air announced an approaching earthquake. Ruggiero's joynts began to loosen with the united sensations of guilt and fear; surrounded on all sides by torrents of indurated lava, - which he recollected to have heard flowed from Vesuvius the year that he was born, when both his parents perished in the flames, and he himself was saved as if by miracle, his feet stood fixed by difficulty, whilst his mind ran rapidly over past events. The mountain now swelled with a second sigh, more solemn than before. The hollow ground heaved under him, and by the light of an electric cloud which caught the blaze as it blew over the hill, he happily discovered a distant crucifix, and seeking with steps become somewhat more steady to gain it. Tears for the first time eased his heart, and gave hope of returning humanity. Ruggiero now prayed for life only that he might gain time to request forgiveness; and after a variety of penances courageously endured, he lives at this day, a hermit on Vesuvius, religion making that residence delightful, the sight of which, when guilty, chilled him with horror, and he scruples not to relate the story of his conversion to those who, passing that way, are sure to partake his hospitality. This story was never seen since that day by any one. DELLA CRUSCA VERSES. AMONG many other undeserved praises I received at generous Florence, I select these from Mr. Merry, whom we called Della Crusca, because he was a member of their academy: : These were sincere verses indeed; for he wanted me not to join the Greatheeds and Parsons and Piozzi, who were all persuading him to go home, and not fling any more time away in prosecuting his dangerous passion for Lady Cowper; while the Grand Duke himself was his rival. I answered his application, poor fellow! in the concluding verses of our "Florence Miscellany." They wanted it larger; so I said: The book's imperfect you declare, Thou first, to soothe whose feeling heart Thou, too, who oft has strung the lyre No longer seek these scorching flames, * Mr. Greatheed. She describes him as completely under the influence of his wife, the charming Anna. Keep her from knowledge of the crimes The beauties of a hothouse rose, While I — who, half-amphibious grown, 'T was thus the Grecian sage of old, As wanting in his country's love ""Tis that," cried he, "which most I prize," And, pointing upwards, shewed the skies. *See ante, p. 137. Moore has substituted Posterity for Society. His reports of conversations are both meagre and inaccurate. Thus (Vol. III. p. 196) he says : "In talking of letters being charged by weight, he (Canning) said the post-office once refused to carry a letter of Sir J. Cox Hippesley's, it was so dull." Canning said "so heavy"; the letter being the worthy baronet's printed letter against Catholic Emancipation. |