Page:Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857 Vol 2.djvu/257

196 remarkable that in 1783, when a hundred cities of Calabria were destroyed by earthquake, and Iceland at the same time convulsed by the eruption of its volcano, a dry fog extended almost all over Europe. It is important to note that after the 16th, the sky remained clear for eight days, then very fine rain fell, followed by heavy falls of snow, and on the evening of the 17th of January, and during the 18th, a violent and tempestuous north wind prevailed. On the 21st and 22nd, it blew still more fiercely from the west, leading us to fear that the buildings shaken by the earthquake would be still further rent and destroyed; however, the north wind returned again with wintry severity. In conclusion, the meteors and other phenomena here enumerated as having preceded, accompanied, or followed the earthquake, are positive facts, which I willingly submit for judgment to those who profess these sciences.

—So far as the speculative part of this somewhat hazy piece of philosophizing is concerned, it must be taken for what it is worth. The style is one very prevalent in publications having a certain pretension to profundity and popularity of matter in Southern Italy at present, when treating of official phenomena. The Inspector of Prisons' statements must be taken with due allowance—such other facts as he records are the sole residua of value.