Pieces of Statues 
 of Bronze, while what is wanting in them 
 have probably been melted by the Heat of 
 the Lava. 
 
 Since that Eruption which buried Heretic 
 laneum^ they reckon twenty-lix others, the 
 Lava of which too have palTed over this 
 ruin'd City, and is probably the reafon that 
 there is a Vault or Body of thefe Materials 
 to the Thicknefs of eighty Feet, between this 
 City and the Pavement of Portici. 
 
 C 2 It 
 
( X2 ) 
 
 It Teems neverthelefs that thefe Rivers of 
 Fire formerly paiTed over, only the leffer Part 
 of the City, but that the reft was buried under 
 a kind of Mortar or hard Cement compofed 
 of Earth and of the Aflies of FefuviuSy bound 
 together by Water ; This Cement has not 
 only filled the Streets, the Piazzas and other 
 open Places, bat has penetrated into all the 
 Edifices without damaging them, and has 
 filled I'p every empty Space. How can one 
 explain this Singularity without fuppofing that 
 Vejuvius had begun to throw out fuch Quan- 
 tities of Afhes as to exceed in height the highefl 
 Edifices, and that afterwards the Waters of 
 the Sea having penetrated into the Furnaces 
 of this Vulcano had again been thrown out 
 of its Mouth ; that thefe Torrents had drawn 
 the Allies within, into the Buildings where 
 they had been flopped by the different Ob- 
 ftacles which had prefented themfelves, were 
 moulded by their own Weight, which was 
 great, and confiantly encreafed by the frefh 
 Supplies of the other Afhes which keep 
 continually pouring down from the Moun- 
 
 If we chofe to follow the Opinion of the 
 Academy of Naples^ we fhould attribute thefe 
 Effeds to the great Rains which fall foon 
 after thefe Eruptions but to produce this Ef- 
 fedt, we muft fuppofe an incredible Quantity 
 of Water would be w^anted, fo that the firft 
 
 Suppofition 
 
(13 ) 
 
 Suppofitlon win be attended with lefs IncojW' 
 veniency. 
 
 But befides it is founded on the Teftimony 
 of many Authors ^ who alTure us, that in feme 
 Eruptions Vefiivius has thrown out as much 
 Water as Fire, and among others in that E- 
 ruption of 1631, that the Port of Naples on 
 the loth of December ^ turned and continued 
 dry for fome fhort Ipace of time, and that 
 all kinds of Shell Fifh were mixed with the 
 Lava which had run down from the Moun- 
 tain. 
 
 If this laft Circumftance be true, it is an 
 undoubted Proof that the Water of the Sea 
 had penetrated into the Vulcano, and had 
 come out at its Mouth : The Infcription made 
 at that time at the Gate of Portici feems to 
 fay fo % and another at the Torre di Gra^ 
 
 * Celano^ Tom. IV. p. 4. ^ DominUo Aniomo 
 
 Penino, Part. XI. S. xiii. ^ Pofteri Pofteri Veftra 
 
 res agitur.- — Dies face praefert Diei, Nudius perendino. 
 Advenite ! Vicies ab fatu Solis, ni fabulatur Hiftoria arfit 
 Vefuvius, immani femper clade haefitantiutn : ne poft 
 haec incertos occupet, moneo. Uterum gerit mons hie 
 bituminfe, Alumine, Ferro, Sulphure, auro, argento, 
 Nitro, Aqtiarum fontihus gravem. Serius, ocius ignefcit, 
 Pelagoque Influente^ pariet \ fed ante parturit concutitur, 
 concutitque folum, fumigat, corufcat, flammigerat, quatic 
 aerem, horrendum immugit, boat, tonat, arcet finibus 
 Accolas. Emigrandum licet ; jamjam cnititur, erumpit. 
 Mixtum Igne lacum evomit prjecipiti ruit ille lapfu fugam- 
 que praevertit. Si corripit a£tum eft, periifti Anno Salut. 
 M. D. C. XXXI. Kal. Januarii, &c. 
 
 This Infcripti9n is on the Street of Fsrtici, 
 
( H) 
 
 d> ^ ftrengthens this Conjefture. Bomenico 
 ylntonio Penijio in his Defcription * of the 
 Gulph of Naples, fpeaking of the Eruption of 
 1698, affbres us that the Sea withdrew 12 
 Paces all of a fudden, and its Waters iflued 
 forth at the fame time from the Vulcano, fo 
 that they found a Quantity of different kinds 
 of Shell Fifli calcined, which had the Smell 
 of Sulphur. Pliny the younger, who was an 
 Eye-Witnefs to the Eruption in which his 
 Uncle perifhed at the fame time that Hercu^ 
 laneum was deftroyed, afferts pofitively that 
 the Sea feemed to be ingulphed and driven 
 back by the Shocks of the Earth. 
 
 Viam a Neapoli ad Rhegium perpetuis ante latro- 
 ciniis infamem, & conflagrati Vefuvii faxis impeditam, 
 purgato infidiis loco, exaequata Planitie, latam, redam- 
 que direxit aere provinciali Perafanus Ribera Alcalanorum 
 Dux, Prorex, A. M- D. Lxiii At O ! viii, & lx. Poft 
 anno Kal. Jan. Philippo IV. regnante famo, flammis & 
 Boatu concufTus cinere, Eruptione horrificus, ferus fi un- 
 quam Vefevus nec nomen nec fafces tanti Viri extimuit, 
 quippe ex ardefcente caefis fpecubus, igne, ignitus, furens, 
 irrugiens exitium eru6lans coercitus aer, Difcerpto vio- 
 lenter montis cacumine, immani hiatu erupit poftridie : 
 cjaculans trans Hellefpontum cinerem ; pone irahens ad 
 explendum vlcem Pelagus, immite pelagus, fluvios fulphu- 
 reos, flammatum Bitumen, fletus alumine cavus Informeni 
 cujuslibet metalli rudus, mtxtum aquarum fluminthus 
 ignem ferreumque undante fumo Cinere fefeque funeftam 
 Colluviem. Jugo montis exonerans Pompejos, Hercula- 
 mm Oftavianum prseftricStis Refma & Porticu Silvafque, 
 Villafque, i^^defque momento firavit, uffit, dirupit ; 
 }u£luofam prse fe praedam agens Vaftumquc Triumphumj 
 &c. ^ Parte XI. S. xiii. 
 
 But 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 But however this may be, it is a certain 
 Fadt that every Part is full in Herculaneum : 
 To enter into the Streets or Houfes you muft 
 dig by breaking with the Point of a Hammer 
 the Lava or Cement which fills and envelops 
 every Part. If it was not for this, the greateft 
 part of the Buildings would fall, as they hang 
 much to one Side. Now it is remarkable 
 that their Inclination is every where towards 
 the Sea Side, and thence natural to fuppofe 
 that it was occafioned by the Weight of the 
 Water, which would have entirely ruined 
 and deftroyed Herculaneum, if it had not been 
 filled and formed fo as that every Part reci- 
 procally fupported and fuftained each other ; 
 and as this City on the other Side was entirely 
 buried under the Afhes, there was nothing 
 prefented but an even Surface upon which 
 the Torrents glided along without refiftance 
 and of confequence eafily ^ 
 
 ^ Though we can eafily conceive by our Author's 
 Account of the Matter, how the Lava fupported the 
 Walls of the Houfes when forced ofF their Perpendicular, 
 yet we cannot fo eafily comprehend how the Afhes could 
 do that, unlefs they iffued from the Mountain mixed 
 with a fufHcient Proportion of Water to form a Pafte 
 of a proper Thicknefs and Cgnfiftance. 
 
 SECTION 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Of the 7heatre of Herculaneum,^ 
 
 TT I S Sicilian Majefty had no fooner given ■ 
 Orders to fet about digging under Portici 
 and Kefina^ than they found fome Statues of 
 the Family of the Balbi^ and fome Paintings 
 in Frefco. 
 
 Good fortune foon conduced the Work- 
 men into a Theatre which appeared to be 
 of Greek Architefture, as far as we may 
 judge from Vitruvius-^ and in reality the 21 
 Steps or Seats are not feparated by Sevens 
 as among the Romans by a fmall Plain, they 
 likewife touch and follow each other, and 
 probably if they would dig among the 7 little 
 Stairs which divide equally the Rows of Seats, 
 they would find Earthen or Brafs VelTels, 
 
 s It is a difficult thing to know when the antient Au- 
 thors rpeak of a Theatre and Amphitheatre, as thefe Ap- 
 pellations are ufed indifferently. The Grecians hardly 
 ufe this Word, if we except Herodian, The Theatres 
 of Cajusy Scribonius and Curlo^ were Amphitheatres 
 {Cher, 1. 8. Ep. 3. Theatrum Curionis, Fl'in. 1. 36. 
 Cap. 13.) Thus Spartlanus fays, that the Theatre which 
 was erefted by TrajarC^ Order in the Campus Martius^ 
 was deftroyed, which Paufanius fays was an Amphi- 
 theatre > and Dion defcribes likewife the Amphitheatre 
 of Julius Cafar, but will not call it by that Name. See 
 Marchefe Venuti\ Defcription of the firft Difcoveries of 
 HeroiUd^ P. 2. Ch. 3. 
 
 which 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 which the Greeks made ufe of to encrcafe 
 their Aftors Voices ^ 
 
 The Theatre is 290 Feet in Circumference 
 on the Outfide, 230 on the Infide to the 
 Scenes, 160 outv/ard Breadth, and 130 in- 
 ward. The Place of the Scer.e or Pulpitum 
 is about 72 Feet large, and only about 30 
 Feet high. 
 
 Like all thefe of Antiquity, this Theatre 
 is of the Shape of a Horfe-Shoe, or rather 
 defcribes a Semicircle, in the Infide of which 
 are 21 Rows of Seats, which go from the 
 fame Center, and whofe Diameters become 
 larger in Proportion as thefc rife upwards. 
 This Semicircle is terminated in a long Square, 
 divided into three Parts : That of the Middle 
 has all the Breadth which reaches from the third 
 Degree downwards to that which is oppofite 
 on the other Side, and has at bottom a Facade 
 of the Doric Order, in which are three Out- 
 lets. There was the Pulpit or fore- part of 
 the Stage where the Adlors reprefented the 
 Piece. Their Profcenium behind the Facade, 
 and the other tv/o Parts of the long Square oc- 
 cupied the Space from the third Degree to the 
 greateil Breadth of the Flanks of the Theatre \ 
 
 That 
 
 ^ Thofe who have an Opportunity of being at Rome^ 
 may fee how they fitted up thefe Pots to encreafe the 
 Sound ; in the Circus of Caracalla beyond St. Sehaftian's 
 at Rome, i A Figure is wanting here to render this 
 
 Pefcription more intelH^ible, but it may ealiiy be conceived, 
 
 O of. 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 That Space which is betwixt the Pulpit and 
 fhe Seats was the OrchePira\ where there is 
 ftill, as likewife under the Stage, a Quantity 
 of Wood reduced to Charcoal, which is anor 
 ther Proof that this Theatre was built by the 
 Grceciam^ becaufe among the Romans the 
 Orchefira being deftined for the Senators and 
 Veftal Virgins, it was entirely ufelefs to make 
 that of Wood which the Atheniam defigned 
 only for the Convenience of the Dancers. 
 
