{"product_id":"2940013762855","title":"The Last Man","description":"I visited Naples in the year 1818.  On the 8th of December of that\u003cbr\u003eyear, my companion and I crossed the Bay, to visit the antiquities\u003cbr\u003ewhich are scattered on the shores of Baiæ.  The translucent and\u003cbr\u003eshining waters of the calm sea covered fragments of old Roman\u003cbr\u003evillas, which were interlaced by sea-weed, and received diamond\u003cbr\u003etints from the chequering of the sun-beams; the blue and pellucid\u003cbr\u003eelement was such as Galatea might have skimmed in her car of mother\u003cbr\u003eof pearl; or Cleopatra, more fitly than the Nile, have chosen as\u003cbr\u003ethe path of her magic ship.  Though it was winter, the atmosphere\u003cbr\u003eseemed more appropriate to early spring; and its genial warmth\u003cbr\u003econtributed to inspire those sensations of placid delight, which\u003cbr\u003eare the portion of every traveller, as he lingers, loath to quit\u003cbr\u003ethe tranquil bays and radiant promontories of Baiæ.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe visited the so-called Elysian Fields and Avernus: and wandered\u003cbr\u003ethrough various ruined temples, baths, and classic spots; at length\u003cbr\u003ewe entered the gloomy cavern of the Cumæan Sibyl.  Our Lazzeroni\u003cbr\u003ebore flaring torches, which shone red, and almost dusky, in the\u003cbr\u003emurky subterranean passages, whose darkness thirstily surrounding\u003cbr\u003ethem, seemed eager to imbibe more and more of the element of light.\u003cbr\u003eWe passed by a natural archway, leading to a second gallery, and\u003cbr\u003eenquired, if we could not enter there also.  The guides pointed to\u003cbr\u003ethe reflection of their torches on the water that paved it, leaving\u003cbr\u003eus to form our own conclusion; but adding it was a pity, for it led\u003cbr\u003eto the Sibyl's Cave.  Our curiosity and enthusiasm were excited by\u003cbr\u003ethis circumstance, and we insisted upon attempting the passage.  As\u003cbr\u003eis usually the case in the prosecution of such enterprises, the\u003cbr\u003edifficulties decreased on examination.  We found, on each side of\u003cbr\u003ethe humid pathway, \"dry land for the sole of the foot.\"  At length\u003cbr\u003ewe arrived at a large, desert, dark cavern, which the Lazzeroni\u003cbr\u003eassured us was the Sibyl's Cave.  We were sufficiently disappointed--\u003cbr\u003eYet we examined it with care, as if its blank, rocky walls could\u003cbr\u003estill bear trace of celestial visitant.  On one side was a small\u003cbr\u003eopening.  \"Whither does this lead?\" we asked; \"can we enter here?\"--\u003cbr\u003e\"Questo poi, no,\" said the wild looking savage, who held the\u003cbr\u003etorch; \"you can advance but a short distance, and nobody visits\u003cbr\u003eit.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Nevertheless, I will try it,\" said my companion; \"it may lead to\u003cbr\u003ethe real cavern.  Shall I go alone, or will you accompany me?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI signified my readiness to proceed, but our guides protested\u003cbr\u003eagainst such a measure.  With great volubility, in their native\u003cbr\u003eNeapolitan dialect, with which we were not very familiar, they told\u003cbr\u003eus that there were spectres, that the roof would fall in, that it\u003cbr\u003ewas too narrow to admit us, that there was a deep hole within,\u003cbr\u003efilled with water, and we might be drowned.  My friend shortened\u003cbr\u003ethe harangue, by taking the man's torch from him; and we proceeded\u003cbr\u003ealone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe passage, which at first scarcely admitted us, quickly grew\u003cbr\u003enarrower and lower; we were almost bent double; yet still we\u003cbr\u003epersisted in making our way through it.  At length we entered a\u003cbr\u003ewider space, and the low roof heightened; but, as we congratulated\u003cbr\u003eourselves on this change, our torch was extinguished by a current\u003cbr\u003eof air, and we were left in utter darkness.  The guides bring with\u003cbr\u003ethem materials for renewing the light, but we had none--our only\u003cbr\u003eresource was to return as we came.  We groped round the widened\u003cbr\u003espace to find the entrance, and after a time fancied that we had\u003cbr\u003esucceeded.  This proved however to be a second passage, which\u003cbr\u003eevidently ascended.  It terminated like the former; though\u003cbr\u003esomething approaching to a ray, we could not tell whence, shed a\u003cbr\u003every doubtful twilight in the space.  By degrees, our eyes grew\u003cbr\u003esomewhat accustomed to this dimness, and we perceived that there\u003cbr\u003ewas no direct passage leading us further; but that it was possible\u003cbr\u003eto climb one side of the cavern to a low arch at top, which\u003cbr\u003epromised a more easy path, from whence we now discovered that this\u003cbr\u003elight proceeded.  With considerable difficulty we scrambled up, and\u003cbr\u003ecame to another passage with still more of illumination, and this\u003cbr\u003eled to another ascent like the former.","brand":"WDS Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47152757571824,"sku":"2940013762855","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013762855_p0.jpg?v=1763589941","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013762855","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}