,transcriber ,note3 ,text emphasis is denoted as ,italics4 ,,the ,,philosophy ,,of ,,earthquakes1 ,natural and ,religious4 ,,or ,an ,inquiry into their ,cause1 and their ,purpose4 ,o ,vita philosophia dux1 virtutum indagatrix1 expultrixque vitii6 ,cicero4 ,by ,,william ,,stukeley1 ,m4,d4 ,rector of ,st4 ,george's1 ,queen-,square3 ,fellow of the ,college of ,physicians and ,royal ,society3 ,the ,,second ,,edition4 ,to which is added1 ,,part ,,ii4 on the same ,subject4 ,,london3 ,printed for ,c4 ,corbet over-against ,st4 ,dunstan's ,church1 ,fleetstreet4 ,,mdccl4 ,to the ,reader4 ,the substance of the philosophical part of this discourse was delivered at twice to the ,royal ,society1 on ,march #ae1 and #bb3 ,the theological1 in my own church4 ,i could not refuse the solicitation of my friends1 hearers in both places1 to print it4 ,i wish my intention1 in the compliance1 may any ways prove successful2 to show1 how vain1 and unmeaning1 are all our philosophical inquiries1 when destitute of their true view2 to lead us into the more engaging paths of religion4 ,that1 from speculation of material causes1 we may become adepts in that wisdom which is from above4 ,otherwise1 like ,epicurus1 and the ancient heathen philosophers1 we barter away our immortal part1 for a curiosity1 that amuses us to no good purpose4 ,mean are these objects of our senses to be accounted1 in comparison of our spiritual natures1 to which our principal regard is due6 ,for we must rightly say with ,job3 ,lo1 these are parts of ,god's ways1 but how little a portion is heard of him8 and the thunder of his power1 who can understand8 ,illustration ,,to ,martin ,folkes1 ,esq2 ,,ll4,d4 ,president of the ,royal ,society4 ,march #bf1 #agej4 ,when so great and unusual a phenomenon1 as an earthquake1 and that repeated1 happens among us2 it will naturally excite a serious reflection in everyone that is capable of thinking4 ,and we cannot help considering it1 both in a philosophical and a religious view4 ,any mind will take the alarm when we perceive a motion that affects the earth1 that bears the whole city of ,london1 and some miles round it4 ,and at the same time while it gives us so sensible a shake1 so gently sets us down again2 without damage to any buildings1 and without a life lost4 ',tis hard to say1 which is the greater wonder4 ,but alas in the works of nature1 there are no degrees of great1 and little2 comparisons are incompatible4 ,we indeed are more affected with what seems great in our own apprehensions3 ,i would rather say1 what is rare and unusual4 ,an omnipotent power admits of no distinctions4 ,and when prodigious effects are produc'd from causes imperceptible1 it rightly claims our most serious attention1 as well as wonder4 ,nor need we lose sight of the theological purpose of these amazing alarms2 whilst we endeavor to find out the philosophy of them4 ,among all the appearances of nature1 which are the subject of the inquiries of the ,royal ,society1 none more deserves the regard of a contemplative mind4 ,and among the very numerous accounts received there1 from all quarters1 being only ,observations upon the manner of it1 and its extent3 ,i judg'd1 it became us to inquire into the cause of so extraordinary a motion3 of which we could not form a proper idea2 had we not repeatedly seen1 and felt it4 ,the moderns have not improv'd upon the opinions of the ancients1 in this matter2 any further than by the fancied analogy of some chymical experiments4 ,but these chymical experiments1 and all sorts of explosions by gun-powder1 and the like1 are to me a very unsatisfactory solution they are merely artificial compositions1 which can have nothing similar in the bowels of the earth1 and they produce their effects by violence1 by rending and tearing1 by a solutio continui4 ,this is indeed too often the case of earthquakes1 but that is a partial degree1 not at all equivalent to the compass of the shock2 and is very far from being the constant concomitant of an earthquake4 ,quite the contrary4 ,innumerable such happen1 when there is no breach of the surface2 and of these three or four which we have now felt1 nothing of it has appear'd4 ,but the immensity of the vibration of the earth which shook every house in ,london1 with impunity1 and for twenty miles round1 can never1 in my apprehension1 be owing to so unbridled a cause1 as any subterraneous vapours1 fermentations1 rarefactions1 and the like2 the vulgar solution4 ,nor does the kind of motion1 which ,i discern in an earthquake1 in any sort agree with what we should expect from explosions4 ,in order then to proceed with some degree of certainty1 in our inquiry after the cause of earthquakes1 it will be useful1 in the first place1 to set in one view1 the general appearances remarkable therein2 the most usual concomitants3 ,as we can collect them from our own observation1 or from the relations and writings of others4 ,circumstances4 ,i4 ,that earthquakes always happen in calm seasons1 in warm1 dry1 sultry weather2 or after a dry1 frosty air4 ,,ii4 ,that they are felt at sea1 as well as land1 even in the main ocean2 and at that time1 the sea is calm4 ,,iii4 ,that earthquakes differ very much in magnitude4 ,some shake a very large tract of country1 at the same instant of time2 nay1 sometime extend to very many countries1 separated by mountains1 seas1 lakes1 the ocean4 ,,iv4 ,that earthquakes differ very much in the quantity1 of their vibratory motion3 ,whence in some1 tho' largely extended1 they are innocuous2 in others1 both small and great1 they lay all in ruin and destruction4 ,v4 ,that a hollow1 thundering1 unusual noise accompanies them1 or rather seems to preceed the shock2 which rolls in the air like the noise of cannon4 ,,vi4 ,that they are felt more sensibly in the upper story of houses than in the lower4 ,,vii4 ,that the shock is more violent upon more solid buildings1 churches1 castles1 and stone-houses1 than upon those of slighter materials4 ,,viii4 ,that many people find themselves sick at stomach1 with headake1 and pains in their joints1 and the like1 which sometime lasts for the day after1 or longer4 ,,ix4 ,that earthquakes generally happen to great towns1 and cities1 and more particularly to those that are situate on the sea4 ,x4 ,that earthquakes do not cause any damage to springs and fountains2 but the water in wells becomes foul for a short time4 ,,xi4 ,that they are more frequent in the neighboring countries of a vulcano4 ,this last circumstance1 in my opinion1 has led all inquirers in this question1 out of the true path2 therefore ,i propose in the ensuing paper4 ,i4 ,to shew what it is not2 the insufficiency of the vulgar opinion1 of subterraneous fires and vapours4 ,,ii4 ,to shew what it is in reality1 as it appears to me4 ,,iii4 ,i shall conclude with the moral use we ought to make of these prodigies of nature4 ,i4 ,the struggles of subterraneous winds and fires1 that should heave up the ground like animal convulsions1 seem to me impossible3 ,their powers1 and manner of acting 7if such there be7 is quite incapable of producing the appearance of an earthquake4 ,that these should operate instantaneously1 in one minute1 thro' a circle of #cj or #dj miles diameter1 or more1 ,i could not conceive4 ,nor that there should be any possible1 much less ready passage thro' the solid earth1 for such nimble agents1 as every one is apt to imagine that speak of this appearance2 without sufficiently reflecting on the insuperable difficulties in that hypothesis4 ,we cannot pretend to deny that there may be such vapours1 and fermentations1 inflammable substances1 and actual fires1 in the bowels of the earth2 and that there may be some caverns under-ground1 as well as we find some few above ground3 such as ,pool's-,hole1 ,the ,devil's-,arse in the ,peak of ,derbyshire1 and ,okey-,hole in ,somersetshire4 ,these1 ,i believe1 to have been so from the creation1 never were made by earthquakes4 ,we know1 there are hot springs running continually3 ,there are some vulcano's frequently belching out flames and smoke1 and to these perhaps some earthquakes may be owing1 tho' not according to the vulgar notion2 as we shall see1 by and by4 ,but these matters are very rare1 much rarer than earthquakes1 both as to time and place4 ,vesuvius in ,italy1 and in that part of it abounding with mines of sulphur3 tna in ,sicily1 and ,heckla in ,iceland2 these are all we know of1 in the old world4 ,in the ,andes mountains of ,america1 there are some4 ,the scarcity of these appears to me a strong argument against the common deductions made therefrom1 as to their being the cause of earthquakes4 ,nor can ,i enter into the sentiments of those that hold the cavernous state of the earth1 so as to contribute to the forming an earthquake by vapours running from place to place under ground4 ,how many thousand acres of coal-mines do they daily work in ,england1 and have done for ages8 ,i have been myself #b or #cjj feet deep in a solid rock of native salt3 ,i have walked a mile lengthwise directly into the earth1 and descending all the way1 in the proportion of one yard in five1 'till we came under the bed of the very ocean1 where ships were sailing over our heads4 ,this was at ,sir ,james ,lowther's coal-pit1 at ,whitehaven4 ,we were at this time deeper under ground by the perpendicular1 than any part of the ocean1 between ,england and ,ireland4 ,we never hear1 from the many hundreds of thousands of workmen in this kind1 at ,newcastle1 ,nottinghamshire1 ,yorkshire1 ,derbyshire1 ,staffordshire1 ,somersetshire1 and ,wales3 from the infinite numbers of workmen in the mines of lead1 tin1 and the like1 of the cavernous state of the earth1 so as to give any colour for this hypothesis of earthquakes4 ,the earth is generally of solid rock2 in which there must be now1 and then1 some clefts1 and vacuities1 small in compass1 as naturally so many heterogeneous strata of the earth consolidate together4 ,but there can be no imagination of vapours breaking through1 uniting1 traversing so suddenly1 a large space of earth1 so as to produce those earthquakes1 we have seen1 and felt2 much less such as we read of4 ,the workmen in all sorts of mines confess by their hard labor1 that the earth is not cavernous2 nor are there mines of sulphur1 nitre1 and the like inflammable materials in ,england4 ,or if there were1 could they burn1 and cause convulsions of the earth1 without proper cavities1 pipes1 and conveyances of air2 as vulcano's1 and coal-pits1 when set on fire4 ,but even from these coal-pits1 when fired1 do we ever find any thing like an earthquake produced4 ,nor do we find earthquakes frequent in those countries1 that abound with coal-mines1 as certainly would be the case1 if that hypothesis was just4 ,how easy would it be1 on the slightest occasion for earthquakes to happen in the countries abounding with coal-mines1 which are so full of artificial cavities communicating with one another1 for many miles together3 ,the very thing supposed1 by those who hold the old opinion1 of vapours traversing the earth for that purpose4 ,in the coal-pits1 some small natural cavities now and then are found2 which when opened1 send forth a pestiferous vapor and a fire-damp which runs for a long time together4 ,and tho' there are many substances that may generate air1 within the bowels of the earth2 yet these matters are infinitely unable to produce an earthquake3 ,never would have force to open a passage for themselves thro' the solid rock1 of perhaps many hundred feet in thickness4 ,nor did we observe in these last earthquakes any fire1 vapour1 smoke1 or smell1 any kind of eruption1 in the least2 as must certainly have been1 in so great a struggle of the superfice1 as affected a circle of so large a diameter4 ,were there such1 we could scarce hope any otherwise1 than that they would be too sensibly felt2 to the destruction of many thousands1 by their pestiferous qualities4 ,indeed this consideration alone1 of the extent of that surface1 is sufficient to overthrow any supposition1 of earthquakes being chiefly owing to subterraneous vapours3 ,they cannot momentarily fly under so large a tract of ground1 if they were near the outward shell of the earth4 ,they could not do it without breaking ground1 and discovering themselves to the sight1 or smell2 and that for a long time after4 ,it cannot possibly be imagin'd1 they could have so immense a force1 as to lift up the city of ,london1 and never be perceived by our organs1 and outward senses4 ,we have frequent accounts of a little fire-ball bursting in the air1 at a distance2 yet it instantly propagates a sulphureous smell around4 ,if the movement of a superficies of #cj miles diameter was owing to fumes1 and vapours2 we ought reasonably to find some great discharges of them1 belching out smoke and fire1 for a long time after1 like vulcano's1 and coal-pits fir'd4 ,the operation of the shock ought to be of hours continuance1 not instantaneous2 and the evaporation of so vast a quantity of matter1 must darken the whole region of the air for a long time after2 or require a long time1 if gradually it discharges itself4 ,we see how immense a volume of smoke is produc'd by a very small quantity of gun-powder2 and no vapour could be so subtle1 that produc'd such effects1 and not be very obvious to our senses4 ,even in vulcano's1 it is the opinion of the learned ,italian philosopher ,borelli1 and of other great naturalists1 that they are kindled first from the surface1 where there is a possibility of ventilation from the air4 ,they imagine1 it begins at the top of the mountains2 not by any fancied fermentation of the pyrites and sulphureous vapours arising from subterraneous caverns1 in the lower parts of mountains4 ,there is another consideration1 which utterly overthrows these suppositions1 of earthquakes being caused by anything under-ground2 and that is a due consideration of springs1 and fountains perpetually flowing2 and that from the creation of the world to this day4 ,if we would form any tolerable idea of their nature1 we must needs conceive1 that ,god ,almighty has laid their pipes1 and canals in the earth1 from a great depth1 even to the surface2 like as he has planted the veins1 arteries1 and glands in an animal body4 ,and likewise that they are more and more ramify'd1 as they nearer approach the outward shell of the earth2 just so our veins1 and arteries1 as they come nearer the skin4 ,the workmen in coal-mines1 and those of metals1 minerals1 and stone-quarries1 never fail to meet with springs1 and currents of water1 every where4 ,often they ruin1 and divert springs another way1 only by digging into the earth for foxes1 and the like4 ,whenever they dig for wells1 in any kind of earth1 they commonly find springs4 ,the colliers1 and workers of mines1 are oblig'd to drain the waters off with very great expence4 ,these are circumstances not favorable to subterraneous fires being in the earth in abundance2 much less to their being the cause of earthquakes4 ,and further1 we cannot possibly think of earthquakes doing their work that way1 without absolutely ruining the whole system of springs1 and fountains1 throughout the whole country1 where they pass4 ,but all this is quite contrary to fact2 even where an earthquake has been repeatedly4 ,for an instance from home4 ,on ,wednesday1 ,april #f1 #aehj1 about six in the evening1 just such another earthquake was felt in ,london and around it1 as these two we have seen4 ,another exactly similar #afib4 ,in all these four1 no houses thrown down1 no springs disturb'd thereby1 no sensible eruptions nor smells4 ,these considerations ,i apply only to this little inconsiderable space1 of a circle #cj miles diameter2 as with us4 ,but what is that to the earthquakes we read of in history8 ,in the year of our ,lord #ag1 no less than thirteen great and noble cities in ,asia minor1 were destroyed in one night4 ,tacitus1 ,pliny1 and many other authors mention it4 ,the fact is so notorious1 that some persons here present1 have seen a vast block of white marble now standing near ,naples2 being the pedestal of a coloss statue of ,tiberius the emperor2 having carv'd on it the genius's1 or pictures of all those cities1 with their names4 ,the accurate ,bulifon and others have wrote treatises upon it4 ,these cities were rebuilt by that emperor4 ,but without going so far1 we may see another evidence of it1 a coin of that emperor struck upon the occasion1 with this inscription1 ,,civitatibus ,,asiae ,,restitutis4 ,i have one of them1 in large brass1 which was found at ,colchester4 ,the compass of this earthquake may be reckon'd to take up #cjj miles diameter1 as a circle4 ,now1 we cannot conceive1 how any subterraneous vapour can produce such an effect1 as instantaneously to demolish all these cities2 and that such an accident should never happen after4 ,that the whole country of ,asia minor should not at the same time be destroy'd1 its mountains be renversed1 its fountains1 springs1 and rivers broken up and ruin'd for ever4 ,instead whereof we find nothing suffered1 but those cities2 no kind of alteration in the surface of the country2 it remains the same as it were in the beginning of time4 ,in #aehf an earthquake in ,peru1 that extended #ijj miles4 ,from these considerations1 ,i cannot persuade myself1 to enter into the opinion of vapours1 and eruptions being the cause sought for2 and1 after we have treated the argument in a superficial view1 we must go a little deeper4 ,if we would consider things like philosophers1 let us propose to ourselves this problem3 ,where is the power to be plac'd1 that is requir'd to move a surface of earth #cj miles in diameter8 ,to answer this1 consult the ingineers1 and those that make mines in the sieges of towns2 they will acquaint us1 that the effect of mines is produced in form of an inverted cone4 ,and that a diameter of #cj miles1 in the base1 will require an axis of #ae or #bj miles to operate upon that base1 so as to shake it1 at least4 ,now the vapours1 or whatever power we propose to operate1 according to the foregoing requisite1 in order to form the appearance of an earthquake1 must be #ae or #bj miles deep in the earth4 ,but what mind can conceive1 that any natural power is able to move an inverted cone of solid earth1 whose base is #cj miles diameter1 whose axis #bj8 or was it possible2 would not the whole texture of that body of earth be quite disturb'd and shatter'd1 especially in regard to its springs and fountains8 but nothing like this is ever found to be the consequence of an earthquake1 tho' fatal to cities4 ,apply this reasoning to the earthquake of ,asia minor1 and this vigorous principle at the apex of the cone must lie1 at least1 #bjj ,miles deep in the ground4 ,enough to show the absurdity of any moving power plac'd under the ,earth6 ,a cone of #cjj miles diameter at base1 #bjj miles axis3 ,i dare be bold to say1 that all the gun-powder made since its invention1 if put together and fired1 would not be able to move it2 how much less pent up vapours8 what must we say of a circle of #ijj miles diameter8 ,but1 could that be admitted as possible1 would any one be persuaded1 that such a subterraneous tumult1 of so vast an extent1 will be no ways injurious to the internal system of springs and fountains1 and that this shall often be repeated without the least damage8 ,we may as well imagine1 that we can stab a man #ajj times and never touch vein or artery4 ,since ,i gave in my two papers to the ,royal ,society1 a letter of ,mr4 ,flamsted's has been printed1 which abundantly confirms my sentiments4 ,the whole drift of it is1 to show how invalid is the vulgar idea conceiv'd1 of earthquakes arising from subterraneous vapours and eruptions3 ,that the earth itself is not moved to any depth1 and that the shock must arise from the atmosphere4 ,the circumstances which he has judiciously collected1 are extremely agreeable to mine2 many of them the very same1 strongly confirming my hypothesis3 ,and had that great man known the properties of electricity1 which we are now masters of1 he would have prevented me in this affair4 ,considering 7says he7 what variety of substances1 sand1 gravel1 stones1 rock1 minerals1 clay1 and mold1 our earth is compounded of1 and how little nitre1 or explosive matter1 a large quantity thereof will afford2 ,i cannot think1 where we can find matter enough to move so vast a bulk of earth1 as all the ,south parts of ,england1 all the ,netherlands1 with part of ,germany1 all ,france1 and perhaps ,italy1 7which were shock'd at once the #hth of ,september last #afib27 or part of ,asia1 and near all ,europe1 which trembled together the same day1 #ia years before4 ,but1 allowing there may have been sufficient matter prepared for these purposes1 ,i can hardly think1 there are continued cavities1 at any reasonable depth1 all under ,europe1 wherein an explosion being made1 might shake the whole at once1 and yet make no clefts1 or separations1 in those parts where the minerals and mountainous rocks part from the light mold and clay4 ,if an hundred barrels of gun-powder could be fixed in some cave1 a thousand yards under ground2 allowing the force of the explosion sufficient to raise all the weight of earth incumbent on the cavern2 it would certainly break the loose mold from any large solid rock we may conceive adjacent1 and leave at least some clefts behind it4 ,but we seldom or never hear of such clefts1 made in such places1 when earthquakes happen4 ,again1 he writes thus3 ,i cannot apprehend1 7if all earthquakes must be made by explosions in subterraneous caverns7 why sometimes a large country1 or whole continent1 should be thereby shook all at once2 why there should be no eruptions in the neighbourhood8 ,from all circumstances consider'd1 he concludes1 that the abstruse1 effective cause of them comes from the air2 and that a calm is necessary before an earthquake4 ,and these two particulars are likewise ,dr4 ,hales's positions3 ,the earth-lightning1 as he calls it1 is first kindled on the surface1 and not at great depths1 as has been thought2 whose explosion is the immediate cause of an earthquake4 ,he says1 long1 dry1 hot seasons1 are usually the preparatory forerunners of earthquakes4 ,from all these considerations ,i conclude2 earthquakes are not caus'd by subterraneous vapors4 ,,ii4 ,we are to inquire1 what is the cause of earthquakes4 ,in an age when electricity has been so much our entertainment1 and our amazement2 when we are become so well acquainted with its stupendous powers and properties1 its velocity1 and instantaneous operation through any given distance2 when we see1 upon a touch1 or an approach1 between a non-electric and an electrified body1 what a wonderful vibration is produc'd6 what a snap it gives6 how an innocuous flame breaks forth6 how violent a shock6 ,is it to be wonder'd at1 that hither we turn our thoughts1 for the solution of the prodigious appearance of an earthquake8 ,here is at once an assemblage of all those properties and circumstances which we so often see in courses of electricity4 ,electricity may be call'd a sort of soul to matter1 thought to be an ethereal fire pervading all things2 and acting instantaneously1 where1 and as far as it is excited4 ',tis every body's observation1 that there never was a winter1 like the last past1 in any one's memory1 so extremely remarkable for warmth and driness1 abounding with thunder and lightning1 very uncommon in winter2 coruscations in the air frequent1 justly thought electrical by all philosophers2 particularly1 twice we had the extraordinary appearance of that called aurora australis1 with colours altogether unusual2 and this just before the first earthquake3 ,all the while the wind constantly south and south-west1 and that without rain1 which is unusual with these winds4 ,this state of the atmosphere had continued five months before the first earthquake4 ,is it not hence reasonable to conclude1 that the earth1 especially in our region1 must be brought into an unusual state of electricity2 into that vibratory condition wherein electricity consists2 and1 consequently1 nothing was wanting but the approach of a non-electric body1 to produce that snap1 and that shock1 which we call an earthquake2 a vibration of the superficies of the earth4 ,that the earth was in that vibratory and electric state we have further reason to conclude1 from the very extraordinary forwardness of all the vegetable world with us4 ,every one knows1 that1 at the end of ,february1 all sorts of garden-stuff1 trees1 fruits1 and flowers1 were as forward as in other years1 by the middle of ,april4 ,conformable to which1 experiments abundantly show1 that electrifying of plants quickens their growth1 equally as in animals it quickens the pulse4 ,nor will the unusual driness and warmth of the weather solely account for such a precipitate vegetation3 because a necessary supply of rain was wanting1 as in the natural ,spring-season4 ,a very long dry frost will produce the same electrical state of the earth1 as it equally favours electrical experiments4 ,thus1 ,march #bg1 #ajgf1 a frost from the #ast of ,november to the middle of ,april1 a general earthquake in ,england succeeded4 ,matt4 ,paris4 ,that of ,oxford1 #agth of ,september #afhc1 was after a frost4 ,jan4 #d1 #afhj1 ,an earthquake in ,somersetshire3 ,the air was very calm2 a frosty night4 ,mr4 ,flamsted concurs with us1 in our first position1 ,that earthquakes always happen in calm seasons4 ,he adds1 ,that ,keckerman1 a learned author1 who wrote on the subject1 affirms1 and backs it from the authority of ,aristotle and ,pliny4 ,the #hth of ,september #afja was a very calm day but cloudy3 ,and the ,smyrna merchants observe the earthquakes there happen in calm1 still weather4 ,the remarkable clearness and calmness of the morning was observed in that of ,oxford #agth of ,september #afhc1 and the air continued so for five or six days after3 ,therefore we may infer1 that it is not impossible1 what has been abundantly related1 that some foreigners from ,italy here in ,england1 some from the ,west-,indies 7in both which countries earthquakes are more frequent than with us7 did seem to apprehend our first earthquakes from the apparent temper of the weather2 and observations of this kind are as old as ,aristotle4 ,it is observed in ,jamaica1 when the air is extraordinary calm1 an earthquake is always apprehended4 ,we had lately read at the ,royal ,society1 a very curious discourse1 from ,mr4 ,franklin of ,philadelphia1 concerning thundergusts1 lightning1 the northern lights1 and meteors4 ,all which he rightly solves from the doctrine of electricity4 ,for1 if a cloud raised from the sea1 which is a non-electric1 happens to touch a cloud raised from exhalations of the land1 when electrified1 it must immediately cause thunder and lightning4 ,the electrical fire flowing from the touch of perhaps a thousand miles compass of clouds1 makes that appearance1 which we call lightning4 ,the snap which we hear in our electrical experiments1 when re-echoed from cloud to cloud1 the extent of the firmament1 makes that affrightning sound of thunder4 ,from the same principle ,i infer1 that1 if a non-electric cloud discharges its contents upon any part of the earth1 when in a high electrified state1 an earthquake must necessarily ensue4 ,the ship made upon the contact of many miles compass of solid earth is that horrible uncouth noise1 which we hear upon an earthquake2 and the shock is the earthquake itself4 ,in the relation received from ,portsmouth1 and the ,isle of ,wight1 concerning the last shock there1 on the #ahth of ,march1 the writer observes1 the ,day was warm and serene2 but1 upon a gentle shower falling in the evening1 the earthquake came4 ,here we have reason to apprehend the electrified state of the earth1 and the touch of the non-electric3 which caused the earthquake4 ,the learned ,dr4 ,childrey observes1 treating on this subject1 that earthquakes happen upon rain2 a sudden shower of rain in the time of a great drought4 ',tis objected1 that1 if this was the case1 nothing would be more frequent than earthquakes2 but these two