 All the upper Part of the Stage was like- 
 wife adorned with a great many Works of 
 Wood, which altho' fomewhat burnt ftill pre- 
 ferve their Shape fo much, that if one may 
 conjedlure, the Theatre had Machines which 
 were equally common among the Greeks and 
 "Romans, The firft had Flights and Changes 
 of Decorations as ours, and we know that 
 
 of by ,the Figure of one which Palladto executed the 
 Model of in a very ingenious Manner at Vicenza, 
 
 ^ Seigneur Maffci fays, that the Orcheftra was that 
 Part which we call the PJatea. As among the Gra^cians 
 the Orcheftra or Platea was ufed fometimes for Shows 
 and at other times for Dancing ; thofe who fat on the 
 Benches that were neareft the Platea were faid to fit on 
 the Orcheftrii, and this rnight be the Cafe among the 
 Romans in their Amphitheatres, whofe Platea, tho' it 
 ferved for cruel Exercifes, retained the ancient Name of 
 Orcheftra, whence thefe who fat in the Orcheftra of the 
 Amphitheatres and Theatres, were to be underftood to 
 fit in the Rov/s next the Platea, and the fame Explana- 
 tion may he applied to the Linea Dives oi Martial. Sse 
 Marchefe Venuiih Defcription of thefe Difcoveries. 
 
 among 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 pmong the laft, an Aftor who played the Par^ 
 of Icarus did it fo naturally as to fall at the 
 jpeet of Nero and befprinkle him with Blood. 
 
 There were three Galleries rjiifed the ono 
 iabove the other, not quite perpendicularly, 
 but fo that the lower Wall refting on the 
 Steps, ferved as a Portico by Xvhich they en- 
 tered into the Theatre arid feated themfeives. 
 The upper Corridore or Gallery anfwered to 
 the feven Steps or Seats higher up, and which 
 alone was covered, and therefore intended for 
 the Ladies. 
 
 Laftly, this magnificent Fabric was entirely 
 crufted over with the finell Marbles of An- 
 tiquity, enriched with Colurrlns and Statues, 
 the greateft Part of which are fo well pre- 
 ferved in their Niches, that it would be an 
 eafy matter to re-eftablifli them in all their 
 Perfection : but as the Work was fet about 
 at firft in the manner of mining, they thought 
 of nothing but the removing all the Orna- 
 ments of this Theatre, fo that at prefent there 
 remains only the maffy Lumps of fo beauti- 
 ful a building under a Vault of eighty Feet 
 in Thicknefs, which neverthelefs does not 
 hinder one who is below in the ancient City 
 from hearing difti?i6t!y the Noife of the Car- 
 riages which pafs through Poriici, Not- 
 withftanding that all imaginable Care has 
 been taken to know with certainty the Plane 
 of this Edifice of which we have attempted 
 D a to 
 
(2o) 
 
 to give an Idea, we cannot warrant thefe 
 Meaiures as altogether juft, as one can only 
 fee it in detached Parts, the whole never having 
 been brought into view, but only fucceffively, 
 becaufe in clearing away one Part the other 
 muft be filled, fo that in reality one can 
 hardly fee the hal!"; it is the fame with re- 
 gard to the other Buildings of which we (hall 
 Ipeak in thefe Memoirs. 
 
 Long after the Difcovcry of the Theatre 
 they found the following Infcription, L. AN- 
 NIUS L. F. MAMMIANUS. RUFUS IL 
 VJR QyN(^. THEATRO. . . . NUMISIUS 
 
 P. F. ARO HERCVLAN ... k 
 
 The Marble on which this Infcription wa?, 
 is fo ruined that it was not poffible to take it 
 out entire, and we only mention it here as it 
 was the firft Proof they had, that this Sub- 
 terranean City was Herculaneum. 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 Of the Forum of Herculaneum, aiid the two 
 72elghbouring Temples. 
 
 TN carrying on their Works towards the 
 Portici Side, they found a large Street 
 
 1 Marcheje Venutl is of Opinion that this Num'ifius Is 
 he who lived in the Time of AuguJJus^ and of whom 
 Vitruvlus makes mention in his Preface under the Name 
 of Mtnldius and Niimldm. See Marchefe FcrtUt, Account 
 ©f the firft Difcoveries. 
 
 36 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 36 Feet broad, and flanked on the right and 
 left by two Rifings of the Ground, adorned 
 with Porticos under which People might 
 walk afoot* This Street conducted the 
 Workmen to three publick Buildings, two of 
 which were contiguous, and they found by 
 the Front of the Greateft, that it was only 
 feparated by a Street which formed betwixt 
 them a Portico or Veftible which was com- 
 mon to them, and was covered with a Roof 
 which equally extended over the three Build- 
 ings. 
 
 Upon comparing the moft confiderable of 
 thefe Edifices with the Defcription which 
 Viirmius gives of Gymnafiums, it is eafily 
 known not to be one, altho' there are Porticos 
 which may be taken for thofe in which the 
 Maflers gave their public Ledures. One 
 might, if it was neceffary, find the Ephebeum 
 where only Youth ftudied, the Coryceum or 
 Apodyterion where they depofited the Plabits 
 proper for the Exerclfes, and the Ceftus's for 
 the Athleta3 " 5 but there were wanting the 
 Palxftra, the Sphaerifterion, the Baths, and 
 the Stadium, and moreover this Edifice was 
 paved, whereas the Gymnafiums were not. 
 
 As this Fabric is almoft entirely brought ia 
 View, there is no Appearance of its being a 
 
 " Vitruv, lib. xv. c. xi. " See a very ingenious 
 
 and particular Account of thefe Games and what be- 
 longed to them, in Mr. iVeJi'^ Olympics. 
 
 Bafilica, 
 
( 22 ) _ 
 
 Bafilica, as thefe fort of Buildings have alwayi 
 been made with Roofs and Galleries raifed on 
 Pillars, with Shops on the two Sides, which 
 were not found in this Building ; yet notwith- 
 ftanding, there are, tow:;rds the Middle of 
 this, two Kinds of Tribunals, which may be 
 looked on as. the place where the Centamvirs 
 and Tribunes feared themfclves to adminifter 
 Juftice ; but this is not a reafon fufficient to 
 evince that it v/as a Bafdica, 
 
 We might fuppofe with more probability, 
 that this is a Calcidicnm, if we were not too 
 much in the Dark with regard to the Nature 
 of the Building to which the Ancients gave 
 this Name ; (ome of the Moderns pretending 
 to prove by the Etymology of the Wood, 
 that this was a Bank, and the very Place 
 where the Money was coined, while others 
 maintain that it was a Hall in the Forum, 
 allotted for the Advocates and Orators. 
 
 From an Infcription found in this laft Age 
 near Portici, there is a Proof that there was 
 a Calcidicum in Herculaneum ° j but it is not 
 
 likely 
 
 « PRIDIE. K. MARTIAS IN. CUR. SCRIBENDO.' 
 ADFUERE. CUNCn. QUOD. VERBA. FACTA, 
 SUNT. M. M. MEMMIOS. RUFOS. PAT. & Flly. 
 
 & VIPvT ITER . . PECUNI A. PONDERATI. 
 
 & CALCIDICUM h SCHOLAM SECUNDUM MU- 
 NICIP. SPLENDOREM. FECISSE QU^. TUERL 
 PUBLICE. DECRETO. D. E. R. I. C. PLACERE. 
 HUIC ORDINI CUM M. M. RUFI PAT. & 
 FIL=ii. VIR. ITER. IN EDENDIS. MUNERIBUS. 
 
 ADEd 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 likely that this is the Building found in ths 
 Ruins of this Subterranean City, as it is open 
 at Top, which is contrary to the Idea we 
 have of a Calcidicum, which is defcribed as 
 a magnificent Hall, without explaining either 
 its Ufe or Conftrudion. It feems that Vitrii^ 
 vius would have us conceive of it as com- 
 monly placed at the Extremity of the Bafilica, 
 whence we may infer that the Fabric we treat 
 of is not a Calcidicum, as we find that there 
 was no Bafilica attached to it ; and that it is 
 a Building detached from any other except 
 the Exterior Part which is common to the 
 two fmall Temples. 
 
 ADEO LTBERALES. FUERINT. UT. EORUM. 
 MONUMENTA. DECORI MUNICIPIO SINT 
 ADEO DILIGENTES. UT VITIEIS. PUNDE- 
 RUM. OCCURRERINT. IDQUE JN PERPE- 
 TUUM. PROVIDE RINT PLACERE. DECURIO- 
 NIB. M. M. MEMMIOS RUFOS. PAT. & FIT. 
 
 BUM II VIVERENT. EORUM POS M. ET. 
 
 SCHOL^ & CALCIDICI. QU.'E IPSI FECISSENT. 
 PROCURATIONEM. DART. UTQUE SERVOS. 
 EJUS .... M. P. JUS. EST. . . . NEGOTIO, PR^- 
 PONERENT. IDEOQUE LVDE. ABDUCI. SINE 
 DECURIONUM DECRETO & M. M. MEMIIS 
 RUFIS PAT. & FIL PUBLICI. GRATIAS. 
 AGEI. QUOD ITERATION!. HONOR!. EO- 
 RUM. NON AMRITIONE!. NEQUE JACTA- 
 TION!. SU^E DEDERINT SED IN CULl^UM. 
 MUNICiPI. & I^ECOREM CONTULERINT. 
 
 As we couM not fee tiie Original of the above Infcrip- 
 tion, we have given it as we Ibuiid it. 
 
 t 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 All that is moft obfervable in this Stru(?cure, 
 agrees perfedlly well v/ith the Forum Civile, 
 or Place of Juftice of the Ancients. That 
 of 'Julius Ccefar at Rome had near it the 
 Temples of Peace and Venus p, that of Au^ 
 gtijlus was near the Temple of Mars i the 
 Avenger, and that of Narva^ near the Temple 
 of Pallas and Janus ^ladriceps. Each of 
 thefe Forums had Porticos, and were adorned 
 with a great number of Statues afoot or 
 fitting, and fome Equejirian^ as among the 
 firfl: that of Julius Cafa?^ made by ' Liftppus 
 of gilded Bronze. Trajan had his likcwife 
 placed on the Porticos of his Forum where 
 the Confuls met on the ift of January on 
 Account of the Ceiemonies of delivering the 
 Slaves : In fine, all thefe Buildings were de- 
 figned for the Diftribution of Juliice. 
 
 Upon an Examination of this Place of 
 which we have been talking, we muft imme-. 
 diately conclude that it is the Forum of the 
 
 P Donatusy lib. 2. c. xxii. ^ Sueion. in Jugufto. 
 
 ' Onofr. Panvinio Nardlni. ' Sueton, in Julio C(S' 
 
 fare. Plin. lib. viii. 
 
 t Cedat Equus Latiae qui contra templa Diones 
 Caefari flat fede fori quern trad ere es aufus 
 Pell^eo Lifippe Duci ; mox Casfaris Ora 
 Aurata cervice tulit, ^c. Statius^ lib. i . Sylv. 
 
 *i Nam modo nos jam fefta vocant & ad UJpia pofcunt 
 Te fora, donabis quos libertate Quirites 
 Pcrge. Pater Patriae felix atque omnino fauftae 
 Captives Vindlure novos abfolve Vetuftos. 
 
 Sidon, JpptL Am, Marcel, lib. xxii. 
 
 Herculaneans, 
 
(25) 
 
 iterculaneam. Its Plane forms a Paralello- 
 gram 178 Feet long and 132 bi-oad. 
 
