{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_63322/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_63322","id":"gutenberg_63322","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63322","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Science - Earth/Agricultural/Farming","Earthquakes"],"text":"Transcriber Note: Text emphasis is denoted as _Italics_.\n\n\n\n\n                                   THE\n\n                                PHILOSOPHY\n\n                                    OF\n\n                               EARTHQUAKES,\n\n                          Natural and Religious.\n\n                                    OR\n\n                  An Inquiry into their Cause, and their\n                                 Purpose.\n\n  _O Vita philosophia dux, virtutum indagatrix, expultrixque vitii!_\n\n                                                               Cicero.\n\n  By _WILLIAM STUKELEY_, M.D. Rector\n    of St. _George_'s, _Queen-Square_: Fellow of the\n    College of Physicians and Royal Society:\n\n                           The SECOND EDITION.\n             To which is added, PART II. on the same Subject.\n\n                                _LONDON_:\n            Printed for C. Corbet over-against St. _Dunstan_'s\n                          Church, _Fleetstreet_.\n\n                                  MDCCL.\n\n\n\n\nTo the Reader.\n\n\n_The substance of the philosophical part of this discourse was\ndelivered at twice to the Royal Society, on_ March 15, _and_ 22: _The\ntheological, in my own church. I could not refuse the solicitation of my\nfriends, hearers in both places, to print it. I wish my intention, in\nthe compliance, may any ways prove successful; to show, how vain, and\nunmeaning, are all our philosophical inquiries, when destitute of their\ntrue view; to lead us into the more engaging paths of religion. That,\nfrom speculation of material causes, we may become adepts in that wisdom\nwhich is from above. Otherwise, like_ Epicurus, _and the ancient heathen\nphilosophers, we barter away our immortal part, for a curiosity, that\namuses us to no good purpose. Mean are these objects of our senses to be\naccounted, in comparison of our spiritual natures, to which our principal\nregard is due! For we must rightly say with_ Job: Lo, these are parts of\nGod's ways, but how little a portion is heard of him? and the thunder of\nhis power, who can understand?\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                                    TO\n\n                       _Martin Folkes_, Esq; LL.D.\n\n                     President of the Royal Society.\n\n\n                                                         _March 26, 1750._\n\nWhen so great and unusual a _phenomenon_, as an earthquake, and that\nrepeated, happens among us; it will naturally excite a serious reflection\nin everyone that is capable of thinking. And we cannot help considering\nit, both in a philosophical and a religious view. Any mind will take the\nalarm when we perceive a motion that affects the earth, that bears the\nwhole city of _London_, and some miles round it. And at the same time\nwhile it gives us so sensible a shake, so gently sets us down again;\nwithout damage to any buildings, and without a life lost.\n\n'Tis hard to say, which is the greater wonder. But alas in the works\nof nature, there are no degrees of great, and little; comparisons are\nincompatible. We indeed are more affected with what seems great in our\nown apprehensions: I would rather say, what is rare and unusual. An\nomnipotent power admits of no distinctions. And when prodigious effects\nare produc'd from causes imperceptible, it rightly claims our most serious\nattention, as well as wonder. Nor need we lose sight of the theological\npurpose of these amazing alarms; whilst we endeavor to find out the\nphilosophy of them.\n\nAmong all the appearances of nature, which are the subject of the\ninquiries of the Royal Society, none more deserves the regard of a\ncontemplative mind. And among the very numerous accounts received there,\nfrom all quarters, being only Observations upon the manner of it, and\nits extent: I judg'd, it became us to inquire into the _cause_ of so\nextraordinary a motion: of which we could not form a proper idea; had we\nnot repeatedly seen, and felt it.\n\nThe moderns have not improv'd upon the opinions of the ancients, in\nthis matter; any further than by the fancied analogy of some chymical\nexperiments. But these chymical experiments, and all sorts of explosions\nby gun-powder, and the like, are to me a very unsatisfactory solution\nthey are merely artificial compositions, which can have nothing similar\nin the bowels of the earth, and they produce their effects by violence,\nby rending and tearing, by a _solutio continui_. This is indeed too\noften the case of earthquakes, but _that_ is a partial degree, not\nat all equivalent to the compass of the shock; and is very far from\nbeing the constant concomitant of an earthquake. Quite the contrary.\nInnumerable such happen, when there is no breach of the surface; and of\nthese three or four which we have now felt, nothing of it has appear'd.\nBut the immensity of the vibration of the earth which shook every house\nin _London_, with impunity, and for twenty miles round, can never, in\nmy apprehension, be owing to so unbridled a cause, as any subterraneous\nvapours, fermentations, rarefactions, and the like; the vulgar solution.\nNor does the kind of motion, which I discern in an earthquake, in any sort\nagree with what we should expect from explosions.\n\nIn order then to proceed with some degree of certainty, in our inquiry\nafter the cause of earthquakes, it will be useful, in the first place,\nto set in one view, the general appearances remarkable therein; the most\nusual concomitants: As we can collect them from our own observation, or\nfrom the relations and writings of others.\n\n\nCircumstances.\n\nI. That earthquakes always happen in calm seasons, in warm, dry, sultry\nweather; or after a dry, frosty air.\n\nII. That they are felt at sea, as well as land, even in the main ocean;\nand at that time, the sea is calm.\n\nIII. That earthquakes differ very much in magnitude. Some shake a very\nlarge tract of country, at the same instant of time; nay, sometime extend\nto very many countries, separated by mountains, seas, lakes, the ocean.\n\nIV. That earthquakes differ very much in the quantity, of their vibratory\nmotion: Whence in some, tho' largely extended, they are innocuous; in\nothers, both small and great, they lay all in ruin and destruction.\n\nV. That a hollow, thundering, unusual noise accompanies them, or rather\nseems to preceed the shock; which rolls in the air like the noise of\ncannon.\n\nVI. That they are felt more sensibly in the upper story of houses than in\nthe lower.\n\nVII. That the shock is more violent upon more solid buildings, churches,\ncastles, and stone-houses, than upon those of slighter materials.\n\nVIII. That many people find themselves sick at stomach, with headake, and\npains in their joints, and the like, which sometime lasts for the day\nafter, or longer.\n\nIX. That earthquakes generally happen to great towns, and cities, and more\nparticularly to those that are situate on the sea.\n\nX. That earthquakes do not cause any damage to springs and fountains; but\nthe water in wells becomes foul for a short time.\n\nXI. That they are more frequent in the neighboring countries of a vulcano.\n\nThis last circumstance, in my opinion, has led all inquirers in this\nquestion, out of the true path; therefore I propose in the ensuing paper.\n\nI. To shew what it is not; the insufficiency of the vulgar opinion, of\nsubterraneous fires and vapours.\n\nII. To shew what it is in reality, as it appears to me.\n\nIII. I shall conclude with the moral use we ought to make of these\nprodigies of nature.\n\nI. The struggles of subterraneous winds and fires, that should heave\nup the ground like animal convulsions, seem to me impossible: Their\npowers, and manner of acting (if such there be) is quite incapable of\nproducing the appearance of an earthquake. That these should operate\ninstantaneously, in one minute, thro' a circle of 30 or 40 miles diameter,\nor more, I could not conceive. Nor that there should be any possible, much\nless ready passage thro' the solid earth, for such nimble agents, as every\none is apt to imagine that speak of this appearance; without sufficiently\nreflecting on the insuperable difficulties in that _hypothesis_.\n\nWe cannot pretend to deny that there may be such vapours, and\nfermentations, inflammable substances, and actual fires, in the bowels of\nthe earth; and that there may be some caverns under-ground, as well as we\nfind some few above ground: such as _Pool_'s-_Hole_, _The Devil_'s-_Arse\nin the Peak_ of _Derbyshire_, and _Okey-Hole_ in _Somersetshire_.\nThese, I believe, to have been so from the creation, never were made by\nearthquakes. We know, there are hot springs running continually: There\nare some vulcano's frequently belching out flames and smoke, and to these\nperhaps some earthquakes may be owing, tho' not according to the vulgar\nnotion; as we shall see, by and by.\n\nBut these matters are very rare, much rarer than earthquakes, both as to\ntime and place. _Vesuvius_ in _Italy_, and in that part of it abounding\nwith mines of sulphur: _\u00c6tna_ in _Sicily_, and _Heckla_ in _Iceland_;\nthese are all we know of, in the old world. In the _Andes_ mountains of\n_America_, there are some. The scarcity of these appears to me a strong\nargument against the common deductions made therefrom, as to their being\nthe cause of earthquakes.\n\nNor can I enter into the sentiments of those that hold the cavernous\nstate of the earth, so as to contribute to the forming an earthquake by\nvapours running from place to place under ground. How many thousand acres\nof coal-mines do they daily work in _England_, and have done for ages? I\nhave been myself 2 or 300 feet deep in a solid rock of native salt: I have\nwalked a mile lengthwise directly into the earth, and descending all the\nway, in the proportion of one yard in five, 'till we came under the bed of\nthe very ocean, where ships were sailing over our heads. This was at Sir\n_James Lowther_'s coal-pit, at _Whitehaven_. We were at this time deeper\nunder ground by the perpendicular, than any part of the ocean, between\n_England_ and _Ireland_.\n\nWe never hear, from the many hundreds of thousands of workmen in this\nkind, at _Newcastle_, _Nottinghamshire_, _Yorkshire_, _Derbyshire_,\n_Staffordshire_, _Somersetshire_, and _Wales_: from the infinite numbers\nof workmen in the mines of lead, tin, and the like, of the cavernous\nstate of the earth, so as to give any colour for this _hypothesis_ of\nearthquakes. The earth is generally of solid rock; in which there must be\nnow, and then, some clefts, and vacuities, small in compass, as naturally\nso many heterogeneous _strata_ of the earth consolidate together. But\nthere can be no imagination of vapours breaking through, uniting,\ntraversing so suddenly, a large space of earth, so as to produce those\nearthquakes, we have seen, and felt; much less such as we read of. The\nworkmen in all sorts of mines confess by their hard labor, that the earth\nis not cavernous; nor are there mines of sulphur, nitre, and the like\ninflammable materials in _England_. Or if there were, could they burn,\nand cause convulsions of the earth, without proper cavities, pipes, and\nconveyances of air; as vulcano's, and coal-pits, when set on fire. But\neven from these coal-pits, when fired, do we ever find any thing like\nan earthquake produced. Nor do we find earthquakes frequent in those\ncountries, that abound with coal-mines, as certainly would be the case,\nif that _hypothesis_ was just. How easy would it be, on the slightest\noccasion for earthquakes to happen in the countries abounding with\ncoal-mines, which are so full of artificial cavities communicating with\none another, for many miles together: The very thing supposed, by those\nwho hold the old opinion, of vapours traversing the earth for that purpose.\n\nIn the coal-pits, some small natural cavities now and then are found;\nwhich when opened, send forth a pestiferous vapor and a fire-damp which\nruns for a long time together. And tho' there are many substances that\nmay generate air, within the bowels of the earth; yet these matters are\ninfinitely unable to produce an earthquake: Never would have force to open\na passage for themselves thro' the solid rock, of perhaps many hundred\nfeet in thickness. Nor did we observe in these last earthquakes any fire,\nvapour, smoke, or smell, any kind of eruption, in the least; as must\ncertainly have been, in so great a struggle of the superfice, as affected\na circle of so large a diameter. Were there such, we could scarce hope any\notherwise, than that they would be too sensibly felt; to the destruction\nof many thousands, by their pestiferous qualities.\n\nIndeed this consideration alone, of the extent of that surface, is\nsufficient to overthrow any supposition, of earthquakes being chiefly\nowing to subterraneous vapours: They cannot momentarily fly under so large\na tract of ground, if they were near the outward shell of the earth. They\ncould not do it without breaking ground, and discovering themselves to\nthe sight, or smell; and that for a long time after. It cannot possibly\nbe imagin'd, they could have so immense a force, as to lift up the city\nof _London_, and never be perceived by our organs, and outward senses. We\nhave frequent accounts of a little fire-ball bursting in the air, at a\ndistance; yet it instantly propagates a sulphureous smell around.\n\nIf the movement of a superficies of 30 miles diameter was owing to fumes,\nand vapours; we ought reasonably to find some great discharges of them,\nbelching out smoke and fire, for a long time after, like vulcano's,\nand coal-pits fir'd. The operation of the shock ought to be of hours\ncontinuance, not instantaneous; and the evaporation of so vast a quantity\nof matter, must darken the whole region of the air for a long time\nafter; or require a long time, if gradually it discharges itself. We see\nhow immense a volume of smoke is produc'd by a very small quantity of\ngun-powder; and no vapour could be so subtle, that produc'd such effects,\nand not be very obvious to our senses.