Fail. Then will I scotch the wheels of it, that it may not run: thou hast cattle enough in it to carry it down stairs, and break thy neck; 'tis got a yard nearer to the door already."

It is sometimes called a running bed, as "In the inventory of effects formerly belonging to Sir J. Fastolfe."

"Item. j rynning bedde with a materas." (Archeol. XXI.) It was also called a trundle-bed. Your readers may be amused to find it mentioned in the 7th book of Homer's Odyssesy, by Chapman, in speaking of Alcinous and his Queen :

"The King tooke rest

In a retired part of the house, where drest The Queen herselfe a bed, and trundle-bed, And by her lord reposde her reverend head."

In Johnson's Dictionary we find"Trundle, n. s. [tpenol, Saxon.] any round rolling thing."

From whence Trundle-tail, n. s. round tail:

"Avaunt, you curs! Hound or spaniel, brache or lym, Or bobtail tike, or trundle. tail."

Shakesp. K. Lear.

I. A. R.

THE convulsive throes of a volcanic power immeasurably surpassing the present feeble and intermittent agency of earthquakes and volcanoes, raised Italy above the surface of the waters, and gave her a geographical position, to the commanding advantages of which may be attributed the moral and physical dominion so long maintained by her inhabitants.

The first appearance of the Italians in the annals of nations is later by some centuries than that of the Greeks; and yet, when first named in history, they are described as a people far advanced in art and science. The subdivision of Italy has deprived her of all political importance in Europe; but she still maintains high rank in the civilized world, while Greece has long relapsed into ignorance and barbarism; and if we estimate the moral importance of a nation by the extent and duration of its influence upon surrounding countries, we must admit the preeminence of Italy, which has been distinguished by four brilliant epochs, while Greece can only boast of one.

During the earliest of these epochs, Etruria, Magna Græcia, and Sicily were distinguished by their proficiency in art, science, and agriculture; and the Greek writers admit the successful competition of Tarentum, Croton, Matapontum, Sybaris, Capua, Syracuse, Agrigentum, and other cities in Magna Græcia and Sicily, with the cities of Hellas in all the arts of cultivated society. The artists, philosophers, hisGENT. MAG. VOL. VII.

torians, and legislators of these Greek colonies, have proved by the still existing fragments of their works, that the sons of Greece did not degenerate on the soil of Italy; and in Etruria the high cultivation of the people is proved by the willing evidence of the Roman historians, who acknowledge that in religion, art, and science, they were, during the early period of their state, largely indebted to their Etruscan neighbours.

The second epoch of Italian preeminence, was far more important and comprehensive. Commencing with the fall of Tarentum and Capua, and the retreat of Hannibal from Italy, the Romans, by a rapid succession of conquests, became the rulers of three divisions of the globe, as far as they were then known, and maintained their supremacy more than 400 years; a duration unexampled in the history of the world. During this period Italy imparted her laws, manners, arts, and sciences to the nations she had conquered; but a boon more precious was her knowledge of agriculture, which has done more for the moral improvement of Europe than all the refinements of Roman civilization. Thus the habits and institutions of ancient Italy, although modified by time and circumstances, are still closely interwoven with the texture of modern European laws and customs.

At length the power of the great mistress of the world was broken up by the impolitic division of the empire

2 K

and by the formidable and continuous irruptions of the northern nations. Her armies were melted down and discouraged by incessant conflict, and a large portion of her cities and people destroyed with fire and sword. For a time Italy was crushed under the feet of her savage conquerors; her fertile fields lay waste; her splendid edifices untenanted or in ashes; when, at length, rising from beneath the compressive power of barbarism, like a youthful phoenix from her parent ashes, she again developed her inherent powers, and achieved almost universal dominion by a moral agency not less potent than the legions of old Rome.

This third epoch was the Hierarchy, a legislative and dictatorial priesthood. The weapons were now changed; but the same object was steadily pursued, the same result obtained, and the same place again became the seat of empire. Rome, once the most zealous persecutor of the Christian worship, now made that worship the avenue to power and opulence. The Cross became at once her banner and her sword. Her quæstors and pro-consuls were now priests and legates; her legions, organized hosts of monks; and her senate re-appeared in a college of cardinals, whose fiat the collective monarchs and people of the Christian world awaited in fear and trembling. This epoch, which may be dated from Pope Gregory VII. and the introduction of clerical celibacy, would probably have endured to a much later period, had not the growing licentiousness of the priesthood, the anti-Christian expedients employed to raise funds for the erection of St. Peter's, and the unsparing severity of the Italian and German prelates, undermined the moral power of the Romish hierarchy, and enabled the great and glorious Luther to liberate northern Europe from her galling fetters.