 At firft Sight this feems to have been one 
 of the Temples which the Ancients called 
 Peripteres^ being furrounded with Columns 
 which fuliain the Roof of the Portico, which 
 goes within-fide all round : The Middle of 
 this Fabric is open, and its Level is about 2 
 Feet lower than the Portico, to which yoa 
 afcend by 3 Steps : At about forty Feet dif- 
 tance from this they found two other Squares, 
 each eighteen Feet in Front, with the Sides 
 fupported on th2 Porticos and about four Feet 
 high. lb the Extremity there is a Square, 
 the Sides of which are 24 Feet high. The 
 outward Part of this Building refembles the 
 Sanduary in Temples : Three Steps lead into 
 this Square, in the Bottbm of which is a long 
 Bafe like our Altars, above which there were, 
 three StP-toes of Marble : That in the Middle 
 is a Pedeftrian one of Vefpafian^ and the others 
 were feated in Curule Chairs, but without 
 Heads, which have not as yet been found. 
 Under the Portico at the End, and precifely 
 in the Angles which; make the Jundion vvith 
 the Porticos of the Sides, thcie Were two 
 femicircular Cavities, in each of vvhich there 
 was a Statue of Bronze, about 9 Feet in height 
 and of great Beauty, the one of l^ero and the 
 other of Germanicus, The Columns which 
 form the inward Porticos were forty-two in 
 E Number 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 Number, counting thefe of the Angles, viz^ 
 feventeen on each Side and eight in the 
 Bottom. 
 
 To each of thefe Columns a half Column 
 correfponds, fet up on the Back of a Pilafter. 
 There were placed alternately among thefe 
 Pilafiers, Statues of Marble and Bronze. Of 
 thefe of Bronze they have only found fome 
 Pieces, the reft having been probably melted 
 down by the Heat of the Lava, or deftroyed 
 by Time. 
 
 Of thefe they found of Marble on the left 
 Hand, fome were entire and others broken, 
 but thefe on the right had formerly been re- 
 moved, as may be known by the old hollow 
 Places which are ftill to be feen. The Facade 
 of this Building prefented you with five En- 
 tries, two of which led to the lateral Porticos, 
 and three into the Middle ; thefe were formed 
 of four great Pilafters which divided the Fa- 
 cade into five equal Parts. Oppofite to each 
 of thefe Piiafters there was an Equeftrian 
 Statue, two of them of Bronze and entirely 
 deflroyed, and two of Marble, one of which 
 is perfeftly reftored, and is the Admiration of 
 the ConoifTeurSj who think it better than that 
 of Marcus Aurelhis which ftands on the 
 Capitol The Infcription is to be feen 
 
 This is ftill a difputed Point, and many give it 
 againft the Statue of Balhm. ^ M. NONIO M. F., 
 BALBO. P. R, PRO. COS. HSRCULANENSES. 
 . ' engraved 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 engraved on the Pedeftal, which was eredted 
 by the Inhabitants of Hercuhneiim to M. 
 \Nonius Balbus, They have not difcovered 
 what kind of Facade that is on the other 
 Side of that Roof, which covers the great 
 Portico common to the two fmali Temples 
 which are in front. This Portico was paved 
 with Marble, but the Walls were not lined 
 with it 5 being painted in Frefco, and from 
 thence were taken fome of thefe rare and 
 valuable Pieces which are now in the Cabinet 
 of his Sicilian Majefty. 
 
 Does not one fee then in this Defcription 
 the Forum of Herculaneum ? There feems to 
 be nothing wanting to give us a full Convic- 
 tion \ befides you find every thing here which 
 diftinguifl:ies it from all other kind of Fabrics : 
 It has been proved, that the Forums of JuUui 
 Ccejar^ Augujlus and Narva^ had different 
 Temples near them, and there are two in the 
 Facade of this Fabric of which we are fpeak- 
 
 There is nothing particular In thefe two 
 Temples ; their Plane is a Paralellogram, but 
 their Size is very unequal; the one is 150 
 Feet long and 60 broad, the other is only 
 60 Feet in Length, and in Breadth 42. The 
 Sanduary is in their Extremities : In the 
 greateft it goes out of the Square, and the 
 Altar is in the Middle : In the leaft the Sanc- 
 tuary {lands in the Square itfelf, in the inner 
 
 E 2 Part 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 Part of the Temple, and is flriut up by a Wall 
 which has only one Door, in the Facade of 
 which is placed the S tatue of the Divinity 
 With the Aitar ; and one, I think, may prefumc 
 that this fecond Temple is that kind of Cha- 
 pel which the Romans called Mdicula, 
 
 Entering into this Jaft: Temple by the only 
 Gate that it has, which is in the middle of 
 the Facade, they found two other Altars on 
 which they probably facrinced ; and in the 
 ISpace which is between the Pilafters of the 
 Gate and the fide Walls of the Tf^mple there 
 were two kind of fmall Halls, which were 
 probably the Donative, where they difpofed 
 of the Offerings, and where they kept the 
 Sacred Beds, the Veflels, the Inftruments, 
 and other Utenfils proper for the Sacrifices. 
 
 In the Facade of the other Temple there 
 were two Entries, and againft the outward 
 Wall which fepara ted . them, there leans a 
 great Pedeftal of 12 Feet in Front - above 
 which w^ere found fome Pieces of a Chariot 
 of Bronze, w^hence one may infer that this 
 Piideftal ferved as a Bafe to fome Curule 
 Statue. 
 
 Thefe two Temples were covered with a 
 Roof : Their inward Walls were adorned 
 with Columns, betwixt which there were al-^ 
 ternately Pidures in Frefco, and great Tables 
 of Marble encrufted upon the Wail, on which 
 are engrav(^d ^tlie Names of the Magiftrates 
 
 6 v^ho 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 who had prcfided at the Dedication of thefe 
 Temples, and thofe of the Colleges, Compa- 
 nies, and Corporations, who had been at the 
 Expence of building or repairing them. 
 Thence it defcrves to be remarked, that In- 
 fcriptions of this kind are found in the Sides, 
 which is a Proof that they were not placed 
 always in the Front, as was the common Opi- 
 nion. 
 
 Thofe, however, who may, after this, exa- 
 mine into the Truth of thefe Defcriptions on 
 the Spot, will perhaps be furprized to find no 
 Veftige either of the Forum or of the neigh- 
 bouring Temples ; but they ought to remem- 
 ber, that in proportion as they dig anew, they 
 fill up thefe places already vifited, as I have 
 laid above. 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 Of the Houfes and Streets of 'Hczcnhnrnm. 
 
 Hitherto there have no Houfes been found 
 in TIercuIaneim which deferve our par- 
 ticular Notice. All thefe which have been 
 difcovered in about 300 Perches in Length, 
 and 150 in Breadth, appear of an uniform 
 Architefture : The Colony of Herculaneum 
 was obliged, by Laws made at different Times, 
 to keep then* in order, and more particularly 
 
 by 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 by thofe Claudius ^ and Ner^o engraven on 
 Tables of Brafs, which were found faftened 
 
 in 
 
 ^ CN. HOSIDIO. GETA. L. VAGELLIO. COS 
 X CAL: OCrOB. S. C. Cum Providentia optumi 
 principis tectis quoque urbis noftrae & totius Italias 
 ternitati profpexerit, quibus ipfe non folum praecepto 
 auguftiffimo fed etiam exemplo fuo prodeft, con- 
 veniretque faelicitati fecuti inftantis proportioni pub- 
 licorum operum etiam privatorum Cuftodias deberent 
 -quae abftinere fe omnes cruentiiiimas genere negotiatio- 
 nis ne InimicilHmam pace faciem inducerent Ruinis 
 domum Villarumque placere, fi quis negotiandi caufa 
 emiflet aliquod Edificium, ut diruendo plus acquirerent 
 quam quanti emiiTet ; turn duplam pecuniam qua mer- 
 catus earn reemeffet in aera inferri utique de eo nihil omni- 
 bus ad Senatum referretur ; cumque seque non oporteret 
 nialo exemplo vendere quam emere ; Venditores quo- 
 que coercerentur qui fclentes dolo malo contra banc Se- 
 natus voluntatem vendidifient, placere tales Venditiones 
 irritaa fieri, caeterum teflari Senatum dominis conftitui^ 
 qui rerum fuarum poffefTores futuri, aliquas partes earum 
 mutaverint dum non negctiationis caufa id fa6lum cen- 
 fuerint in Senatu fuerunr, CCC. LXXXIII. 
 
 y VOLUSIO. P. CORNELIO. COS. VI. NON. 
 MART. S. C. ouoque VOLUSIUSP. CORNELIUS. 
 VERB. FECERUNT. DE POSTULATIONE. 
 NECESSARIORUM ALLIaTORI^ CLESILI^, 
 Q, D. E. R. F. p. D. F. R. I. C. 
 
 Cum S. C. quod fadum eft Hofidio GE TA L 
 VAGELLIE COS. clarimmis Viris Ante X. K. Od. 
 autore D. Claudio cautum effet ne quis Domum 
 Villamve deraeret, quod fibi acquireret, neve quis 
 Negotiandi caufa, eorum quid emeret vendcretre 
 poenaque in Emptorem qui adverfus id S. C. feciflet, 
 conflituta elTet, Ita vel is qui quicquid emiflet duplum, 
 ejus q.anti emifl^et in ^^rarium inferri cogeretur ejus 
 quam vendidi/Tet irrita fieret Venditio : iis autem qui 
 rerum fuarum poirefTores futuri aliquas partes eorum mu- 
 
 tafTent, 
 
( sO 
 
 in a Wall when they were digging the Earth, 
 fome Years ago, near Torre di Graco^ which 
 is a Proof that Hercidaneimi extended from 
 this Place to Portici ; but its Breadth could 
 not be great, as it was fhut up between Mount 
 Vefuviiis and the Sea Shore. 
 
 The Infide of moft of thefe Houfes were 
 painted in Frefco : In fome of thefe Pidures 
 are reprefentcd Fables and hiftorical Pieces, 
 
 taflent, dummodo non Negotiationis mutaflcnt, nihil 
 efTet novatum h Neceflarii Aliiatorias Celfiliae Uxoris 
 Attil : Luperis ornatillimi viri expofuiflent, huic ordini 
 patrem ejus Attratorium Celfum, emifle fundos cum 
 /Edificiis in Regione mulinienfi qui vocarentur Camp. 
 
 matri, In quibus Locis mercatus Superioribus folitus 
 
 eflet temporibus jam per aliquod defiifTet haberi, eaque 
 ^dificia longa vetuftate dilaberentur neque refa6^a ufui 
 eflent futura, quia nec habitaret in iis quifquam nec 
 vellet in deferta eruentia commigrare ne quid fraud, 
 multae pensque efTent Celfilia ; fi ea ^dificia de quibus 
 in hoc ordine a6ium eflet aut demolita fuifTent, aut ea 
 conditione, five per fe, five cum agris vendidifTet aut 
 eraptoris fine fraude fua ea deftrueretollereque liceret. 
 