\n\nEven in vulcano's, it is the opinion of the learned _Italian_ philosopher\n_Borelli_, and of other great naturalists, that they are kindled first\nfrom the surface, where there is a possibility of ventilation from the\nair. They imagine, it begins at the top of the mountains; not by any\nfancied fermentation of the _pyrites_ and sulphureous vapours arising from\nsubterraneous caverns, in the lower parts of mountains.\n\nThere is another consideration, which utterly overthrows these\nsuppositions, of earthquakes being caused by anything under-ground; and\nthat is a due consideration of springs, and fountains perpetually flowing;\nand that from the creation of the world to this day. If we would form any\ntolerable idea of their nature, we must needs conceive, that God Almighty\nhas laid their pipes, and canals in the earth, from a great depth, even to\nthe surface; like as he has planted the veins, arteries, and glands in an\nanimal body. And likewise that they are more and more ramify'd, as they\nnearer approach the outward shell of the earth; just so our veins, and\narteries, as they come nearer the skin.\n\nThe workmen in coal-mines, and those of metals, minerals, and\nstone-quarries, never fail to meet with springs, and currents of water,\nevery where. Often they ruin, and divert springs another way, only by\ndigging into the earth for foxes, and the like. Whenever they dig for\nwells, in any kind of earth, they commonly find springs. The colliers,\nand workers of mines, are oblig'd to drain the waters off with very great\nexpence.\n\nThese are circumstances not favorable to subterraneous fires being in the\nearth in abundance; much less to their being the cause of earthquakes.\nAnd further, we cannot possibly think of earthquakes doing their work\nthat way, without absolutely ruining the whole system of springs, and\nfountains, throughout the whole country, where they pass. But all this is\nquite contrary to fact; even where an earthquake has been repeatedly. For\nan instance from home.\n\nOn _Wednesday, April_ 6, 1580, about six in the evening, just such another\nearthquake was felt in _London_ and around it, as these two we have seen.\nAnother exactly similar 1692. In all these four, no houses thrown down, no\nsprings disturb'd thereby, no sensible eruptions nor smells.\n\nThese considerations I apply only to this little inconsiderable space,\nof a circle 30 miles diameter; as with us. But what is that to the\nearthquakes we read of in history? In the year of our Lord 17, no less\nthan thirteen great and noble cities in _Asia minor_, were destroyed in\none night. _Tacitus_, _Pliny_, and many other authors mention it. The fact\nis so notorious, that some persons here present, have seen a vast block of\nwhite marble now standing near _Naples_; being the pedestal of a coloss\nstatue of _Tiberius_ the emperor; having carv'd on it the _genius's_, or\npictures of all those cities, with their names. The accurate _Bulifon_ and\nothers have wrote treatises upon it. These cities were rebuilt by that\nemperor. But without going so far, we may see another evidence of it, a\ncoin of that emperor struck upon the occasion, with this inscription,\n\n                      CIVITATIBUS ASIAE RESTITUTIS.\n\nI have one of them, in large brass, which was found at _Colchester_.\n\nThe compass of this earthquake may be reckon'd to take up 300 miles\ndiameter, as a circle. Now, we cannot conceive, how any subterraneous\nvapour can produce such an effect, as instantaneously to demolish all\nthese cities; and that such an accident should never happen after.\nThat the whole country of _Asia minor_ should not at the same time be\ndestroy'd, its mountains be renversed, its fountains, springs, and rivers\nbroken up and ruin'd for ever. Instead whereof we find nothing suffered,\nbut those cities; no kind of alteration in the surface of the country;\nit remains the same as it were in the beginning of time. In 1586 an\nearthquake in _Peru_, that extended 900 miles.\n\nFrom these considerations, I cannot persuade myself, to enter into the\nopinion of vapours, and eruptions being the cause sought for; and, after\nwe have treated the argument in a superficial view, we must go a little\ndeeper.\n\nIf we would consider things like philosophers, let us propose to ourselves\nthis problem: Where is the power to be plac'd, that is requir'd to move a\nsurface of earth 30 miles in diameter?\n\nTo answer this, consult the ingineers, and those that make mines in the\nsieges of towns; they will acquaint us, that the effect of mines is\nproduced in form of an inverted cone. And that a diameter of 30 miles, in\nthe base, will require an _axis_ of 15 or 20 miles to operate upon that\nbase, so as to shake it, at least. Now the vapours, or whatever power we\npropose to operate, according to the foregoing requisite, in order to form\nthe appearance of an earthquake, must be 15 or 20 miles deep in the earth.\nBut what mind can conceive, that any natural power is able to move an\ninverted cone of solid earth, whose base is 30 miles diameter, whose axis\n20? or was it possible; would not the whole texture of that body of earth\nbe quite disturb'd and shatter'd, especially in regard to its springs and\nfountains? but nothing like this is ever found to be the consequence of an\nearthquake, tho' fatal to cities.\n\nApply this reasoning to the earthquake of _Asia minor_, and this vigorous\nprinciple at the _apex_ of the cone must lie, at least, 200 Miles deep in\nthe ground. Enough to show the absurdity of any moving power plac'd under\nthe Earth! A cone of 300 miles diameter at base, 200 miles _axis_: I dare\nbe bold to say, that all the gun-powder made since its invention, if put\ntogether and fired, would not be able to move it; how much less pent up\nvapours? what must we say of a circle of 900 miles diameter?\n\nBut, could that be admitted as possible, would any one be persuaded,\nthat such a subterraneous tumult, of so vast an extent, will be no ways\ninjurious to the internal system of springs and fountains, and that this\nshall often be repeated without the least damage? We may as well imagine,\nthat we can stab a man 100 times and never touch vein or artery.\n\nSince I gave in my two papers to the Royal Society, a letter of Mr.\n_Flamsted_'s has been printed, which abundantly confirms my sentiments.\nThe whole drift of it is, to show how invalid is the vulgar idea\nconceiv'd, of earthquakes arising from subterraneous vapours and\neruptions: That the earth itself is not moved to any depth, and that the\nshock must arise from the atmosphere. The circumstances which he has\njudiciously collected, are extremely agreeable to mine; many of them the\nvery same, strongly confirming my _hypothesis_: And had that great man\nknown the properties of electricity, which we are now masters of, he would\nhave prevented me in this affair.\n\n\"Considering (says he) what variety of substances, sand, gravel, stones,\nrock, minerals, clay, and mold, our earth is compounded of, and how little\nnitre, or explosive matter, a large quantity thereof will afford; I cannot\nthink, where we can find matter enough to move so vast a bulk of earth,\nas all the South parts of _England_, all the _Netherlands_, with part\nof _Germany_, all _France_, and perhaps _Italy_, (which were shock'd at\nonce the 8th of _September_ last 1692;) or part of _Asia_, and near all\n_Europe_, which trembled together the same day, 91 years before.\n\n\"But, allowing there may have been sufficient matter prepared for these\npurposes, I can hardly think, there are continued cavities, at any\nreasonable depth, all under _Europe_, wherein an explosion being made,\nmight shake the whole at once, and yet make no clefts, or separations,\nin those parts where the minerals and mountainous rocks part from the\nlight mold and clay. If an hundred barrels of gun-powder could be fixed\nin some cave, a thousand yards under ground; allowing the force of the\nexplosion sufficient to raise all the weight of earth incumbent on the\ncavern; it would certainly break the loose mold from any large solid rock\nwe may conceive adjacent, and leave at least some clefts behind it. But we\nseldom or never hear of such clefts, made in such places, when earthquakes\nhappen.\"\n\nAgain, he writes thus: \"I cannot apprehend, (if all earthquakes must\nbe made by explosions in subterraneous caverns) why sometimes a large\ncountry, or whole continent, should be thereby shook all at once; why\nthere should be no eruptions in the neighbourhood?\"\n\nFrom all circumstances consider'd, he concludes, that the abstruse,\neffective cause of them comes from the air; and that a calm is necessary\nbefore an earthquake. And these two particulars are likewise Dr. _Hales_'s\npositions: \"The earth-lightning, as he calls it, is first kindled on the\nsurface, and not at great depths, as has been thought; whose explosion is\nthe immediate cause of an earthquake. He says, long, dry, hot seasons,\nare usually the preparatory forerunners of earthquakes.\" From all these\nconsiderations I conclude; earthquakes are not caus'd by subterraneous\nvapors.\n\nII. We are to inquire, what is the cause of earthquakes.\n\nIn an age when electricity has been so much our entertainment, and our\namazement; when we are become so well acquainted with its stupendous\npowers and properties, its velocity, and instantaneous operation through\nany given distance; when we see, upon a touch, or an approach, between\na non-electric and an electrified body, what a wonderful vibration is\nproduc'd! what a snap it gives! how an innocuous flame breaks forth!\nhow violent a shock! Is it to be wonder'd at, that hither we turn our\nthoughts, for the solution of the prodigious appearance of an earthquake?\n\nHere is at once an assemblage of all those properties and circumstances\nwhich we so often see in courses of electricity. Electricity may be call'd\na sort of soul to matter, thought to be an ethereal fire pervading all\nthings; and acting instantaneously, where, and as far as it is excited.\n'Tis every body's observation, that there never was a winter, like the\nlast past, in any one's memory, so extremely remarkable for warmth and\ndriness, abounding with thunder and lightning, very uncommon in winter;\ncoruscations in the air frequent, justly thought electrical by all\nphilosophers; particularly, twice we had the extraordinary appearance of\nthat called _aurora australis_, with colours altogether unusual; and this\njust before the first earthquake: All the while the wind constantly south\nand south-west, and that without rain, which is unusual with these winds.\n\nThis state of the atmosphere had continued five months before the first\nearthquake. Is it not hence reasonable to conclude, that the earth,\nespecially in our region, must be brought into an unusual state of\nelectricity; into that vibratory condition wherein electricity consists;\nand, consequently, nothing was wanting but the approach of a non-electric\nbody, to produce that snap, and that shock, which we call an earthquake; a\nvibration of the superficies of the earth.\n\nThat the earth was in that vibratory and electric state we have further\nreason to conclude, from the very extraordinary forwardness of all the\nvegetable world with us. Every one knows, that, at the end of _February_,\nall sorts of garden-stuff, trees, fruits, and flowers, were as forward\nas in other years, by the middle of _April_. Conformable to which,\nexperiments abundantly show, that electrifying of plants quickens their\ngrowth, equally as in animals it quickens the pulse. Nor will the unusual\ndriness and warmth of the weather solely account for such a precipitate\nvegetation: because a necessary supply of rain was wanting, as in the\nnatural Spring-season.\n\nA very long dry frost will produce the same electrical state of the earth,\nas it equally favours electrical experiments. Thus, _March_ 27, 1076,\na frost from the 1st of _November_ to the middle of _April_, a general\nearthquake in _England_ succeeded. _Matt. Paris._ That of _Oxford_, 17th\nof _September_ 1683, was after a frost. _Jan._ 4, 1680, An earthquake in\n_Somersetshire_: The air was very calm; a frosty night.\n\nMr. _Flamsted_ concurs with us, in our first position, That earthquakes\nalways happen in _calm_ seasons. He adds, \"That _Keckerman_, a learned\nauthor, who wrote on the subject, affirms, and backs it from the authority\nof _Aristotle_ and _Pliny_.\"\n\nThe 8th of _September_ 1601 was a very calm day but cloudy: And the\n_Smyrna_ merchants observe the earthquakes there happen in calm, still\nweather. The remarkable clearness and calmness of the morning was observed\nin that of _Oxford_ 17th of _September_ 1683, and the air continued\nso for five or six days after: Therefore we may infer, that it is not\nimpossible, what has been abundantly related, that some foreigners\nfrom _Italy_ here in _England_, some from the _West-Indies_ (in both\nwhich countries earthquakes are more frequent than with us) did seem to\napprehend our first earthquakes from the apparent temper of the weather;\nand observations of this kind are as old as _Aristotle_. It is observed\nin _Jamaica_, when the air is extraordinary calm, an earthquake is always\napprehended.\n\nWe had lately read at the Royal Society, a very curious discourse, from\nMr. _Franklin_ of _Philadelphia_, concerning thundergusts, lightning,\nthe northern lights, and meteors. All which he rightly solves from the\ndoctrine of electricity. For, if a cloud raised from the sea, which is\na non-electric, happens to touch a cloud raised from exhalations of the\nland, when electrified, it must immediately cause thunder and lightning.\nThe electrical fire flowing from the touch of perhaps a thousand miles\ncompass of clouds, makes that appearance, which we call lightning. The\nsnap which we hear in our electrical experiments, when re-echoed from\ncloud to cloud, the extent of the firmament, makes that affrightning sound\nof thunder.\n\nFrom the same principle I infer, that, if a non-electric cloud discharges\nits contents upon any part of the earth, when in a high electrified state,\nan earthquake must necessarily ensue. The ship made upon the contact of\nmany miles compass of solid earth is that horrible uncouth noise, which\nwe hear upon an earthquake; and the shock is the earthquake itself.\n\nIn the relation received from _Portsmouth_, and the _Isle of Wight_,\nconcerning the last shock there, on the 18th of _March_, the writer\nobserves, the Day was warm and serene; but, upon a gentle shower falling\nin the evening, the earthquake came. Here we have reason to apprehend the\nelectrified state of the earth, and the touch of the non-electric: which\ncaused the earthquake.