Produced by Steven Gibbs, Stephen H. Sentoff and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net THE ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS IN 1872, BY PROFESSOR LUIGI PALMIERI, _Of the University of Naples; Director of the Vesuvian Observatory._ WITH NOTES, AND AN _INTRODUCTORY SKETCH OF THE PRESENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE_ OF TERRESTRIAL VULCANICITY, _The Cosmical Nature and Relations of Volcanoes and Earthquakes._ BY ROBERT MALLET, _Mem. Inst. C.E., F.R.S., F.G.S., M.R.I.A., &c., &c._ WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON: _ASHER & CO._, 13, BEDFORD STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. 1873. W. S. Johnson, Nassau Steam Press, 60, St. Martin's Lane, Charing Cross, W.C. "The Translator should look upon himself as a Merchant in the Intellectual Exchange of the world, whose business it is to promote the interchange of the produce of the mind." GŒTHE, "_Kunst und Alterthum_." INTRODUCTORY SKETCH, &c. The publishers of this little volume, in requesting me to undertake a translation of the "Incendio Vesuviano," of Professor Palmieri, and to accompany it with some introductory remarks, have felt justified by the facts that Signor Palmieri's position as a physicist, the great advantages which his long residence in Naples as a Professor of the University, and for many years past Director of the Meteorological Observatory--established upon Vesuvius itself, prior to the expulsion of the late dynasty--have naturally caused much weight to attach to anything emanating from his pen in reference to that volcano. Nearly forty memoirs on various branches of physics--chiefly electricity, magnetism and meteorology--produced since 1842, are to be found under Palmieri's name in the "Universal Catalogue of Scientific Papers of the Royal Society," and of these nine refer to Vesuvius, the earliest being entitled "Primi Studii Meteorologici fatti sul R. Osservatorio Vesuviano," published in 1853. He was also author, in conjunction with Professor A. Scacchi, of an elaborate report upon the Volcanic Region of Monte Vulture, and on the Earthquake (commonly called of Melfi) of 1851. These, however, by no means exhaust the stock of Palmieri's labours.