Critical Account of the Situation and Destruction by the First Eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabia

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1771 edition. Excerpt: ...though for what reafons cannot fay, a large fquare chafingdHh, in bronze, fuch as they commonly ufe in Italy to warm their large apartments, about the fize of a middling table. It ftood upon lion's paws. The brims were curjoufly incrufted with a foliage compofed of copper, braCs, and filver. The bottom confifted of a. very fubftantial iron grate, lined with brickwork, Ctiufab. in Athen. Deipn. L. 10. c. 4, p. 447, /. 50, Hadr. Jan. animad-v. I. 2. c. 3. f. 64. work, as well above as below, fo that the coals could neither touch the upper part of the grate, nor fall down through the lower. But this curious piece was found all in pieces. I muft likewife reckon, amongft the neceffary houmold furniture, the lamps, in which the ancients were fo induftrious to difplay their elegance, and even magnificence; mould or dipt candles not having been in general ufe among them. There are lamps of every kind in the cabinet of Herculaneum, both in baked earth and in bronze, efpecially the latter; and, as the ornaments employed by the ancients have generally a relation to fome particular object, we often. find fome fingular fubjeds on them. Moft of thofe in baked earth reprefent a bark, with feven prows or roftrums at each fide, to hold as many wicks. The vefiel ufed to pour oil into thefe lamps re-fembks a little round clofe decked bark, with a fharp roftrum at one end, and at the other end a little concave plate, having a hole in the middle of it, to pour in the oil, which was afterwards to fupply the lamp. One of the largeft in bronze terminates, behind, in a bat with expanded wings, which may be confidered as an emblem of night. The delicate tiflue, for which the wings of this bird are remarkable, the tendons, the veins, and the fkin which covers...