for them to fire at. I suppose it would take a considerable time before they were expert at this exercise; but by practice, I have no doubt that they might all be brought to hit the mark instantaneously at the word of command; like the lark-catchers in some countries, who are so dexterous at this manœuvre, that with a small mirror they throw the rays of light on the lark, let her be never so high in the air; which, by a kind of fascination, brings down the poor animal to the snare.

You may laugh at all this; but I don't think it is impossible that a looking-glass may one day be thought as necessary an implement for a soldier as at present it is for a beau. I am very apprehensive the French will get the start of us in this signal invention; as I have been assured long ago, that few of their men ever go to the field, without first providing themselves with one of these little warlike engines, the true use of which, happily for us, they are as yet unacquainted with. You will easily perceive, that if this experiment succeeds, it must alter the whole system of fortification as well as of attack and defence; for every part of the city that is exposed to the view of the besiegers, may be easily set in a flame; and the besieged would

have the same advantage over the camp of the besieging army. *

We are already completely tired of Syracuse, which, of all the wretched places we have yet met with, is by many degrees the most wretched: For besides that its inhabitants are so extremely poor and beggarly, many of them are so overrun with the itch, that we are under perpetual apprehensions, and begin to be extremely well satisfied that we could not procure beds. It is truly melancholy to think of the dismal contrast that its former magnificence makes with its present meanness. The mighty Syracuse, the most opulent and powerful of all the Grecian cities, which, by its own proper strength alone, was able, at different times, to contend against all the power of Carthage and of Rome: -which is recorded (what the force of united nations is now incapable of) to have repulsed fleets of two thousand sail, and armies of two hundred thousand men; and contained within its own walls, what no city ever did before or

Since the writing of these letters, the author has been informed that Mr. Buffon actually made this experiment.-He constructed a kind of frame, in which were fixed four hundred small mirrors, disposed in such a manner, that the rays reflected from each of them fell exactly on the same point. By means of this he melted lead at the distance of one hundred and twenty feet, and set fire to a hay stack at a much greater distance.

since, fleets and armies that were the terror of the world: This haughty and magnificent city, reduced even below the consequence of the most insignificant burgh: "Sic transit gloria mundi."-I have not been able to procure a table to write upon but by way of succedaneum am obliged to lay a form over the back of two chairs. -We have got into the most wretched hovel you can conceive, and the most dirty; but what is still worst of all, we can find nothing to eat; and if we had not brought some cold fowls along with us, we might have starved.

The heat has been considerably greater here than at Catania. The thermometer is just now at 78.-There is an old remark made on the climate of this place by some of the ancients; which is still said to hold good: That at no season the sun has ever been invisible during a whole day at Syracuse. I find it mentioned by several Sicilian authors, but shall not vouch for the truth of it.-Adieu.-My next will probably be from Malta; for we shall sail to-morrow, if it be possible to procure a vessel.

Ever yours.

LETTER XIII.

Capo Passero, June 3.

AS we found the mighty city of Syracuse so reduced, that it could not afford beds and lodging to three weary travellers, we agreed to abridge our stay in it; and accordingly hired a Maltese sparonaro to carry us to that island. This is a small six-oared boat, made entirely for speed, to avoid the African pirates, and other Barbaresque vessels, with which these seas are infested; but so flat and so narrow, that they are not able to bear any sea, and of consequence keep always as near the coast as possible.

On the 2d of June, by day-break, we left the Marmoreo, or great port of Syracuse: and although the wind was exactly contrary and pretty strong, by the force of their oars, which they manage with great dexterity, we got on at the rate of four miles an hour. They do not pull their oars as we do, but push them like the Venetian gondoliers; always fronting the prow of the boat, and seldom or never sit down while they row; allowing the whole weight of their bodies to be exerted every stroke of the oar. This gives a prodigious momentum, and is cer

tainly much more forcible than a simple exertion of the muscles of the arm.

At ten o'clock the wind became favourable, when we went indeed at an immense rate. At twelve it blew a hurricane, and with some difficulty we got under shore, but the wind was so exceedingly violent, that even there we had like to have been overset, and we were obliged to run aground to save us from that disaster. Here we were a good deal annoyed by the sand carried about by the wind; however, the hurricane was soon over, and we again put to sea with a favourable gale, which in a few hours carried us to Capo Passero.

In this little storm we were a good deal amused with the behaviour of our Sicilian servant, who at land is a fellow of undaunted courage, of which we have had many proofs; but here (I don't know why) it entirely forsook him, although there was in fact no real danger, for we never were more than a hundred yards from the shore. He gave himself up to despair, and called upon all his saints for protection: and never again recovered his confidence all the rest of this little voyage; perpetually wishing himself back at Naples, and swearing that no earthly temptation should ever induce him to go to sea again. The same fellow, but a few