 In futuro autem admonendos cseteros efTet ut abftinerent 
 fe a tarn fedo genere Negotiationum, hoc prsecipue fas- 
 cuJi quo excitari novari, ornari in univerfa quibus faslicitas 
 orbis terrarum fplenderet, magis convenire, quern ruinis 
 
 -^dificiorum aliam partem de formem Italis & 
 
 adhuc retinere priorum temporum, ita ut diceretur fenec- 
 tute acSlum .... cenfuere in Senatu, 
 
 We fhould have been glad to correal the Errors which 
 have crept into this Infcription from the Original, but 
 thefe Tables on which they were engraven have fo often 
 changed iheir Mafters, that we know not where to find 
 
 them, 
 
 and 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 and his Majefty has ordered as many of them 
 to be removed as poffible, but in moft part of 
 the Houfes they are commonly of one Co- 
 lour, and that red, with flight Ornaments as 
 Birds refting on Ropes, or hung thereto by their 
 Beaks, or the Feet : You alio fee fome other 
 Animals, and fometimes Flowers. 
 
 All the Streets are in regular Lines, with 
 raifed Rails on each Side for the Convenience 
 of thofe on foot. They are paved with a 
 kind of Stone like thofe with which the 
 Streets of A^^//^^ are laid, and thence it is pro- 
 bable, that they had them from the fame 
 Quarry, the Lava of Vejiivtus, 
 
 This manifeftly proves the Errors of thefe- 
 Authors who contend that the Eruption which 
 happened under the Reign of Titus ^ was the 
 iirft from Vefirmis. For it is certain the VuU 
 cam never throws out this Lava but in its moft' 
 violent Eruptions, and there feems to be in- 
 exhauftible Mines of that Matter already 
 thrown out ; the Defcriptions the Antients 
 have left us is a further Proof.of it. 
 . " ThAsVhcQ^ i2iys> DionyfiusHalicarnaJfeus'^^ 
 *^ is called Flegreen^ becaufe it had, in times 
 paft, vomited a Quantity of Fire as /Etna 
 in Sicily, At prefent it is called VepuvhiSy 
 and ftill preferves many Marks of its Burn- 
 ings.'* 
 
 ■ Dionyf. Hal, lib. ul, 
 
 Sfraho 
 
{ 33 ) 
 
 Strabo thus defcnbcs this Mountiin^, 
 Mount Vejiroius is furrounded with a beau- 
 
 " tiful Country, except its Top, which is quite 
 barren, and fsems as if it was covered with 
 
 *^ Afhes : There are ft ill to be fcen Caverns, 
 whofe Openings are black wi:h the Smoak, 
 
 " and calcined by the Fire, fo th.it one would 
 fay, that this Place had formerly been burnt, 
 and that it was a Vnlcano, but had been 
 extinguiflied for want of inflammable Ma- 
 
 " terials." 
 
 They report, fays Vitruvii{s\ that an- 
 tiQUily Fefiivius threw out a deal of Fire, 
 
 " and that it had fpread a Quantity of Flame 
 over the Country." 
 
 Si/h^s It aliens who flourlflied under Nero^ 
 reprefents Vefuvius as a Mountain from which 
 Fire had caufed great Devaftations, and de- 
 ftroyed even the Rocks on the Top of it. 
 
 Statins % who moft: probably wrote before 
 the Empire of Titus^ gives us neverthelefs a 
 diftindt Idea of the Eruptions of Vefuviu s. 
 
 . ^ Strabo^ lib. v. 
 ^ Vitruv. lib. ii. cap. vi, 
 
 Monftratur Vefeva juga atque in vertlce fummo, 
 Depafti flammis fcopuli fraf^ufque ruina, 
 Mons circum, &c. Silius Ital. lib. vii. 
 • Hoc ego Calcidicis ad te Marcelle fonabam, 
 Littoribus, fndlas cum Vefuvius egerit Iras. 
 
 Staiiui lib. iv. ver. 4, 
 
 F 
 
 We 
 
( S4 ) 
 
 We know, f..ys Pliny ^ the fecond, that, 
 a Year before the Defeat and Death of CraJ- 
 *^ fus, there fell in Lucania, a Shower of Mar- 
 " cafite of Iron, which refembled Spunges/' 
 
 Julius Objequens ^ relates, in his Treatifc of 
 Prodigies, that under the Confuhhip of Caius 
 Martins III. and Titus Manlius T'orquatus^ it 
 rained Stones in Rrme, and that it was dark as 
 Night at Noon-day. 
 
 Thefe Showers of Stones and Marcafites (hap- 
 pening the one 422 Years, and the other 132, 
 before the V^mnoi Herculaneum,) could proceed 
 from nothing but Vefuvius, which always produ- 
 ced fuch Phenomena in its Burnings, and thefe 
 are what they called iSy^^Jw^Ti ofJJkes, It is there- 
 fore paft doubt that before the Reign of T^itus^ 
 there had been Eruptions, and nonefhould be 
 J ur prized that the Alhes came into Lucania y 
 and even as far as Rome, as Count Marccllino \ 
 Cardinal Baro?iius\ and Procopius^y affirm j 
 that thefe which had come from this Vulcano 
 in the Eruption of 472, had covered all Eu- 
 rope and that they were thrown by the 
 Winds to Conjianiinopky where every Year they 
 celebrate the Commemoration of it, on the 
 fifth of November, with publick Orations 
 
 PUn, See lib. ii. c. 56. 
 
 s yuUus Objequens de prodigii. 
 
 ^ Croniche del Conte Marcellino. 
 
 » Annal. Baron. 
 
 ^ Procop, lib. iii. cap. iv. 
 
 * This almoft exceeds our Belief. 
 
 Dionyjlus 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 Dionyptn ^ and Jgr'iGola inform us, that 
 in the Eruption which deilroyed Herculaneum 
 and Pcmpeja, the Aflies were carried into A- 
 fricay Egypt i and Syria. 
 
 SECTION VII. 
 
 Of the Taintingi found in Herculaneum. 
 
 THE Paintings in Frefco, which are 
 faved * from the Ruins of Keren- 
 laneum hitherto, and preferved in the Ca- 
 binet of his Sicilian Majefty, are of all Sizes, 
 and in number about 400 and the greateft 
 part of them are as frefh as modern Paintings : 
 But, excepting a Dozen of thefe Pieces which 
 are of a natural Size, moft of them are but 10 
 or 12 Inches long, and broad in proportion, 
 reprefenting only Cupids, wild Beafts, and 
 Birds. Thefe little Pieces are all valuable, 
 but are no ways comparable with the large 
 ones : In thefe the Figures are defigned with 
 all poffible Correcftnefs, and the Expreffioa 
 
 * Dion, lib. xxxiv. 
 
 ^ Agricola de natura corum quae affluunt in terra. 
 
 * That thefe Paintings might be faved, they put in Ex- 
 ecution what Varro mentions to have been done w^ith the 
 Works of Damophilus and Gcrgafus the celebrated Painters 
 who embellifhed the Temple of Ceres near the Circus 
 Maximus at Rome, Ex hac cum reficerentur cruftas parie- 
 tum excifas tabulis marginatis inclufas effe. See Dementiojus 
 de piSiura veieri^ Junius de piSfura veterum, 
 
 * They continue to find more every Day. 
 
 F 2 feems 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 ftemsto {IjCvv that nothing is wanting °. But 
 there are few in which the Flefh Colours are 
 perfedl, which either may be owing to fome 
 Defect in the Painting, or an Alteration 
 brought on by Time, the Colours being dif- 
 agreeable and too m.uch on the red ; and be- 
 fides, the Degradations are feldom obferved. 
 
 One Colour often forms the Ground of thefe 
 Pidlures; the moft eltcemed of which are a 
 naked Hercules, as big as the Life ; a Satyr 
 holding a Nymph in Jiis Arms ; Tbefeui re- 
 ceiving the Thanks of the Athenian Maidens, 
 for having delivered them from the Minataur^ 
 Virginia accompanied by her Father and Id- 
 lius her Lover, in the Moment that Marcus 
 Claudius receives her before the Decemvir 
 Appius, and the Education of Achilles by the 
 Centaur Chiron. This lafi: is moft univerfally 
 admired. 
 
 In general they are all better preferved 
 than the famous Marriage in the Aldobrandini 
 
 Palace, 
 
 ° Sdimcna faid of them, that he never faw any Pieces 
 of that Size lb well done. — They were judaed by all the 
 Painters who faw tliem, to be extrenjely curious, both on 
 account of the fine Drawing, after the Manner of Raphael^ 
 and alfo as they had lain fo many Ages under Ground, 
 without lofing the Frefhnefs of their Colours. 
 
 * The World is indebted to the Marchefe Venuti that 
 thefe Paintings are fp well preferved j for obferving that 
 the Parget on which thele Paintings were, being expofed to 
 the open Air, had begun to give, he applied to his Ski- 
 
 Han 
 
( 37 ) . 
 
 Palace, which, by this Difcovery, lofcs lis 
 greatell: Merit, as it is now no more a Rarity. 
 
 There is only one of thefe Paintings whofe 
 Ground forms a perfpeBive, but this is enough 
 to prove that it was not fo flrange among the 
 Antients, as the Moderns would p::rfuade us. 
 Should not what Plutarch, Vitruvius, and 
 Suida fay, undeceive them in that Particular? 
 They tell us, that Agatharcas of Samos, who 
 flourifhed in Athens about the 75th Olympiady 
 had, in favour of lEfchyluSy invented the De- 
 corations of the Theatre, according to all the 
 Rules of Perfpedive, about which lie likewife 
 pubiiilied a Treatife. 
 
 Among the Cities of Lydia, famous for the 
 Temple of Viclory, and for a preteiided Pro^ 
 digy, which, they fay, happened before the 
 Battle of Pharfalia, The Painter Apalurius 
 had decorated the Theatre by the fame Rules, 
 and the Effeds of it are not better explained 
 by Leonard, da Vinci than Plato has done, in 
 
 llan Majefty for Leave, that an Acquaintance of his, Sig- 
 nior Moriconi o( Sici/yy an Officer m the Artillery, might 
 attempt to do a Varnifh over them, which (hould be tranf- 
 parent and ftick on the Wall. As he had made manv 
 Improvements in Varnifhing, he try'd it on fome Frag- 
 ments of the painted W alls, and it fucceeded furprifmgly, 
 not only inpreferving, but even in enlivening the Colours, 
 fo that they will remain for many Ages the Ornament of 
 that King's Palace. See Fenuti's Account of the firft 
 Difcoveries of Herac/ea, ^V, 
 
 his 
 
( 3? ) 
 
 his Dialogue of the Sophill, and Socrates in the 
 Tenth Book of his Republic. 
 
 Some of thefe Pidures are only of two Co- 
 lours, others of them have three or four, and 
 there is a Pidlure in Frefco which reprefents 
 fimple Ornament?, among which are different 
 kinds of Flowers, and of all Colours j and there 
 are green and blue in thefe as well as in many 
 other of the Pidures. 
 
 It has hitherto then been believed w^ithout 
 Foundation, that thefe two Colours were un- 
 known to the Antit^nts, to whom the Mo- 
 derns, building upon a Paflage of Pliny ^, do 
 not allow of the Knowledge of any except the 
 White of Melos, the Yellow of Athens, the 
 Red of Sincpe, and fimple Black. But it feems 
 to me that this Paffage is interpreted too literally; 
 fo far is true indeed, that Pliny fays that Painters 
 in his Time made ufe of thefe four Colours, 
 but he does not fay that thefe were the only Co- 
 lours they ufed. On the contrary, this Phi- 
 lofopher fpeaking of thefe of Sile *, which 
 Polygnetes and Miconm:idQ ufe of in painting the 
 Porch (UotKiXyj^ccc) of Athens diflinguifhes 
 the Blue into three Sorts; the two firft of 
 Egypt and Scythia, and the third of Spaln^ and 
 Puzziwli. In another Place he praifes the 
 
 p Tl'in. lib. XXXV. cap. 7. 
 