circumstances concurring1 a shower and dry weather1 must not necessarily cause it1 any more than touching a tube before it is electrified causes a snap4 ,the earth must be in a proper electrified state to produce it2 and electricity has its fits2 is remitted1 intended1 ceased and recommenced4 ,it has its bounds4 ,all causes must concur4 ,and now1 with us1 all necessary causes did so apparently4 ,tho' a shower of rain falling upon the earth when electrified1 may cause an earthquake1 yet too much rain before1 will prevent that state of electricity1 necessary4 ,the day before the catastrophe of ,port-,royal1 the weather was remarkably serene and clear4 ,in that most dreadful earthquake1 #afib1 of ,sicily1 where #ed cities and towns1 beside a great number of villages were destroy'd2 but especially the whole city of ,catania3 ,it was preceded by a most agreeable1 serene and warm season1 which was the more observable on account of its being unusual at that time of the year4 ,i have been inform'd1 that in the morning of both earthquakes last past with us1 the air was serene and calm2 on the morning before that #hth of ,february1 the air was observ'd to be remarkably calm2 and that a little before1 a black cloud appear'd over great part of the horizon4 ,dr4 ,hales1 in his relation1 says1 the ,centinels in ,st4 ,james's ,park1 and others who were abroad in the morning of the last earthquake1 observ'd a large black cloud1 and some coruscations1 just before the shock1 and that it was very calm weather3 ,and that1 in the history of earthquakes1 they generally begin in calm weather1 with a black cloud4 ,this observation precludes the suspicion of earthquakes arising from tumults and commotions in the upper1 or under region of the air4 ,the remarkable clearness of the air before earthquakes1 observ'd by all1 shows evidently how free it is from vapours and the like4 ,agreeable to our fifth position1 ,mr4 ,flamsted writes1 ,a hollow noise in the air always precedes an earthquake1 so near that it rather seems to accompany them4 ,he refers us to ,philosophical ,transactions1 ,no #aea4 p4 #caa4 ,the noise was heard by many that liv'd in the out-streets1 and alleys of ,london1 remote from the noise and tumult of the greater streets4 ,this he speaks of that felt in ,london #afib2 but now the whole city heard the noise1 on both these earthquakes of ours4 ,the gardener1 who gave a relation to the ,royal ,society of what he observed in the ,temple-garden1 took notice1 that first he heard the most dreadful noise imaginable1 which he thought to be a great discharge of ship-guns1 on the river3 and that the noise rolled from the water-side towards ,temple-bar1 rather before the nodding of the houses4 ,the gentleman who observed it about ,hartingfordbury1 says1 the noise preceded the shock4 ,and this is a common observation1 which at once both strengthens our opinion of electricity1 and confutes that of subterraneous vapours2 for1 in the latter case1 the concussion must precede the noise4 ,agreeable to out second position1 ,mr4 ,flamsted writes1 ,that earthquakes are felt at sea1 equally as on land4 ,our merchants say1 that1 tho' the water in the bay of ,smyrna lies level and smooth as a pond2 yet ships riding there feel the shocks very sensibly1 but in a very different manner from the houses at land3 ,for they heave not1 but tremble2 their masts shiver1 as if they would fall to pieces and their guns start in their carriages1 though the surface of the sea lies all the time calm and unmoved4 ,in ,dr4 ,hook's ,philosophical ,collections1 ,no #f4 p4 #ahe4 we are told1 ,that a ship felt a shock in the main ocean2 that the passengers1 who had been asleep in their cabins1 came upon deck in a fright1 fearing the ship had struck upon some rock2 but1 on heaving the lead1 found themselves out of soundings4 ,all this is extremely agreeable to our assumption4 ,the water receives the electrical touch1 and vibratory intestine motion of its parts1 as well as land4 ,and the impression may be made solely on the writer a non-electric1 by the touch of an electric fire-ball1 or the like2 and that seems to have been often the care4 ,the proper vibratory motion is impress'd on the water without ruffling its surface2 and so communicated to all the parts of the ship1 gives the sense of a shock to the bottom1 the shivering to the mast1 and the rest of the symptoms3 which sufficiently proclaim the cause of it to be an electrical impression upon the water4 ,the president mentioned a relation of a waterman1 that felt it in his boat upon the river2 he thought it like a great thump at the bottom of the boat4 ,and so the ships at sea fancy1 they strike upon a rock4 ,this makes us apprehend1 the reason of the fishes leaping up out of the canal in ,southwark1 of which we had an account4 ,so in that of ,oxford1 #afhc1 one fishing in the ,charwell felt his boat tremble under him1 and the lesser fishes seem'd affrighted by an unusual skipping4 ,that electricity is the cause sought for1 seems deducible from this consideration4 ,several writers on earthquakes assimilate these vibrations of the earth to those of a musical string4 ,experiments have shown1 that fishes in water may be killed by the particular tone of a musical string2 and 'tis known1 that electricity will kill animals4 ,they assuredly felt the vibratory motion in the water1 which they were absolutely strangers to before4 ,no doubt it made them sick2 as those of weak nerves on land4 ,and this circumstance alone precludes any suspicion of subterraneous fires under the ocean4 ,or1 if we were to admit of it1 would the boiling of the water exhibit any appearance1 like what we are speaking of1 either to the water1 or to the ship8 ,mr4 ,flamsted likewise concurs in our eighth position1 ,that many people found themselves suddenly sick at stomach1 and their heads dizzy and light2 so that those that had formerly fits of apoplexies1 dreaded their return2 particularly1 one gentleman1 a surgeon1 feeling himself so affected1 and fearing a return of his apoplexy1 resolved to be let blood1 without suspecting the earthquake4 ,after these two shocks which we felt1 many people had pains in their joints and back1 as after electrifying2 many had sickness1 headakes1 hysteric and nervous disorders1 and colicks1 for the whole day after1 and some much longer1 especially people of weak nerves1 weak constitutions2 some women miscarry'd upon it2 to some it has prov'd fatal4 ,to this we must attribute1 that relation we had1 of the dog lying asleep before the fire2 but upon the earthquake1 he suddenly rose up1 run about the room1 whining1 and endeavouring to get out4 ,any solid matter is capable of being put into a state or electricity1 such as iron guns2 and the more so1 by reason of their solidity4 ,and in proportion to it1 is the greatness of the snap1 and of the shock2 and a kind of lambent flame issues from the point of contact2 and likewise somewhat of a sulphureous smell3 ,so that if both flame and smell were discernible in an earthquake2 'tis to be found1 without going to the bowels of the earth4 ,dr4 ,hales mentions1 that solid bodies are the best conductors of aereal lightning2 whence oaks are rent1 and iron melted4 ,and in our earthquakes in ,london1 the loudest noise was heard near such large stone buildings1 as churches1 with lofty steeples4 ,from the top of these we must apprehend1 that the electrical explosion goes off into the open air2 as in our experiments1 from the point of swords1 and the like4 ,the electrical shock is proportionate to the solid electrified1 agreeable to our seventh position4 ,this fully accounts for earthquakes in general1 and for many in particular4 ,what can be imagin'd greater than a shock of the body of the earth8 ',tis greater1 or less in proportion to the state of electrification4 ,and now we can account for several appearances4 ,in the first earthquake1 the ,lord ,chancellor1 ,masters in ,chancery1 and several ,judges1 were sitting in ,westminster-,hall1 with their backs to the wall of the upper-end1 which is of a vast thickness4 ,they all relate the severity of the shock1 from the wall seeming to push towards them with great violence4 ,and thus in the earthquake of #afib1 ,deal castle is one of them built by ,henry ,,viii4 the walls are of immense thickness1 and strength2 yet they shook so sensibly1 that the people living in it1 expected it was falling on their heads4 ,and this is the case in all earthquakes3 the more substantial the building1 the more violent is the shock3 exactly the mode of electrical vibration4 ,and this ,dr4 ,hales takes notice of and others2 that an earthquake shatters rocks of marble1 more easily than the strata of sand1 earth1 or gravel4 ,in the earthquake here of #afib1 a great cliff fell down near ,dover2 and part of ,saltwood-castle wall4 ',tis from hence we account for that observation1 that when we electrify any person2 upon a touch1 the pain and blow of the shock is felt at the joints1 the wrist1 elbow1 and shoulder1 for instance1 more than in the intermediate parts2 because there is the greatest quantity of solid4 ,at the same time1 that the force of electricity in solids1 is as the quantity of matter3 we see most evidently1 by innumerable experiments1 that water is equally assistant in strengthening1 and conveying the force of electricity2 and that in proportion too to its quantity4 ,and hence is to be deduc'd the reason of my observation2 that the most frequent and dreadful earthquakes have fallen upon maritime places4 ,and ,i find the same is taken notice of in some degree1 by ,acosta1 by ,dolittle1 who wrote on that in #afib1 and others4 ,in the dreadful catastrophe at ,port-,royal then1 'tis notorious1 that its violence was chiefly near the sea4 ,so ,lima could not suffer without its port of ,callao4 ,even in those so lately felt by us1 they were sensibly more violent towards the river1 than farther from it4 ,in that earthquake which was felt in ,england1 in the year #afib1 7which was very much like these with us7 there were no houses thrown down1 nor persons kill'd3 but it reach'd more particularly ,sheerness1 ,sandwich1 ,deal1 ,dover1 ,portsmouth1 and the maritime parts of ,holland1 ,flanders1 and ,normandy4 ,in this that happened on ,sunday the #ahth of ,march last1 at ,bath2 it was felt particularly and strongly at ,portsmouth1 seven miles above and below it1 on the sea-side2 all round the isle of ,wight1 at ,southampton1 the sea-coast of ,selsey1 south of ,chichester1 ,arundel1 and the whole coast of ,sussex1 without going up the land2 and across the sea to the islands of ,jersey and ,guernsey4 ,on ,monday night1 the #b;d of this instant ,april1 #agej1 at ten o'clock1 at ,leverpool1 a shock of an earthquake4 ,and felt in several other places in the neighbourhood2 but particularly at ,chester1 and ,warington4 ,if we look into ancient history1 we find #aig years before ,christ1 an earthquake shook terribly the isle of ,rhodes1 damag'd many cities3 and some quite swallow'd up4 ,seventeen years before ,christ1 many cities in the isle of ,cyprus destroy'd4 ,six years before ,christ1 the isle of ,coos vehemently afflicted4 ,during the ,peloponnesian war among the ,greeks1 the isle of ,delos shaken1 and the most beautiful temple of ,apollo thrown down4 ,soon after1 the city of ,lacedmon totally destroy'd4 ,a4 ,d4 #gi4 ,three cities in ,cyprus overthrown4 ,a4 ,d4 #hb4 ,the city of ,smyrna ruined4 ,in the time of ,valens the emperor1 a terrible earthquake in ,crete1 whereby #ajj cities were destroy'd4 ,feb4 #ac1 #abdg1 ,an earthquake1 chiefly felt in the ,thames4 ,matt4 ,paris4 ,may1 #achb1 ,a general earthquake1 which did much mischief2 the ,friday following one less2 the ,saturday following1 one felt mostly by water4 ,henry de ,knyhton4 ,holinshed4 ,a4 ,d4 #adef1 ,in the city of ,naples1 #dj1jjj people lost4 ,constantinople has often suffer'd2 particularly in #aeji1 #ac1jjj people overwhelm'd4 #aeca1 ,at ,lisbon1 #adjj houses thrown down2 as many shatter'd4 ,april1 #afij1 ,the ,leeward-,islands1 ,montserat1 ,nevis1 and ,antigua3 ,at ,martinico1 and the ,french islands1 at ,st4 ,lucia1 c4 a violent earthquake4 ,dec4 #h1 #agjc1 ,an earthquake at ,hull1 a perfect calm4 #agjb1 ,at ,stroution1 in ,argyleshire1 which extended all along the west coast of ,great-,britain2 but to no breadth on land4 ,oct4 #be1 #agcd1 ,at ,havant1 in ,sussex1 considerable1 the air perfectly calm4 ,but instances enough1 to show what ,i aim'd at1 that maritime places are most subject2 which is a strong argument in favour of electricity2 when both the solid of the earth1 and the quantity of the water concur1 to make the shock2 exactly as in electrical experiments2 when the bottle of water is held in the hand4 ,thus when our mind is discharged of the prejudices of former notions1 we discern1 that every appearance favours the principle we go upon4 ,that1 agreeable to ,mr4 ,flamsted1 subterraneous explosions1 could they pervade1 and traverse the earth at pleasure1 must at last burst1 and disperse every thing in their way4 ,yet 'tis not possible for us to imagine1 such a kind of vibration should follow1 either by sea or land1 as that we are treating of4 ,but electricity compleatly answers it4 ,this accounts for that superficial movement of the earth1 that universal instantaneous shock1 which made every house in ,london to tremble1 none to fall3 ,that quivering1 tremulous1 horizontal vibration1 highly different from any motion we must conceive1 to be produc'd from subterraneous evaporations4 ,hence authors tell us1 ,dec4 #cj1 #agci1 describing an earthquake in the west-riding of ,yorkshire3 ,it seem'd as if the earth mov'd backward and forward horizontally2 a quivering1 with reciprocal vibrations4 ,mr4 ,flamsted rightly accounts the motion of earthquakes to be undulatory2 and by being continued1 causes a like motion to a great distance4 ,as when you strike a long stretch'd string of wire at one end1 the motion is immediately continued to the other4 ,so far he entered into the nature of electricity4 ,tho' he be in the right1 thinking