No sooner, however, had Rome ceased to control the consciences and the purses of the northern nations, than the diminished importance of Italy compelled her master-spirits to create a new source of distinction and emolument, and this source they discovered beneath the surface of their native soil. From the rubbish and shattered substructions of old Roman edifices arose, as from the darkness of

the grave, the matchless creations of Grecian art, won by the conquests of imperial Rome, and buried in the ruins of temples, baths, and palaces. This was the commencement of the fourth epoch of Italian greatness, the revival of arts and letters, which dawned with the excavations of ancient works of art, and reached its meridian splendour under Leo X. and Julius II., a period of more unmixed benefit, but not comparable with Roman legislation, nor even with the earlier period of the Papacy. No longer animated by the savage spirit of bigotry, or rather of antagonism, which prompted the iconoclasts of Greece and Italy to destroy whatever works of art the barbarians had spared, the Italian clergy and people proved their growing refinement by joint endeavours to preserve the majestic ruins of old Roman greatness. And now appeared the great masters of modern painting, sculpture, and architecture. Fostered by the liberal patronage of popes and cardinals, and the princely merchants of Florence, Raphael, Michael Angelo, and Palladio, and their pupils and successors, adorned Italy with masterly specimens of their various arts. The works of these highly-gifted men have invested modern Italy with a moral grandeur and importance, far outweighing the military and political pre-emimence of old Rome; and they will remain the canons of fine art until the aspiring and excursive genius of man shall have soared into new regions, and reached higher models of excellence than any hitherto accomplished.

How many objects of classical and intellectual association present themselves to the cultivated traveller in a country, which, for so many centuries, and in such various respects, stood conspicuous and unrivalled! Where can he wander, so well guided as here, over the classic soil of ancient history? where find such abundant evidence of an earlier and greater people, as in the imposing vestiges of old Roman grandeur which rise around him like the phantoms of a dream; while to the classic scholar they are like the shades of long departed friends, and impart a character of life and truth to the dead letters of ancient poets and historians!

A graphic illustration of ancient

Italy, as it still appears in the ruins of its former physical and moral condition, has been attempted in the accompanying map, which indicates the principal roads and cities; the site and direction of the most remarkable active and exhausted volcanoes; and the most important ruins of Old Roman and still more ancient construction.

A geological inspection of the surface of Apennine Italy presents the striking appearance of two distinct mountainchains, the links of which, commencing with Mount Etna and the mountains south-east of Reggio in Calabria, extend in nearly parallel lines to the gulph of Genoa. One of these lines, consisting of calcareous hills, is the well-known chain of Apennines, which, commencing in Calabria Ultra, extends through part of Italy, and terminates beyond Genoa. The other chain, hitherto little noticed by geographers, but long observed and commented on by French, German, and Italian geologists, is of volcanic origin, and of course composed of volcanic productions. This line, which extends from Etna to the hot baths of Lucca, and may be readily followed by travellers, consists of three still active, and more than fifty long inactive and ruinous, but still perfectly distinguishable craters of as many volcanoes, some of which still indicate their latent existence by earthquakes; now considered by all intelligent naturalists as different exhibitions of the same power. These volcanoes, of which as many are marked on the map as its limited scale will permit, are as follow :

1. The great central volcano of Etna, surrounded by many minor craters, and bearing on its flanks 36 minor mountains, some of which equal Vesuvius in bulk. Monte Rosso, which rises on the south side in the highest or desert region of Etna, is three Italian miles in circumference at the base, Four volcanos in the Lipari Isles,

are

2 and 3. Two volcanoes in the island Volcano.

4. The volcano in the island Selini. 5. The volcano of Stromboli, which is in constant action.

6. The volcano of Mount Epomeo, in the island of Ischia; the last eruption was in 1301. This island is often shaken by earthquakes.

7. The volcano of the island Nisita: the circular harbour was the crater.

8. The volcano of Vesuvius, including the exhausted volcanoes of Somma and Ottajano, appears to have been originally a mountain of much greater elevation, but undermined and lowered by numerous eruptions and earthquakes. From the present appearance of many exhausted volcanoes, it is probable that Vesuvius will eventually sink into the vast cavity beneath, and become a lake like those of Agnano, Astruni, and Averno in the Phlegræan Fields. The varieties of volcanic productions from Vesuvius are very numerous, and each fresh eruption produces new combinations of mineral and earthy matter. Some of the red and grey compact lavas of Vesuvius, are in all respects similar to porphyry and fine grey granite. The site of Naples, the Phlegræan Fields, and indeed the whole country surrounding the bay, are volcanic, and the hills and hollows are covered with beds of lava, ashes, and pumice-stone. The following fourteen are the most remarkable of these ancient volcanoes, of which, for want of space, the Solfatara only is indicated on the map.

