ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS.

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the most arduous efforts to augment the force of the armyand navy, in order to aid with vigour the unholy league ofdespots, confederated to crush the new-born liberties ofFrance .

Dire were the sufferings of the Neapolitan people. Thebare suspicion of harbouring a liberal thought; trousersworn instead of knee breeches; unpowdered hair; shoestrings in lieu of buckles; the want of a tail; clothes ofcertain cuts or colours; every thing, in fine, which indicatedthe least departure from the olden garb and customs, weresufficient proof of treason, and consigned the person thus soproperly suspected, to a solitary dungeon !

New fangled taxes were imposed to defray the great ex-penses of the armaments ; even the plate from all conventsand churches was sent to the mint; shewing that even themost superstitious despot will sacrifice his religious mum-meries to his fears, and love of power! Next all the plateof private individuals was demanded, and the fourth partawarded to the informer against any who attempted to evadethe order.

Silent, sullen pain and indignation filled the minds ofthe oppressed Neapolitans; but upon their tyrant seizingon all the money in the public banks of Naples, indignationloud burst forth—the accents of despair arising from theruined depositors of above thirteen millions of ducats- Iirsome degree to mitigate the public disgust, the king andqueen pretended to have sold or pawned their jewels, andshowed themselves in public adorned with false ones.

A dreadful eruption of Vesuvius at this time added tothe public dismay and misery. During more than a week, thelight of day, although in June, was scarcely distinguishablefrom the darkness of the night. Violent commotions of theearth, explosions far louder than the loudest thunder, con-tinued showers of ashes, and the air infected with strong