the cause comes from the air1 yet what follows1 contradicts his own hypothesis4 ,for if a calm be necessary before an earthquake2 then 'tis not produc'd by any turbulence in the air4 ,nor can we imagine that any aerial commotion1 tho' it may shake windows1 chimneys1 and the like1 shall reach #ejj miles distance1 split the solid earth1 destroy whole cities1 and cause those dire desolations we hear of4 ,mr4 ,flamsted mentions a circumstance1 that the earthquake here in #afib1 was not felt in the north of ,england1 nor in all ,scotland3 for rain fell that day in both4 ,we may very readily conceive1 the earth there was not in an electrified state2 and the rain would sufficiently prevent it4 ,we hence understand1 how the southern regions should be more subject to them1 than our northern2 where the warmth1 and driness of the air1 so necessary to electricity1 is more frequent than with us4 ,from electric vibration only can we account for our tenth position1 of springs1 and fountains being no ways damag'd by earthquakes3 ,the motion goes no deeper into the earth1 than the force and quantity of the shock reaches2 which generally is not far2 yet it proceeds lower down when the ready passage of a well offers1 and there affects the water contained in it2 puts it into an intestine vibration1 as to foul it1 and raise mud from the bottom4 ,it may seem difficult to conceive1 how a large portion of the earth's surface should be thus capable of electrification4 ,this difficulty is lessened by reflecting on the nature of electricity1 and of the electrical1 ethereal fluid pervading all things3 how it is excited by the little motion of a small revolving glass globe4 ,by this we electrify the most solid bodies1 to the greatest distance1 and with a velocity equal to that of lightning4 ,dr4 ,hales observes1 that the usual explosion of the cannon on great days1 in ,st4 ,james's-,park1 is observ'd to electrify the glass1 in the windows of the ,treasury4 ,we must conceive1 that when the electric shock is communicated to one part of the earth1 it extends itself proportionably to the force of the shock1 and to the quantity of electrified surface2 and to the quality of the matter more or less susceptible of it1 more or less apt to propagate it4 ,set #ajjj men in a row2 let every one communicate with those next him by an iron-wire held in their hands3 on an electrical shock they all feel it alike1 at the same instant2 and this gives us a very good idea of the earthquake4 ,when the earth is broken up in any large degree1 'tis by the sea-side2 where sometimes on a bold shore1 whole streets tumble into the sea1 or into the gaping earth1 now falling toward the sea4 ,sometimes on a flat and sandy shore1 whole streets are rolled along the level into the sea4 ,i am not sensible of any real objection against our hypothesis1 but this1 being the eleventh of my positions1 or circumstances4 ,it seems true1 that earthquakes are more frequent in ,italy1 near ,vesuvius1 and by tna1 in ,sicily4 ,and the cause seems apparently owing to these vulcano's4 ,at first sight1 every one would think so1 but not from the true reason4 ,this has given the great prejudice to the judgments of the curious1 even at this day4 ,but consider the matter impartially1 and it will appear1 so far from being a strong argument in favour of subterraneous eruptions1 that it ought to be esteem'd a convincing proof to the contrary1 and most cogent in favour of my principle4 ,in strictest logic1 there is no inference to be made from particulars to generals4 ,quite the contrary4 ,we have but these two or three vulcano's on one quarter of the globe1 and two of them toward the warmer climate of it2 whereas earthquakes are innumerable1 especially in those of a warmer clime4 ,that there are no vulcano's1 no discharges of fire and smoke for a continuance1 and abundance1 after earthquakes2 no suspicion of it either from sight or smell1 as we know by innumerable examples1 as well as in our own country1 and experience3 is demonstration1 that this is not the cause4 ,if the vulcano's were the real cause of earthquakes1 we ought assuredly to expect1 that in the countries thereabouts1 the earthquakes ought to be far more extensive than those in other countries1 where are no vulcano's2 but this is altogether contrary to experience4 ,for1 as the celebrated naturalist ,buffon observes1 such are not extensive1 as are near tna and ,vesuvius4 ,he further adds3 ,histoire naturelle1 tom4 ,i4 p4 #ejh4 speaking1 among many others1 of a vulcano in the island of ,ternate1 he remarks1 ,that this burning gulph is less agitated when the air is calm1 and the season mild1 than in storms and hurricanes2 and says1 ,this confirms what ,i have said in my foregoing discourse1 and seems evidently to prove1 that the fire which makes vulcano's comes not from the bottom of mountains1 but from the tops1 or at least from a very little depth2 and that the hearth 7or floor7 of the fire is not far from the summit of the vulcano's2 for1 if this was not the case1 great winds could not contribute to their conflagration4 ,and this1 in general1 is a corroborative proof of my whole hypothesis4 ,for there can be no great fire in the earth1 where there is no great conveyance of air4 ,we have one vulcano in the cold region of ,iceland1 and there is sometimes an earthquake there2 but1 in the countries of that northern latitude1 and those of lesser1 'tis obvious in all history1 that earthquakes are less frequent than in the more southern4 ,therefore 'tis easy1 and very natural to conclude1 from all considerations weighed together1 that these vulcano's help to put the earth about them1 into that vibratory state and condition of electricity1 which is the requisite in my hypothesis1 and by that means only1 promote a frequency of earthquakes there4 ,i have only one circumstance to add1 which may seem not inconsiderable2 probably perceived by many1 tho' not taken notice of4 ,for a whole week before the first earthquake1 the partition wainscot of my house 7between the forward and backward rooms7 made an odd kind of tremulous1 crackling noise continually1 as if the wainscot would split2 or as if some damage was apprehended to the house4 ,this was observ'd by the family1 with a good deal of concern4 ,that in the chamber crackled more than that below4 ,we never perceiv'd it before1 nor since2 and apparently1 it shows the vibratory state of the surface of the earth1 at that time4 ,but whether our conjectures upon this important subject be well founded or no1 it certainly becomes a christian philosopher1 whilst he is investigating material causes1 to look up1 and regard the moral use of them4 ,for in reality1 every thing1 the whole world1 was ultimately for that purpose made4 ,when we see such a kind of spirituality impress'd on mere matter1 as this amazing property of electricity1 it should kindle in us a high ambition of asserting1 and exerting the infinitely superior value1 and powers1 and excellency of the spiritual part of us1 destin'd to an immortal duration4 ,and of all the great and public calamities1 which affect us mortals1 earthquakes claim the first title to the name of warnings and judgments4 ,none so proper to threaten1 or to execute vengeance upon a guilty people4 ,nor has any other1 those annexed terrors1 so much of the unusual1 the unavoidable1 the sudden and the horrible apprehension of being crush'd to death1 or buried alive4 ,and when in our own sight1 these rare and extraordinary phnomena appear1 it cannot but be a lesson to us1 to do our duty toward that great ,being1 who1 by a drop of water1 can produce effects so prodigious4 ,that earthquakes proclaim themselves to mankind in this light1 is further deducible from this observation1 the ninth in our recapitulation of circumstances2 that they are peculiarly directed to great cities1 and maritime towns1 those nurseries of wealth1 luxury1 and of all the evils naturally flowing therefrom4 ,it would be childish to rehearse from old history1 or modern1 a proof of it4 ,we have no other notices of them4 ,look upon these two shocks we have here felt4 ,we own that ,hampsted-heath1 and ,finchley-forest1 and ,kennington-common were affected with it2 yet it is notorious1 that ,london was the center1 the place to which the finger of ,god was pointed4 ,and this leads us in the third place1 to consider the moral use and purpose of these magnalia natur1 and prodigies of the agency of material causes4 ,for nothing sure1 but an electrical shock1 and that from a divine hand1 could have been so well adjusted1 as twice1 nay four times1 so sensibly to shake every house in ,london1 and not throw one down4 ,this duty we will endeavour to execute1 from the words of that great man1 king ,david4 ,illustration ,,psalm xviii4 #g4 ,then the earth shook1 and trembled2 the foundations also of the hills moved1 and were shaken2 because he was wroth4 ,this ,psalm is a triumphal song1 which ,david deliver'd publickly before ,god1 in thankful remembrance of the great mercies he had receiv'd2 being firmly established on his throne3 and all his enemies1 foreign or domestick1 subdued4 ,he does not attribute this happy situation of his affairs to his own prudence and courage2 but1 like a consummate politician1 absolutely to the mediation of the divine providence4 ,he draws up a most grand and magnificent description of the advent of the deity1 such as words never before expressed4 ,all the heathen pictures of the appearance of their gods1 are cold and lame1 compar'd to this2 which is deservedly so much admir'd by all criticks that have any taste for religion1 as well as language4 ,this verse1 in our text1 is the first movement in the scene1 which was to represent the appearance of ,jehovah1 without whose interposition ,david hoped for nothing fortunate4 ,after describing all the pomp of light1 and darkness1 celestial2 hailstones1 thunder1 lightning1 and the like instances of majesty and terror1 in the skies2 he still keeps his eye on the ground1 and concludes with the earthquake1 where he began4 ,then the channels of waters were seen2 and the foundations of the earth were discovered2 at thy rebuke1 ,o ,lord2 at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils4 ,our holy psalmist1 at other times1 has exhibited the same images1 in different coloring2 as a great master varies his works1 to strike out all the beauties4 ,psal4 lxviii4 #g4 ,o ,god1 when thou wentest forth before thy people2 when thou didst march thro' the wilderness2 the earth shook1 the heavens also dropped1 at the presence of ,god4 ,even ,sinai itself was moved1 at the presence of ,god2 the ,god of ,israel4 ,by this he means1 the giving the law4 ,exod4 xix4 #h4 ,and mount ,sinai was altogether on a smoke2 because the ,lord descended on it in fire3 and the smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace1 and the whole mount quaked greatly4 ,again1 ,psal4 cxiv4 when he is describing the passage over the ,red-sea1 and that over ,jordan2 he brings in the machinery of earthquakes1 to testify the divine presence4 ,when ,israel went out of ,egypt1 and the house of ,jacob from among a strange people2 the sea saw it and fled4 ,jordan was driven back4 ,the mountains skipped like rams3 and the little hills like young sheep4 ,then he asks the question1 ,what ailed thee1 ,o thou sea1 that thou fleddest8 and thou ,jordan1 that thou wast driven back8 ,ye mountains that ye skipped like rams1 and ye little hills like young sheep8 ,he answers3 ,tremble thou earth at the presence of the ,lord3 at the presence of the ,god of ,jacob4 ,he fails not to attribute these marvellous appearances1 to their true cause4 ,tho' he knew full well1 that the ,god of nature administred the ordinary course of the earth by second causes2 yet he could not be so blind but to perceive1 when the waves of the ocean retreated2 when the waters of ,jordan divided2 when mount ,sinai was all in fire1 smoke1 lightning and thunder1 with the trumpet of ,god sounding1 and the whole mountain shaking3 he could not but perceive the presence of the author of nature1 in these extraordinary appearances4 ,but every where in sacred scripture earthquakes are particularly singled out1 above all other natural phnomena1 as having more of the majesty and terrific pomp1 to denote an immediate operation of ,god's hand2 to excite our fear1 and shew his anger1 as in our text1 because he was wroth4 ,in imitation of the sacred writers1 the heathen poets1 both greek and latin1 express the anger of their ,jupiter by an earthquake3 ,terrificam capitis concussit terque quaterque ,csariem2 cum qua terram1 mare1 sidera1 movit4 ,ovid4 ,the moving meteors in the free air1 lightning1 coruscations1 fire-balls1 tempests1 thunders1 or the dreaded comets1 tho' frightful enough2 yet people that do not think to any purpose1 hope1 as they are at a distance1 to escape their effects4 ,but when the terror comes home to us1 to our feet2 when the earth moves on which we stand2 what heart is not moved8 ,when our houses shake over our ears1 the greatest courage is shaken4 ,it is true1 an earthquake causes an universal dread among all sorts of people2 even the philosopher immersed in speculation of second causes1 quakes2 as well as the pious1 whose fear proceeds from solid piety3 a due sense of the anger of the almighty ,being4 ,we saw how the late earthquakes affrighted every one2 but1 as to the generality1 it was but for a moment4 ,when they found themselves safe1 and alive2 thoughtless they ran to their business1 or their diversion3 and this not only the first1 but the second time4 ,and ,i am apprehensive1 were another1 and another to come1 they would only be less regarded than the preceding4 ,as the ,israelites1 to whom miracles became familiar2 as the ,jews1 in our ,saviour's time1 demanding of him to show them a sign from heaven1 in the midst of the constant scene of miracles innumerable4 ,but 'tis my present business to call you to a due and serious reflexion1 on these extraordinary events2 by considering1 ,i4 ,what the written word of ,god1 the holy scriptures1 