Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/207

 But let me obſerve here, that when I ſay the People abandon’d themſelves to Deſpair, I do not mean to what Men call a religious Deſpair, or a Deſpair of their eternal State, but I mean a Deſpair of their being able to eſcape the Infection, or to out-live the Plague, which they ſaw was ſo raging and ſo irreſiſtible in its Force, that indeed few People that were touch’d with it in its height about Auguſt, and September, eſcap’d: And, which is very particular, contrary to its ordinary Operation in June and July, and the beginning of Auguſt, when, as I have obſerv’d many were infected, and continued ſo many Days, and then went off, after having had the Poiſon in their Blood a long time; but now on the contrary, moſt of the People who were taken during the two laſt Weeks in Auguſt, and in the three firſt Weeks in September, generally died in two or three Days at fartheſt, and many the very ſame Day they were taken; Whether the Dog-days, or as our Aſtrologers pretended to expreſs themſelves, the Influence of the Dog-Star had that malignant Effect; or all thoſe who had the ſeeds of Infection before in them, brought it up to a maturity at that time altogether I know not; but this was the time when it was reported, that above 3060 People died in one Night; and they that wou'd have us believe they more critically obſerv'd it, pretend to ſay, that they all died within the ſpace of two Hours, (viz.) Between the Hours of One and three in the Morning.

As to the Suddenneſs of People’s dying at this time more than before, there were innumerable Inſtances of it, and I could name ſeveral in my Neighbourhood; one Family without the Barrs, and not far from me, were all ſeemingly well on the Monday, being Ten in Family, that Evening one Maid and one Apprentice were taken ill, and dy’d the next Morning, when the other Apprentice and two Children