MY DEAR FRIEND,

We left Florence on the 27th of March, and, on the 6th instant, sailed from Leghorn.

The little island of Elba lying in our course towards Naples, we meant to stop there, for a few hours, to examine the harbour, which, it is said, is a very convenient one for vessels watching an enemy in Leghorn Roads; but, having no wind till three o'clock in the afternoon, we did not reach it till dusk. We were now going nine knots an hour. Nothing could be seen till the morning; and, as we did not think it right to lose a night's run with so favourable a wind, we were deprived of the satisfaction of informing ourselves with regard to the harbour, and of gratifying our curiosity, by seeing the natural state of the curious stones found in this island.

The wind continuing fair, we passed Mount Cercelle, and the coast of Rome, on the 7th; at day-light on the 8th, were in sight of Ischia and Capria; but, our fair wind dying away, we did not get to an anchor in the bay of Naples till the afternoon of the next day.

Mount Vesuvius is in a very different state from that in which we left it. There have been several eruptions. The sides of the crater or cone have fallen in, and the lava has given itself vent, by forcing the side of the mountain. It is now running; and, as this is a phenomenon I had not an opportunity of seeing when I was here last autumn, I made it my first object on my return.

But the violence of the eruption is over; and it has now more of the curious and beautiful, than of the awful and sublime. The side of the mountain has closed, and the lava issues from it, without its source being seen, in a stream of liquid fire, at present not more than four feet wide. It moves at a slow rate, and, although so much a fluid as to be capable of this motion, yet it has such a degree of solidity, that stones of some pounds weight, thrown with force, did not penetrate its surface. No flame was emitted by the lava, except when we threw slicks, paper, or other combustible matter upon it, which immediately took fire, and blazed. Water had no effect, but that of blackening, for a moment, the part it fell upon.

After having sufficiently admired this beautiful phenomenon, we scrambled up the cone, and went into the inside of the old crater, which I find is already assuming its former state; the working of the fire in the bowels of the earth, having overcome the weight above it, and formed a chasm in its former direction, to the very summit of the mountain.

This aperture is continually widening, and will soon again become a monstrous fiery gulph. I heard several explosions below, which were accompanied by flashes of fire, which, darting from side to side, in the direction of the chasm, came up like so many immense flashes of forked lightning.

We began the ascent before sun-set; and our attention was so well engaged, that it was near day-light before we returned to Naples.

The Princess BelmontÉ has renewed her civilities; and the Nobile have sent us tickets for their musical Conversazione.