informs us1 concerning the ultimate purpose of earthquakes4 ,,ii4 ,what we can learn from profane history4 ,,iii4 ,to conclude with our text1 that they are strictly and properly divine judgments2 because he was wroth4 ,ever since the earth began1 earthquakes have been look'd on as extraordinary appearances1 among the prodigies of nature1 and executioners of divine justice4 ,in the case of ,korah1 the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up2 and their houses1 and all the men that pertained unto them2 and all their goods4 ,in the miraculous victory obtain'd by ,jonathan1 and his armor-bearer1 over the army of the ,philistines1 ,i4 ,sam4 xiv4 ,there was a panic terror infus'd into the ,philistines1 and an earthquake3 it is call'd a very great trembling of ,god4 ,what the heathen attributed to ,pan1 an imaginary deity of their own making3 the ,hebrews rightly refer'd to the true cause1 the first1 and supreme4 ,in the new testament1 at our ,saviour's death1 there was a great earthquake1 which was altogether miraculous2 as much as the eclipse of the sun then4 ,the elements might well sympathize with the ,god of nature4 ,the sun was darkened1 the vail of the temple was rent in twain2 the earth did quake1 the rocks rent4 ,again1 at his resurrection1 ,matt4 xxviii4 #b4 ,there was a great earthquake4 ,the angel of the ,lord descended from heaven1 and rolled back the stone from the door1 and sat upon it4 ,and for fear of him the keepers did shake1 and became as dead men4 ,matt4 xxvii4 #ed4 ,when the centurion1 and they that were with him1 watching ,jesus1 saw the earthquake1 they feared greatly4 ,see the consequence of it in one place2 and thus in another3 ,acts iv4 #ca4 ,the ,apostles1 in the infant church1 when praying1 the place was shaken1 where they were assembled together3 and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the heathen centurion feared upon the earthquake3 ,the christians praying1 were filled with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,acts xvi4 #bf4 ,when ,paul and ,silas were in prison4 ,at mid-night when they pray'd1 and sang hymns to ,god1 suddenly there was a great earthquake2 so that the foundations of the prison were shaken4 ,and immediately all the doors were opened1 and every one's bands were loosed4 ,observe the consequence it had upon the gaoler2 ,he called for a light1 and sprang in1 and came trembling1 and fell down before ,paul and ,silas1 and said1 ,sirs1 what must ,i do to be saved8 ,the gaol trembled2 and the gaoler trembled1 as is observed by a writer on this head1 an earthquake could soften his hard heart1 and open what he had lock'd4 ,it awaken'd him out of his spiritual slumber1 as well as his natural sleep1 and made his conscience1 as well as the foundations of the prison1 to quake4 ,a bad conscience is as a troubled sea1 that cannot rest1 but casteth up mire1 and clay4 ,the gaoler perceiv'd the celestial warning1 and made a proper use of it4 ,there are many circumstances in the nature of earthquakes1 which render them peculiarly proper to be the instruments in ,god's hand1 to give warning to a people1 to amend their ways4 ,the suddenness is one4 ,we saw1 not long ago1 what an effect was produced by a solar eclipse1 tho' it was expected long before4 ,we had the prediction1 and calculations about it in all our almanacs2 yet there was an universal seriousness that followed it4 ,all that morning1 we could walk the street1 without hearing an oath1 and the churches were full1 in time of prayer4 ,but the suddenness of an earthquake that comes at an instant1 unthought of1 without warning1 that seems to bring unavoidable death along with it2 is able to touch an adamantin heart4 ,to see death stalking o'er a great city1 ready to sweep us all away1 in an instantaneous ruin1 without a single moment to recollect our thoughts2 this is fear without remedy2 this is far beyond battle and pestilence4 ,the lightning and thunderbolt1 the arrow that flieth by day1 may suddenly take off an object or two1 and leave no space for repentance3 but what horror can equal that1 when above a million of people are liable to be buried1 in one common grave6 ,another consideration that inhances the dread of earthquakes1 is the unavoidableness of the calamity4 ,famine1 and war1 and rebellion1 and pestilence we may run from1 the disease among the cattle1 and locusts1 and the like stripes of angry heaven1 we may have some chance to escape3 but no means1 no precaution1 no remedy1 no prudence can screen us1 from so universal a desolation as this3 'tis as the presence of ,god4 ,whither then can we go to hide ourselves8 ,must we call upon the rocks and mountains1 to cover1 and shelter us from the divine wrath6 ,and they shall go into the holes of the rocks1 and into the caves of the earth1 for fear of the ,lord1 and for the glory of his majesty2 when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth4 ,alas1 those are the very instruments he employs for our destruction2 to be our tombstones6 ,this unusual kind of death too1 strikes us with horror2 to be buried alive4 ,the earth1 the common mother of us all1 and the common grave2 to eat up her offspring alive2 crouds all the images of amazement together1 that can enter into the heart of man4 ,the greater the terror accompanying earthquakes1 the greater a blessing is our deliverance from the danger of it6 ,what can equal ,god's power and judgment but his mercy8 ,consider the wonderful consequence2 that the whole city of ,london should so sensibly be shaken1 and yet no one inhabited house to fall2 nor one person kill'd4 ,amazing instance of power1 and goodness1 in our preservation6 ,and this not only once1 but the second time also2 tho' evidently stronger was the concussion4 ,so strong that almost every person was throughly persuaded1 that some part1 at least1 of their houses1 was falling down4 ,can we help admiring1 that judgment should be so temper'd with mercy6 ,do we look only at the second causes with our unbelievers2 and sport away the divine presence1 as if it was an ordinary occurrence of every day8 ,they want to see a miracle4 ,nought can affect them1 but a direct1 supernatural agency4 ,i answer1 behold a visible1 and notorious miracle2 plainly obvious1 and before all their senses4 ,for can there be a greater miracle1 can any thing be more directly the finger of ,god than this1 which we ourselves saw with our eyes2 that befell the whole city of ,london4 ,we know the nature of the building of ,london houses2 which sometimes fall of themselves1 without shaking4 ,wonderful then is it to be thought1 and a miracle indeed1 that every house in this vast city1 should twice be agitated1 and rocked to and fro2 and not one fall1 nor one person receive any damage4 ,in vain will the philosophers seek for a solution of this problem1 in natural causes only4 ,by their chymical experiments1 they make some little mimic imitations of tremors and fumes1 and explosions4 ,so by gun-powder1 we ape the regal voice of thunder4 ,but where is the discretionary act of mercy1 and benignity1 that separates between the vengeful and kind8 ,these second causes act according to their material nature1 like the roaring waves of the ocean1 that flow in1 and overwhelm every thing1 where a breach is made4 ,they can observe no distinction between the lands of a righteous man1 and of a sinner3 they cannot stop at the breach1 and gather themselves on an heap1 and not enter in at all1 as the waters of ,jordan did4 ,but in the case before us1 the hand of the ,lord1 that stayed the flowing of the waters1 that quelled the raging of the sea1 and its proud waves2 sets bounds to the trembling of the earth4 ,hither shall its vibrations go1 and no further4 ,when alas1 if it went but one inch further 7in comparison7 a total ruin must unavoidably follow4 ,consider this particular1 when apply'd to all the buildings in this immense city3 and wonder and adore1 that almighty providence1 which overlook'd us1 and prescrib'd the limits2 so narrow1 so precise2 which sav'd us from universal havoc6 ,,ii4 ,did we escape2 how much happier are we1 than the millions that have perished by the like calamity8 ,josephus the famous ,jewish historian records1 that about #bi years before our ,saviour's birth1 there happened such an earthquake in the country of ,judea1 that #cj1jjj men perished4 ,in the fifth year of the reign of ,tiberius1 so dreadful an earthquake happened in ,asia minor1 that no less than #ac cities were destroy'd in one night2 many of them great1 and ,royal3 ,sardis in particular1 said to be second to ,babylon4 ,in ,a4 ,d4 #ff4 ,another earthquake happen'd there1 which destroy'd ,laodicea1 ,hierapolis1 and ,colossus4 ,a4 ,d4 #gi4 ,three cities in ,cyprus were overthrown4 ,a4 ,d4 #aad4 ,the city of ,antioch suffered extremely2 whilst the emperor ,trajan was in it4 ,and in the #gth year of that emperor1 nine several cities were destroy'd in ,asia1 ,greece1 and ,calabria4 ,to come nearer home1 and our own times3 ,in #aafi1 ,catania in ,sicily was destroyed1 and #ae1jjj people killed4 #afib1 ,the whole city destroy'd and #ahjjj ,inhabitants4 #adef1 ,at ,naples #dj1jjj perished by an earthquake4 #aeca1 ,in the city of ,lisbon1 #adjj houses were overthrown there1 besides many damaged4 ,we know the miserable and deplorable catastrophe of ,port-,royal1 in ,jamaica2 which fell out in our own days4 ,my blood shudders at the relation of it4 ,and not many months ago1 the populous ,lima in ,america1 was wholly swallowed up4 ,have we not reason then to fear1 for ourselves8 ',tis true1 we have hitherto escaped4 ,but can we tell how soon ,god shall let loose the avenging power of another2 which may come1 for ought we know1 while we are speaking of it4 ,and if it must come1 happy may it be for us1 that it finds us in this place1 and so doing4 ,,iii4 ,and this brings us1 to consider the uses of these admonitions2 and to show1 that they are the effects of the divine anger4 ,for the earth shook and trembled1 says the holy psalmist1 the foundation of the hills moved and were shaken2 because he was wroth4 ,and here we cannot possibly have a stronger and more convincing evidence1 of these convulsions of nature1 being the immediate finger of ,god1 than this single consideration4 ,let us but reflect on what has been said1 in short2 that these visitations only happen to great and populous cities1 to great and eminent ports1 and maritime emporiums flourishing in trade1 riches1 and luxury4 ,we hear not of barren desarts1 uninhabited wildernesses1 wide heaths1 and downs1 rocky cliffs1 and beaches of the sea1 to be the usual subject of earthquakes3 but of towns and cities4 ,not so much of little villages1 but of those immense collections of people4 ,god does not give his warnings to birds1 and beasts of the forest2 to flocks of sheep2 that punctually execute the respective offices he has enjoined them3 but to us1 the lords of the creation2 to whom he has given reason1 sense1 and faculties1 to reflect1 and judge of things1 of our own actions1 as well as his2 of his doings1 toward the children of men4 ,we observed before1 a plain and notorious proof of ,god's hand in these judgments2 that he cou'd move a whole city without throwing down a house4 ,and this is most assuredly a second proof2 that he visits only great cities1 with these judgments4 ,and we must conclude this to be as strong an argument of a divine interposition in these affairs1 as any mathematical demonstration4 ,some free-thinkers1 or free-livers1 when they find1 they cannot set aside this reasoning1 shelter themselves1 with the history of ,god's converse with ,abraham2 about the cities of ,sodom and ,gomorrha2 assuring themselves1 there is no danger4 ,for tho' they can't pretend to be the meritorious people2 yet they think ,god's mercy will be as signal to us1 as heretofore3 and that we have among us1 at least ten righteous persons1 to save the rest4 ,but vain are such hopes3 ,god will say to them1 as heretofore to the ,jews3 ,if ,i bring my great judgments upon the earth1 as ,i live saith the ,lord1 tho' ,noah1 ,daniel1 and ,job were there2 they should save neither sons1 nor daughters1 but their own souls only4 ,god can1 if he pleases1 by very extraordinary means1 preserve such as he thinks fit4 ,but in general judgments1 the righteous must undergo one common fate1 with the wicked4 ,god's mercy will be shown to them after this life1 to make the superabundant amends4 ,but this is a solid lesson to us1 of the necessity of a future life4 ,we may as well banish ,god out of the earth1 as to deny his attributes of power1 and goodness1 and justice1 and the like4 ,and these will insure us of a future state2 when an exact return will be made1 for our behaviour in this2 otherwise we might justly expostulate1 as ,abraham did1 ,will not the judge of all the earth do right8 ,good men1 who have endeavour'd to do their duty1 may say1 ,god is our refuge and strength1 a very present help in trouble4 ,therefore will not we fear1 tho' the earth be remov'd2 tho' the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea2 tho' the waters thereof roar1 and be troubled2 tho' the mountains shake with the swelling thereof4 ,come behold the works of the ,lord2 what desolations he hath made on the earth4 ,in the mean time1 let us not think on running away from the danger1 so much as on mending our ways2 perfecting the christian life2 reforming the abominable crimes1 so justly chargeable on great and maritime cities2 overflowing with riches1 pride1 and luxury1 with vanity1 pleasure1 and profaneness2 with gaming1 immorality1 infidelity2 and especially with the notorious crime of sabbath-breaking1 which is the foundation of all1 and comprehends all others2 for it prevents people from amending of any4 ,if they fail of their duty towards ,god1 in making their regular approaches to his temple2 no wonder they are guilty of all crimes2 regard neither ,god nor man4 ,if they fail of coming1 where they may hope for the kindly influences of ,god's holy ,spirit2 we need not wonder at their egregious wickedness3 they