\n\nThe learned Dr. _Childrey_ observes, treating on this subject, that\nearthquakes happen upon rain; a sudden shower of rain in the time of a\ngreat drought.\n\n'Tis objected, that, if this was the case, nothing would be more frequent\nthan earthquakes; but these two circumstances concurring, a shower and\ndry weather, must not necessarily cause it, any more than touching a\ntube before it is electrified causes a snap. The earth must be in a\nproper electrified state to produce it; and electricity has its fits; is\nremitted, intended, ceased and recommenced. It has its bounds. All causes\nmust concur. And now, with us, all necessary causes did so apparently.\nTho' a shower of rain falling upon the earth when electrified, may cause\nan earthquake, yet too much rain before, will prevent that state of\nelectricity, necessary.\n\nThe day before the catastrophe of _Port-Royal_, the weather was remarkably\nserene and clear. In that most dreadful earthquake, 1692, of _Sicily_,\nwhere 54 cities and towns, beside a great number of villages were\ndestroy'd; but especially the whole city of _Catania_: It was preceded by\na most agreeable, serene and warm season, which was the more observable on\naccount of its being unusual at that time of the year.\n\nI have been inform'd, that in the morning of both earthquakes last past\nwith us, the air was serene and calm; on the morning before that 8th\nof _February_, the air was observ'd to be remarkably calm; and that a\nlittle before, a black cloud appear'd over great part of the horizon. Dr.\n_Hales_, in his relation, says, the Centinels in _St. James's Park_, and\nothers who were abroad in the morning of the last earthquake, observ'd a\nlarge black cloud, and some coruscations, just before the shock, and that\nit was very calm weather: And that, in the history of earthquakes, they\ngenerally begin in calm weather, with a black cloud.\n\nThis observation precludes the suspicion of earthquakes arising from\ntumults and commotions in the upper, or under region of the air. The\nremarkable clearness of the air before earthquakes, observ'd by all, shows\nevidently how free it is from vapours and the like.\n\nAgreeable to our _fifth_ position, Mr. _Flamsted_ writes, \"A hollow noise\nin the air always precedes an earthquake, so near that it rather seems to\naccompany them. He refers us to _Philosophical Transactions_, N^o 151. p.\n311. The noise was heard by many that liv'd in the out-streets, and alleys\nof _London_, remote from the noise and tumult of the greater streets.\"\n\nThis he speaks of that felt in _London_ 1692; but now the whole city heard\nthe noise, on both these earthquakes of ours.\n\nThe gardener, who gave a relation to the Royal Society of what he observed\nin the _Temple_-garden, took notice, that first he heard the most dreadful\nnoise imaginable, which he thought to be a great discharge of ship-guns,\non the river: and that the noise rolled from the water-side towards\n_Temple-bar_, rather before the nodding of the houses.\n\nThe gentleman who observed it about _Hartingfordbury_, says, the noise\npreceded the shock. And this is a common observation, which at once both\nstrengthens our opinion of electricity, and confutes that of subterraneous\nvapours; for, in the latter case, the concussion must precede the noise.\n\nAgreeable to out _second_ position, Mr. _Flamsted_ writes, \"That\nearthquakes are felt at sea, equally as on land. Our merchants say,\nthat, tho' the water in the bay of _Smyrna_ lies level and smooth as\na pond; yet ships riding there feel the shocks very sensibly, but in a\nvery different manner from the houses at land: For they heave not, but\ntremble; their masts shiver, as if they would fall to pieces and their\nguns start in their carriages, though the surface of the sea lies all the\ntime calm and unmoved.\" In Dr. _Hook_'s _Philosophical Collections_, N^o\n6. p. 185. we are told, \"That a ship felt a shock in the main ocean; that\nthe passengers, who had been asleep in their cabins, came upon deck in a\nfright, fearing the ship had struck upon some rock; but, on heaving the\nlead, found themselves out of soundings.\"\n\nAll this is extremely agreeable to our assumption. The water receives the\nelectrical touch, and vibratory intestine motion of its parts, as well as\nland. And the impression may be made solely on the writer a non-electric,\nby the touch of an electric fire-ball, or the like; and that seems to have\nbeen often the care. The proper vibratory motion is impress'd on the water\nwithout ruffling its surface; and so communicated to all the parts of the\nship, gives the sense of a shock to the bottom, the shivering to the mast,\nand the rest of the symptoms: which sufficiently proclaim the cause of it\nto be an electrical impression upon the water. The president mentioned\na relation of a waterman, that felt it in his boat upon the river; he\nthought it like a great thump at the bottom of the boat. And so the ships\nat sea fancy, they strike upon a rock.\n\nThis makes us apprehend, the reason of the fishes leaping up out of\nthe canal in _Southwark_, of which we had an account. So in that of\n_Oxford_, 1683, one fishing in the _Charwell_ felt his boat tremble under\nhim, and the lesser fishes seem'd affrighted by an unusual skipping.\nThat electricity is the cause sought for, seems deducible from this\nconsideration. Several writers on earthquakes assimilate these vibrations\nof the earth to those of a musical string. Experiments have shown, that\nfishes in water may be killed by the particular tone of a musical string;\nand 'tis known, that electricity will kill animals. They assuredly felt\nthe vibratory motion in the water, which they were absolutely strangers\nto before. No doubt it made them sick; as those of weak nerves on land.\nAnd this circumstance alone precludes any suspicion of subterraneous fires\nunder the ocean. Or, if we were to admit of it, would the boiling of the\nwater exhibit any appearance, like what we are speaking of, either to the\nwater, or to the ship?\n\nMr. _Flamsted_ likewise concurs in our _eighth_ position, \"That many\npeople found themselves suddenly sick at stomach, and their heads dizzy\nand light; so that those that had formerly fits of apoplexies, dreaded\ntheir return; particularly, one gentleman, a surgeon, feeling himself so\naffected, and fearing a return of his apoplexy, resolved to be let blood,\nwithout suspecting the earthquake.\"\n\nAfter these two shocks which we felt, many people had pains in their\njoints and back, as after electrifying; many had sickness, headakes,\nhysteric and nervous disorders, and colicks, for the whole day after, and\nsome much longer, especially people of weak nerves, weak constitutions;\nsome women miscarry'd upon it; to some it has prov'd fatal.\n\nTo this we must attribute, that relation we had, of the dog lying asleep\nbefore the fire; but upon the earthquake, he suddenly rose up, run about\nthe room, whining, and endeavouring to get out.\n\nAny solid matter is capable of being put into a state or electricity,\nsuch as iron guns; and the more so, by reason of their solidity. And in\nproportion to it, is the greatness of the snap, and of the shock; and\na kind of lambent flame issues from the point of contact; and likewise\nsomewhat of a sulphureous smell: So that if both flame and smell were\ndiscernible in an earthquake; 'tis to be found, without going to the\nbowels of the earth.\n\nDr. _Hales_ mentions, that solid bodies are the best conductors of aereal\nlightning; whence oaks are rent, and iron melted. And in our earthquakes\nin _London_, the loudest noise was heard near such large stone buildings,\nas churches, with lofty steeples. From the top of these we must apprehend,\nthat the electrical explosion goes off into the open air; as in our\nexperiments, from the point of swords, and the like.\n\nThe electrical shock is proportionate to the solid electrified, agreeable\nto our _seventh_ position. This fully accounts for earthquakes in general,\nand for many in particular. What can be imagin'd greater than a shock of\nthe body of the earth? 'Tis greater, or less in proportion to the state of\nelectrification. And now we can account for several appearances. In the\nfirst earthquake, the Lord Chancellor, Masters in Chancery, and several\nJudges, were sitting in _Westminster-Hall_, with their backs to the wall\nof the upper-end, which is of a vast thickness. They all relate the\nseverity of the shock, from the wall seeming to push towards them with\ngreat violence.\n\nAnd thus in the earthquake of 1692, _Deal_ castle is one of them built\nby _Henry_ VIII. the walls are of immense thickness, and strength; yet\nthey shook so sensibly, that the people living in it, expected it was\nfalling on their heads. And this is the case in all earthquakes: the more\nsubstantial the building, the more violent is the shock: exactly the mode\nof electrical vibration. And this Dr. _Hales_ takes notice of and others;\nthat an earthquake shatters rocks of marble, more easily than the _strata_\nof sand, earth, or gravel. In the earthquake here of 1692, a great cliff\nfell down near _Dover_; and part of _Saltwood_-castle wall.\n\n'Tis from hence we account for that observation, that when we electrify\nany person; upon a touch, the pain and blow of the shock is felt at the\njoints, the wrist, elbow, and shoulder, for instance, more than in the\nintermediate parts; because _there_ is the greatest quantity of solid.\n\nAt the same time, that the force of electricity in solids, is as the\nquantity of matter: we see most evidently, by innumerable experiments,\nthat water is equally assistant in strengthening, and conveying the force\nof electricity; and _that_ in proportion too to its quantity. And hence\nis to be deduc'd the reason of my observation; that the most frequent and\ndreadful earthquakes have fallen upon maritime places. And I find the same\nis taken notice of in some degree, by _Acosta_, by _Dolittle_, who wrote\non that in 1692, and others.\n\nIn the dreadful catastrophe at _Port-Royal_ then, 'tis notorious, that its\nviolence was chiefly near the sea. So _Lima_ could not suffer without its\nport of _Callao_. Even in those so lately felt by us, they were sensibly\nmore violent towards the river, than farther from it.\n\nIn that earthquake which was felt in _England_, in the year 1692, (which\nwas very much like these with us) there were no houses thrown down, nor\npersons kill'd: but it reach'd more particularly _Sheerness_, _Sandwich_,\n_Deal_, _Dover_, _Portsmouth_, and the maritime parts of _Holland_,\n_Flanders_, and _Normandy_.\n\nIn this that happened on _Sunday_ the 18th of _March_ last, at _Bath_;\nit was felt particularly and strongly at _Portsmouth_, seven miles\nabove and below it, on the sea-side; all round the isle of _Wight_,\nat _Southampton_, the sea-coast of _Selsey_, south of _Chichester_,\n_Arundel_, and the whole coast of _Sussex_, without going up the land; and\nacross the sea to the islands of _Jersey_ and _Guernsey_.\n\nOn _Monday_ night, the 2d of this instant _April_, 1750, at ten o'clock,\nat _Leverpool_, a shock of an earthquake. And felt in several other places\nin the neighbourhood; but particularly at _Chester_, and _Warington_.\n\nIf we look into ancient history, we find 197 years before Christ, an\nearthquake shook terribly the isle of _Rhodes_, damag'd many cities: and\nsome quite swallow'd up.\n\nSeventeen years before Christ, many cities in the isle of _Cyprus_\ndestroy'd.\n\nSix years before Christ, the isle of _Coos_ vehemently afflicted.\n\nDuring the _Peloponnesian_ war among the _Greeks_, the isle of _Delos_\nshaken, and the most beautiful temple of _Apollo_ thrown down.\n\nSoon after, the city of _Laced\u00e6mon_ totally destroy'd.\n\n_A. D._ 79. Three cities in _Cyprus_ overthrown.\n\n_A. D._ 82. The city of _Smyrna_ ruined.\n\nIn the time of _Valens_ the emperor, a terrible earthquake in _Crete_,\nwhereby 100 cities were destroy'd.\n\n_Feb._ 13, 1247, An earthquake, chiefly felt in the _Thames_. _Matt.\nParis._\n\n_May_, 1382, A general earthquake, which did much mischief; the _Friday_\nfollowing one less; the _Saturday_ following, one felt mostly by water.\n_Henry de Knyhton._ _Holinshed._\n\n_A. D._ 1456, In the city of _Naples_, 40,000 people lost.\n\n_Constantinople_ has often suffer'd; particularly in 1509, 13,000 people\noverwhelm'd.\n\n1531, At _Lisbon_, 1400 houses thrown down; as many shatter'd.\n\n_April_, 1690, The _Leeward-Islands_, _Montserat_, _Nevis_, and _Antigua_:\nAt _Martinico_, and the _French_ islands, at St. _Lucia_, &c. a violent\nearthquake.\n\n_Dec._ 8, 1703, An earthquake at _Hull_, a perfect calm.\n\n1702, At _Stroution_, in _Argyleshire_, which extended all along the west\ncoast of _Great-Britain_; but to no breadth on land.\n\n_Oct._ 25, 1734, At _Havant_, in _Sussex_, considerable, the air perfectly\ncalm.\n\nBut instances enough, to show what I aim'd at, that maritime places are\nmost subject; which is a strong argument in favour of electricity; when\nboth the solid of the earth, and the quantity of the water concur, to make\nthe shock; exactly as in electrical experiments; when the bottle of water\nis held in the hand.\n\nThus when our mind is discharged of the prejudices of former notions, we\ndiscern, that every appearance favours the principle we go upon. That,\nagreeable to Mr. _Flamsted_, subterraneous explosions, could they pervade,\nand traverse the earth at pleasure, must at last burst, and disperse\nevery thing in their way. Yet 'tis not possible for us to imagine, such\na kind of vibration should follow, either by sea or land, as that we are\ntreating of. But electricity compleatly answers it. This accounts for\nthat superficial movement of the earth, that universal instantaneous\nshock, which made every house in _London_ to tremble, none to fall: That\nquivering, tremulous, horizontal vibration, highly different from any\nmotion we must conceive, to be produc'd from subterraneous evaporations.\nHence authors tell us, _Dec._ 30, 1739, describing an earthquake in the\nwest-riding of _Yorkshire_: It seem'd as if the earth mov'd backward and\nforward horizontally; a quivering, with reciprocal vibrations.\n\nMr. _Flamsted_ rightly accounts the motion of earthquakes to be\nundulatory; and by being continued, causes a like motion to a great\ndistance. As when you strike a long stretch'd string of wire at one end,\nthe motion is immediately continued to the other. So far he entered into\nthe nature of electricity.