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 464 THE DECLINE AND FALL [Chap, xliii Earth- II. The near approach of a comet may injure or destroy the globe which we inhabit ; but the changes on its surface have been hitherto produced by the action of volcanoes and earth- quakes. 122 The nature of the soil may indicate the countries most exposed to these formidable concussions, since they are caused by subterraneous fires, and such fires are kindled by the union and fermentation of iron and sulphur. But their times and effects appear to lie beyond the reach of human curiosity, and the philosopher will discreetly abstain from the prediction of earthquakes, till he has counted the drops of water that silently filtrate on the inflammable mineral, and measured the caverns which increase by resistance the explosion of the imprisoned air. Without assigning the cause, history will distinguish the periods in which these calamitous events have been rare or frequent, and will observe that this fever of the earth raged with uncommon violence during the reign of Justinian. 123 Each year is marked by the repetition of earthquakes, of such dura- tion that Constantinople has been shaken above forty days ; of such extent that the shock has been communicated to the whole surface of the globe, or at least of the Roman empire. An impulsive or vibratory motion was felt, enormous chasms were opened, huge and heavy bodies were discharged into the air, the sea alternately advanced and retreated beyond its ordin- ary bounds, and a mountain was torn from Libanus, 124 and cast into the waves, where it protected, as a mole, the new harbour of Botrys 126 in Phoenicia. The stroke that agitates an ant-hill may crush the insect myriads in the dust ; yet truth must 122 For the cause of earthquakes, see Buffon (torn. i. p. 502-536. Supplement a l'Hist. Naturelle, torn. v. p. 382-390, edition in 4to), Valmont de Bomare (Dic- tionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle, Tremblemens de Terre, Pyrites), Watson (Chemical Essays, torn. i. p. 181-209). [R. Mallet, The First Principles of Observational Seismology, 1862 ; J. Milne, Seismology, 1898.] 123 The earthquakes that shook the Roman world in the reign of Justinian are described or mentioned by Procopius (Goth. 1. iv. c. 25, Anecdot. c. 18), Agathias (1. ii. p. 52, 53, 54 [o. 15, 16] ; 1. v. p. 145-152 [c. 3 sqq.)), John Malala (Chron. torn. ii. p. 140-146, 176, 177, 183, 193, 220, 229, 231, 233, 234 [417 sqq., 442-3, 448, 456, 478, 485, 487, 488-9]), and Theophanes (p. 151, 183, 189, 191-196 [a.m. 6021, 6028, 6036, 6040, 6043, 6046, 6047, 6050]). 124 An abrupt height, a perpendicular cape between Aradus and Botrys, named by the Greeks dewv [6tov~ irp6awirov and tvivpSaunrov or Mdoirp6crtinrov by the scrupulous Christians (Polyb. 1. v. p. 411 [c. 68] ; Pompon. Mela. 1. i. c. 12, p. 87, cum Isaac. Voss. Observat. ; Maundrell, Journey, p. 32, 33 ; Pocock's Description, vol. ii. p. 99). 125 Botrys was founded (ann. ante Christ. 935-903) by Ithobal, king of Tyre (Marsham, Canon. Chron. p. 387, 388). Its poor representative, the village of Patrone, is now destitute of an harbour.