The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-04-28
When Pompeii and Herculaneum Were Sub
merged and Both Cities Entirely
DESTROYED.
This Important Event in the World's History
Occurred in the Year 79 of the
Christian Era.

The MOST graphic account in cX
iH,"ncc of the first recorded eruption
ol Ncsuvius On August "a. \. ID. 10.
! is contained in two letters written by
The younger pliny I" his friend the
historian rarituS. says the New York
lIcrald
C;,,lS l'inus Clrcilius SccunduS was
only eighteen years old when the ter
riblr eruption which destroyed the
cities "f P"mpcii aud Elcrrulancum oc
Cured. but that his powers OF OBJ
is rvilcn, from the two letters. The
younger Pliny was adopted by his
uncle. Ca,,s Plinius Sccundus. known
ns the elder Pliny. author of the cclr
n;,lcu "Nntural History, who per-
ishc,l as Il result of the eruption of We
suvius.
LETTER I.
Your request that | would send yuu an
account OF my unclr'S death. in order
10 llilllSlIlll Ill')It cN'ttl Itltl'II vi ~
to lnstcrity, deserves my acknowledge
| mrntS. for If this accident shall be
lrhrated by your pen, the glory of It,,
| am we'll assured, will be rendered
forever illustrious. And. hotwitlstnnd-
| ing he persisted by "a misfortune, which.
nS it involved ut the same time Il most
4
strnycu 50 many purul"us cities. seems
| ,, promise him IN everlasting rcncm-
| brnncc; Notwithstanding he has HIM
self composed many and lasting works,
yet ! am persuaded the mentioning of
| him in your immortal writings will
| greatly contribute to render his name
! immortal Happy esteem those to
| be ,n whom by provision of the gods
has been granted the ability either to
Il" such actions as are worthy of be-
iEg related or to relate them in Il man-
,cr worthy of being read; but PECULIAR
ly happy are they who are blessed with
10th these uncOmlnon talents, in the
| number of which my uncle. as his own
writings ANA your history will "vi-
IDENTIFY prove. may Justly be ranked.
| II is with extreme Willingness. there
fore. that execute your commands,
ana should indeed have demanded the
| task If YOU had not cnjOncd ii. lie was
at that time with tho fleet under his
command at Miscnulm. ON the 24th OF
| August, about o'clock in the after
| :,nnn. my mother desired him tn
of - very unusual size and shape
He had just taken Il turn in the
sun. and, after bathing himself
in cold waite" and making "a light
luncheon. gone back to his books; he
Immediately arose and went out upon
~ rising ground from whence he might
get Il better sight Of this very uncnin-
mon appearance. a cloud, from which
mountain was uncertain ut this dis
tHncr (but IL was found aftcrward to
come from Mount Vcsuvius). was
ascending. the appearance of which
cannot give you more exact de-
scripti"n of than by lilicning it to that
of a pine tree, for it shot up to Il great
height in the form of II very tall tr;lnk
| which spread itself out at the top into
II sort of branches, occasioncd. | i'm
aginc. either by Il sudden gust of air
tiat impcllcd It, the force of which de-
creased as IL advanced upward, or the
cloud itycl: being pressed back again
by it's own weight, expanded in the
E,nn"cr ] have mcn;iOncd it appeared
sometimes bright ana sometimes dark
ana spotted, according as it was either
II ore or less unprcgnated with earth
| and cindcrs.
This phenomenon seemed to n man
OF such learning and research as my
uncle extraordinary and worth further
looking into. He ordered Il light ves-
sci to be got ready, and gave me leave
if l liked, to accompany him. said
] had rather go on with my work. and
it so happened he had himself given
me something to write out. AS he was
coming out of the house he received q
note from Rectina the wife of Bassus
who was in the utmost alarm at the
imminent danger which threatened her
for her villa lying at the foot Of Mount
Vcsuvius, there was no way OF escape