\n\nTho' he be in the right, thinking the cause comes from the air, yet what\nfollows, contradicts his own hypothesis. For if a calm be necessary before\nan earthquake; then 'tis not produc'd by any turbulence in the air. Nor\ncan we imagine that any aerial commotion, tho' it may shake windows,\nchimneys, and the like, shall reach 500 miles distance, split the solid\nearth, destroy whole cities, and cause those dire desolations we hear of.\n\nMr. _Flamsted_ mentions a circumstance, that the earthquake here in 1692,\nwas not felt in the north of _England_, nor in all _Scotland_: for rain\nfell that day in both. We may very readily conceive, the earth there was\nnot in an electrified state; and the rain would sufficiently prevent it.\nWe hence understand, how the southern regions should be more subject to\nthem, than our northern; where the warmth, and driness of the air, so\nnecessary to electricity, is more frequent than with us.\n\nFrom electric vibration only can we account for our _tenth_ position, of\nsprings, and fountains being no ways damag'd by earthquakes: The motion\ngoes no deeper into the earth, than the force and quantity of the shock\nreaches; which generally is not far; yet it proceeds lower down when the\nready passage of a well offers, and _there_ affects the water contained in\nit; puts it into an intestine vibration, as to foul it, and raise mud from\nthe bottom.\n\nIt may seem difficult to conceive, how a large portion of the earth's\nsurface should be thus capable of electrification. This difficulty\nis lessened by reflecting on the nature of electricity, and of the\nelectrical, ethereal fluid pervading all things: how it is excited by the\nlittle motion of a small revolving glass globe. By this we electrify the\nmost solid bodies, to the greatest distance, and with a velocity equal to\nthat of lightning.\n\nDr. _Hales_ observes, that the usual explosion of the cannon on great\ndays, in St. _James_'s-_Park_, is observ'd to electrify the glass, in the\nwindows of the Treasury.\n\nWe must conceive, that when the electric shock is communicated to one part\nof the earth, it extends itself proportionably to the force of the shock,\nand to the quantity of electrified surface; and to the quality of the\nmatter more or less susceptible of it, more or less apt to propagate it.\n\nSet 1000 men in a row; let every one communicate with those next him by\nan iron-wire held in their hands: on an electrical shock they all feel\nit alike, at the same instant; and this gives us a very good idea of the\nearthquake.\n\nWhen the earth is broken up in any large degree, 'tis by the sea-side;\nwhere sometimes on a bold shore, whole streets tumble into the sea, or\ninto the gaping earth, now falling toward the sea. Sometimes on a flat and\nsandy shore, whole streets are rolled along the level into the sea.\n\nI am not sensible of any real objection against our _hypothesis_, but\nthis, being the _eleventh_ of my positions, or circumstances. It seems\ntrue, that earthquakes are more frequent in _Italy_, near _Vesuvius_,\nand by _\u00c6tna_, in _Sicily_. And the cause seems apparently owing to\nthese vulcano's. At first sight, every one would think so, but not from\nthe true reason. This has given the great prejudice to the judgments\nof the curious, even at this day. But consider the matter impartially,\nand it will appear, so far from being a strong argument in favour of\nsubterraneous eruptions, that it ought to be esteem'd a convincing proof\nto the contrary, and most cogent in favour of my principle. In strictest\nlogic, there is no inference to be made from particulars to generals.\nQuite the contrary. We have but these two or three vulcano's on one\nquarter of the globe, and two of them toward the warmer climate of it;\nwhereas earthquakes are innumerable, especially in those of a warmer\nclime. That there are no vulcano's, no discharges of fire and smoke for a\ncontinuance, and abundance, after earthquakes; no suspicion of it either\nfrom sight or smell, as we know by innumerable examples, as well as in\nour own country, and experience: is demonstration, that this is not the\ncause. If the vulcano's were the real cause of earthquakes, we ought\nassuredly to expect, that in the countries thereabouts, the earthquakes\nought to be far more extensive than those in other countries, where are\nno vulcano's; but this is altogether contrary to experience. For, as the\ncelebrated naturalist _Buffon_ observes, such are not extensive, as are\nnear _\u00c6tna_ and _Vesuvius_. He further adds: _Histoire naturelle_, tom.\nI. p. 508. speaking, among many others, of a _vulcano_ in the island of\n_Ternate_, he remarks, \"That this burning gulph is less agitated when\nthe air is calm, and the season mild, than in storms and hurricanes;\"\nand says, \"This confirms what I have said in my foregoing discourse, and\nseems evidently to prove, that the fire which makes _vulcano's_ comes not\nfrom the bottom of mountains, but from the tops, or at least from a very\nlittle depth; and that the hearth (or floor) of the fire is not far from\nthe summit of the _vulcano's_; for, if this was not the case, great winds\ncould not contribute to their conflagration.\" And this, in general, is a\ncorroborative proof of my whole hypothesis. For there can be no great fire\nin the earth, where there is no great conveyance of air.\n\nWe have one vulcano in the cold region of _Iceland_, and there is\nsometimes an earthquake there; but, in the countries of that northern\nlatitude, and those of lesser, 'tis obvious in all history, that\nearthquakes are less frequent than in the more southern. Therefore 'tis\neasy, and very natural to conclude, from all considerations weighed\ntogether, that these vulcano's help to put the earth about them, into that\nvibratory state and condition of electricity, which is the requisite in my\n_hypothesis_, and by that means only, promote a frequency of earthquakes\nthere.\n\nI have only one circumstance to add, which may seem not inconsiderable;\nprobably perceived by many, tho' not taken notice of. For a whole week\nbefore the first earthquake, the partition wainscot of my house (between\nthe forward and backward rooms) made an odd kind of tremulous, crackling\nnoise continually, as if the wainscot would split; or as if some damage\nwas apprehended to the house. This was observ'd by the family, with a good\ndeal of concern. _That_ in the chamber crackled more than that below.\nWe never perceiv'd it before, nor since; and apparently, it shows the\nvibratory state of the surface of the earth, at that time.\n\nBut whether our conjectures upon this important subject be well founded\nor no, it certainly becomes a christian philosopher, whilst he is\ninvestigating material causes, to look up, and regard the moral use of\nthem. For in reality, every thing, the whole world, was ultimately for\nthat purpose made. When we see such a kind of spirituality impress'd on\nmere matter, as this amazing property of electricity, it should kindle in\nus a high ambition of asserting, and exerting the infinitely superior\nvalue, and powers, and excellency of the spiritual part of us, destin'd\nto an immortal duration. And of all the great and public calamities,\nwhich affect us mortals, earthquakes claim the first title to the name\nof warnings and judgments. None so proper to threaten, or to execute\nvengeance upon a guilty people. Nor has any other, those annexed terrors,\nso much of the unusual, the unavoidable, the sudden and the horrible\napprehension of being crush'd to death, or buried alive. And when in our\nown sight, these rare and extraordinary _ph\u00e6nomena_ appear, it cannot but\nbe a lesson to us, to do our duty toward that great Being, who, by a drop\nof water, can produce effects so prodigious.\n\nThat earthquakes proclaim themselves to mankind in this light, is further\ndeducible from this observation, the _ninth_ in our recapitulation of\ncircumstances; that they are peculiarly directed to great cities, and\nmaritime towns, those nurseries of wealth, luxury, and of all the evils\nnaturally flowing therefrom. It would be childish to rehearse from old\nhistory, or modern, a proof of it. We have no other notices of them. Look\nupon these two shocks we have here felt. We own that _Hampsted-heath_, and\n_Finchley-forest_, and _Kennington-common_ were affected with it; yet it\nis notorious, that _London_ was the center, the place to which the finger\nof God was pointed.\n\nAnd this leads us in the _third_ place, to consider the moral use and\npurpose of these _magnalia natur\u00e6_, and prodigies of the agency of\nmaterial causes. For nothing sure, but an electrical shock, and that from\na divine hand, could have been so well adjusted, as twice, nay four times,\nso sensibly to shake every house in _London_, and not throw one down. This\nduty we will endeavour to execute, from the words of that great man, king\n_David_.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                             PSALM xviii. 7.\n\n  _Then the earth shook, and trembled; the foundations also of the\n     hills moved, and were shaken; because he was wroth._\n\n\nThis Psalm is a triumphal song, which _David_ deliver'd publickly before\nGod, in thankful remembrance of the great mercies he had receiv'd;\nbeing firmly established on his throne: and all his enemies, foreign or\ndomestick, subdued.\n\nHe does not attribute this happy situation of his affairs to his own\nprudence and courage; but, like a consummate politician, absolutely to\nthe mediation of the divine providence. He draws up a most grand and\nmagnificent description of the advent of the deity, such as words never\nbefore expressed. All the heathen pictures of the appearance of their\ngods, are cold and lame, compar'd to this; which is deservedly so much\nadmir'd by all criticks that have any taste for religion, as well as\nlanguage.\n\nThis verse, in our text, is the first movement in the scene, which was to\nrepresent the appearance of _Jehovah_, without whose interposition _David_\nhoped for nothing fortunate. After describing all the pomp of light,\nand darkness, celestial; hailstones, thunder, lightning, and the like\ninstances of majesty and terror, in the skies; he still keeps his eye on\nthe ground, and concludes with the earthquake, where he began.\n\n_Then the channels of waters were seen; and the foundations of the earth\nwere discovered; at thy rebuke, O Lord; at the blast of the breath of thy\nnostrils._\n\nOur holy psalmist, at other times, has exhibited the same images, in\ndifferent coloring; as a great master varies his works, to strike out all\nthe beauties.\n\nPsal. lxviii. 7. _O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people; when\nthou didst march thro' the wilderness; the earth shook, the heavens also\ndropped, at the presence of God. Even Sinai itself was moved, at the\npresence of God; the God of Israel._\n\nBy this he means, the giving the law. _Exod._ xix. 8. _And mount Sinai\nwas altogether on a smoke; because the Lord descended on it in fire: and\nthe smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked\ngreatly._\n\nAgain, Psal. cxiv. when he is describing the passage over the _Red-sea_,\nand that over _Jordan_; he brings in the machinery of earthquakes, to\ntestify the divine presence.\n\n_When Israel went out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from among a\nstrange people; the sea saw it and fled. Jordan was driven back._\n\n_The mountains skipped like rams: and the little hills like young sheep._\n\nThen he asks the question, _What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou\nfleddest? and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?_\n\n_Ye mountains that ye skipped like rams, and ye little hills like young\nsheep?_\n\nHe answers: _Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord: at the\npresence of the God of Jacob._\n\nHe fails not to attribute these marvellous appearances, to their true\ncause. Tho' he knew full well, that the God of nature administred the\nordinary course of the earth by second causes; yet he could not be so\nblind but to perceive, when the waves of the ocean retreated; when the\nwaters of _Jordan_ divided; when mount _Sinai_ was all in fire, smoke,\nlightning and thunder, with the trumpet of God sounding, and the whole\nmountain shaking: he could not but perceive the presence of the author of\nnature, in these extraordinary appearances.\n\nBut every where in sacred scripture earthquakes are particularly singled\nout, above all other natural _ph\u00e6nomena_, as having more of the majesty\nand terrific pomp, to denote an immediate operation of God's hand; to\nexcite our fear, and shew his anger, as in our text, _because he was\nwroth_. In imitation of the sacred writers, the heathen poets, both\n_greek_ and _latin_, express the anger of their _Jupiter_ by an earthquake:\n\n    _Terrificam capitis concussit terque quaterque\n     C\u00e6sariem; cum qua terram, mare, sidera, movit._\n\n                                                                 Ovid.\n\nThe moving meteors in the free air, lightning, coruscations,\nfire-balls, tempests, thunders, or the dreaded comets, tho' frightful\nenough; yet people that do not think to any purpose, hope, as they are at\na distance, to escape their effects. But when the terror comes home to\nus, to our feet; when the earth moves on which we stand; what heart is\nnot moved? When our houses _shake_ over our ears, the greatest courage is\n_shaken_.\n\nIt is true, an earthquake causes an universal dread among all sorts of\npeople; even the philosopher immersed in speculation of second causes,\nquakes; as well as the pious, whose fear proceeds from solid piety: a due\nsense of the _anger_ of the almighty Being.\n\nWe saw how the late earthquakes affrighted every one; but, as to the\ngenerality, it was but for a moment. When they found themselves safe, and\nalive; thoughtless they ran to their business, or their diversion: and\nthis not only the first, but the second time. And I am apprehensive, were\nanother, and another to come, they would only be less regarded than the\npreceding. As the _Israelites_, to whom miracles became familiar; as the\n_Jews_, in our Saviour's time, demanding of him to show them a sign from\nheaven, in the midst of the constant scene of miracles innumerable.