unning and holding a handkerchief to our nose
an we passed through the smoke, when the wind blew it to our side. The
crater was just like an empty funnel, wide at the mouth, and narrowing
to a throat. The lava was hard enough to bear us; but there were
numerous _fumeroles_ or red-hot chasms, in it, which we could look into.
Somerville bought a number of crystals from the guides, and went
repeatedly to Portici afterwards to complete our collection of volcanic
minerals.

They were excavating busily at Pompeii; at that time, and in one of our
many excursions there Somerville bought from one of the workmen a bronze
statuette of Minerva, and a very fine rosso antico Terminus, which we
contrived to smuggle into Naples; and it now forms part of a small but
excellent collection of antiques which I still possess. The excavations
at that period were conducted with little regularity or direction, and
the guides were able to carry on a contraband trade as mentioned. Since
the annexation of the Neapolitan provinces to the kingdom of Italy, the
Cavaliere Fiorelli has organized the system of excavations in the most
masterly manner, and has made many interesting discoveries. About
one-third of the town has been excavated since it was discovered till
the present day.

In passing through Bologna, we became acquainted with the celebrated
Mezzofanti, afterwards Cardinal. He was a quiet-looking priest; we could
not see anything in his countenance that indicated talent, nor was his
conversation remarkable; yet he told us that he understood fifty-two
languages. He left no memoir at his death; nor did he ever trace any
connection between these languages; it was merely an astonishing power,
which led to nothing, like that of a young American I lately heard of,
who could play eleven games at chess at the same time, without looking
at any chess-board.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 8: Joseph Barclay Pentland, Consul-General in Bolivia
(1836-39), died in London, July, 1873. He first discovered that Illimani
and Sorata (not Chimborazo) were the highest mountains in America. (See
Humboldt's "Kosmos.")]

CHAPTER VIII.

EDUCATION OF DAUGHTERS--DR. WOLLASTON--DR. YOUNG--THE HERSCHELS.

When we returned to Hanover Square, I devoted my morning hours, as
usual, to domestic affairs; but now my children occupied a good deal of
my time. Although still very young, I thought it advisable for them to
acquire foreign languages; so I engaged a French nur