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few puffs of fmoke obferved near torre del Graeco two days before, 

 had been communicated at the time, it might eafily be forefeen 

 that an eruption was near at hand, and that its force was directed 

 towards that part of the mountain *. 



The earthquake which ingulphed Antioch, in the 115th year of 

 our sera, was preceded by violent ftorms, thunder and lightning, 

 and an exceflive heat f . 



In 1456 an earthquake fhook the whole kingdom of Naples, 

 overturned many cities, and deftroyed 60,000 of the inhabitants ; 

 it was preceded by an extraordinary fall of rain, that lafted two 

 months without any wind J, 



The earthquake which deftroyed feveral cities in Sicily in 163*' 

 was announced by fubterraneous thunders, an uncommon agitation 

 and elevation of the furrounding fea, and violent ftorms ||. And 

 that which overturned Catanea and 6o,oco of its inhabitants in 

 1693, was announced by another lefsconfiderable, unufual clouds 

 and heat the preceding day §. 



Lastly, previous to the great earthquake to which Liftjon owed 

 its fubverfion in 1755, an extraordinary drought prevailed for fe- 

 veral years, and the preceding day an uncommon offufcation of 



the fun **. 



Hence 



* Phil. Tranf. 1795, p. 74 and 76. f 6 Colleft. Acad. 498. % Ibid. 535. 



II Ibib. 563. § 2 Phil. Tranf, Abr. 401. •• Phil. Tranf. 1755, p. 403, 410. 