\n\nBut 'tis my present business to call you to a due and serious reflexion,\non these extraordinary events; by considering,\n\nI. What the written word of God, the holy scriptures, informs us,\nconcerning the ultimate purpose of earthquakes.\n\nII. What we can learn from profane history.\n\nIII. To conclude with our text, that they are strictly and properly divine\njudgments; _because he was wroth_.\n\nEver since the earth began, earthquakes have been look'd on as\nextraordinary appearances, among the prodigies of nature, and executioners\nof divine justice. In the case of _Korah_, _the earth opened her mouth and\nswallowed them up; and their houses, and all the men that pertained unto\nthem; and all their goods_.\n\nIn the miraculous victory obtain'd by _Jonathan_, and his armor-bearer,\nover the army of the _Philistines_, I. _Sam._ xiv. There was a panic\nterror infus'd into the _Philistines_, and an _earthquake_: it is call'd\n_a very great trembling of God_. What the heathen attributed to _Pan_, an\nimaginary deity of their own making: the _Hebrews_ rightly refer'd to the\ntrue cause, the first, and supreme.\n\nIn the new testament, at our Saviour's death, there was a great\nearthquake, which was altogether miraculous; as much as the eclipse of the\nsun then. The elements might well sympathize with the God of nature. _The\nsun was darkened, the vail of the temple was rent in twain; the earth did\nquake, the rocks rent._\n\nAgain, at his resurrection, _Matt._ xxviii. 2. _There was a great\nearthquake. The angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and rolled back\nthe stone from the door, and sat upon it._\n\n_And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men._\n\n_Matt._ xxvii. 54. _When the centurion, and they that were with him,\nwatching Jesus, saw the earthquake, they feared greatly._ See the\nconsequence of it in one place; and thus in another:\n\n_Acts_ iv. 31. _The Apostles_, in the infant church, _when praying, the\nplace was shaken, where they were assembled together: and they were all\nfilled with the Holy Ghost_. The heathen centurion _feared_ upon the\nearthquake: The christians praying, were _filled with the Holy Ghost_.\n\n_Acts_ xvi. 26. When _Paul_ and _Silas_ were in prison. _At mid-night when\nthey pray'd, and sang hymns to God, suddenly there was a great earthquake;\nso that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the\ndoors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed._\n\nObserve the consequence it had upon the gaoler; _He called for a light,\nand sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,\nand said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?_\n\nThe gaol trembled; and the gaoler trembled, as is observed by a writer on\nthis head, an earthquake could _soften_ his _hard_ heart, and _open_ what\nhe had _lock'd_. It awaken'd him out of his spiritual slumber, as well as\nhis natural sleep, and made his conscience, as well as the foundations of\nthe prison, to quake. A bad conscience is _as a troubled sea, that cannot\nrest, but casteth up mire, and clay_. The gaoler perceiv'd the celestial\nwarning, and made a proper use of it.\n\nThere are many circumstances in the nature of earthquakes, which render\nthem peculiarly proper to be the instruments in God's hand, to give\nwarning to a people, to amend their ways.\n\nThe _suddenness_ is one. We saw, not long ago, what an effect was produced\nby a solar eclipse, tho' it was expected long before. We had the\nprediction, and calculations about it in all our almanacs; yet there was\nan universal seriousness that followed it. All that morning, we could walk\nthe street, without hearing an oath, and the churches were full, in time\nof prayer. But the _suddenness_ of an earthquake that comes at an instant,\nunthought of, without warning, that seems to bring unavoidable death along\nwith it; is able to touch an adamantin heart. To see death stalking o'er a\ngreat city, ready to sweep us all away, in an instantaneous ruin, without\na single moment to recollect our thoughts; this is fear without remedy;\nthis is far beyond battle and pestilence. The lightning and thunderbolt,\n_the arrow that flieth by day_, may suddenly take off an object or two,\nand leave no space for repentance: but what horror can equal that, when\nabove a million of people are liable to be buried, in one common grave!\n\nAnother consideration that inhances the dread of earthquakes, is the\n_unavoidableness_ of the calamity. Famine, and war, and rebellion, and\npestilence we may run from, the disease among the cattle, and locusts, and\nthe like stripes of angry heaven, we may have some chance to escape: but\nno means, no precaution, no remedy, no prudence can screen us, from so\nuniversal a desolation as this: 'tis as the presence of God. Whither then\ncan we go to hide ourselves? Must we call upon the rocks and mountains,\nto cover, and shelter us from the divine wrath! _And they shall go into\nthe holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the_\nLord, _and for the glory of his majesty; when he ariseth to shake terribly\nthe earth_. Alas, those are the very instruments he employs for our\ndestruction; to be our tombstones!\n\nThis _unusual_ kind of death too, strikes us with horror; to be buried\nalive. The earth, the common mother of us all, and the common grave; to\neat up her offspring alive; crouds all the images of amazement together,\nthat can enter into the heart of man.\n\nThe greater the terror accompanying earthquakes, the greater a blessing\nis our deliverance from the danger of it! What can equal God's power and\njudgment but his mercy? Consider the wonderful consequence; that the whole\ncity of _London_ should so sensibly be shaken, and yet no one inhabited\nhouse to fall; nor one person kill'd. Amazing instance of power, and\ngoodness, in our preservation! And this not only once, but the second time\nalso; tho' evidently stronger was the concussion. So strong that almost\nevery person was throughly persuaded, that some part, at least, of their\nhouses, was falling down. Can we help admiring, that judgment should be\nso temper'd with mercy! Do we look only at the second causes with our\nunbelievers; and sport away the divine presence, as if it was an ordinary\noccurrence of every day? They want to see a miracle. Nought can affect\nthem, but a direct, supernatural agency.\n\nI answer, behold a visible, and notorious miracle; plainly obvious, and\nbefore all their senses. For can there be a greater miracle, can any thing\nbe more directly the finger of God than this, which we ourselves saw with\nour eyes; that befell the whole city of _London_.\n\nWe know the nature of the building of _London_ houses; which sometimes\nfall of themselves, without shaking. Wonderful then is it to be thought,\nand a miracle indeed, that every house in this vast city, should twice be\nagitated, and rocked to and fro; and not one fall, nor one person receive\nany damage.\n\nIn vain will the philosophers seek for a solution of this problem, in\nnatural causes only. By their chymical experiments, they make some little\nmimic imitations of tremors and fumes, and explosions. So by gun-powder,\nwe ape the regal voice of thunder. But where is the discretionary act of\nmercy, and benignity, that separates between the vengeful and kind? These\nsecond causes act according to their material nature, like the roaring\nwaves of the ocean, that flow in, and overwhelm every thing, where a\nbreach is made. They can observe no distinction between the lands of a\nrighteous man, and of a sinner: they cannot stop at the breach, and gather\nthemselves on an heap, and not enter in at all, as the waters of _Jordan_\ndid.\n\nBut in the case before us, the hand of the Lord, that stayed the flowing\nof the waters, that quelled the raging of the sea, and its proud waves;\nsets bounds to the trembling of the earth. Hither shall its vibrations go,\nand no further. When alas, if it went but one inch further (in comparison)\na total ruin must unavoidably follow.\n\nConsider this particular, when apply'd to all the buildings in this\nimmense city: and wonder and adore, that almighty providence, which\noverlook'd us, and prescrib'd the limits; so narrow, so precise; which\nsav'd us from universal havoc!\n\nII. Did we escape; how much happier are we, than the millions that have\nperished by the like calamity? _Josephus_ the famous _Jewish_ historian\nrecords, that about 29 years before our Saviour's birth, there happened\nsuch an earthquake in the country of _Judea_, that 30,000 men perished.\n\nIn the fifth year of the reign of _Tiberius_, so dreadful an earthquake\nhappened in _Asia minor_, that no less than 13 cities were destroy'd in\none night; many of them great, and Royal: _Sardis_ in particular, said to\nbe second to _Babylon_.\n\nIn _A. D._ 66. Another earthquake happen'd there, which destroy'd\n_Laodicea_, _Hierapolis_, and _Colossus_.\n\n_A. D._ 79. Three cities in _Cyprus_ were overthrown.\n\n_A. D._ 114. The city of _Antioch_ suffered extremely; whilst the emperor\n_Trajan_ was in it. And in the 7th year of that emperor, nine several\ncities were destroy'd in _Asia_, _Greece_, and _Calabria_.\n\nTo come nearer home, and our own times: In 1169, _Catania_ in _Sicily_ was\ndestroyed, and 15,000 people killed.\n\n1692, The whole city destroy'd and 18000 Inhabitants.\n\n1456, At _Naples_ 40,000 perished by an earthquake.\n\n1531, In the city of _Lisbon_, 1400 houses were overthrown there, besides\nmany damaged.\n\nWe know the miserable and deplorable catastrophe of _Port-Royal_,\nin _Jamaica_; which fell out in our own days. My blood shudders at\nthe relation of it. And not many months ago, the populous _Lima_ in\n_America_, was wholly swallowed up.\n\nHave we not reason then to fear, for ourselves? 'Tis true, we have\nhitherto escaped. But can we tell how soon God shall let loose the\navenging power of another; which may come, for ought we know, while we are\nspeaking of it. And if it must come, happy may it be for us, that it finds\nus in this place, and so doing.\n\nIII. And this brings us, to consider the uses of these admonitions; and to\nshow, that they are the effects of the divine anger. _For the earth shook\nand trembled_, says the holy psalmist, _the foundation of the hills moved\nand were shaken; because he was wroth_.\n\nAnd here we cannot possibly have a stronger and more convincing evidence,\nof these convulsions of nature, being the immediate finger of God, than\nthis single consideration. Let us but reflect on what has been said, in\nshort; that these visitations only happen to great and populous cities, to\ngreat and eminent ports, and maritime _emporiums_ flourishing in trade,\nriches, and luxury.\n\nWe hear not of barren desarts, uninhabited wildernesses, wide heaths, and\ndowns, rocky cliffs, and beaches of the sea, to be the usual subject of\nearthquakes: but of towns and cities. Not so much of little villages, but\nof those immense collections of people. God does not give his warnings\nto birds, and beasts of the forest; to flocks of sheep; that punctually\nexecute the respective offices he has enjoined them: but to us, the lords\nof the creation; to whom he has given reason, sense, and faculties, to\nreflect, and judge of things, of our own actions, as well as his; of _his_\ndoings, toward the children of men.\n\nWe observed before, a plain and notorious proof of God's hand in these\njudgments; that he cou'd move a whole city without throwing down a house.\nAnd this is most assuredly a second proof; that he visits _only_ great\ncities, with these judgments. And we must conclude this to be as strong an\nargument of a divine interposition in these affairs, as any mathematical\ndemonstration.\n\nSome free-thinkers, or free-livers, when they find, they cannot set aside\nthis reasoning, shelter themselves, with the history of God's converse\nwith _Abraham_; about the cities of _Sodom_ and _Gomorrha_; assuring\nthemselves, there is no danger. For tho' they can't pretend to be the\nmeritorious people; yet they think God's mercy will be as signal to us, as\nheretofore: and that we have among us, at least ten righteous persons, to\nsave the rest.\n\nBut vain are such hopes: God will say to them, as heretofore to the\n_Jews_: _If I bring my great judgments upon the earth, as I live saith the\nLord, tho'_ Noah, Daniel, _and_ Job _were there; they should save neither\nsons, nor daughters, but their own souls only_.\n\nGod can, if he pleases, by very extraordinary means, preserve such as\nhe thinks fit. But in general judgments, the righteous must undergo one\ncommon fate, with the wicked. God's mercy will be shown to them after this\nlife, to make the superabundant amends.\n\nBut this is a solid lesson to us, of the necessity of a future life. We\nmay as well banish God out of the earth, as to deny his attributes of\npower, and goodness, and justice, and the like. And these will insure us\nof a future state; when an exact return will be made, for our behaviour in\nthis; otherwise we might justly expostulate, as _Abraham_ did, _Will not\nthe judge of all the earth do right?_\n\nGood men, who have endeavour'd to do their duty, may say, _God is our\nrefuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we\nfear, tho' the earth be remov'd; tho' the mountains be carried into the\nmidst of the sea; tho' the waters thereof roar, and be troubled; tho' the\nmountains shake with the swelling thereof._\n\n_Come behold the works of the Lord; what desolations he hath made on the\nearth._\n\nIn the mean time, let us not think on running _away_ from the danger, so\nmuch as on mending our _ways_; perfecting the christian life; reforming\nthe abominable crimes, so justly chargeable on great and maritime cities;\noverflowing with riches, pride, and luxury, with vanity, pleasure, and\nprofaneness; with gaming, immorality, infidelity; and especially with the\nnotorious crime of sabbath-breaking, which is the foundation of all, and\ncomprehends all others; for it prevents people from amending of any. If\nthey fail of their duty towards God, in making their regular approaches\nto his temple; no wonder they are guilty of all crimes; regard neither\nGod nor man. If they fail of coming, where they may hope for the kindly\ninfluences of God's holy Spirit; we need not wonder at their egregious\nwickedness: they become absolutely irreclaimable.\n\nBut of you, my beloved brethren, here assembled, I hope better things.