 * A kind of yellow Earth, which, by Calcination 
 jT^akes a Vermilion for Painters. 
 9 Flin. lib. xxiii. cap. 13, 
 
 * Purple 
 
Purple ' of this laft City, and gives it the Pre- 
 ference to that of Getulia and haconia ; and 
 laftly, we cannot allow the Antients the Know- 
 ledge of the Yellow and the Blue, without a- 
 greeing at the fame time, that they knew 
 the Green, which is compounded ofthefetwo 
 Colours : A Difcovery too eafily made to be 
 overlooked, and fuch as could not efcape Men 
 fo ingeniou?, and who made fo frequent ufe 
 of Painting 
 
 Nor will the World be furprized to fee the 
 Paintings of Herculanemi fo f efh and well 
 preferved, if they confider that they cannot 
 have been long expoled to the Injuries of the 
 Air. They muft have been newly made at 
 the Time they were buried under the Lava 
 and Afhes of Vefuvius^ as Painting in Frefco 
 was then but lately difcovered in Italy ^ where 
 
 ^ Pltn. lib. xxxiv. cap. 7. 
 
 t The Progrcfs the Antients had made in Painting is 
 beautifully defer ibed by Petronius Arbiter^ for he fays, In 
 Pinothecam pervenl variogenere tahularum mlrah'ilem. Nam 
 ^ Tieuxidos manus vidi nondum vctujlath injuria viSfas, ^ 
 Protogenis rud'vnenta cum ipfms natures veritate certantia^ 
 non fine qua dam horrore tra^avi. Jam vera Ape His quam 
 Graci Movo^^q^jlov appellant etiam adoravi. Tanta e^iiru 
 fubtilitate extremitates imaginum erant ad fimilitudineTn 
 Prcscija ut crederes etiam animorzm ejfe pi£iuram. Mine 
 aquila ferchat ccelo fublimis Deum. Hinc ca7ididus Hylas 
 repellebat improbam Naiada. Damnabat Appollo noxias 
 manus, Lyramque refolutam modo nato flore honorabat. In- 
 ter quos etiam pi/^orum amantium Vidtus ianquam in foUtu- 
 dine exclamavi : ]^rgo amor etiam Deos tangit, Petroh. 
 Arbiter. Satyr, cap. 43, 
 
 2 ' it 
 
(4oT_ 
 
 it was invented hy Liidi us ^ , in the Reign of 
 Augiijlus^ whofe Death happened about 73 
 Years before the Ruin of Herculaneitm, 
 
 It is worth our notice, that this Liidins 
 firft painted Landikips and Architedture on 
 Walls. Now what Idea can we form of this 
 kind of work, pray, if we do not allow the An- 
 tients the Ufe of Green, and a Knowledge in 
 Perfpeclive ? 
 
 SECTION YllL 
 
 Of the Mcfaic Work. 
 
 ^ I "^H ERE are found in Hercidaneiim Mo- 
 j[ fciic Works likewife, and his Sicilian 
 Majefty has ordered conliderable Pieces of it 
 to be taken up, hut they are without Beauty, 
 Tafte, Delign, Variety, or Mixture of Colours, 
 and you fee nothins; but Ornaments grofsly 
 executed, and of which I cannot give a better 
 Idea, than by comparing them to Turkey Car- 
 pets. Thefe Pieces of Mofaic are greatly in- 
 ferior to thofe which are made at the Vatican^ 
 as the Antients only made ufe of them in the 
 Pavements of their Houfes and publick Build- 
 ings, called very properly, by Viiruvius^ Pavi^ 
 mentum SeBile, Neverthelefs they made fome 
 fmall Piftures of delicate Workmanfliip but 
 
 * PUn. lib. XXXV. cap. 10. 
 
 * I have Teen in the Palace of Fulcetii at Rome^ a 
 
 Piece 
 
(40 
 
 but always imperfefl:, as their Mofaic confided 
 only of natural Stones, and at prdent they ufe 
 artificial ones, which are of all the Colours they 
 can have occafion for. 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 
 Of the Statues. 
 
 THE Number of Statues found in Her- 
 ciilaneiim is very great ; thofe of Bronze 
 are all bruifed, broken or wanting in fome part. 
 There were likewife many, of which there are 
 not the fmalleft: Pieces fjved. The Metal is 
 fo changed, that with great Difficulry they 
 were able to reftore five entirely. Thefe re- 
 prefent Nero and Germaniciis , as has been 
 mentioned abvoe, Claudius and two Ladies, 
 whofe Names are not known ; neither Qiould 
 we have known the others but by comparing 
 them with the Medals we have of thefe Em- 
 perors. 
 
 The Marble Statues are hitherto unknown, 
 except an Atlanta^ a Vefpafian^ a Mammius 
 MaximuSy known by the Infer iption ' en- 
 Piece of Mofaic, found in the Pavement of the Filla A- 
 driana^ near Tholi^ of moft elegant WorkmanOiip. 
 There are fome lately fet up in the Capitol, not ill execut d, 
 (the Donation of the prefent Pope,) that Place ferving now 
 chiefly as a Repofitory for Antiquities. 
 
 » L.... MAMMIO MAXIMO AUGUSTALI 
 MUNICIPES U mQOLIE JEKE CONLATO. 
 
 G 
 
 graven 
 
( 42 ) 
 
 graven on tht:Pedeftal, and fome other Statues 
 of the Family of Balba. 
 
 They only form vain Conjedlures on the 
 others ; the greatell part of them are confular 
 ones. The two placed on the Curule Chair, 
 and which were found in the Forum, are com- 
 parable to any that Antiquity has left us moft 
 perfed: in this kind, and all the others are much 
 efteemcd, particularly the Atlanta, in which 
 they believe they can difcover the Workman- 
 fliip and Marble to be Greek, 
 
 They are bufied at prefent in reftoring an 
 Equeftrian Statue found in the Entrance of 
 the Forum, jaft by that which was erefted to 
 M, Nonius Balbus. 
 
 As they have in digging difcovered only the 
 fmalleft Part of the City of Herculaneum^ it 
 is probable that there are ftill many other Sta- 
 tues in it. It is certain at leaft, that the Inha- 
 bitants ere<5led one to L. Munatius Co7ice[jianm^ 
 as is evident by an Infcription found ac- 
 cidentally 
 
 ^ L. MUNATIO CONCESSIANO V. P. PATRQ- 
 NO. COLONIC. PRO. MERITIS. EJUS. ERGA. 
 GIVES MUNIFICA. LARGITATE. OLIM HO- 
 NOREiM. DEVITUM. PR.?:STANTISSIMO. VI- 
 RO PR.^SENSTEMPUS EREGIT. QUO ETIAM 
 MUNATI. CONCESSIANI FILI SUI DEMAR- 
 CHIA CUMULATIORE. SUMPTU LIBERAL!- 
 TATIS ABUNDANTIA UNIVERSIS EXHIBU- 
 IT aVIBUS OBQUE TESTIMONIA AMORIS 
 SINCERISSIMI REQ-PRIMARIA SPLENDIDIS- 
 
 SIMA 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 cidentally in digging httv/tcn Portia andTorre 
 di Greece, Among the fmall Statues of Bronze 
 which they find every Day, there are many 
 who feem to have been Penates or Houfliold 
 Gods of the Herciilaneam, Among them 
 there are fome Pantkeas ; at leaft th'S is the 
 Opinion of the Antiquaries about a Mercury^ 
 who holds in his Right Hand a full Purfe, 
 snd in his Left a Crater, on which is a Tor- 
 toife ; which perhaps is only an Allegory, to 
 fliew that Riches come as a Tortoife moves, 
 or to fhew that this God was the Inventor of 
 that Inftrument of Mufic called by xh^ Latins 
 Phorminx^ and more commonly a Tejiudo^ be- 
 caufe in its Shape it bears fome Refemblance 
 to a Tortoife. 
 
 They have likewife dug up many Bufts of 
 Marble, the prettieft of which are thefe of 
 Jupiter Ammoriy of yiino^ Pallas^ Ceres^ Nep^ 
 tune, Mercury, Janus with the two Faces, 
 and of a Girl and a Roman Youth, with the 
 Golden Bulla which hangs at the Breaft. This 
 is not in the Shape of a Heart, as fome of the 
 Moderns reprefent it, but of a regular oval Fi- 
 gure, is only an Inch broad, 17 Lines high, 
 and 4 thick. This Bulla in fo far differs from 
 
 SIMA HERCULANENSIUM PATRONO MIRA- 
 BILI STaTUAM PONENDVM DECREVIT. 
 
 This Infcription is aftually fixed on a Wall under the 
 Gate which leads to the two Courts of the Nunnery of 
 St. Antonio at Naples. 
 
 G 2 thefe 
 
( 4+ ) 
 
 thefe which ferv'd them who went in tri- 
 umph, that thofe lafl: were 2 Fingers and a 
 halt in diameter at lead, and were of a round 
 Shape. 
 
 They found but few Baffo-relievos, and 
 thefe fo trifling, that they dcferve not to be 
 mentioned. Ihe only one which meiits 
 Attention reprefents a Sacrifice. 
 
 SECTION X. 
 
 Of Medals. 
 
 T H E Y have found fcch a Number of 
 IV'-edals in Kercidaneam, that we can- 
 not undertake to give a Detail of them : A 
 Subject fo large would require a feparate 
 Treatife. They are mcftly confular, or of 
 the high Empire, and they are of every kind 
 of Metal. 
 
 Akho' the Medals of that Time are common 
 enough, yet they may flill find feme that aie 
 Curiohties, either fcr their Re^ferfes, their 
 Types, or their Legends j and they have at 
 leaft the Merit of being as well preferved as we 
 could wifh. May not we hops that antient 
 Hercidaneum will ferve to enrich us with feme 
 Medals of Bronze of Otho's^ ? This Hope 
 feems the better founded, as they are every 
 Day digging out Medals of all the Emperors 
 who went before, or came after, even to the 
 Time oiJitus and Dcmitiaiiy which takes in 
 
 all 
 
(45) 
 
 all the high Empire. It is true, that the four 
 firft Emperors had fewer than their Succef- 
 fors, but they find a great Number oiClaudius^ 
 Nero^ Galba, fome of Vitellius^ and many of 
 Vefpajians and Titus. 
 
 Thefe of Nero merit little Attention, ex- 
 cept a Medallion of Bronze : On one Side 
 of it there is the Head of this Emperor, with 
 the following Legend: NERO. CLAUDIUS. 
 C^SAR. AUG. GERMANICUS. P. M, 
 TR. P. IMP. P. P. P. The reverfe repre- 
 fcnts a Man fitting naked as low as the Beir, 
 with the refc of his Body covered with Drape- 
 ry, fhowing wiih his Right Hand a kind of 
 Coffer, and holding in his Left a Rudder, 
 There is before him a Lady on Foot, who pre- 
 fents him with a Cornucopia, and round it is 
 written ANNONA. AUGUSTI CERES, 
 which makes one think that the fittingr Figure 
 reprefents Nero him.felf, who holds the Rudder 
 of State in his Hands, and that the Figure at 
 his Foot is Ceres^ or Plenty^ who comes to re- 
 ceive his Orders, and opens her Treafures, 
 which is pointed out by the Attitude of the 
 Right Hand, which fhews the kind of Cheft 
 like the Scrinium which is feen at the Feet of 
 many Confular Statues. We don't find the 
 Senatus Confultiim^ or ex Senatu conjulto below, 
 or in the Ground of the Reverfe. 
 
