Saturday, 23.—­I have just seen a most magnificent sight; one which I have often dreamed of, often longed to behold, and having beheld, never shall forget.  Mount Vesuvius is at this moment blazing like a huge furnace; throwing up every minute, or half minute, columns of fire and red-hot stones, which fall in showers and bound down the side of the mountain.  On the east, there are two distinct streams of lava descending, which glow with almost a white heat, and every burst of flame is accompanied by a sound resembling cannon at a distance.—­

I can hardly write, my mind is so overflowing with astonishment, admiration, and sublime pleasure:  what a scene as I looked out on the bay from the Sante Lucia!  On one side, the evening star and the thread-like crescent of the new moon were setting together over Pausilippo, reflected in lines of silver radiance on the blue sea; on the other the broad train of fierce red light glared upon the water with a fitful splendour, as the explosions were more or less violent:  before me all was so soft, so lovely, so tranquil! while I had only to turn my head to be awe-struck by the convulsion of fighting elements.

I remember, that on our first arrival at Naples, I was disappointed because Vesuvius did not smoke so much as I had been led to expect from pictures and descriptions.  The smoke then lay like a scarcely perceptible cloud on the highest point, or rose in a slender white column; to-day and yesterday, it has rolled from the crater in black volumes, mixing with the clouds above, and darkening the sky.

Half-past twelve.—­I have walked out again:  the blaze from the crater is less vivid; but there are now four streams of lava issuing from it, which have united in two broad currents, one of which extends below the hermitage.  It is probable that by to-morrow night it will have reached the lower part of the mountain.

Sunday, 24.—­Just returned from chapel at the English ambassador’s, where the service was read by a dandy clergyman to a crowd of fine and superfine ladies and gentlemen, crushed together into a hot room.  I never saw extravagance in dress carried to such a pitch as it is by my countrywomen here,—­whether they dress at the men or against each other, it is equally bad taste.  The sermon to-day was very appropriate, from the text, “Take ye no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or what ye shall put on,” and, I dare say, it was listened to with singular edification.

5 o’clock.—­We have been driving along the Strada Nuova in L**’s britschka, whence we had a fine view of Vesuvius.  There are tremendous bursts of smoke from the crater.  At one time the whole mountain, down to the very base, was almost enveloped, and the atmosphere round it loaded with the vapour, which seemed to issue in volumes half as large as the mountain itself.  If horses are to be had we go up to-night.