nes and fruit trees, so that altogether
it has been most disastrous. Vesuvius was involved in vapour and ashes
till far on in May, and one afternoon at sunset, when all below was in
shade, and only a few silvery threads of steam were visible, a column of
the most beautiful crimson colour rose from the crater, and floated in
the air. Many of the small craters still smoked, one quite at the base
of the cone, which is a good deal changed--it is lower, the small
northern cone has disappeared, and part of the walls of the crater have
fallen in, and there is a fissure in them through which smoke or vapour
is occasionally emitted.

* * * * *

On the 1st June we returned to Sorrento, this time to a pretty and
cheerful apartment close to the sea, where I led very much the same
pleasant life as the year before--busy in the morning with my own
studies, and passing the rest of the day on the terrace with my
daughters, who brought me beautiful wild flowers from their excursions
over the country. Many of the flowers they brought were new to me, and
it is a curious fact that some plants which did not grow in this part of
the country a few years ago are now quite common. Amongst others, the
Trachelium coeruleum, a pretty wall-plant, native of Calabria, and
formerly unknown here, now clothes many an old wall near Naples, and at
Sorrento. The ferns are extremely beautiful here. Besides those common
to England, the Pteris cretica grows luxuriantly in the damp ravines, as
well as that most beautiful of European ferns, the Woodwardia radicans,
whose fronds are often more than six feet long. The inhabitants of
Sorrento are very superior to the Neapolitans, both in looks and
character; they are cleanly, honest, less cruel to animals, and have
pleasant manners--neither too familiar nor cringing. As the road between
Sorrento and Castellamare was impassable, owing to the fall of immense
masses of rock from the cliffs above it, we crossed over in the steamer
with our servants and our pet birds, for I now have a beautiful
long-tailed parroquet called Smeraldo, who is my constant companion and
is very familiar. And here I must mention how much I was pleased to
hear that Mr. Herbert, M.P., has brought in a bill to protect land
birds, which has been passed in Parliament; but I am grieved to find
that "The lark which at Heaven's gate sings" is thought unworthy of
man's protection. Among the numerous plans for the education of t