become absolutely irreclaimable4 ,but of you1 my beloved brethren1 here assembled1 ,i hope better things4 ,you shun the degenerate corruptions of this evil age2 you are not of the number of those that frequent our public meetings of folly1 from the morning rendezvouzes to the mid-night assemblies2 and that protracted to the morning light again4 ,as if we ought to banish all serious thoughts of our immortal interests2 and that in the sacred season of lent2 destin'd by the church1 for this very serious purpose4 ,let us think1 how this warning happen'd to us1 in the time of lent2 when they were revelling in their places of entertainment1 both morning and evening1 as if no such thing had been2 and this on the very days2 as if they confronted1 and dar'd almighty vengeance4 ,much of a parallel case with that of the famous city of ,herculaneum1 which is now the entertainment of the curious4 ,first it was miserably shatter'd by an earthquake2 whilst the people were at their diversions in the theatre2 where all assembled perished4 ,this was in the first year of ,titus the emperor3 but such a partial judgment not mending their manners2 #i years after1 the whole city was destroy'd by a lake of liquid fire and brimstone1 from mount ,vesuvius1 just in the manner we now find it2 #ej foot deep in cinders1 and ashes4 ,when thy judgments1 ,o ,god1 are abroad1 the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness4 ,the ,lord is the true ,god2 he is the living ,god2 the everlasting ,king3 ,at his wrath1 the earth shall tremble1 and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation2 says the prophet ,jeremiah1 x4 #aj4 ,god give us grace1 that instead of these short-liv'd1 and unsatisfying pleasures2 instead of palaces and houses here1 ornamented in a sumptuous and elegant taste2 which may perhaps be swept away1 with their owners1 in a moment2 we may aspire towards that heavenly city1 which is above2 whose foundations are not laid with hands1 eternal in the heavens1 c4 ,,finis4 ,illustration 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,philosophy ,,of ,,earthquakes1 ,natural and ,religious4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,philosophi ipsius1 qui de sua vi ac sapientia unus omnia pene profitetur1 est tamen qudam descriptio2 ut is qui studeat omnium rerum divinarum atque humanarum vim1 naturam1 causasq2 nosse3 omnem bene vivendi rationem tenere1 persequi2 nomine hoc appelletur4 ,cicero de ,oratore4 ,by ,,william ,,stukeley1 ,m4 ,d4 ,rector of ,st4 ,george's1 ,queen-,square3 ,fellow of the ,college of ,physicians and ,royal ,society3 ,,london3 ,printed for ,c4 ,corbet over-against ,st4 ,dunstan's ,church1 ,fleetstreet4 ,,mdccl4 ,,preface4 ,this discourse is but a necessary consequence of the preceding4 ,the whole no other than an essay1 toward investigating the true nature of the wonderful appearance of an earthquake4 ,and something is done toward it1 if only by eradicating an old error4 ,in attaining the proposed end1 ,i have endeavour'd to lay all the necessary circumstances together1 which to our great amazement we have seen1 and felt4 ,that they may not be as soon forgotten1 as they generally were1 by the giddy multitude2 equally thoughtless of what they knew to be past1 as childishly fearful of an imaginary one1 subsequent3 for which there could not be the least ground of apprehension4 ,by sober persons it was1 with great reason1 thought a judicial infatuation1 and as much to be wonder'd at1 as an earthquake itself2 a real panic4 ,when a third part of this immense city ran out into the fields for half a cold night2 alarm'd with the silly prediction of a distemper'd fellow6 ,nothing could tempt one to commemorate the follies of our cotemporaries1 but the hope1 it may be useful hereafter3 and to show the true cause of this senseless terror2 the want of a true sense of religion2 and an universal degeneracy1 and corruption of manners3 begun by the great ones1 and now propagated thro' all degrees to the lowest3 begun in this great city2 and now advancing apace to every great town in the kingdom4 ',tis from the great ones alone1 that we can hope for a reformation3 and that by a strict observance of the sabbatical duty4 ,example1 we know1 governs the actions of mankind4 ,that must restore the practice1 and the influence of religion3 which alone can prevent the dangers that infest every corner of our streets2 every road in the kingdom4 ,we mistake the point1 and betray our ignorance in human nature1 when we think1 acts of parliament1 laws1 and executions will do it4 ,they are very weak in comparison of the impressions of religion1 and conscience3 as all philosophy both natural and religious1 has hitherto thought1 and known4 ,,to ,martin ,folkes1 ,esq2 ,,ll4 ,d4 ,president of the ,royal ,society4 ,since ,i had the honour to lay before the ,society1 in the spring1 my thoughts upon earthquakes3 we have had many further opportunities of reflecting upon that most awful1 and hitherto unusual appearance4 ,an earthquake was felt at ,eastwell in ,kent1 on monday march #ab1 and on sunday1 march #ah1 at ,portsmouth1 the ,isle of ,wight1 ,southampton1 and along the coast of ,sussex1 the isles of ,guernsey1 ,jersey4 ,april #b1 a smart earthquake at ,manchester1 ,liverpool1 ,taunton1 ,bath1 ,flint1 ,lancaster1 ,wrexham1 reaching #dj miles north and south3 #gj miles east and west4 ,since then at ,rome1 ,naples1 ,leghorn2 in the south of ,france1 and at ,pau under the ,pyrenean mountains3 ,oporto1 at ,s4 ,macaire in ,guienne1 ,messina in ,sicily1 ,munich in ,bavaria1 c4 c4 so that the year #agej1 may rather be called the year of earthquakes1 than of jubilee4 ,for since ,february last1 when they began with us at ,london2 as far as ,i can learn1 they have appear'd in many parts of ,europe1 ,asia1 ,africa1 and ,america4 ,and have likewise revisited many counties in our own island1 and at length1 on the #cjth of last september gave much the most extensive shock1 we have seen here in our days4 ,it may be well expected1 that these frequent visits1 in themselves so very extraordinary1 to us so rare1 and that in one year1 should keep up our attention3 and as to my own part1 induce one to reflect1 on what ,i before offer'd concerning them2 and be a sufficient apology for the present paper4 ,we have been acquainted1 by those who remember it1 that in the earthquake of nov4 #agjc1 which happen'd in ,lincolnshire1 the weather was calm1 close1 gloomy1 warm1 and dry2 in a degree highly unusual1 at that season4 ,and thus it has been with us1 all the year4 ,and from the numerous accounts we have receiv'd at the ,royal ,society1 in the beginning1 and ending of the year2 where any mention is made of the weather2 they all agree in the like particular4 ,which is consentaneous to what ,i remark'd1 as the constant forerunner of earthquakes2 and what prepares the earth's surface1 for the electrical stroke3 which ,i asserted to be the cause of them4 ,in may last1 we had a paper read at the ,royal ,society1 concerning the second earthquake felt by us at ,london1 on the #hth of march4 ,a shepherd belonging to ,mr4 ,secretary ,fox at ,kensington 7the sky being perfectly serene1 and clear7 was much surprised with a very extraordinary noise in the air1 rolling over his head1 as of cannon close by4 ,he likewise thought1 that it came from the north-west1 and went to the south-east3 a motion quite contrary1 to what must have been the case1 if it were really of cannon4 ,this noise pass'd rushing by him2 and instantly he saw the ground 7a dry1 and solid spot7 wave under him1 like the face of the river4 ,the tall trees of the avenue1 where he was1 nodded their tops very sensibly1 and quiver'd like a shaken spear4 ,the flock of sheep immediately took fright1 and ran all away together1 as if dogs had pursued them4 ,a great rookery in the place1 were equally alarm'd1 and after an universal clangor1 flew away2 no less than if chaced by hawks4 ,i was likewise inform'd1 that in the same earthquake1 a great parcel of hens1 and chickens1 kept at that time in ,gray's-inn-lane1 upon the shock1 ran to the roost1 affrighted4 ,and the like was observ'd of pigeons4 ,and in our last account of the earthquake from ,northampton1 'tis remarked1 that the birds in cages put their heads under their wings1 as to hide themselves4 ,june #ba1 at the ,royal ,society1 ,mr4 ,jackson potter at ,lambeth1 gave an account of some boats1 cobles and lighters in the river1 at that time2 the people in them seem'd to feel1 as if a porpoise1 or some great fish had heav'd and thump'd at the bottom of the vessels4 ,this is sometimes the case of ships at sea1 when all is perfectly calm3 which seems evidently owing to an electrical impression on the water4 ,in the evening-post of june #bc1 we had a paragraph from ,venice1 that a terrible earthquake had been felt lately in the little rocky isle of ,cerigo1 in the ,mediterranean1 south of ,morea4 ,it threw down a great number of houses2 and above #bjjj of the inhabitants were buried in the ruins4 ,another earthquake about that time1 happen'd in ,switzerland2 which split a vast1 rocky mountain2 and an old castle wall of an immense thickness4 ,all these circumstances1 and many more confirmed me in my former opinion4 ,but since then1 these wonderful movements have stalk'd round the globe3 and again been lately felt in our own island2 happily for us1 to the terror only1 of many thousand people3 beside those concussions of this sort that appear'd in the western parts1 in the more early time of the year4 ,i receiv'd a letter from my friend ,maurice ,johnson1 ,esq2 the founder1 and secretary of the ,literary ,society of ,spalding2 which has now subsisted these #dj years4 ,he acquaints me1 that on thursday1 #bc;d of ,august last1 an earthquake was very sensibly felt there1 about seven o'clock in the morning2 throughout the whole town and neighbourhood2 and many miles round3 but that it chiefly spread itself northward1 and southward4 ,he says1 that for a fortnight before1 the weather had been serene1 mild1 and calm4 ,and one evening1 there was a deep red aurora australis1 covering the cope of heaven1 very terrible to behold4 ,this same shock was felt at ,grantham1 ,stamford1 and ,milton by ,peterborough2 and generally at all the intermediate places3 and from ,spalding it fled northward1 along the sea shore1 to ,boston3 thence up ,boston river1 to ,lincoln4 ,since then1 ,i had a letter from ,mr4 ,alderman ,taylor of ,stamford1 giving an account of another earthquake1 that happen'd there1 september #cj1 at #cf minutes after twelve o'clock at noon4 ,he describes it thus4 ,they were suddenly surprised with an uncommon noise in the air1 like the rolling of large carriages in the streets1 for about #bj seconds4 ,at the same instant they felt a great shake1 or snap1 as he calls it2 insomuch that it sensibly shook a punch-bowl1 which was in his parlour1 and made it ring4 ,he says1 it was perceiv'd of most of the people of ,stamford1 who generally ran out of their houses4 ,at ,oakham the chief town of ,rutland1 the congregation ran out of the church whilst the preacher was in the pulpit4 ,all the towns round ,stamford1 were sensible of it3 and at ,peterborough1 down to ,wisbech4 ,thus far the ,alderman4 ,but we have had many advices from all hands1 at the first1 and second meetings of the ,royal ,society1 for the winter season2 with further particulars relating to this great concussion4 ,that it was felt at the same time1 at ,rugby in ,warwickshire1 and reach'd to ,warwick1 at ,lutterworth1 in ,leicestershire3 at ,leicester1 and round about4 ,it extended itself to ,coventry1 ,derby1 ,nottingham1 ,newark2 then came eastward to ,harborough1 ,towcester1 ,northampton1 ,rowel1 ,kettering1 ,wellingborough1 ,oundle1 in ,northamptonshire2 ,uppingham1 ,oakham in ,rutland2 ,stamford1 ,bourn1 ,grantham1 ,spalding1 ,boston1 and to ,lincoln in ,lincolnshire2 ,holbech1 and all ,holland in that county4 ,peterborough1 ,wisbech1 in the isle of ,ely2 together with all the intermediate1 and adjacent places4 ,then it passed over the whole breadth of ,ely fen3 was felt at ,mildenhall1 and reach'd to ,calford by ,bury in ,suffolk1 and the country thereabouts2 of which we had notice from lady ,cornwallis4 ,an extent from ,warwick to ,bury of about #ajj miles in length2 and generally speaking1 #dj miles in breadth4 ,and this vast space was pervaded by this amazing motion1 as far as we can get any satisfaction1 in the same instant of time4 ,they describe it1 that the houses totter'd1 and seem'd to heave up1 and down3 tho' it lasted but a few seconds4 ,it was attended with a rushing noise1 as if the houses were falling1 and people were universally so affrighted1 as to run out2 imagining that their own1 or their neighbours houses were tumbling on their heads4 ,in the villages around1 the people being generally at divine service1 were much alarm'd3 both with the noise1 which exceeded all the thunder they had ever heard1 beyond compare3 and with the great shock accompanying2 which was like somewhat1 as they imagin'd1 that rush'd against the church-walls1 and roof4 ,some thinking the pillars crack'd1 many that the beams of the roof were disjointed2 and all1 that the whole was falling4 ,and happy were they that could get out first4 ,many people fancied1 that nests of drawers1 and cabinets1 or the like heavy things1 were fallen down above stairs3 or that chimnies had broke thro' the roof of the house3 or that some persons fell down stairs3 and the like4 ,some perceived the crackling of inward wainscots or partitions3 as ,dr4 ,mortimer and ,i1 observ'd in our first and second shocks at ,london4 ,a few slates1 tiles1 and parts of chimneys fell from some houses3 pewter1 china1 glasses and brass from shelves4 ,a clock bell1 chamber bell sometime struck3 windows universally rattled1 and the like circumstances of tremor4 ,in regard to circumstances1 they were pretty similar throughout4 ,many people sitting in their chairs relate1 that they and their chairs were several times sensibly lifted up and set down again4 ,a stack