Page:The Philosophy of Earthquakes, Natural and Religious.djvu/22

 18 it possible; would not the whole texture of that body of earth be quite disturb'd and shatter'd, especially in regard to its springs and fountains? but nothing like this is ever found to be the consequence of an earthquake, tho' fatal to cities.

Apply this reasoning to the earthquake of Asia minor, and this vigorous principle at the apex of the cone must lie, at least, 200 Miles deep in the ground. Enough to show the absurdity of any moving power plac'd under the Earth! A cone of 300 miles diameter at base, 200 miles axis: I dare be bold to say, that all the gun-powder made since its invention, if put together and fired, would not be able to move it; how much less pent up vapours? what must we say of a circle of 900 miles diameter?

But, could that be admitted as possible, would any one be persuaded, that such a subterraneous tumult, of so vast an extent, will be no ways injurious to the internal system of springs and fountains, and that this shall often be repeated without the least damage? We may as well imagine, that we can stab a man 100 times and never touch vein or artery.

Since I gave in my two papers to the Royal Society, a letter of Mr. Flamsted's has been printed, which abundantly confirms my sentiments. The whole drift of it is, to show how invalid is the vulgar idea conceiv'd, of