9. The volcano of the Chiaja. The circular form of its shore is a segment of the crater.

10. The volcano of Agnano; the crater is now a lake.

11. The volcano of Astruni: the crater is a finely wooded valley, and in its centre is a beautiful lake.

12. The volcano of Solfatara still emits sulphureous steams from crevices in the sides and surface of the crater, and the depth of the caverns beneath is indicated by hollow reverberations when a stone is thrown upon the surface. The volcanic remains of the mountain surround the crater like the walls of an amphitheatre. The lava of Solfatara has been converted into white argillaceous clay by the still rising steams of sulphureous acid, and some fragments exhibit clay on one side and lava on the other.

13. The volcano of Mare Morto (the Dead Sea).

14. The volcano of Lago Lucrino. In the year 1538 the volcanic hill called Monte Novoa rose from this lake, and in twenty-four hours formed a cone exceeding 2,000 feet in height,

and 3,000 paces in circumference. The Lucrine Lake was filled up with stones and ashes, and the soil around covered for several miles. Earthquakes preceded this eruption for ten days.

15. The volcano of Lake Avernus. 16. The volcano of St. Elmo. This volcanic hill and the six following, probably originated like Monte Novo.

17. The volcano Gaurus, now Monte Barbaro.

18. The volcanoes of Monte le Camaldoli.

19. The volcano of Pizzo Falcone; the ancient Echia.

20. The volcano of Capo di Chino. 21. The volcano called Lo Scoglio de Revigliano.

22. The volcano near Baia.

23. The volcanic island of Ponza, in the gulph of Gaeta.

Excepting some calcareous hills composed of porous limestone and marine relics, the road from Naples to Rome, and the country around Rome, are in great measure volcanic. The ancient volcanoes near Rome are in the Alban and Tusculan hills, and in the hills of Tivoli, Palestrina, and Frascati. The most remarkable are:

24. The volcano of Lago d'Albano, now a circular lake, and said to be 350 feet in depth. The volcanic productions of Mount Albano resemble those of Vesuvius. Some of the compact black lavas are free from any admixture of crystals, and so entirely resemble in colour and substance the Oriental basaltes, that they have been employed to repair the mutilated antique Egyptian basalt statues in the museum at Rome.

35. The volcano of Lago di Monte Rosi, a small lake behind Monte Rosi, on the road to Ronciglione.

36. The volcano of Lago di Vico, an extensive lake and ancient crater. The high volcanic hill of Viterbo, is a part of the original circumjacent mountain. From the lake rises a hill of lava and pumice-stones, called Monte Venere, which is a part of the central cone of this once colossal volcano. Behind Viterbo is a lake of hot water, called the Zolfatara, or Bulicami di Viterbo, which emits a sulphureous steam. On the left of the road to Monte Fiascone is a pool of cold water, which appears to boil, being raised into bubbles by the ascending air; and near this pool is a spring of boiling water, which deposits a glutinous sediment. The hills and fields of lava in this vicinity have been converted by subterranean steams of vitriolic and sulphureous acid into red and white porous argillaceous stone, or lava-clay, exactly resembling the lavas converted by the same process into clay at Solfatara, near Naples.

37. The volcano of Lago di Bolsena, near the town of Bolsena, which is close to the crater. Amongst the volcanic eminences which hedge in this crater, is a remarkable hill of basaltes. Upon a bed of grey volcanic ashes and pumice-stones lies an extensive stratum of black, compact, basalt-columns, each measuring five or six palms in length, and one in thickness. They are slightly detached and principally hexagonal, but some exhibit only three, four, and five sides. Above these regular prisms rises a solid hill of hard black lava, without any determined

26. The volcano of Lago di Regillo, below Monte Colonna.

27. The volcano of Lago di Castiglione.

28, 29, 30, 31. The volcanoes of Velletri, Frascati, Palestrina, and Tivoli.

The road from Rome to Florence, through Viterbo, abounds in volcanic productions, and is highly interesting to naturalists.