of chimneys were thrown down in ,college-lane2 a place retaining the memory of a sort of university once beginning at ,northampton4 ,the windows of houses rattled throughout the whole town3 but no mischief done3 in general it was frightful1 and innocuous4 ,they fancied there1 the motion of it1 as they expressed it1 to be eastward4 ,in streets that run north and south1 the houses on the east side of the way1 were most affected4 ,and ,dr4 ,stonehouse's dwelling1 the strongest in the town1 was most sensibly shaken4 ,so it was likewise observ'd1 that churches were most subject to its violence4 ,they thought too1 that the motion seem'd rather horizontal1 or lateral1 than upward4 ,some counted the pulses distinctly1 to the number of four3 that the second1 and third pulses were stronger1 than the first1 and fourth4 ,from all these various accounts1 there was no sulphureous smell1 or eruption2 no fissures in the ground perceived4 ,yet several people were sick upon it3 infinite numbers terribly affrighted1 and as soon forgot the impression of it2 or talk'd of it in a merry strain2 as commonly with us at ,london4 ,so little are the vulgar assessed1 without something very sensible2 and so soon is the sense of it worn out6 ,it was more evidently perceiv'd1 by people standing2 most1 by those that were sitting3 least1 by such as were walking3 and in upper stories of houses1 more than in lower2 or in cellars4 ,some coming down stairs1 were in danger of being thrown forwards4 ,several sitting in a chair1 and hearing the hollow1 thundering noise1 and thinking it was a coach passing by2 when they attempted to get up1 to see what it was1 they were thrown back again in their chair4 ,some heard the wainscot crackle1 ,some sitting in their chairs leaning forwards1 were thrown down on their hands1 and knees4 ,some people heard the noise without feeling the shock3 others felt the shock without hearing the noise4 ,some in a standing posture1 were forc'd to lay hold on a table1 to keep themselves from falling4 ,it was particularly remarked 7as before observ'd7 that birds in cages were sensibly affrighted2 thrusting their heads under their wings4 ,mrs4 ,allicock of ,loddington1 ,northamptonshire1 a lady in child-bed1 was so affected1 that it caused her death4 ,mrs4 ,hardy1 another lady in the same circumstance1 and in the same county1 likewise expired upon it1 ,some people felt a sudden shortness of breath1 that they were forc'd to go out into the open air1 it so affected the pulmonary nerves4 ,many were taken with head-achs1 and other sicknesses4 ,these are1 in general1 the circumstances and observations made1 at the time of these earthquakes2 when we recollect ourselves1 after the suddeness1 and fright4 ,give me leave to make the following remarks therefrom4 #ast4 ,as far as we can possibly learn1 where no one can be prepar'd1 at different places1 by time keepers2 this mighty concussion was felt precisely at the same instant of time2 being about half an hour after twelve at noon4 ,this1 ,i presume1 cannot be accounted for1 by any natural power1 but by that of an electrical vibration2 which1 we know1 acts instantaneously4 #b;dly1 ,let us reflect on the vast extent of this trembling1 #ajj miles in length1 #dj in breadth1 which amounts to #djjj square miles in surface4 ,that this should be put into such an agitation1 in one moment of time1 is such a prodigy2 as we should never believe1 or conceive1 did we not know it to be fact1 from our own senses4 ,but if we look for a solution of it1 we cannot think1 any natural power is equal to it1 but that of electricity2 which acknowledges no sensible transition of time2 no bounds4 #cly1 ,we observe1 the vulgar solution of subterraneous eruptions receives no countenance1 from all that was seen1 or felt1 during these earthquakes4 ,it would be very hard to imagine1 how any such thing could so suddenly1 and instantaneously operate1 thro' this vast space3 and that in so similar1 and tender a manner over the whole1 thro' so great a variety1 as well as extent of country2 as to do no mischief4 ,a philosophical inquirer in ,northamptonshire had his eye particularly on this point1 takes notice1 there were not any fissures in the ground2 any sulphureous smells1 or eruptions any where perceiv'd2 so as to favour internal convulsions of the earth4 ,the reverend ,mr4 ,nixon of ,higham1 and ,mr4 ,smith1 in his letter from ,peterborough take notice1 that they could not learn1 there were any sort of eruptions out of the earth1 any where3 no smoke1 vapor1 or smell3 tho' they made sufficient inquiry about that circumstance1 according to particular direction4 ,yet we learn from a letter at ,uppingham in ,rutland1 that a plaister floor became crack'd thereby4 ,these kind of floors are frequent in this country2 what we call stucco in ,london3 and it gives us a good notion of the undulatory vibration1 produc'd by an earthquake2 which some have compar'd to that of a musical string3 others to that of a dog1 or a horse shaking themselves1 when they come out of the water4 ,this last comparison would have pleased some of the ancients1 who would needs fancy1 that the globe of the earth was a great animal4 ,plato1 ,plutarch1 and others1 had such kind of sentiments4 ,whence one may imagine1 that they would conceive an earthquake to be1 as when a horse shakes a part of his skin1 upon a fly touching him4 ,some of our correspondents express the motion of an earthquake to be like a boat lifted up by one wave1 let down by another4 #dly1 ,the former earthquake that happen'd at ,grantham1 ,spalding1 ,stamford1 7which towns lie in a triangle7 took up a space which may1 in gross1 be accounted a circle of #cj miles diameter3 the center of which is that great morass1 called ,deeping-fen4 ,this comprehends #ae miles of that #cj1 in diameter3 and where probably1 the electrical impression was first made4 ,much the major part of ,deeping-fen is under water in the winter time2 underneath 'tis a perfect bog4 ,now it is very obvious1 how little favorable such ground is1 for subterraneous fires4 ,in the second earthquake1 not only this country was affected again1 but likewise a much larger space of the same sort of fenny ground1 rather worse than the former3 all ,donnington-fen1 ,deeping-fen1 ,croyland-fen1 ,thorney-fen1 ,whitlesea-fen1 ,bedford level1 and the whole extent of ,ely-fen1 under various denominations4 ,this country1 under the turf1 abounds with subterraneous timber of all sorts2 fir1 oak1 and brush-wood3 and stags horns4 ,now and then they find a quantity of hazel nuts1 crouded together on an heap4 ,i have some of them4 ,this is a matter common to all boggy ground over the whole globe1 ,such things are the ruins of the antediluvian world1 washed down from the high country where they grew1 were here lodg'd upon the subsiding of the waters1 and by time are o'ergrown with the present turf4 ,they that seek for any other solution of this affair1 than the universal ,noachian deluge1 want to account for a general effect1 by a partial cause3 and shut their eyes1 both to the plain history of this matter2 and to the infinite1 notorious demonstrations of it1 from fossil appearances4 #ely1 ,all this country1 tho' underneath 'tis a watry bog1 yet thro' this whole summer1 and autumnal season 7as they can have no natural springs in such a level7 the drought has been so great on the superficies1 that the inhabitants were oblig'd every day1 to drive their cattle several miles1 for watering4 ,the drought was greater1 than has been known in the memory of any one living4 ,this shows how fit the dry surface was1 for an electrical vibration4 ,and we learn from hence1 this important particular1 that it reaches but very little below the earth's surface4 ,mr4 ,johnson1 in another letter which he wrote to me concerning the second earthquake observ'd at ,spalding2 says upon this occasion1 he was obliged to scour his canal1 and deepen it3 that they came to a white1 quicksand2 which afforded to all the neighbourhood1 excellent water in plenty4 ,in the gravelly soil of ,london2 and where the two shocks were felt by us1 in the beginning of the year2 we know1 there is not a house in the whole extent of this vast city1 and all around it1 but a spring of water is ready1 upon digging a well1 ,whence we have much reason to believe1 that the interior of the earth1 is like a sponge soak'd in water4 ,so that the only dry part is the superficies1 which is the object1 and the subject of that electric vibration2 wherein1 according to my sentiments1 an earthquake consists4 ,this shews the mistake of the ancients1 who fancying that earthquakes proceeded from subterraneous eruptions1 built their prodigious temple of ,diana at ,ephesus1 upon a boggy ground1 to prevent such a disaster1 ,the marshy part of ,lincolnshire1 being my native country1 the adjacent fen1 together with that in the isle of ,ely1 ,i have been perfectly acquainted with2 from one end to the other1 ever since ,i knew any thing4 ,this vast extent of fenny level1 from near ,cambridge in the south1 to near ,horncastle in the north1 is #gj miles in length4 ,and when ,i perceiv'd1 that it was1 in whole1 or in part1 shaken by both the last earthquakes3 ,i could not but see1 that it was no less than a demonstration against the old notion of their cause4 #fly1 ,earthquakes are truly most violent1 in a rocky country3 because the shock is proportionate to the solidity of the matter electrify'd4 ,so that rocks1 cliffs1 quarries1 old castle walls1 and strong buildings1 are most obnoxious to the concussion4 ,the isle of ,cerigo was more liable1 and more rudely handled by the late earthquake2 both because it was an isle1 and because it was rocky4 ,so we must say of the late earthquake in ,switzerland1 that split the mountain1 and the old castle wall4 ,whence ,mr4 ,johnson in his second letter1 says1 it cracked a very strong brick-house in ,gosberton by ,spalding4 ,dr4 ,doderidge observes from ,northampton that ,dr4 ,stonehouse's dwelling being a very strong one1 was most sensibly shaken4 ,and throughout the whole compass of this great earthquake1 we find1 both the noise1 the shock1 and the terror was greatest at the churches1 whose walls and bulk made more resistance than houses4 ,and generally speaking1 the churches throughout this whole extent have very fair1 and large towers1 and very many remarkable spires all of good stone1 which no doubt quiver'd very much at top1 if we could have discern'd it4 ,this same vibration impressed on the water1 meeting with the solid of the bottom of ships1 and lighters1 gives that thump felt thereon2 just as in common electrifying1 we feel the stroke upon the joints of our limbs chiefly4 ,yet of the millions of ordinary houses1 over which it passed1 not one fell4 ,a consideration which sufficiently points out to us1 what sort of a motion this was not1 what sort of a motion it was1 and whence deriv'd2 not a convulsion of the bowels of the earth1 but an uniform vibration or undulation of its surface1 aptly thought like that of a musical string3 or what we put a drinking glass into1 by rubbing one's finger over the edge2 which yet brought to a certain pitch1 breaks the glass2 undoubtedly an electric repulsion of parts4 ,and from this remarkable similarity in the appearance of earthquakes we gather an invincible argument against the old opinion of their cause2 for the tumult of subterraneous eruptions can have no possible place herein4 #gly1 ,we find from all accounts1 ancient and modern1 that the weather preceding these shocks1 was mild1 warm1 dry1 serene1 clear1 frosty3 what notoriously favours all our electrical experiments4 ,this is particularly observ'd by ,mr4 ,johnson and ,mr4 ,smith1 and other accounts4 ,in the extensive shock of sunday march #ah1 along the ,sussex coast1 they take notice from ,portsmouth1 that the day was serene1 warm1 and dry1 and that a shower of rain fell immediately before the shock4 ,mr4 ,bowman of ,moulsey observ'd a shock there on may #bd last1 and says1 the air was perfectly serene1 and clear4 ,we very well know1 that generally1 all last winter spring1 summer1 and autumn1 have been most remarkably of this kind of weather2 more so1 than has been observ'd in our memory2 and have had all those requisites1 appearances1 and preparations1 that notoriously cause electricity1 that promote it1 or that are the effects of it4 #hly1 ,we find the blood-red australis aurora preceding at ,spalding1 as with us at ,london4 ,at the time of the earthquake at ,manchester this year1 it accompanied it4 ,and this year has been more remarkable than any for fire-balls1 storms1 wind1 thunder1 lightnings1 and coruscations1 almost throughout all ,england4 ,a large ball of fire1 with a long fiery tail on july #bb1 that passed over great part of ,england northward4 ,another seen over ,london1 passing from west to east1 in october4 ,coruscations were seen just before that extensive shock of #gj miles long felt from ,lancaster to ,wrexham1 on april #b1 last4 ,fire-balls more than one were seen in ,rutland1 and ,lincolnshire3 and particularly observ'd4 ,and ,mr4 ,smith from ,peterborough writes1 that a fire-ball was seen the morning of the earthquake1 in the upper part of ,northamptonshire4 ,all these kind of meteors are rightly judg'd to proceed from a state of electricity in the earth and atmosphere3 and how far they are actually concerned in causing earthquakes1 time1 and accurate observation must inform us4 #ily1 ,mr4 ,johnson in both his letters to me1 on the first and second earthquakes1 at ,spalding1 remarks particularly1 of their effects being mostly spread to the north and south1 and especially felt on the sea coast4 ,we may observe1 that such is the direction of ,spalding river1 which both conducts1 and strengthens the electric vibration3 conveying it along the sea-shore thence1 up to ,boston channel2 and so up ,boston river to ,lincoln1 as we discern1 by casting our eye on a map4 ,we observe further1 that the main of this second earthquake display'd its effects along1 and between the two rivers1 ,welland and ,avon3 and