\nYou shun the degenerate corruptions of this evil age; you are not of the\nnumber of those that frequent our public meetings of folly, from the\nmorning rendezvouzes to the mid-night assemblies; and _that_ protracted to\nthe morning light again. As if we ought to banish all serious thoughts of\nour immortal interests; and _that_ in the sacred season of lent; destin'd\nby the church, for this very serious purpose.\n\nLet us think, how this warning happen'd to us, in the time of lent; when\nthey were revelling in their places of entertainment, both morning and\nevening, as if no such thing had been; and this on the very days; as\nif they confronted, and dar'd almighty vengeance. Much of a parallel\ncase with that of the famous city of _Herculaneum_, which is now the\nentertainment of the curious. First it was miserably shatter'd by an\nearthquake; whilst the people were at their diversions in the theatre;\nwhere all assembled perished. This was in the first year of _Titus_\nthe emperor: but such a partial judgment not mending their manners; 9\nyears after, the whole city was destroy'd by a lake of liquid fire and\nbrimstone, from mount _Vesuvius_, just in the manner we now find it; 50\nfoot deep in cinders, and ashes.\n\n_When thy judgments, O God, are abroad, the inhabitants of the earth will\nlearn righteousness._\n\n_The Lord is the true God; he is the living God; the everlasting King: At\nhis wrath, the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to\nabide his indignation_; says the prophet _Jeremiah_, x. 10.\n\nGod give us grace, that instead of these short-liv'd, and unsatisfying\npleasures; instead of palaces and houses here, ornamented in a sumptuous\nand elegant _taste_; which may perhaps be swept away, with their owners,\nin a moment; we may aspire towards that heavenly city, which is above;\nwhose foundations are not laid with hands, eternal in the heavens, _&c._\n\n\n                                 _FINIS._\n\n\n                              [Illustration]\n\n\n                    *       *       *       *       *\n\n\n\n\n                                   THE\n\n                                PHILOSOPHY\n\n                                    OF\n\n                               EARTHQUAKES,\n\n                          Natural and Religious.\n\n                                 PART II.\n\n  _Philosophi ipsius, qui de sua vi ac sapientia unus omnia pene\n     profitetur, est tamen qu\u00e6dam descriptio; ut is qui studeat\n     omnium rerum divinarum atque humanarum vim, naturam,\n     causasq; nosse: & omnem bene vivendi rationem tenere, & persequi;\n     nomine hoc appelletur._\n\n                                                        Cicero de Oratore.\n\n  By _WILLIAM STUKELEY_, M. D. Rector of St. _George_'s, _Queen-Square_:\n    Fellow of the College of Physicians and Royal Society:\n\n                                _LONDON_:\n\n            Printed for C. Corbet over-against St. _Dunstan_'s\n                          Church, _Fleetstreet_.\n\n                                 MDCCL.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\n_This discourse is but a necessary consequence of the preceding. The\nwhole no other than an essay, toward investigating the true nature of the\nwonderful appearance of an earthquake. And something is done toward it,\nif only by eradicating an old error. In attaining the proposed end, I\nhave endeavour'd to lay all the necessary circumstances together, which\nto our great amazement we have seen, and felt. That they may not be as\nsoon forgotten, as they generally were, by the giddy multitude; equally\nthoughtless of what they knew to be past, as childishly fearful of an\nimaginary one, subsequent: for which there could not be the least ground\nof apprehension. By sober persons it was, with great reason, thought a\njudicial infatuation, and as much to be wonder'd at, as an earthquake\nitself; a real panic. When a third part of this immense city ran out into\nthe fields for half a cold night; alarm'd with the silly prediction of a\ndistemper'd fellow!_\n\n_Nothing could tempt one to commemorate the follies of our cotemporaries,\nbut the hope, it may be useful hereafter: and to show the true cause\nof this senseless terror; the want of a true sense of religion; and an\nuniversal degeneracy, and corruption of manners: begun by the great ones,\nand now propagated thro' all degrees to the lowest: begun in this great\ncity; and now advancing apace to every great town in the kingdom._\n\n_'Tis from the great ones alone, that we can hope for a reformation:\nand_ that _by a strict observance of the sabbatical duty. Example, we\nknow, governs the actions of mankind_. That _must restore the practice,\nand the influence of religion: which alone can prevent the dangers that\ninfest every corner of our streets; every road in the kingdom. We mistake\nthe point, and betray our ignorance in human nature, when we think,\nacts of parliament, laws, and executions will do it. They are very weak\nin comparison of the impressions of religion, and conscience: as all\nphilosophy both natural and religious, has hitherto thought, and known._\n\n\n\n\n                                    TO\n\n                       _Martin Folkes_, Esq; LL. D.\n\n                     President of the Royal Society.\n\n\nSince I had the honour to lay before the Society, in the spring, my\nthoughts upon earthquakes: we have had many further opportunities of\nreflecting upon that most awful, and hitherto unusual appearance. An\nearthquake was felt at _Eastwell_ in _Kent_, on _monday march_ 12, and on\n_sunday, march_ 18, at _Portsmouth_, the _Isle of Wight_, _Southampton_,\nand along the coast of _Sussex_, the isles of _Guernsey_, _Jersey_.\n_April_ 2, a smart earthquake at _Manchester_, _Liverpool_, _Taunton_,\n_Bath_, _Flint_, _Lancaster_, _Wrexham_, reaching 40 miles north and\nsouth: 70 miles east and west. Since then at _Rome_, _Naples_, _Leghorn_;\nin the south of _France_, and at _Pau_ under the _Pyrenean_ mountains:\n_Oporto_, at _S. Macaire_ in _Guienne_, _Messina_ in _Sicily_, _Munich_ in\n_Bavaria_, &c. &c. so that the year 1750, may rather be called the year\nof earthquakes, than of jubilee. For since _February_ last, when they\nbegan with us at _London_; as far as I can learn, they have appear'd in\nmany parts of _Europe_, _Asia_, _Africa_, and _America_. And have likewise\nrevisited many counties in our own island, and at length, on the 30th of\nlast _september_ gave much the most extensive shock, we have seen here in\nour days.\n\nIt may be well expected, that these frequent visits, in themselves so very\nextraordinary, to us so rare, and _that_ in one year, should keep up our\nattention: and as to my own part, induce one to reflect, on what I before\noffer'd concerning them; and be a sufficient apology for the present paper.\n\nWe have been acquainted, by those who remember it, that in the earthquake\nof nov. 1703, which happen'd in _Lincolnshire_, the weather was calm,\nclose, gloomy, warm, and dry; in a degree highly unusual, at that season.\nAnd thus it has been with us, all the year. And from the numerous accounts\nwe have receiv'd at the Royal Society, in the beginning, and ending of the\nyear; where any mention is made of the weather; they all agree in the like\nparticular. Which is consentaneous to what I remark'd, as the constant\nforerunner of earthquakes; and what prepares the earth's surface, for the\nelectrical stroke: which I asserted to be the cause of them.\n\nIn _may_ last, we had a paper read at the Royal Society, concerning\nthe second earthquake felt by us at _London_, on the 8th of _march_. A\nshepherd belonging to Mr. Secretary _Fox_ at _Kensington_ (the sky being\nperfectly serene, and clear) was much surprised with a very extraordinary\nnoise in the air, rolling over his head, as of cannon close by. He\nlikewise thought, that it came from the north-west, and went to the\nsouth-east: a motion quite contrary, to what must have been the case, if\nit were really of cannon. This noise pass'd rushing by him; and instantly\nhe saw the ground (a dry, and solid spot) wave under him, like the face\nof the river. The tall trees of the avenue, where he was, nodded their\ntops very sensibly, and quiver'd like a shaken spear. The flock of sheep\nimmediately took fright, and ran all away together, as if dogs had pursued\nthem. A great rookery in the place, were equally alarm'd, and after an\nuniversal clangor, flew away; no less than if chaced by hawks.\n\nI was likewise inform'd, that in the same earthquake, a great parcel of\nhens, and chickens, kept at that time in _Gray's-inn-lane_, upon the\nshock, ran to the roost, affrighted. And the like was observ'd of pigeons.\nAnd in our last account of the earthquake from _Northampton_, 'tis\nremarked, that the birds in cages put their heads under their wings, as\nto hide themselves.\n\n_June_ 21, at the Royal Society, Mr. _Jackson_ potter at _Lambeth_, gave\nan account of some boats, cobles and lighters in the river, at that time;\nthe people in them seem'd to feel, as if a porpoise, or some great fish\nhad heav'd and thump'd at the bottom of the vessels. This is sometimes the\ncase of ships at sea, when all is perfectly calm: which seems evidently\nowing to an electrical impression on the water.\n\nIn the evening-post of _june_ 23, we had a paragraph from _Venice_, that\na terrible earthquake had been felt lately in the little rocky isle of\n_Cerigo_, in the _Mediterranean_, south of _Morea_. It threw down a great\nnumber of houses; and above 2000 of the inhabitants were buried in the\nruins.\n\nAnother earthquake about that time, happen'd in _Switzerland_; which split\na vast, rocky mountain; and an old castle wall of an immense thickness.\n\nAll these circumstances, and many more confirmed me in my former opinion.\nBut since then, these wonderful movements have stalk'd round the globe:\nand again been lately felt in our own island; happily for us, to the\nterror only, of many thousand people: beside those concussions of this\nsort that appear'd in the western parts, in the more early time of the\nyear.\n\nI receiv'd a letter from my friend _Maurice Johnson_, Esq; the founder,\nand secretary of the Literary Society of _Spalding_; which has now\nsubsisted these 40 years. He acquaints me, that on _thursday_, 23d of\n_August_ last, an earthquake was very sensibly felt there, about seven\no'clock in the morning; throughout the whole town and neighbourhood;\nand many miles round: but that it chiefly spread itself northward, and\nsouthward. He says, that for a fortnight before, the weather had been\nserene, mild, and calm. And one evening, there was a deep red _aurora\naustralis_, covering the cope of heaven, very terrible to behold.\nThis same shock was felt at _Grantham_, _Stamford_, and _Milton_ by\n_Peterborough_; and generally at all the intermediate places: and from\n_Spalding_ it fled northward, along the sea shore, to _Boston_: thence up\n_Boston_ river, to _Lincoln_.\n\nSince then, I had a letter from Mr. Alderman _Taylor_ of _Stamford_,\ngiving an account of another earthquake, that happen'd there, _september_\n30, at 36 minutes after twelve o'clock at noon. He describes it thus.\nThey were suddenly surprised with an uncommon noise in the air, like the\nrolling of large carriages in the streets, for about 20 seconds. At the\nsame instant they felt a great shake, or snap, as he calls it; insomuch\nthat it sensibly shook a punch-bowl, which was in his parlour, and made\nit ring. He says, it was perceiv'd of most of the people of _Stamford_,\nwho generally ran out of their houses. At _Oakham_ the chief town of\n_Rutland_, the congregation ran out of the church whilst the preacher was\nin the pulpit. All the towns round _Stamford_, were sensible of it: and at\n_Peterborough_, down to _Wisbech_.\n\nThus far the Alderman. But we have had many advices from all hands, at\nthe first, and second meetings of the Royal Society, for the winter\nseason; with further particulars relating to this great concussion. That\nit was felt at the same time, at _Rugby_ in _Warwickshire_, and reach'd\nto _Warwick_, at _Lutterworth_, in _Leicestershire_: at _Leicester_, and\nround about. It extended itself to _Coventry_, _Derby_, _Nottingham_,\n_Newark_; then came eastward to _Harborough_, _Towcester_, _Northampton_,\n_Rowel_, _Kettering_, _Wellingborough_, _Oundle_, in _Northamptonshire_;\n_Uppingham_, _Oakham_ in _Rutland_; _Stamford_, _Bourn_, _Grantham_,\n_Spalding_, _Boston_, and to _Lincoln_ in _Lincolnshire_; _Holbech_, and\nall _Holland_ in that county. _Peterborough_, _Wisbech_, in the isle of\n_Ely_; together with all the intermediate, and adjacent places. Then it\npassed over the whole breadth of _Ely_ fen: was felt at _Mildenhall_, and\nreach'd to _Calford_ by _Bury_ in _Suffolk_, and the country thereabouts;\nof which we had notice from lady _Cornwallis_. An extent from _Warwick_\nto _Bury_ of about 100 miles in length; and generally speaking, 40 miles\nin breadth. And this vast space was pervaded by this amazing motion, as\nfar as we can get any satisfaction, in the same instant of time. They\ndescribe it, that the houses totter'd, and seem'd to heave up, and down:\ntho' it lasted but a few seconds. It was attended with a rushing noise,\nas if the houses were falling, and people were universally so affrighted,\nas to run out; imagining that their own, or their neighbours houses\nwere tumbling on their heads. In the villages around, the people being\ngenerally at divine service, were much alarm'd: both with the noise,\nwhich exceeded all the thunder they had ever heard, beyond compare: and\nwith the great shock accompanying; which was like somewhat, as they\nimagin'd, that rush'd against the church-walls, and roof. Some thinking\nthe pillars crack'd, many that the beams of the roof were disjointed;\nand all, that the whole was falling. And happy were they that could get\nout first. Many people fancied, that nests of drawers, and cabinets, or\nthe like heavy things, were fallen down above stairs: or that chimnies\nhad broke thro' the roof of the house: or that some persons fell down\nstairs: and the like. Some perceived the crackling of inward wainscots or\npartitions: as Dr. _Mortimer_ and I, observ'd in our first and second\nshocks at _London_. A few slates, tiles, and parts of chimneys fell from\nsome houses: pewter, china, glasses and brass from shelves. A clock bell,\nchamber bell sometime struck: windows universally rattled, and the like\ncircumstances of tremor.