COUNT BAUMGARTEN.

39

and so should be able to reach us almost as soon as hismessenger! Such of my readers as are acquainted with theGerman language, will readily see the origin of so strangea catastrophe. Loud and repeated, and again repeated,were our shouts of laughter, which speedily became in-creased, if possible, by the approach of the Count, not as hesaid, actually “ become ” an ass, but gravely seated upon one,and staring with astonishment at each of our distorted andconvulsed physiognomies. In vain he inquired into thecause of such speechless, helpless hilarity. The more helooked astonished—the more he inquired—the more he losthis patience—the more we laughed and were incapable ofsatisfying his curiosity. Unable to utter a word, I pointedto his note lying on the ground ; he took it up and read it,— turned it over and over,—then stared at us, quite lost inwonderment! In fine, we should have been still all laugh-ing there at this very moment as heartily as / cannot helplaughing now, had not a shower of rain compelled us toseek a hasty shelter in the hollow of a huge old oak, at somelittle distance from our seat. #

In my walks and excursions with Mr. Greenough, ourconversation usually turned upon geology and mineralogy,in which I felt a most lively interest. The entire Campagnadi Roma, as well as the first hills -which commence the risetowards the Appennines, is a formation, to the depth of morethan forty feet, of volcanic tuffo and puzzolana. The firstof these substances is about the hardness of brick, and agood material for building. The cities of Rome and Naplesare chiefly constructed of it. Puzzolana is, mineralogicallyspeaking, a similar substance, but instead of being compact,it is divided into bits like cinders or gravel. The cause ofthis difference is, that the sub-marine volcanic action

* The worthy Count, maugre his acknowledged metamorphosis,s ubsequently became Prime Minister to the King of Bavaria.