The Parent's Assistant; Or, Stories for Children

22

See antea.

23

Il cane scottato dell' acqua calda ha paura poi della fredda.

24

The Duc de Rochefoucault. – 'On peut être plus fin qu'un autre, mais pas plus fin que tous les autres.'

25

Chartres.

26

Poco e spesso empie il l' orsetto.

27

Chi te fa piu carezza che non vuole, O ingannato t' ha, o ingannar te vuole.

28

This word comes from two Italian words, banco rotto– broken bench. Bankers and merchants used formerly to count their money and write their bills of exchange upon benches in the streets; and when a merchant or banker lost his credit, and was unable to pay his debts, his bench was broken.

29

We must give those of our young English readers who may not be acquainted with the ancient city of Herculaneum some idea of it. None can be ignorant that near Naples is the celebrated volcanic mountain of Vesuvius; – that, from time to time, there happen violent eruptions from this mountain; that is to say, flames and immense clouds of smoke issue from different openings, mouths, or craters, as they are called, but more especially from the summit of the mountain, which is distinguished by the name of the crater. A rumbling, and afterwards a roaring noise is heard within, and prodigious quantities of stones and minerals burnt into masses (scoriæ) are thrown out of the crater, sometimes to a great distance. The hot ashes from Mount Vesuvius have often been seen upon the roofs of the houses of Naples, from which it is six miles distant. Streams of lava run down the sides of the mountain during the time of an eruption, destroying everything in their way, and overwhelm the houses and vineyards which are in the neighbourhood.

About 1700 years ago, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Titus, there happened a terrible eruption of Mount Vesuvius; and a large city called Herculaneum, which was situated at about four miles' distance from the volcano, was overwhelmed by the streams of lava which poured into it, filled up the streets, and quickly covered over the tops of the houses, so that the whole was no more visible. It remained for many years buried. The lava which covered it became in time fit for vegetation, plants grew there, a new soil was formed, and a new town called Portici was built over the place where Herculaneum formerly stood. The little village of Resina is also situated near the spot. About fifty years ago, in a poor man's garden at Resina, a hole in a well about thirty feet below the surface of the earth was observed. Some persons had the curiosity to enter into this hole, and, after creeping underground for some time, they came to the foundations of houses. The peasants, inhabitants of the village, who had probably never heard of Herculaneum, were somewhat surprised at their discovery.

[42 - Philosophical Transactions, vol. ix. p. 440.] About the same time, in a pit in the town of Portici, a similar passage under ground was discovered, and, by orders of the King of Naples, workmen were employed to dig away the earth, and clear the passages. They found, at length, the entrance into the town, which, during the reign of Titus, was buried under lava. It was about eighty-eight Neapolitan palms (a palm contains near nine inches) below the top of the pit. The workmen, as they cleared the passages, marked their way with chalk when they came to any turning, lest they should lose themselves. The streets branched out in many directions, and, lying across them, the workmen often found large pieces of timber, beams, and rafters; some broken in the fall, others entire. These beams and rafters are burned quite black, and look like charcoal, except those that were found in moist places, which have more the colour of rotten wood, and which are like a soft paste, into which you might run your hand. The walls of the houses slant, some one way, some another, and some are upright. Several magnificent buildings of brick, faced with marble of different colours, are partly seen, where the workmen have cleared away the earth and lava with which they were encrusted. Columns of red and white marble, and flights of marble steps, are seen in different places; and out of the ruins of the palaces some very fine statues and pictures have been dug. Foreigners who visit Naples are very curious to see this subterraneous city, and are desirous to carry with them into their own country some proofs of their having examined this wonderful place.

30

Tutte le volpi si trovano in pellicera.

31

Assai ben balla a chi fortuna suona.

32

Odi, vedi, taci, se vuoi viver in pace.

33

La vita il fine, – e di loda la sera.

Compute the morn and evening of their day. – Pope

34

Vien presto consumato l' ingiustamente acquistato.

35

I fatti sono maschii, le parole femmine.

36

Phil. Trans. vol. ix.

37

These facts are mentioned in Sir William Hamilton's account of an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. – See Phil. Trans. 1795, first part.

38

La mala compagnia è quella che mena uomini a la forca.

39

Pescar col hamo d' argento.

40

Their whole study was how to please and to help one another.

41

This was about the close of the last century.

42

Philosophical Transactions, vol. ix. p. 440.