HERCULANEUM, a city of Naples, swallowed up by an earthquake in the reign of the emperor Titus, at the same time that there was an eruption of Mount Vesuvius: or rather it was overwhelmed with the ashes, sulphur, and other matter thrown out of that mountain, to the depth of eighty feet, and in some places of more than
than a hundred; as appears from the whole earth thereabouts being made up of the matter which has been disgorged from the mountain, and all the houses which have appeared hitherto stand perfectly upright, which could not be the case if this disaster had happened from an earthquake. According to Strabo, one side of this ancient city was washed by the sea, and lay exposed to the south-west wind, which rendered it a very salutary and agreeable place to dwell in. There have been several attempts to open a passage to it: and about a hundred years since, a private gentleman found means to get out as much treasure, of one sort or other, as he sold for eighteen thousand pounds; but one of his companions betraying him to the government, his effects were seized, and he was forced to fly into Germany. In 1738, this place was again examined, by order of the government: and some years ago they sunk a new passage into the higher part of the city, and when they were got to the level of the town, came to a broad and open square, partly natural, and partly made by the workmen; and round this they have broken in to several fine apartments, and in one place into a whole street. In this square they found various antiquities, which shew the magnificence of the ancients. One room was lined with most beautiful purple and white marble, in regular panells, each of which was edged with a black and gold-coloured marble, and surrounded with another of blue, green, white, and purple. The finest rooms were all covered with paintings, which are still extremely beautiful. In the niches there were statues, exquisitely carved; particularly a Juno of a bluish white marble, the folding of whose robes, at a small distance, would be taken for real linen. The expression of the face is much beyond any thing of the kind that has been lately seen. Among the paintings there is a Prometheus chained to a rock, and a large bird feeding upon his liver; and the whole is executed with so much beauty and majesty, that it exceeds all description. The figure is eight feet in length, and the muscles are expressed with surprising art. The plumage of the bird seems to be loose and trembling, as in expectation of a feast; and the fierceness of its eye is very remarkable. This indeed is a horrible portrait; but that of Semele melting into transport at the sight of Jupiter, is all softness. There are a multitude of other figures, many of which are not understood. However, there is a representation of the public show of beasts, where some of the animals are painted in a surprising manner; as for instance, a dying tyger, the noblest performance of the kind ever executed. There is likewise the death of Achilles, in which the passions are well expressed, and a concealed joy in the face of Polixena that nothing can come up to. There have been likewise found a great many of the utensils and instruments formerly used among the Romans; and many manuscripts, which are greatly decayed, and much art and care has been used to render them legible.—These manuscripts were thought to be the most valuable of all the curiosities which had been discovered; and it was hoped that by their means some defects in ancient history might have been supplied; but nothing of that kind hath been yet accomplished.