that from their very origins1 down to their fall into the sea4 ,it likewise reach'd the river ,witham1 which directed the electric stream that way too1 to ,lincoln4 ,for which reason1 as there meeting the same coming from ,boston1 the shock was most sensibly felt4 ,it reach'd likewise to the ,trent at ,nottingham1 which convey'd it to ,newark4 ,the first electrical stroke seems to have been made on the high ground above ,daventry1 in ,northamptonshire2 where the ,roman camps are1 made by ,p4 ,ostorius the proprtor4 ,from thence it descended chiefly eastward1 and along the river ,welland1 from ,harborough to ,stamford1 ,spalding1 the sea3 and along the river ,avon1 or ,nen1 to ,northampton1 ,peterborough1 ,wisbech to the sea4 ,it spread itself all over the vast level of the isle of ,ely2 further'd by very many canals1 and rivers1 natural1 and artificial1 made for drainage4 ,it was still conducted eastward up ,mildenhall river1 in ,suffolk1 to ,bury1 and the parts adjacent4 ,all this affair duly consider'd1 is a confirmation of the doctrine ,i advanc'd on this subject4 #ajly1 ,i apprehend1 it was not the noise in the air1 as of many cannon let off at once1 preceding the earthquake1 that so much affrighted people1 or affected the sheep1 the rookery at ,kensington1 the hen and chickens in ,gray's-inn-lane1 the pigeons4 ,it could not be barely the superficial movement of the earth1 that disturb'd them all at once4 ,i judge it to be the effect of electricity1 somewhat like what causes sea sickness2 such a sort of motion1 as we are not accustomed to4 ,so the earthquake affects all those of weak nerves1 or that have nervous complaints2 obnoxious to hysterics1 colics1 rheumatick pains in their joints2 several women were seized with violent head-achs1 before both the shocks we felt in ,london4 ,it was this that gave the people a shortness of breath4 ,mr4 ,smith from ,peterborough speaks of a person that found himself very sick upon it4 ,this made the dog run whining about the room1 seeking to get out3 this made the fishes leap up in the pond at ,southwark2 like as the experiment of electrifying the fishes3 it makes them sick4 ,and this causes the birds in cages to hide their heads under their wings1 because they cannot fly away4 ,which is commonly observ'd of them in ,italy1 and countries1 where earthquakes are more frequent4 #aaly1 ,i observe1 the shepherd at ,kensington thought the motion of the earthquake1 and the sound1 was from the north-west to south-east2 the like ,mr4 ,w4 ,smith from ,peterborough4 ,on the contrary1 ,mr4 ,byfield the scarlet dyer in ,southwark1 thought the noise came from the river below bridge1 and went toward ,westminster2 where it rattled so1 that he did not doubt1 but that the abbey-church was beaten down4 ,dr4 ,parsons took pains to find out the way of the motion of the earthquake1 from the different position of people's beds2 but from the contradictory answers given1 he cou'd not obtain any satisfaction1 as to that point4 ,all this1 and what was observ'd from ,northampton1 of the motion being thought by some1 to be upward and downward2 by others rather horizontal1 or lateral3 the counting the pulses1 and the like1 only points out to us the prodigious celerity1 and the vibratory species of the motion of an earthquake4 ,but far1 very far is this from being owing to the tumultuous ebullition1 the irregular hurry of subterraneous explosions4 #ably1 ,how the atmosphere1 and earth1 are put into that electric and vibratory state1 which prepares them to give1 or receive the snap1 and the shock1 which we call an earthquake2 what it is1 that immediately produces it1 we cannot say3 any more than we can define1 what is the cause of magnetism1 or of gravitation2 or how muscular motion is perform'd1 or a thousand other secrets in nature4 ,we seem to know1 that the author of the world has disseminated ethereal fire1 thro' all matter1 by which these great operations are brought about4 ,this is the subtil fluid of ,sir ,isaac ,newton1 pervading all things3 the occult fire diffused thro' the universe1 according to ,marsilius ,ficinus the platonic philosopher1 on the ,timeus of his master4 ,all the ,platonists insist on an occult fire passing thro'1 and agitating all substance1 by its vigorous and expansive motion4 ,before them1 ,hippocrates writes in the same sense1 ,i4 de victs ratione1 that this fire moves all in all4 ,this ethereal fire is one of the four elements of the ancients4 ,it lies latent1 and dispersed thro' all the other three1 and quiescent3 till collected into a quantity1 that over-balances the circumjacent2 like the air crouded into a tempest3 or till it is excited1 by any proper motion4 ,this fire gives elasticity3 and elasticity or vibration is the mother of electricity4 ,we don't so much wonder at phosphorus arising from animal substances2 for this fire is in water1 and betrays itself to our senses1 in salt water4 ,many a time when ,i have passed the ,lincolnshire washes1 in the night time2 the horse has seem'd to tread in liquid flames4 ,the same appearance is oft at the keel of a ship4 ,fire exists in water1 says ,pliny1 as well as in human bodies4 nat4 hist4 ,,ii4 #ajg4 ,loaf sugar beaten in the dark is luminous4 ,many vegetables1 as indian cane1 and rotten wood the like1 as ,bartholin largely recites1 de luce hominum c4 #d4 ,all electric bodies have this privilege3 that is1 they more easily discover it4 ,amber1 gum lac1 naptha1 bitumens1 some precious stones4 ,my old friend ,mr4 ,stephen ,gray the father and great propagator of electricity1 show'd me experiments therein1 in the year #agje1 then at ,corpus ,christi college in ,cambridge4 ,afterward in the year #agai1 he show'd by experiments before the ,royal ,society1 that paper1 ribbands1 silk1 sattin1 cloth1 shavings1 linen1 goldbeaters skin1 and in short1 almost all kind of substances discover electrical sparks of fire in the dark3 especially when well warm'd before the fire1 or in a cold1 dry1 nitrous air1 and in a room where there is no company4 ,this same quality is found in vacuo1 as ,dr4 ,desaguliers show'd before the ,royal ,society1 march #ca1 #agbj4 ,he took an exhausted glass globe1 and caused it to be turn'd round violently1 in an engine3 by rubbing the hand upon it1 it was illuminated within side1 with purple streams4 ,this gave foreigners the idea of using a glass globe1 in electrical experiments4 ,the operation of the ethereal fire is various1 nay1 infinite1 according to its quantity1 and degree of incitement1 progress1 hindrance1 or furtherance4 ,one degree keeps water fluid1 says the learned bishop of ,cloyne3 another turns it into elastic air1 and air itself seems nothing else1 but vapors1 and exhalations render'd elastic1 by this fire4 ,this fame fire permeates1 and dwells in all bodies2 even diamond1 flint1 and steel4 ,its particles attract with the greatest force1 when approximated4 ,again1 when united1 they fly asunder1 with the greatest force1 and celerity2 it resists nothing quiescent1 but when put into motion1 it disdains all resistance4 ,all this is according to the laws prescrib'd by the sovereign architect4 ,this is the life1 and soul of action1 and reaction1 in the universe4 ,thus has the great author provided against the native sluggishness of matter6 light1 or fire in animals1 is what we call the animal spirits2 and is the author of life1 and motion4 ,but we know not the immediate mode of muscular motion2 any more than how1 in inanimate matter1 it causes the vibrations of an earthquake4 ,of this fire1 the excellent ,manilius thus writes1 who liv'd in the time of ,augustus4 ,astronom4 ,i4 ,sunt autem cunctis permisti partibus ignes2 ,qui gravidas habitant fabricantes fulmina nubes3 ,et penetrant terras1 tnamq2 imitantur ,olympo3 ,et calidas reddunt ipsis in fontibus undas4 ,ac silice in duro1 viridiq2 in cortice sedem ,inveniunt2 cum silva sibi collisa crematur4 ,ignibus usq2 adeo natura est omnis abundans6 ,which may thus be english'd4 ,fire universal nature traverses4 ,it makes the thunderbolt in tumid clouds3 ,in dire ,vulcano's penetrates the earth3 ,and sends the boiling water from its springs4 ,in hardest flint1 and softest wood it dwells3 ,which by collision shows itself in flame4 ,with fire so pregnant is all nature found6 #acly1 ,the great question then with us1 is how the surface of the earth is put into that vibratory and electric state1 by heat and driness8 we must needs acquit the internal of the earth from the charge of these superficial concussions4 ,how then is the ethereal fire crouded together1 or excited1 so as to cause them2 seeing in our ordinary electrical experiments1 we make use of friction8 ,but that friction alone does not excite electricity1 we know from the obvious experiment of flint and steel1 where the suddenness of the stroke1 and hardness of the matter does it4 ,another method of exciting it1 is the letting off a number of great guns1 which so crouds the ethereal fire together1 as to electrify glass windows2 observ'd by my friend the reverend ,dr4 ,stephen ,hales4 ,the aurora borealis1 australis1 all kind of coruscations1 meteors1 lightning1 thunder1 fire-balls are the effects1 and may reciprocally be the cause of electricity2 but how in particular we know not4 ,come we to the animal world1 we must needs assert1 that all motion voluntary1 involuntary1 generation1 even life itself3 all the operations of the vegetable kingdom1 and an infinity more of nature's works1 are owing to the activity of this electric fire1 the very soul of the material world4 ,and in my opinion1 'tis this alone1 that solves the famous question1 so much agitated with the writers in medicine1 about the heat of the blood4 ,how these1 how earthquakes are begun1 propagated1 we are yet to seek4 ,we may readily enough presume1 that the contact between the electric1 and the non-electric1 which gives the snap1 and the shock1 must come from without1 from the atmosphere4 ,perhaps by some meteor that crouds the ethereal fire together3 which then flies off with that immense force that causes the earthquake4 ,in the point of contact on the earth's surface1 the same thing is done1 perhaps1 another time1 by a shower of rain4 ,our thoughts upon this matter must needs be as immature1 as they are novel4 ,but we may readily conclude1 that tho' the original stroke comes from the atmosphere1 yet the atmosphere has no further concern in it3 no aereal power1 or change therein1 can propagate itself so instantaneously1 over so vast a surface1 as #djjj miles square4 ,therefore the impetuous rushing noise in the air1 accompanying the shock1 is the effect1 and not the cause4 ,and all this is strongly confirm'd by this observation1 that the barometer and thermometer receiv'd no change upon the earthquakes4 ,but surely1 there is not a heart of flesh that is not affected with so stupendous a concussion6 let a man estimate his own power1 with that which causes an earthquake2 and he will be persuaded1 that somewhat more than ordinary is intended by so rare and wonderful a motion4 ,that great genius ,hippocrates1 makes the whole of the animal conomy to be administred1 by what we call nature4 ,and nature alone1 says he1 suffices for all things1 to animals3 she knows herself1 and what is necessary for them4 ,we must extend this thought to the inanimate world4 ,and can we deny then1 that he here means a conscious and intelligent nature1 that presides over1 and directs all things1 moves the ethereal spirit or fire1 that moves all things3 a divine necessity1 but a voluntary agent1 who gives the commanding nod1 to what we commonly call nature1 the chief instrument in the most important operations of the vast machine1 as well as in the ordinary ones1 particularly the human one3 administring the whole conomy 7as he says7 without noise1 unseen1 unfelt4 ,and this leads us1 #adly1 ,lastly1 in regard to the spiritual use we ought to make of these extraordinary phnomena1 or of our inquiries about them1 ,i shall first observe1 that we find abroad1 several of these earthquakes this year have been very fatal4 ,in the last we read of1 at ,philippopoli in ,thrace1 the whole city was destroyed1 above #djjj inhabitants killed4 ,at home1 where above half a score separate concussions have been felt1 there has not been one house thrown down1 one life lost4 ,this ought to inspire us with a very serious reflection about them2 nor is it altogether unworthy of our remark1 that they began with us in ,london1 in february last3 and after visiting the circle of the globe1 at present1 end with us4 #b;dly1 ,we may observe1 that if we did but read the works of ,hippocrates1 ,plato and his followers2 of ,tully1 ,galen1 and the like ethic writers of antiquity2 whilst we study1 and try the affections of matter2 we should improve in philosophy1 properly speaking3 we should lift up our minds from these earthly wonders1 and discern the celestial admonitions1 they present to us4 ,the original meaning of the word philosophy1 was rightly apply'd to moral wisdom4 ,we who have advanc'd both the natural1 and moral1 should1 as the ancients did1 join them both together4 ,by this means1 we gather1 the truth of the highest1 and most excellent philosophy1 to be found in those volumes of first antiquity1 which we call sacred3 and which1 'tis our peculiar1 and inestimable happiness to possess4 ,we should adore that divine light1 which they hold forth to us4 ,especially in a country1 where the principles of true religion are open1 and undisguised3 where the establish'd profession of it is rational1 noble and lovely3 worthy of the moral governor of the world2 fit for him to enjoin3 for us to practise1 with pleasure and effect4 november #g1 #agej4 ,w4 ,stukeley4 ,read at the ,royal ,society1 december #f4 ,,finis4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,note ,minor typos were corrected4 ,a number of words are capitalized after a comma which would usually be set as lower-case today but they were left as is4 ,days of the week and month names were printed in lower-case4 ,italicization as per the printed version4