 Thofe of Vitellius are rare to be met with, 
 and neverthelefs they find in thefe Ruins ma- 
 ny 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 ny of Bronze, cxce^diiig fine, both large and 
 of a middle Size. The Legend of the Face 
 of the Medal is almoft always the fame, A. 
 VITELLIUS GERMANICUS IMP. AUG. 
 P. M. TR. P. but the Reverfes are different. 
 In fome of them is Mars holding a Spear in 
 his Right Hand, and carrying the Roman 
 Standard upon his Left Shoulder, without a 
 Reading. In others Peace is repreferited, 
 holding in one Hand a Branch of Olive, and 
 in the other a Cornucopia, with thefe Words 
 for the Reading, PAX AUGUSTI. On the 
 Reverfe of fome middle- fiz'd Medals of Brafs 
 of thisfamie Emperor, is a fiitingFigure, with 
 the Edge of the Robe on the Right Arm, with 
 which fhe feems to hide her Face, and has an 
 Altar oppofite to her. The Writing round 
 about it is SECURITAS POPULI ROMA- 
 NI, and on the lower Part S. C. bat on the 
 Reverfes of the firfl and fecond kind, thefe 
 Letters are on the Ground. 
 
 Among Vefpafian'% Medals there is one with 
 this Reading round the Head, IMP. CAESAR 
 VESPASIAN. AUG. P. M. TR. P. P. COS. 
 III. The Reverfe reprefents a Lady fitting 
 with her Back againft a Palm, with her Head 
 hanging down, fupported on her Hand like 
 one afHifted. Under the fame Palm there is a 
 Man a-fcot, with his Hands chained behind 
 his Back, and at the Side of this Slave is a Tro- 
 phy 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 phy of Arms, with this Reading, lUDiEA 
 CAPTA. and at the Foot of it S. C. 
 
 Every Medal which eflabHfhes a hiftorical 
 Fadt, or which fixes an Epocha, is a curious 
 Remain • but it acquires a new Value when its 
 Type is rare. Such are the triumphal Cha- 
 riots reprefented on the Emperor's Medals. 
 The Ruins of Herculmieiim- afford few of this 
 kind, nay they have only found one hitherto 
 of Titm : The Reading round the Emperor's 
 Head is T. CiES. VESP. IMP. PON. TR. 
 POT. COS. II. CENS. And on the Reverfe 
 a Quadriga, with four Horfes in front, faften- 
 ed to it, feeming to march flowly, while thofe 
 which are faftened to the Chariots, deftined 
 for running in the Circus, feem to gallop ; be- 
 fides, that in thefe Chariots there are either a 
 Pair of Horfes or Tygers, and the Chariot is 
 made like a Shell \ but this which is on the 
 Reverfe of Titus s Medal is abfolutely of the 
 fame Form with that which is reprefented on 
 the Bajfo Relievo^ upon the lateral Part of the 
 Triumphal-Arch, ereded to this Emperor by 
 the Roman People, 
 
 This Chariot then does not point out the 
 Circcean Games, which T^itui mJght have given, 
 but is the Symbol of a Triumph which was 
 allowed him by the Senate for having con- 
 quered jointly with Vefpafian his Father. 
 This Reverfe is without a Reading, and has on- 
 ly S. C. under it, as is common, 
 
 2 The 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 The Ruining of Herculaneum happened be- 
 fore the Reign of Domitian ; notwithflanding 
 which they find Medals of this Emperor, 
 which feems a Contradidion ; but the greateft 
 Number of them were ftruck in his firft Con- 
 fulates, yet there are feme even when he 
 was Emperor. We muft fuppofe then, that 
 they were loft by ihofe who antiently dug in 
 this ruined City, either with a Defign to 
 make Refearches, as we know by the old 
 Diggings, of which we have fpoken above, or 
 to work at theRe-eftabliflimentof it, agreeable 
 to the Orders of Tittis^ as has been before 
 mentioned. This Emperor was fnatched too 
 foon out of this World, to have time to execute 
 a Projed: fo worthy of him ; probably Domiti^ 
 an his Succeflbr would have followed hisFoot- 
 lleps, but that he having given Orders to begin 
 the Work, it was abandoned too foon by 
 thofe employed in it, from the little Hopes 
 there was to fucceed in fo grand an Under- 
 taking. This little Attempt of his, however, 
 is fufficient to account for their finding this 
 Emperor's Medals in the Ruins of Hercula- 
 neum. 
 
 They find likewife every kind of engraved 
 Gemms in thefe Ruins, many of which are 
 fet in coarfely- worked Rings, but the Gemms 
 are almoft always perfed. 
 
 S E 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 SECTION XI. 
 
 Of the Injirwnents and UtenjUs dejlinedfor the 
 Sacrifices, 
 
 AS the Inftruments and Utenfils deflin- 
 ed for the Sacrifices were not always 
 of the fame fort in that Ceremony, and as 
 thofe which were of general ufe had neverthe-* 
 lefs fome Difference in their Shape, according 
 to the Nature of the Sacrifice 3 it would be 
 too tedious a Work here to defcribe all thefe 
 which they have found in this City, and per- 
 haps too difficult to mark out their Ufe and 
 Deftination. Let it fuffice then to mention, 
 that they are of every kind : Aftars, for Sacri- 
 fices, for Libations 5 portable ones, like Tri- 
 pods, called, by the Latins^ Anclahris^ Ba- 
 fons. Paterae, VefTels to hold the Water for 
 the Luflra, others for the Wine w^hich they 
 poured on the Vidtims Heads, Pots for the 
 Libations, Hatchets, Knives for the Victims, 
 GlafTes to hold the Tears, ^c. Part of thefe 
 are of Marble, fome of Brafs, others of burnt 
 Earth, and the laft of Glafs *. 
 
 * See an exa(5l Diary of all the Curiofities they found 
 daily in the Summer Seafon of 1739, in Marchefs Venuti's 
 Account of Heraclea^ Part II. Ch. x. as a Specimen of 
 the Variety of Curiofities found there, and which we dare 
 not venture to tire the Reader with in this Place. 
 
 H 
 
 S E C- 
 
( 5^ ) 
 
 SECTION xir. 
 
 Of Lamps. 
 
 TH E Old Poets, fpeaking of Herculaneumy 
 reprefcnt this City and its Environs as 
 the Throne oiVe?iiis To judge of the Ve- 
 neration that was paid this Deity, you need 
 only obferve thefe Lamps that they find in 
 digging here. Thefe of burnt Earth are 
 modefl:, excepting a few on which you fee 
 thofe undecent Figures called by the Antients 
 generally SfhinSfria, But the Lamps of Brafs 
 are fo many Monuments of the daily Homage 
 they paid to this Goddefs, and you may ob- 
 krve in their different Shapes all that the moft 
 unchafle Imagination can produce. 
 
 * Hie eft pampineis veridis modo Vefuvius umbris 
 Prcflerat hicmadidos mobiiis Uva Lacus 
 Hasc Juga, quam Nifae colles plus Bacchus amavit 
 
 Hoc nuper fatyri monte dedere choros. 
 Plaec veneris fedes Lacaedemone gratior illi 
 Hie locus Herculeo nomme clarus erat 
 Cuncla jacent flammis Sc trifti merfa favilla s 
 Nec fuperi vellent hoc licuifTe fibi. 
 
 Mart. lib. iv. ep. 44, 
 
 S E C^ 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 SECTION Xill. 
 
 Of the 'Furniture and other Curiofities found in 
 Herculaneum. 
 
 THIS City furniflies us with Variety of 
 Houfhold Goods, which the Amients 
 ^ kept either for common Ufe or for their Plea- 
 fure. Among the Tables they have found, 
 there is a very Angular one of Bafalt : Its Foot 
 reprefents an Ifis, and Is of the fame Stone. 
 They conjedlure from the Labour and the De- 
 fign, that this Table mufl have come from 
 Egypt. 
 
 We will not ftop to examine the other 
 Curiofities, which confifl: In Spoons, Urns, 
 Veflels of every Size and Shape, Lamps like 
 Gandlefticks, different kinds of Kitchen U- 
 tenfils, Bottles of Glafs, Hammers and Bars of 
 Doors, Dies to play with. Rings, Ear-rings, 
 Bracelets, Stamps which ferved as Seals for 
 H 2 their 
 
 y It is greatly to be feared that the Hopes of the Learn- 
 ed will be difappointed in expecting to find Books in this 
 fubterranean City, as hitherto nothing of that kind has 
 been found, either in the Temples or publick Buildings, 
 excepting little Tablets of Silver and Brafs, with the Dif- 
 miffion of the Soldiers marked on them, or a few Greek 
 Characters like thefe preferved in the Gallery of the grand 
 Duke in Florence^ fattened together with Wire, or Clafps 
 of Brafs. And the more fo as their Skeletons, and other 
 Animal Subftances, found there, are fo brittle as not to 
 be touched without crumbling down : Their Parchments 
 
 then 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 their Emperors, (Sc. The greateft part of 
 them are of Brafs, which proves that Iron was 
 not much ufed by the Antients. 
 
 You may fee, in the King's Cabinet, Corn 
 and Bread odh^ HerculaneanSy but both one 
 ;ind t'other are reduced to a kind of hard 
 Charcoal, but ftill retain their Shape 
 
 Would one think it poffible, that, after i8 
 Centuries, there fliould flill be preferved Re- 
 mains of Ropes in this fubterranean City ? It 
 is true, they are black, and as it were pu- 
 trified, neverthelefs they may be handled with- 
 out reducing them to Powder. 
 
 There is Reafon to believe that few People 
 perilled in Herculaneum^ as they fo rarely 
 find Skeletons. Four or five Years ago, they 
 found one lying on a Stair -cafe, with a Purfe 
 in his Hand, which you could eafily dif- 
 linguifh the Shape of, from the Mark left in 
 the Cement wherein were inclofed the Medal?, 
 of which the Purfe was full, but the Skeleton 
 
 tlien flood no Chance. Some of the Brafs Letters found 
 in this Place are fo like Types for Printing, that it is mat- 
 ter of great Amazement to the modern World that the 
 /^rt of Printing fliould efcape fuch ingenious Men as the 
 Antients fnewed themfelves to be in ^very thing elfe. 
 
 ^ Marchefe Venuti fays, that they found Eggs entire, 
 wondcrfullv preferved ; Almonds and Nut?, which kept 
 their natural Colour, but that withinfide their Pulp or Ker- 
 nel was black as Charcoal. See Part 11. Ch. ix. 
 
 was 
 
(52) 
 
 was fo brittle that it v/as impoffible to dig 
 it out 
 
 This admirable Colleflion of Antiquity will 
 daily become more compleat as the Works 
 advance j and the Curious will find new Mo- 
 numents, whereby they may fettle their Doubts 
 on the Epocha of a Number of hiftorical 
 Fads ; as likewife concerning the Cuftoms, 
 Arts, and Ceremonies of the Antients -f, 
 
 * It will be difficult to reconcile this Conje^lure or 
 Evidence with what Piiny fays of the Eruption, which he 
 fpeaks of when he fays, Populum in theatro fedentem obli- 
 mavity unlefs we imagine that the Eruption which fmother- 
 ed this City the laft time was pofterior to that whereto 
 Pliny refers. See likewife what Dion fays, fpeaking of 
 
 the Eruptions of Vejuvius^ Kai Tr^oa-hi ttoXik; Avo 'o7\a,<; rore 
 
 tcxrl^ua-:. Xiphilin. Epitome Dionis in Tito. 
 
 f They continue to employ a Number of Slaves at 
 prefent in making Refearches in this City, and every Day 
 furnifhes frefh Materials for the Obfervation of the Cu- 
 lious. 
 
