Page:The Philosophy of Earthquakes, Natural and Religious.djvu/35

 discernible in an earthquake; 'tis to be found, without going to the bowels of the earth.

Dr Hales mentions, that solid bodies are the best conductors of aereal lightning; whence oaks are rent, and iron melted. And in our earthquakes in London, the loudest noise was heard near such large stone buildings, as churches, with lofty steeples. From the top of these we must apprehend, that the electrical explosion goes off into the open air; as in our experiments, from the point of swords, and the like.

The electrical shock is proportionate to the solid electrified, agreeable to our seventh position. This fully accounts for earthquakes in general, and for many in particular. What can be imagin'd greater than a shock of the body of the earth? 'Tis greater, or less in proportion to the state of electrification. And now we can account for several appearances. In the first earthquake, the Lord Chancellor, Masters in Chancery, and several Judges, were sitting in Westminster-Hall, with their backs to the wall of the upper-end, which is of a vast thickness. They all relate the severity of the shock, from the wall seeming to push towards them with great violence.

And thus in the earthquake of 1692, Deal castle is one of them built by Henry VIII the walls are of immense thickness, and strength; yet they shook so sensibly, that the people