362

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

downwards with almost the velocity of cannon shot, an ass (belonging to one of a party of visitors that were approaching |the base of the cone, was killed by one of these red hot fprojectiles, half a mile below us. In alluding to this one ofmy forty-two visits to the crater of Vesuvius during aneruption, I wish to draw attention to the geological andchemical deductions which so richly flow from the volcanicphenomena when properly investigated. By and by, I shallprepare my readers for the proper consideration of theoperations exhibited, by laying before them a fundamentalexposition of the electro-galvanic, or magnetico, electrical |theory of the universe, which will reduce all things to be >considered in a cosmogonical, geological, chemical &c.; ;

and a hundred etceteras, towards one great whole or to wav )of primitive action. |

The “ personal narratives ” of travellers are usually unac- 1

companied, when speaking of volcanos, by any rational I

generalizing deductions from geological and chemical facts, 1so they contain little useful instruction. For instance, SirWilliam Hamilton and several respectable old folks amongstthe F. R. S.’s, have published voluminous accounts of—thedirection which the lava took at one hour, the course thatit took at another,—how it hissed, and crackled, and I

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smoked ; how it rushed in, and how it rushed out, and how i

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the stones fell around and about; without once thinking or ;telling us any thing of the geology, chemisti’y, or rather 8physiology of the matter, or appearing to dream that the Ielectrical decomposing expansive and secreting operations 1they are describing, are as inherent and necessary to the |condensation, development, constitution and vital career %of the identity we call “ our” globe, as are the expansions |compressions, secretions, inspissations, and indurations |which regulate the existence of other forms of matter, vainly $attempted to be separated from the great whole or to wav,