 An 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 An Extract from XiPHiLiNUs'i Epitome of 
 Dion, which makes particular mentim of 
 an Earthquake that happened under the Reign 
 of Titus, attended with a njiolent Eruption 
 of Mount Vefuvius, by which the Cities of 
 Herculaneum and PompejaT£^^*r^ overwhelm- 
 ed. 
 
 IN the Autumnal Seafon, fome llrange and 
 frightful Things happened in Campania^ 
 for all of a fudden there broke out a great 
 Fire from Vefuvius, This Mountain, which 
 is near the Sea-fhore of Naples^ contains an 
 unexhauftlble Quantity of combuftible Matter. 
 At the Time when the Fire broke out, from 
 the Middle of it, the Top was all of an e- 
 qual Height. On the Outfide it did not burn, 
 and there it continues entire ftill, the Summit 
 retaining its antient Height ; but where the 
 Fire iffues forth it gradually becomes hollow, 
 as it fubfides, fb as to refemble an Amphi- 
 theatre, if we may liken fmall Things to gfeat. 
 Its Summit produces plenty of Trees and Vines. 
 This Circle enlarges daily by the Fire which 
 fmoaks in the Day-time and burns clear in the 
 Night, as if they were offering up every kind 
 of Sacrifice within the Mountain, and it does 
 fo continually, more or lefs. When any thing 
 falls into it, it throws up Aflies, and Stones 
 too, if the Wind blows hard. It likewife 
 
 echoes 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 echoes and makes a lowing Noife, as if It came 
 thro* Rifts and fecret Air-Vents, and was not 
 f ent up. 
 
 Such then is VeJuviuSy and fach its yearly 
 Appearances ; and altho' in comparifon with 
 what has paft, they may feem extraordinary to 
 thefe People who are conftant Spectators, yet 
 they will be looked on as trifling, compared 
 with the prefent, which we fhall now defcribe. 
 
 There appeared many great Men exceeding 
 the common Size of Mankind, and fach as 
 Giants are defcribed to be. They were feen 
 in the Mountains and neighbouring Countries, 
 and wandering up and down in the Towns 
 adjacent, and likewife in the Air. After this 
 there happened a great Drought from the ex- 
 traordinary Heat and violent Earthquake, fo 
 that the whole Plains were dried up, and the 
 Tops of the Hills fubfided. The Noife un- 
 der Ground was hke Thunder, and on the 
 Surface of the Earth it was like the Lowing of 
 Cattle. The Sea raged, the Heavens refound- 
 ed, and an unufual Noife was heard, as if 
 Mountains clafhed together. Then, for the 
 firlt time. Stones of an extraordinary Size 
 were thrown out at the Top, attended with 
 Fire and Smoak, fo that the Air was dar- 
 kened thereby, and the Sun was hidden, as 
 in the time of an Eclipfe. Night fprung from 
 Day, and Light from Darknefs, and People 
 imagined that the Giants had rebelled, as Ima- 
 ges 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 gcs of them were feen in the Smoak, and 
 the Sounding of Trumpets was heard. Others 
 thought that Ckaos was come again, and that 
 the general Conflagration was at hand. Thefe 
 things made People run out of their Houfes 
 into the Streets, and thofe who were in the 
 Streets go within Doors. Thofe who were on 
 Shipboard went afhore, and thefe on Land 
 went aboard, every one thinking that any Si- 
 tuation was better than their prefent one. 
 And along with all this, there were fuch Quan- 
 tities of Aflies as poirefTed all Space, Earth, 
 Sea, and Air; and wherever it happened, 
 it did hurt both to Men, the Cattle, and the 
 Grounds, and the Fiflies, and all the Birds 
 were deftroyed. The two Cities of Herciila^ 
 Ileum and Fompeja were entirely overwhelmed, 
 while the People were fitting in the Theatre. 
 Such Quantities of Afhes were thrown out as 
 to reach Africa^ Syria^ ^gyp^y and Rome ; and 
 filled the Air in this laft Place fo as to darken 
 the Sun, and ftruck the People with a Pannic 
 for many Days : Not being able to conjedture 
 what all this meant, they imagined that Nature 
 was turned Upfide down ; that the Sun was 
 loiT: in tb^e Earth ; and that the Earth was gone 
 up to Heaven. Altho' thefe Afhes did little 
 Damage at that Time to the Roman People, 
 3^et afterwards they brought on a direful Pef- 
 tiknce 
 
 * See Xiph'iU mil's Epitome of Dion in Tito, 
 
( 57) 
 
 FLINT'S LETTER 
 
 T O 
 
 T J C I T U S*. 
 
 YOUR Reqceft that I would fend you 
 an Account of my Uncle's Death, in 
 ord^r to tranfmit a more exafi: Relation of ic 
 to Poflerity, deferves my Acknowledgments; 
 for if this Adtion fhall be celebrated by your 
 Pen, the Glory of it, I am well afTured, will 
 be rendered for ever illuftrious. And notwith- 
 ftanding he perifhed by a Misfortune, which, 
 as it involved at the fame time a moit beauti- 
 ful Country in Ruins, and deftroyed fo many 
 populous Cities, feems to promife him an ever- 
 lafting Remembrance ; notwithdanding he 
 has himfelf compofed msny and lading Works; 
 yet I am perfuaded, the mentioning of him in 
 your immortal Writings, will greatly contribute 
 to eternize his Name-. Happy I efleem thofe 
 to be, whom Providence has diftinguifhed 
 with the Abilities either of doing fuch Adiors 
 as are worthy of being related, or of relating 
 
 See Pliny's Letters, lib, vi. lett, i5, 
 
 I 
 
 them 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 them in a manner worthy of being read ; but 
 doubly happy are they who are bleffed with 
 both thefe uncommon Talents : In the Num- 
 ber of which my Uncle, as his own Writings, 
 and your Hiftory will evidently prove, may 
 juftly be ranked. It is with extreme Wil- 
 lingnefs, therefore, I execute your Commands ; 
 and fhould indeed have claimed the Talk if 
 you had not enjoined it. He was at that 
 Time with the Fleet under his Command at 
 Mifenum, On the 24th of Augujl^ about one 
 in the Afternoon, my Mother defired him to 
 obferve a Cloud which appeared of a very un- 
 ufual Size and Shape. He had juft returned 
 from taking the Benefit of the Sun, and after 
 bathing himfelf in cold Water, and taking a 
 flight Repafl:, was retired to his Study : He 
 immediately arofe, and went out upon an E- 
 minence from whence he might more difl:infl:- 
 ly view this very uncommon Appearance. It 
 was not at that Difl:ance difcernible from what 
 Mountain this Cloud iflued, bat it was found 
 afterwards to afcend from Mount Vefuvius. I 
 cannot give you a more exaft Defcription of 
 its Figure, than by refembling it to that of a 
 Pine-tree, for it fliot up a great Height in the 
 Form of a Trunk, which extended itfelf at 
 the Top Into fort of Branches occafioned, I 
 imagine, either by a fudden Guft of Air that 
 impelled it, the Force of which decreafed as it 
 advanced upwards^ or the Cloud itfelf being 
 
 pre fled 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 prcfled back again by its own Weight, cx« 
 panded in this Manner : It appeared fome- 
 times bright, and fomctimes dark and fpotted, 
 as it was either more or lefs impregnated with 
 Earth and Cinders. This extraordinary Phas- 
 nomenon excited my Uncle's philolbphlcal 
 Curiofity to take a nearer View of it. He 
 ordered a light Veflel to be got ready, and 
 gave me the Liberty, if I thought proper, to 
 attend him. I rather ohofe to continue my 
 Studies; for, as it happened, he had given me 
 an Employment of that kind. As he was 
 coming out of the Houfe he received a Note 
 from Re5lina the Wife of Bajfus, who was in 
 the utmoft Alarm at the imminent Danger 
 which threatened her ; for her Villa being 
 fituated at the Foot of Mount Fefuvius, there 
 was no way to efcape but by Sea ; (he earneft- 
 ly intreated him therefore to come to her Af- 
 fiftance. He accordingly changed his lirft 
 Defign, and what he began with a philofophi- 
 cal, he purfued with an heroical Turn of Mind. 
 He ordered the Gallies to put to Sea, and went 
 himfeif on board with an Intention of affifting 
 not only Reclina, but feveral others ; for the 
 Villas ftand extremely thick upon that beauti- 
 ful Coaft. When haftening to the Place from 
 whence others fled with the utmoft Terror, he 
 fteer'd his direft Courfe to the Point of Dan- 
 ger, and with fo much Calmnefs and Prefence 
 of Mind, as to be able to make and didtate his 
 
 I 2 Ob- 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 Gbfervations upon the Motion and Figure of 
 that dreadful Scene. He was now fo nigh the 
 Mountain, that the Cinders, which grew thick- 
 er and hotter the nearer he approached, fell 
 into the Ships, together with Pumice- {tones, 
 and black Pieces of burning Rock : They 
 were likewife in danger nor only of being a- 
 ground by the fudden Retreat of the Sea, but 
 aifo from the vaft Fragments which rolled 
 down fom the Mountain, and obftruded all 
 the Shore. Here he flopped to confider whe- 
 ther he fhould return back again 3 to which 
 the Pilot advifing h'm, Fortune^ faid he, be^ 
 friends the Brave 5 Carry me to Pcmpcnianu?. 
 Pcmponianm Vv^as then at Stable?^ fepai ated by 
 a Gulf, which the Sea, after feveral infenfible 
 Vv^indings, forms upon the Shore. He had 
 already fent his Baggage on beard ; for tbo' 
 he was not at that Time in adual Danger, yet 
 being within the View of it, and indeed ex- 
 tremely near, if it fhould in the leaft encreafe, 
 he was determined to put to Sea as foon as the 
 Wind fliculd change. It was favouriible, 
 however, for carrying my Uncle to Fomponi^ 
 anus^ whom he found in the gf eateft Conftern- 
 ation : He embraced h'm with Tenderneft, 
 encouraged and exhorted him to keep up his 
 Spirits, and the m^ore to ciiffipate his Fears, he 
 ordered, with an Air of Unconcern, the Baths 
 to be got ready ; when after having bathed, he 
 fat down to Supper with great Chearfulnefs^ 
 