\n\nIn regard to circumstances, they were pretty similar throughout. Many\npeople sitting in their chairs relate, that they and their chairs were\nseveral times sensibly lifted up and set down again. A stack of chimneys\nwere thrown down in _College-lane_; a place retaining the memory of a\nsort of university once beginning at _Northampton_. The windows of houses\nrattled throughout the whole town: but no mischief done: in general it was\nfrightful, and innocuous.\n\nThey fancied there, the motion of it, as they expressed it, to be\neastward. In streets that run north and south, the houses on the east\nside of the way, were most affected. And Dr. _Stonehouse_'s dwelling,\nthe strongest in the town, was most sensibly shaken. So it was likewise\nobserv'd, that churches were most subject to its violence. They thought\ntoo, that the motion seem'd rather horizontal, or lateral, than upward.\nSome counted the pulses distinctly, to the number of four: that the\nsecond, and third pulses were stronger, than the first, and fourth.\n\nFrom all these various accounts, there was no sulphureous smell, or\neruption; no fissures in the ground perceived. Yet several people were\nsick upon it: infinite numbers terribly affrighted, and as soon forgot\nthe impression of it; or talk'd of it in a merry strain; as commonly with\nus at _London_. So little are the vulgar assessed, without something very\nsensible; and so soon is the sense of it worn out!\n\nIt was more evidently perceiv'd, by people standing; most, by those\nthat were sitting: least, by such as were walking: and in upper stories\nof houses, more than in lower; or in cellars. Some coming down stairs,\nwere in danger of being thrown forwards. Several sitting in a chair, and\nhearing the hollow, thundering noise, and thinking it was a coach passing\nby; when they attempted to get up, to see what it was, they were thrown\nback again in their chair. Some heard the wainscot crackle, Some sitting\nin their chairs leaning forwards, were thrown down on their hands, and\nknees. Some people heard the noise without feeling the shock: others felt\nthe shock without hearing the noise. Some in a standing posture, were\nforc'd to lay hold on a table, to keep themselves from falling.\n\nIt was particularly remarked (as before observ'd) that birds in cages\nwere sensibly affrighted; thrusting their heads under their wings. Mrs.\n_Allicock_ of _Loddington_, _Northamptonshire_, a lady in child-bed, was\nso affected, that it caused her death. Mrs. _Hardy_, another lady in the\nsame circumstance, and in the same county, likewise expired upon it, Some\npeople felt a sudden shortness of breath, that they were forc'd to go out\ninto the open air, it so affected the pulmonary nerves. Many were taken\nwith head-achs, and other sicknesses.\n\nThese are, in general, the circumstances and observations made, at\nthe time of these earthquakes; when we recollect ourselves, after the\nsuddeness, and fright. Give me leave to make the following remarks\ntherefrom.\n\n1st. As far as we can possibly learn, where no one can be prepar'd,\nat different places, by time keepers; this mighty concussion was felt\nprecisely at the same instant of time; being about half an hour after\ntwelve at noon. This, I presume, cannot be accounted for, by any natural\npower, but by that of an electrical vibration; which, we know, acts\ninstantaneously.\n\n2dly, Let us reflect on the vast extent of this trembling, 100 miles in\nlength, 40 in breadth, which amounts to 4000 square miles in surface. That\nthis should be put into such an agitation, in one moment of time, is such\na prodigy; as we should never believe, or conceive, did we not know it\nto be fact, from our own senses. But if we look for a solution of it, we\ncannot think, any natural power is equal to it, but that of electricity;\nwhich acknowledges no sensible transition of time; no bounds.\n\n3ly, We observe, the vulgar solution of subterraneous eruptions receives\nno countenance, from all that was seen, or felt, during these earthquakes.\nIt would be very hard to imagine, how any such thing could so suddenly,\nand instantaneously operate, thro' this vast space: and _that_ in so\nsimilar, and tender a manner over the whole, thro' so great a variety, as\nwell as extent of country; as to do no mischief. A philosophical inquirer\nin _Northamptonshire_ had his eye particularly on this point, takes\nnotice, there were not any fissures in the ground; any sulphureous smells,\nor eruptions any where perceiv'd; so as to favour internal convulsions of\nthe earth. The reverend Mr. _Nixon_ of _Higham_, and Mr. _Smith_, in his\nletter from _Peterborough_ take notice, that they could not learn, there\nwere any sort of eruptions out of the earth, any where: no smoke, vapor,\nor smell: tho' they made sufficient inquiry about that circumstance,\naccording to particular direction. Yet we learn from a letter at\n_Uppingham_ in _Rutland_, that a plaister floor became crack'd thereby.\nThese kind of floors are frequent in this country; what we call _stucco_\nin _London_: and it gives us a good notion of the undulatory vibration,\nproduc'd by an earthquake; which some have compar'd to that of a musical\nstring: others to that of a dog, or a horse shaking themselves, when they\ncome out of the water. This last comparison would have pleased some of the\nancients, who would needs fancy, that the globe of the earth was a great\nanimal. _Plato_, _Plutarch_, and others, had such kind of sentiments.\nWhence one may imagine, that they would conceive an earthquake to be, as\nwhen a horse shakes a part of his skin, upon a fly touching him. Some of\nour correspondents express the motion of an earthquake to be like a boat\nlifted up by one wave, let down by another.\n\n4ly, The former earthquake that happen'd at _Grantham_, _Spalding_,\n_Stamford_, (which towns lie in a triangle) took up a space which may, in\ngross, be accounted a circle of 30 miles diameter: the center of which is\nthat great morass, called _Deeping-fen_. This comprehends 15 miles of that\n30, in diameter: and where probably, the electrical impression was first\nmade. Much the major part of _Deeping-fen_ is under water in the winter\ntime; underneath 'tis a perfect bog. Now it is very obvious, how little\nfavorable such ground is, for subterraneous fires.\n\nIn the second earthquake, not only this country was affected again,\nbut likewise a much larger space of the same sort of fenny ground,\nrather worse than the former: all _Donnington-fen_, _Deeping-fen_,\n_Croyland-fen_, _Thorney-fen_, _Whitlesea-fen_, _Bedford_ level, and the\nwhole extent of _Ely-fen_, under various denominations. This country,\nunder the turf, abounds with subterraneous timber of all sorts; fir, oak,\nand brush-wood: and stags horns. Now and then they find a quantity of\nhazel nuts, crouded together on an heap. I have some of them. This is a\nmatter common to all boggy ground over the whole globe, Such things are\nthe ruins of the _antediluvian_ world, washed down from the high country\nwhere they grew, were here lodg'd upon the subsiding of the waters, and\nby time are o'ergrown with the present turf. They that seek for any other\nsolution of this affair, than the universal _Noachian_ deluge, want to\naccount for a general effect, by a partial cause: and shut their eyes,\nboth to the plain history of this matter; and to the infinite, notorious\ndemonstrations of it, from fossil appearances.\n\n5ly, All this country, tho' underneath 'tis a watry bog, yet thro' this\nwhole summer, and autumnal season (as they can have no natural springs\nin such a level) the drought has been so great on the superficies, that\nthe inhabitants were oblig'd every day, to drive their cattle several\nmiles, for watering. The drought was greater, than has been known in the\nmemory of any one living. This shows how fit the dry surface was, for an\nelectrical vibration. And we learn from hence, this important particular,\nthat it reaches but very little below the earth's surface.\n\nMr. _Johnson_, in another letter which he wrote to me concerning the\nsecond earthquake observ'd at _Spalding_; says upon this occasion, he was\nobliged to scour his canal, and deepen it: that they came to a white,\nquicksand; which afforded to all the neighbourhood, excellent water in\nplenty.\n\nIn the gravelly soil of _London_; and where the two shocks were felt by\nus, in the beginning of the year; we know, there is not a house in the\nwhole extent of this vast city, and all around it, but a spring of water\nis ready, upon digging a well, Whence we have much reason to believe, that\nthe interior of the earth, is like a sponge soak'd in water. So that the\nonly dry part is the superficies, which is the object, and the subject\nof that electric vibration; wherein, according to my sentiments, an\nearthquake consists.\n\nThis shews the mistake of the ancients, who fancying that earthquakes\nproceeded from subterraneous eruptions, built their prodigious temple of\n_Diana_ at _Ephesus_, upon a boggy ground, to prevent such a disaster,\nThe marshy part of _Lincolnshire_, being my native country, the adjacent\nfen, together with that in the isle of _Ely_, I have been perfectly\nacquainted with; from one end to the other, ever since I knew any thing.\nThis vast extent of fenny level, from near _Cambridge_ in the south,\nto near _Horncastle_ in the north, is 70 miles in length. And when I\nperceiv'd, that it was, in whole, or in part, shaken by both the last\nearthquakes: I could not but see, that it was no less than a demonstration\nagainst the old notion of their cause.\n\n6ly, Earthquakes are truly most violent, in a rocky country: because the\nshock is proportionate to the solidity of the matter electrify'd. So\nthat rocks, cliffs, quarries, old castle walls, and strong buildings,\nare most obnoxious to the concussion. The isle of _Cerigo_ was more\nliable, and more rudely handled by the late earthquake; both because\nit was an isle, and because it was rocky. So we must say of the late\nearthquake in _Switzerland_, that split the mountain, and the old castle\nwall. Whence Mr. _Johnson_ in his second letter, says, it cracked a very\nstrong brick-house in _Gosberton_ by _Spalding_. Dr. _Doderidge_ observes\nfrom _Northampton_ that Dr. _Stonehouse_'s dwelling being a very strong\none, was most sensibly shaken. And throughout the whole compass of this\ngreat earthquake, we find, both the noise, the shock, and the terror\nwas greatest at the churches, whose walls and bulk made more resistance\nthan houses. And generally speaking, the churches throughout this whole\nextent have very fair, and large towers, and very many remarkable spires\nall of good stone, which no doubt quiver'd very much at top, if we could\nhave discern'd it. This same vibration impressed on the water, meeting\nwith the solid of the bottom of ships, and lighters, gives that thump\nfelt thereon; just as in common electrifying, we feel the stroke upon the\njoints of our limbs chiefly. Yet of the millions of ordinary houses, over\nwhich it passed, not one fell. A consideration which sufficiently points\nout to us, what sort of a motion this was not, what sort of a motion it\nwas, and whence deriv'd; not a convulsion of the bowels of the earth,\nbut an uniform vibration or undulation of its surface, aptly thought\nlike that of a musical string: or what we put a drinking glass into, by\nrubbing one's finger over the edge; which yet brought to a certain pitch,\nbreaks the glass; undoubtedly an electric repulsion of parts. And from\nthis remarkable similarity in the appearance of earthquakes we gather an\ninvincible argument against the old opinion of their cause; for the tumult\nof subterraneous eruptions can have no possible place herein.\n\n7ly, We find from all accounts, ancient and modern, that the weather\npreceding these shocks, was mild, warm, dry, serene, clear, frosty: what\nnotoriously favours all our electrical experiments. This is particularly\nobserv'd by Mr. _Johnson_ and Mr. _Smith_, and other accounts. In the\nextensive shock of _sunday march_ 18, along the _Sussex_ coast, they take\nnotice from _Portsmouth_, that the day was serene, warm, and dry, and\nthat a shower of rain fell immediately before the shock. Mr. _Bowman_ of\n_Moulsey_ observ'd a shock there on _may_ 24 last, and says, the air was\nperfectly serene, and clear. We very well know, that generally, all last\nwinter spring, summer, and autumn, have been most remarkably of this kind\nof weather; more so, than has been observ'd in our memory; and have had\nall those requisites, appearances, and preparations, that notoriously\ncause electricity, that promote it, or that are the effects of it.\n\n8ly, We find the blood-red _australis aurora_ preceding at _Spalding_,\nas with us at _London_. At the time of the earthquake at _Manchester_\nthis year, it accompanied it. And this year has been more remarkable than\nany for fire-balls, storms, wind, thunder, lightnings, and coruscations,\nalmost throughout all _England_. A large ball of fire, with a long\nfiery tail on _july_ 22, that passed over great part of _England_\nnorthward. Another seen over _London_, passing from west to east, in\n_october_. Coruscations were seen just before that extensive shock of\n70 miles long felt from _Lancaster_ to _Wrexham_, on _april_ 2, last.\nFire-balls more than one were seen in _Rutland_, and _Lincolnshire_: and\nparticularly observ'd. And Mr. _Smith_ from _Peterborough_ writes, that\na fire-ball was seen the morning of the earthquake, in the upper part\nof _Northamptonshire_. All these kind of meteors are rightly judg'd to\nproceed from a state of electricity in the earth and atmosphere: and how\nfar they are actually concerned in causing earthquakes, time, and accurate\nobservation must inform us.\n\n9ly, Mr. _Johnson_ in both his letters to me, on the first and second\nearthquakes, at _Spalding_, remarks particularly, of their effects being\nmostly spread to the north and south, and especially felt on the sea\ncoast. We may observe, that such is the direction of _Spalding_ river,\nwhich both conducts, and strengthens the electric vibration: conveying it\nalong the sea-shore thence, up to _Boston_ channel; and so up _Boston_\nriver to _Lincoln_, as we discern, by casting our eye on a map.\n\nWe observe further, that the main of this second earthquake display'd\nits effects along, and between the two rivers, _Welland_ and _Avon_:\nand _that_ from their very origins, down to their fall into the sea. It\nlikewise reach'd the river _Witham_, which directed the electric stream\nthat way too, to _Lincoln_. For which reason, as there meeting the same\ncoming from _Boston_, the shock was most sensibly felt. It reach'd\nlikewise to the _Trent_ at _Nottingham_, which convey'd it to _Newark_.