Page:The Philosophy of Earthquakes, Natural and Religious.djvu/81

Rh conceive, did we not know it to be faſt, from our own ſenſes. But if we look for a ſolution of it, we cannot think, any natural power is equal to it, but that of electricity; which acknowledges no ſenſible tranſition of time; no bounds.

3ly, We obſerve, the vulgar ſolution of ſubterraneous eruptions receives no countenance, from all that was ſeen, or felt, during theſe earthquakes. It would be very hard to imagine, how any ſuch thing could ſo ſuddenly, and inſtantaneouſly operate, thro’ this vaſt ſpace: and that in ſo ſimilar, and tender a manner over the whole, thro’ ſo great a variety, as well as extent of country; as to do no miſchief. A philoſophical inquirer in Northamptonſhire, who had his eye particularly on this point, takes notice, there were not any fiſſures in the ground; any ſulphureous ſmells, or eruptions any where perceiv’d; ſo as to favour internal convulſions of the earth. The reverend Mr. Nixon of Higham, and Mr. Smith, in his letter from Peterborough take notice, that they could not learn, there were any fort of eruptions out of the earth, any where: no ſmoke, vapor, or ſmell: tho’ they made ſufficient inquiry about that circumſtance, according to particular direction. Yet we learn from a letter at Uppingham in Rutland, that a plaiſter floor became crack’d thereby. Theſe kind of floors are frequent in