 cr 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 or at leaft (what is equally heroic) with all the 
 Appearance of it. In the mean while the E- 
 ruption from Mount Vefiivius flamed out in 
 feveral Places with much Violence, which 
 the Darknefs of the Night contributed to ren- 
 der ftill more vifible and dreadful. But my 
 Uncle, in order to footh the Apprehenfions of 
 his Friend, afTi^red him it was only the burn- 
 ing of the Villages, which the Country People 
 had abandoned to the Flames : After this he 
 retired to reft, and it is moft certain he was fo 
 little difcompofed as to fall into a deep Sleep ; 
 for beino; pretty fat, and breathing hard, thofe 
 who attended without adually heard him 
 fnore. The Court which led to his Apart- 
 ment being now almofl: filled with Stones and 
 Afhes, if he had continued there any time 
 longer, it would have been impcffible for him 
 to have made his way out ; it was thought 
 proper thei^efore to awaken him. He got up, 
 and went to Pomponianus and the reft of his 
 Company, who were unconcerned enough to 
 think of going to Bed. They confulted to- 
 gether whether it w^culd be m.oft prudent to 
 truft to the Houfes, which now fhook from 
 Side to Side with frequent and violent Concuf- 
 fions ; or fiy to the open Fields, where the 
 calcined Stones and Cinders, tho' light indeed, 
 yet fell in large Showers, and threatened De- 
 ftrudion. In this Diftrefs they refolved' for 
 the Fields, as the lefs dangerous Situation of 
 
 the 
 
( 50 
 
 the two : A Refolutlon which, while the reft 
 of the Company were hurried into by their 
 Fears, my Uncle embraced upon cool and de- 
 liberate Confideration. They went out then, 
 having Pillows tied upon their Heads with 
 Napkins ; and this was their whole Defence 
 againft the Storm of Stones that fell round 
 them. It was now Day every where elfc, 
 but there a deeper Darknefs prevailed than in 
 the moft obfcure Night; which however was 
 in fome Degree diflipated by Torches and 
 other Lights of various kinds. They thought 
 proper to go down farther upon the Shore, 
 to obfsrve if they might fafely put out to Sea, 
 but they found the Waves ftill run extremely 
 high and boifterous. There my Uncle having 
 drank a Draught or two of cold Water, threw 
 himfelf down upon a Cloth which was fpread 
 for him, when immediately the Flames, and 
 a ftrong Smell of Sulphur, which was the 
 Forerunner of them, difperfed the reft of the 
 Company, snd obliged him to arife. He 
 raifed himfelf up with the Affiftance of two of 
 his Servants, and inftantly fell down dead ; 
 fuffocated, as 1 conjefture, by fome grofs and 
 noxious Vapor, having always had weak Lungs, 
 and frequently fubjecl to a Difficulty of breath- 
 ing. As foon as it was light again, which was 
 not till the third Day after this melancholy ac- 
 cident, his Body was found entire, and with- 
 out any Marks of Violence upon it, exactly in 
 
 the 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 the fame Pofture that he fell^ and looking 
 more like a Man aflecp than dead. During 
 all this Time my Mother and I who were at 
 
 Mifenum -But as this has no Connexion 
 
 with your Hiftory, fo your Inquiry went no 
 farther than concerning my Uncle's Death; 
 with that therefore I will put an End to my 
 Letter : Suffer me only to add, that I have 
 faithfully related to you what I was either an 
 Eye-Witnefs of myfelf, or received immedi- 
 ately after the Accident happened, and before 
 there was time to vary the Truth. You will 
 choofe out of this Narrative fuch Circumftances 
 as (hall be moft fuitable to your Purpofe : For 
 there is a great Difference between what is 
 proper for a Letter, and an Hiflory ; between 
 writing to a Friend, and writing to the Publick. 
 Farewel, 
 
 7i? Cornelius Tacitus 
 
 'T^ H E Letter which, in compliance with 
 ^ your Requeft, I wrote to you concern- 
 ing the Death of my Uncle, has raifed, it 
 feems, your Curiofity to know what Terrors 
 and Dangers attended me while I continued 
 at Mifenum ; for there, I think, the Account 
 in my former broke off : 
 
 * PUnfs Letters, book vi, ktt. 20. 
 
 6 Tho' 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 ^ho' my JhocJid Soul recoils y my T ingiie poall telU 
 
 My Uncle having left us, I purfued the Studies 
 which prevented my going with him, till it 
 was Time to bathe. Mxzi which I went to 
 Supper, and from thence to Bed, where my 
 Sleep was greatly broken and difturbed. There 
 had been for many Days before feme Shocks 
 of an Earthquake, which the lefs furprized us 
 as they are extremely frequent in Campania ; 
 but they were fo particularly violent that 
 Night, that they not only (liook every thing 
 about us, but feemed indeed to threaten total 
 Deflruaion. My Mother flew to my Cham- 
 ber, w^here flie found me rifing, in order to 
 awaken her. We went out into a fmall Court 
 belonging to the Houfe, which feparated the 
 Sea from the Buildings. As I was at that 
 Time but eighteen Years of Age, I know not 
 whether I (hould call my Behaviour in this 
 dangerous Jundture, Courage or Rafhnefs 5 
 but I took up Livy^ and amufed myfelf with 
 turning over that Author, and even making 
 Extrads from him, as if all about me had been 
 in full Security. While we were in this Po- 
 fture, a Friend of my Uncle*s, who was jufl 
 come from Spain to pay him a Viiit, joinedus, 
 and obferving me fitting by my Mother with 
 a Book in my Hand, greatly condemned her 
 Calmaefs, at the fame Time that he reppoved 
 
 me 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 me for my carelefs Security : Nevertheltfs I 
 flill went on with my Author. Tho' it w.s 
 now Morning, the Light was exceedingly 
 faint and languid j the Buildings all around 
 us tottered, and tho* we flood upon open 
 ground, yet as the Place was narrow and con- 
 fined, there was no remaining there without 
 certain and great Danger : We therefore re- 
 folved to quit the Town. The People fol- 
 lowed us in the utmofl Confternation, and (as 
 to a Mind diflradled with Terror, every Sug- 
 geftion feems more prudent than its own) 
 preffed in great Crowds about us in our Way 
 out. Being got at a convenient Diftance from 
 the Houfes, we flood flill, in the Midfl of a 
 mofl dangerous and dreadful Scene. The 
 Chariots which we had ordered to be drawn 
 out, were fo agitated backwards and forwards, 
 tho' upon the mofl level Gronnd, that we 
 could not keep them fleady, even by fun- 
 porting them with large Stones. The Sea 
 feemed to roll back upon itfelf, and to be dri- 
 ven from its Banks by the convulfive Motion 
 of the Earth ; it is certain at leall the Shore 
 was confiderably enlarged, and feveral Sea^ 
 Animals were left upon it. On the other Side, 
 a black and dreadful Cloud burfling v»'ith an 
 igneous ferpentine Vapour, darted out a long 
 Train of Fire, refembling Flafhes of Lighten- 
 ing, but much larger. Upon this our Spanifh 
 Friend, whom I mentioned above, addreffing 
 himfelf to my Mother and me with greater 
 K Warmth 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 Warmth and Earneftnefs : If your Brofber 
 and your Uncle, faid he, is jafe^ he certainly 
 wijkes you may be fo too ; but if he periftoed^ it 
 was his Defire^ no doubt ^ that you fnight both 
 Jurvive him : Why therefore do you delay your 
 Efcape a Moment ? We could never think of 
 our own Safety, we faid, while we were un- 
 certain of his. Hereupon our Friend left us, 
 and withdrew from the Danger with the ut- 
 molt Precipitation. Soon afterwards the 
 Cloud feemed to defcend, and cover the whole 
 Ocean as indeed it entirely hid the Illand of 
 Caprea^ and the Promontory of Mijenum. My 
 Mothtrr flrongly conjured me to make my 
 Efcape at any rate, which as I was young, 
 I might eafily do^ as for herfelf, fhe faid, her 
 Age and Corpulency rendered all Attempts of 
 that fort impoffiblej however fhe fliould wil- 
 lingly meet Death, if fhe eoulJ have the Satif- 
 faftion of feeing that flie vs^as not the Occafion 
 of mine. But I abfolutely refufed to leave 
 her, and taking her by the Hand, I led her on : 
 She complied widi great Reluctance, and not 
 without many Reproaches to herfelf for retard- 
 ing my Flight. The Afhes now began to fall 
 upon us, tho' in no great Quantity. I turned 
 my Head, and obferved behind us a thick 
 Smoak, which came rolling after us like a 
 Torrent. I propofed while we had yet any 
 Light, to turn out of the high Road, left fhe 
 iliould be prelTed to death in the Dark, by the 
 Crowd that followed us. We had fcarce ftep- 
 
 ped 
 
( 6; ) 
 
 jped ont of th. " s when aDarknefs over- 
 ipreac^ not \lke that of a cloudy Night, or 
 when u V, but^ of a Room when 
 
 it is £but I D, ixud le Lights extindt. No- 
 thing then wau i^j be iieard but the Shrieks of 
 Women, the Screams of Children, and the 
 Cries of Men ; fome calling for their Chil- 
 dren, others for their Parents, oihers for their 
 Hufbands, and only diftinguifliing each other 
 by their Voices ; one lamenting his own Fate, 
 another that of his Family ; fome wifhing to 
 die, from the very Fear of dying, fome lifting 
 up their Hands to the Gods ; but the greater 
 part imagining that the laft and eternal Night 
 was come, which was to deftroy both the 
 Gods and the World together. Among thefe 
 there were fome who augmented the real 
 Terrors by imaginary ones, and made the 
 frighted Multitude falfely believe that Mife- 
 mm was adually in Flames. At length a 
 glimmering Light appeared, which we ima- 
 gined to be rather the Forerunner of an ap- 
 proaching Burfl of Flames, (as in truth it was) 
 than the Return of Day : However, the 
 Fire fell at a Diftance from us : Then again 
 we were immerfed in thick D^rknele-, and a 
 heavy Shower of Aflies rained upon us, which 
 we were obliged every now and then to (hake 
 off, otherwife we fhould have been cruflied 
 and buried in the Heap. I might boaf!:, that 
 during all this Scene of Horror, not a Sigh or 
 Expreffion of Fear efcaped from me, had not 
 I mv 
 
( 68 ) ^ ^ 
 
 my Support been founded io that miferable|' 
 tho' ftrong Confolation, that all Mankind were 
 involved in the fame Calami y, and ^^vit I ima- 
 gined I was perifhing with the World itfelf. 
 At lafl this dreadful Darknels was diffipated 
 by degrees, like a Cloud or Smoak ; the real 
 Day returned, and even the Sun appeared, tho* 
 very faintly, and as when an Eclipfe is com- 
 ing on. Every Objedl that prefeated itfclf to 
 our Eyes (which were exremely weakened) 
 feemed changed, being covered over with white 
 Afhes, as with a deep Snow. We returned 
 to Mijenimy where we refreflied ourfelves as 
 well as v/e could, and paffed an anxious Night 
 between Hope end Fear; tho' indeed with 
 a much larger Share of the latter : For the 
 Earthquake lliil continued, v»'hile feveral en- 
 thufiaftick People ran up and down heighten- 
 ing their own and their Friends Calamities, by 
 terrible Predidtions. However, my Mother 
 and I, nctwithftanding the Danger we had 
 paffed, and that wLUi ftill threatened us, 
 had no Thouc hts of leaving the Place, till we 
 (hculd receive fome Accoant of my Uncle.~~ 
 And now you will read this Narrative with- 
 out any View of infertirgit in your Hiftory, of 
 w^hich it is by no means worthy ; and indeed 
 you mull impute it to your own Rcquefr, . if 
 it fliall appear fcarce to defcrve even the .Trou- 
 ble cf a Letrer. FarewcL 
 
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