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and thofe of Greece and Afia, muft have been inundated to a 

 great extent, and hence the faline fubftances ftill exifting in the 

 adjacent parts of Africa, &c. 



As the fouthern parts of Italy ftill abound in fulphur and 

 other inflammable fubftances, fo probably did the contiguous 

 parts of the bed of the Mediterranean, and by the immenfe 

 fridion which they muft have fufFered during this fall and the 

 hollows that interceded the abrupted mafles the firft fubterrane- 

 ous fires might have been kindled and the beds of the adual 

 volcanos prepared, which however did not probably acquire fuf- 

 ficient ftrength to burft through the incumbent earthy ftrata until 

 fome ages after, as I conjedure from the filence of Homer with 

 refped to Etna, whofe wonders had they exifted in his time he 

 probably would not have overlooked. 



The reparation of Sicily from Italy is vouched by ancient tra- 

 ditions, as may be feen in Pliny, Ovid and Claudian. 



Zancle quoquc junda fuifle 



Dicitur Italias, donee confinia pontus 



Abftulit, & media tellurem reppulit unda. Ovid Metam- 



Lib. li). V. 290. 

 Trinacria quondam 



Italiae pars una fuit, fed pontus & oeftus 

 * P p 3 Mutavere 



