Letter from William Gell, Naples, to Mrs. Edward Lytton Bulwer, 1834 November 14 : autograph manuscript signed.

Expressing his gratitude for the dedication to him in her husband's book [The Last days of Pompeii], discussing many English friends who winter in Italy, and giving a detailed account of the recent eruption of Vesuvius; saying "One felt in standing in front of it, as if the wings which always kept advancing slowly but uniformly might by chance get on a little quicker in some part & surround one. No moment passed without 600 great falls from the top of the bank of red hot stone which immediately burnt the trees, vines & houses as they fell, leaving in the bank a great red hot sear. I went within 10 yards & those who were on foot by being a little watchful got much nearer. Some 300 houses of the sort drawn above were destroyed & some chapels & the Prince of Ottaianos revenue may be diminished about 300 Ducats per anum (50£) but he is very rich. As to the people they were only tenants & had time to remove even their doors & windows to that I saw none destroyed. I put all the loose money I had in my pocket thinking I should find every body in great distress, but I found nobody but one old woman crying, who with two carlines seemed immediately restored to happiness & treated it as a sort of fete like the rest & all the company collected from Naples & Castell a Mare & among others myself did...At present the mountain is perfectly extinct & no longer smokes;" sending remembrances to her from many of their mutual acquaintances.