32. North-west of Rome is the volcano of Lago di Bracciano.

33. West of Bracciano is the volcano near Civita Vecchia.

34. The volcano of Baccano, between Rome and Viterbo.

a tendency to prismatic formation. This evidence of identity between com pact lava and basaltic columns, which occurs in many of the ancient Italian volcanoes, cannot surely be refused; and if, as long conjectured by the Italian philosophers, the exhausted volcanoes of Italy were submarine, the sudden refrigeration of the lava by sea-water, while in a state of igneous fusion, will readily explain its crystallization.

38. The volcano of Radicafani, a steep and castellated hill, consists of grey, black, and red lava, both porous and compact, and intermingled with red pumice stones. These various lavas alternate irregularly. The whole

mass exhibits a tendency to congeal into prisms, and some quadrangular and hexagonal basalt-columns are easily distinguishable. Opposite to Radicofani, on the other side of the valley, rises the still more elevated lava-hill called Monte S. Fiore. These eminences are apparently the relics of one volcano, the summit of which fell into the crater, now covered with marine sediment. On the slope of Monte S. Fiore are the well-known hot sulphureous springs called Bagni di S. Filippo.

39. The volcano of Sienna is a hill of volcanic tufo, covered with marl and sand, in which are fossil shells. The city is built in the middle of the crater ; the ground extremely irregular; and the great piazza, which is circular, or rather the segment of a circle, slopes down from the buildings into a hollow like a muscle-shell. Sienna is often shaken by earthquakes, and the concussion of 1797 cracked and damaged many palaces and churches.

40. The volcano of the thermal baths of Lucca.

41. The volcano of Monte Traverso, on the western Apennines to the north of Florence, is a steep hill of darkgreen and grey - spotted lava, and is rent asunder from the base to the summit. Many large limestones are found amidst the volcanic productions. On the slope of Pietra Mala, a hill near Monte Traverso, are two small craters filled with marl and limestones, through which ascend unceasing flames and a smell of petroleum, but no volcanic productions have been observed.

42. The volcano of Spoleto, northeast of Rome, in the Apennines. The town, which lies in the middle of the crater, was twice severely injured by earthquakes in the eighteenth century. Besides the Apennine volcanoes of Traverso and Spoleto, there are other eminences of volcanic configuration on this ridge of mountains, and, doubtless volcanic productions might be discovered upon or near the surface. The following ancient and very remarkable volcanoes are north of Apennine Italy, in the districts of Vicenza, Verona, and Padua. Of these, two only, the volcano near Vicenza, and Bolca near Verona, are marked on the map.

43. The volcano of Brendola, near Vicenza, exhibits a singular mixture

and variety of volcanic and marine productions. The west side of this hill is covered with lava. The lowest stratum is blue clay.

44. The volcano of Ronca, in the Veronese, which, say the neighbouring people, emitted fire and smoke about the middle of the 18th century, exhibits a singular and chaotic mixture of volcanic and marine matter. The summit of this hill is entirely volcanic, and beneath lie strata of limestone and red marl, between alternate strata of pumice stones and lava, both solid and prismatic, while the whole is intermingled with bones and beautiful petrified shells in fine preservation.

45. The volcano of Bolca is a steep and barren limestone-hill, in which appear the craters of several extinguished volcanoes. The soil around is covered with lava, pumice-stones, and other volcanic matter. Bolca contains many petrified exotic fishes and shells, greatly resembling those which now inhabit tropical seas, but not identical.

46. The volcano at Borgo di Malo; with two open craters.

47. The volcano of Monte di Setti fongi; with an open crater.

48. The volcano of Monte Lavegno. The open crater is large, deep, and shaped like a funnel. The bottom is full of lava, mixed with shattered slate and quartz. The lower hills and plains around this mountain are covered with ashes and beds of black lava.

49. The volcano of Monte di S. Luca, a calcareous hill; the summit volcanic, with many basalt columns.

50, 51. The volcanoes of Monte Rosso and Monte Catajo, in the Euganean hills, near Padua: the lava of the former is entirely columnar. The lavas of these hills are red, black, and grey; and sulphureous hot springs (putizze) rise through the calcareous covering of their slopes.

52. The volcano in the Montes Berici, near Vicenza. These hills abound with curious and beautiful petrifactions.

53. The volcano near Recoaro. In the hills near Recoaro may be seen compact limestone mixed with volcanic matter, and in the slate beneath are many oblique fissures filled up with lava.

54. The volcano of S. Giovanni Ilarione. The crater is now a valley sur