\n\nThe first electrical stroke seems to have been made on the high ground\nabove _Daventry_, in _Northamptonshire_; where the _Roman_ camps\nare, made by _P. Ostorius_ the propr\u00e6tor. From thence it descended\nchiefly eastward, and along the river _Welland_, from _Harborough_ to\n_Stamford_, _Spalding_, the sea: and along the river _Avon_, or _Nen_, to\n_Northampton_, _Peterborough_, _Wisbech_ to the sea. It spread itself all\nover the vast level of the isle of _Ely_; further'd by very many canals,\nand rivers, natural, and artificial, made for drainage. It was still\nconducted eastward up _Mildenhall_ river, in _Suffolk_, to _Bury_, and the\nparts adjacent. All this affair duly consider'd, is a confirmation of the\ndoctrine I advanc'd on this subject.\n\n10ly, I apprehend, it was not the noise in the air, as of many cannon let\noff at once, preceding the earthquake, that so much affrighted people, or\naffected the sheep, the rookery at _Kensington_, the hen and chickens in\n_Gray's-inn-lane_, the pigeons. It could not be barely the superficial\nmovement of the earth, that disturb'd them all at once. I judge it to be\nthe _effect_ of electricity, somewhat like what causes sea sickness; such\na sort of motion, as we are not accustomed to. So the earthquake affects\nall those of weak nerves, or that have nervous complaints; obnoxious to\nhysterics, colics, rheumatick pains in their joints; several women were\nseized with violent head-achs, before both the shocks we felt in _London_.\nIt was this that gave the people a shortness of breath. Mr. _Smith_ from\n_Peterborough_ speaks of a person that found himself very sick upon it.\nThis made the dog run whining about the room, seeking to get out: this\nmade the fishes leap up in the pond at _Southwark_; like as the experiment\nof electrifying the fishes: it makes them sick. And this causes the birds\nin cages to hide their heads under their wings, because they cannot fly\naway. Which is commonly observ'd of them in _Italy_, and countries, where\nearthquakes are more frequent.\n\n11ly, I observe, the shepherd at _Kensington_ thought the motion of the\nearthquake, and the sound, was from the north-west to south-east; the like\nMr. _W. Smith_ from _Peterborough_. On the contrary, Mr. _Byfield_ the\nscarlet dyer in _Southwark_, thought the noise came from the river below\nbridge, and went toward _Westminster_; where it rattled so, that he did\nnot doubt, but that the abbey-church was beaten down.\n\nDr. _Parsons_ took pains to find out the way of the motion of the\nearthquake, from the different position of people's beds; but from the\ncontradictory answers given, he cou'd not obtain any satisfaction, as\nto that point. All this, and what was observ'd from _Northampton_, of\nthe motion being thought by some, to be upward and downward; by others\nrather horizontal, or lateral: the counting the pulses, and the like, only\npoints out to us the prodigious celerity, and the vibratory species of the\nmotion of an earthquake. But far, very far is this from being owing to the\ntumultuous ebullition, the irregular hurry of subterraneous explosions.\n\n12ly, How the atmosphere, and earth, are put into that electric and\nvibratory state, which prepares them to give, or receive the snap, and the\nshock, which we call an earthquake; what it is, that immediately produces\nit, we cannot say: any more than we can define, what is the cause of\nmagnetism, or of gravitation; or how muscular motion is perform'd, or a\nthousand other secrets in nature.\n\nWe seem to know, that the author of the world has disseminated ethereal\nfire, thro' all matter, by which these great operations are brought about.\nThis is the subtil fluid of Sir _Isaac Newton_, pervading all things:\nthe occult fire diffused thro' the universe, according to _Marsilius\nFicinus_ the platonic philosopher, on the _Timeus_ of his master. All\nthe Platonists insist on an occult fire passing thro', and agitating all\nsubstance, by its vigorous and expansive motion.\n\nBefore them, _Hippocrates_ writes in the same sense, _I. de vict\u00fbs\nratione_, that this fire moves all in all. This ethereal fire is one of\nthe four elements of the ancients. It lies latent, and dispersed thro'\nall the other three, and quiescent: till collected into a quantity, that\nover-balances the circumjacent; like the air crouded into a tempest: or\ntill it is excited, by any proper motion.\n\nThis fire gives elasticity: and elasticity or vibration is the mother of\nelectricity. We don't so much wonder at phosphorus arising from animal\nsubstances; for this fire is in water, and betrays itself to our senses,\nin salt water. Many a time when I have passed the _Lincolnshire_ washes,\nin the night time; the horse has seem'd to tread in liquid flames. The\nsame appearance is oft at the keel of a ship. Fire exists in water, says\n_Pliny_, as well as in human bodies. _nat. hist._ II. 107. Loaf sugar\nbeaten in the dark is luminous. Many vegetables, as indian cane, and\nrotten wood the like, as _Bartholin_ largely recites, _de luce hominum_\nc. 4. All electric bodies have this privilege: that is, they more easily\ndiscover it. Amber, gum lac, naptha, bitumens, some precious stones.\nMy old friend Mr. _Stephen Gray_ the father and great propagator of\nelectricity, show'd me experiments therein, in the year 1705, then at\n_Corpus Christi_ college in _Cambridge_. Afterward in the year 1719, he\nshow'd by experiments before the Royal Society, that paper, ribbands,\nsilk, sattin, cloth, shavings, linen, goldbeaters skin, and in short,\nalmost all kind of substances discover electrical sparks of fire in the\ndark: especially when well warm'd before the fire, or in a cold, dry,\nnitrous air, and in a room where there is no company. This same quality is\nfound _in vacuo_, as Dr. _Desaguliers_ show'd before the Royal Society,\n_march_ 31, 1720. He took an exhausted glass globe, and caused it to be\nturn'd round violently, in an engine: by rubbing the hand upon it, it was\nilluminated within side, with purple streams. This gave foreigners the\nidea of using a glass globe, in electrical experiments.\n\nThe operation of the ethereal fire is various, nay, infinite, according\nto its quantity, and degree of incitement, progress, hindrance, or\nfurtherance. One degree keeps water fluid, says the learned bishop of\n_Cloyne_: another turns it into elastic air, and air itself seems nothing\nelse, but vapors, and exhalations render'd elastic, by this fire.\n\nThis fame fire permeates, and dwells in all bodies; even diamond,\nflint, and steel. Its particles attract with the greatest force, when\napproximated. Again, when united, they fly asunder, with the greatest\nforce, and celerity; it resists nothing quiescent, but when put into\nmotion, it disdains all resistance. All this is according to the laws\nprescrib'd by the sovereign architect. This is the life, and soul of\naction, and reaction, in the universe. Thus has the great author provided\nagainst the native sluggishness of matter! light, or fire in animals, is\nwhat we call the animal spirits; and is the author of life, and motion.\nBut we know not the immediate mode of muscular motion; any more than how,\nin inanimate matter, it causes the vibrations of an earthquake.\n\nOf this fire, the excellent _Manilius_ thus writes, who liv'd in the time\nof _Augustus_.\n\n\n_Astronom._ I.\n\n    _Sunt autem cunctis permisti partibus ignes;\n     Qui gravidas habitant fabricantes fulmina nubes:\n     Et penetrant terras, \u00c6tnamq; imitantur Olympo:\n     Et calidas reddunt ipsis in fontibus undas.\n     Ac silice in duro, viridiq; in cortice sedem\n     Inveniunt; cum silva sibi collisa crematur.\n     Ignibus usq; adeo natura est omnis abundans!_\n\n\nWhich may thus be english'd.\n\n     Fire universal nature traverses.\n     It makes the thunderbolt in tumid clouds:\n     In dire Vulcano's penetrates the earth:\n     And sends the boiling water from its springs.\n     In hardest flint, and softest wood it dwells:\n     Which by collision shows itself in flame.\n     With fire so pregnant is all nature found!\n\n13ly, The great question then with us, is how the surface of the earth\nis put into that vibratory and electric state, by heat and driness? we\nmust needs acquit the internal of the earth from the charge of these\nsuperficial concussions. How then is the ethereal fire crouded together,\nor excited, so as to cause them; seeing in our ordinary electrical\nexperiments, we make use of friction?\n\nBut that friction alone does not excite electricity, we know from the\nobvious experiment of flint and steel, where the suddenness of the stroke,\nand hardness of the matter does it. Another method of exciting it, is\nthe letting off a number of great guns, which so crouds the ethereal\nfire together, as to electrify glass windows; observ'd by my friend the\nreverend Dr. _Stephen Hales_. The _aurora borealis_, _australis_, all kind\nof coruscations, meteors, lightning, thunder, fire-balls are the effects,\nand may reciprocally be the cause of electricity; but how in particular\nwe know not. Come we to the animal world, we must needs assert, that all\nmotion voluntary, involuntary, generation, even life itself: all the\noperations of the vegetable kingdom, and an infinity more of nature's\nworks, are owing to the activity of this electric fire, the very soul of\nthe material world. And in my opinion, 'tis this alone, that solves the\nfamous question, so much agitated with the writers in medicine, about the\nheat of the blood. How these, how earthquakes are begun, propagated, we\nare yet to seek.\n\nWe may readily enough presume, that the contact between the electric, and\nthe non-electric, which gives the snap, and the shock, must come from\nwithout, from the atmosphere. Perhaps by some meteor that crouds the\nethereal fire together: which then flies off with that immense force that\ncauses the earthquake. In the point of contact on the earth's surface,\nthe same thing is done, perhaps, another time, by a shower of rain. Our\nthoughts upon this matter must needs be as immature, as they are novel.\nBut we may readily conclude, that tho' the original stroke comes from the\natmosphere, yet the atmosphere has no further concern in it: no aereal\npower, or change therein, can propagate itself so instantaneously, over\nso vast a surface, as 4000 miles square. Therefore the impetuous rushing\nnoise in the air, accompanying the shock, is the effect, and not the\ncause. And all this is strongly confirm'd by this observation, that the\nbarometer and thermometer receiv'd no change upon the earthquakes.\n\nBut surely, there is not a heart of flesh that is not affected with so\nstupendous a concussion! let a man estimate his own power, with that which\ncauses an earthquake; and he will be persuaded, that somewhat more than\nordinary is intended by so rare and wonderful a motion. That great genius\n_Hippocrates_, makes the whole of the animal \u0153conomy to be administred,\nby what we call nature. And nature alone, says he, suffices for all\nthings, to animals: she _knows_ herself, and what is necessary for them.\nWe must extend this thought to the inanimate world. And can we deny then,\nthat he here means a conscious and intelligent nature, that presides\nover, and directs all things, moves the ethereal spirit or fire, that\nmoves all things: a divine necessity, but a voluntary agent, who gives\nthe commanding nod, to what we commonly call nature, the chief instrument\nin the most important operations of the vast machine, as well as in the\nordinary ones, particularly the human one: administring the whole \u0153conomy\n(as he says) without noise, unseen, unfelt. And this leads us,\n\n14ly, Lastly, in regard to the spiritual use we ought to make of these\nextraordinary _ph\u00e6nomena_, or of our inquiries about them, I shall first\nobserve, that we find abroad, several of these earthquakes this year have\nbeen very fatal. In the last we read of, at _Philippopoli_ in _Thrace_,\nthe whole city was destroyed, above 4000 inhabitants killed. At home,\nwhere above half a score separate concussions have been felt, there has\nnot been one house thrown down, one life lost. This ought to inspire us\nwith a very serious reflection about them; nor is it altogether unworthy\nof our remark, that they began with us in _London_, in _february_ last:\nand after visiting the circle of the globe, at present, end with us.\n\n2dly, We may observe, that if we did but read the works of _Hippocrates_,\n_Plato_ and his followers; of _Tully_, _Galen_, and the like ethic writers\nof antiquity; whilst we study, and try the affections of matter; we should\nimprove in philosophy, properly speaking: we should lift up our minds from\nthese earthly wonders, and discern the celestial admonitions, they present\nto us.\n\nThe original meaning of the word philosophy, was rightly apply'd to\nmoral wisdom. We who have advanc'd both the natural, and moral, should,\nas the ancients did, join them both together. By this means, we gather,\nthe truth of the highest, and most excellent philosophy, to be found in\nthose volumes of first antiquity, which we call sacred: and which, 'tis\nour peculiar, and inestimable happiness to possess. We should adore that\ndivine light, which they hold forth to us. Especially in a country, where\nthe principles of true religion are open, and undisguised: where the\nestablish'd profession of it is rational, noble and lovely: worthy of the\nmoral governor of the world; fit for him to enjoin: for us to practise,\nwith pleasure and effect.\n\n_november_ 7, 1750.\n\n                                                          W. Stukeley.\n\n                 Read at the Royal Society, _december_ 6.\n\n                                 _FINIS._\n\n\n                    *       *       *       *       *\n\n\nTranscriber Note\n\nMinor typos were corrected. A number of words are capitalized after a\ncomma which would usually be set as lower-case today but they were left as\nis. Days of the week and month names were printed in lower-case.\nItalicization as per the printed version.","title":"The Philosophy of Earthquakes, Natural and Religious: or, An Inquiry Into Their Cause, and Their Purpose","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":19077}