Page:The Philosophy of Earthquakes, Natural and Religious.djvu/72

6 February laſt, when they began with us at London; as far as I can learn, they have appear’d in many parts of Europe, Aſia, Africa, and America. And have likewiſe reviſited many counties in our own iſland, and at length, on the 30th of laſt ſeptember gave much the moſt extenſive ſhock, we have ſeen here in our days.

It may be well expected, that theſe frequent viſits, in themſelves ſo very extraordinary, to us ſo rare, and that, in one year, ſhould keep up our attention: and as to my own part, induce one to reflect, on what I before offer’d concerning them; and be a Efficient apology for the preſent paper.

We have been acquainted, by thoſe who remember it, that in the earthquake of nov. 1703, which happen’d in Lincolnſhire, the weather was calm, cloſe, gloomy, warm, and dry; in a degree highly unuſual, at that ſeaſon. And thus it has been with us, all the year. And from the numerous accounts we have receiv’d at the Royal Society, in the beginning, and ending of the year; where any mention is made of the weather; they all agree in the like particular. Which is conſentaneous to what I remark’d, as the conſtant forerunner of earthquakes; and what prepares the earth’s ſurface, for the electrical ſtroke: which I aſſerted to be the cauſe of them. In