ON THE FACTS OF EARTHQUAKE PHZ NOMENA. 11 
Liberti Fromondi, Coll. Louvainiensi Proff., was the author of a work on 
meteorology, ‘ Meteorologicorum Libri sex’ (4to, Antwerp, 1527). The last 
chapter of his fourth book is dedicated to a good résumé of all the ancient 
knowledge of earthquakes, divided under the heads of — 
1. Que causa efficiens terre motus. 
2. Species terre motus. 
3. Que loca obnoxia terre motibus. 
De magnitudine et duratione terre motus. 
Que anni tempora maxime sentiunt terre motus. 
Que signa antecedentia terre motus. 
Effectus terrze motus. - 
8. Timor numinis causa finalis terrze motus. 
- 9. Comparatio cuniculorum nostrorum militarium cum terre motu. 
As to the first cause, after noticing the old Greek notions of Neptune, 
*Evvooiyaoy καὶ Σεισίχθονα, and several others of a mythological character, 
he agrees with Aristotle :— 
“ Sententia Aristotelis et verissima est, spiritum subterraneum causam esse 
terre motus effectricem. Probatur, quia quoties terra pulsu pertunditur 
aut dehiscit, evolant halitus aliqui, spe pestilentes, ignis etiam aliquando et 
cineres : ergo ille fuit qui terram rupit et eam suffodiendo concussit. Idem 
patebit post ex omnibus terrz motus affectibus.”—p. 197. 
This passage is remarkable, as showing the sense in which “spiritus terre,” 
πνεῦμα; as used by Aristotle, is interpreted by Fromondi, ὃ. 6. as our volcanic 
force of elevation in Humboldt’s extended sense, “the reaction of the interior 
upon the exterior of our planet.” 
_ As to the species of earthquakes (art. 2), Fromondi thus classifies :— 
_ “ Auctor libri de mundo et ex eo 1). Damascenus, septem species acci- 
dentarias terrze motus fecit, 2. 6. 
1. Epiclintz sen inclinatores. 
2. Braste seu effervescentes. 
3. Chasmatie. 
4. Rhectz (viam effringunt). 
5. Oste (uno impulsu). 
6. Palmatiz (vibrant). 
7. Mycetie (cum mugitu). 
 Aristoteles tamen duabus speciebus, pulsu et tremore, contentus fuit, sed 
_ tertiam inclinationem optime Seneca adjecit. 
_ “Pulsus est motus quo terra, instar arteriz animalis, diastole et systole 
_ vicissim erigitur et subsidit, vel generalius est qui terram succutit, unde a 
_ Seneca vocatur succussio. Tremor enim concutit et vibrat: inclinatio vero 
= unam solam partem totum onus suspendit......septem autem alice spe- 
ἢ 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
cies a diversitate effectuum sumpte sunt et ad tres istas possunt revocari.”—- 
. 201. 
4 Of the Rhectz, Fromondi says :— 
“Ceterum pulsus Rhectes et effractor, omnium sine dubio est pernicio- 
_cissimus, deinde longa et undans inclinatio que parietes et fastigia zdificio- 
‘Yum extra fundamenti perpendiculum suspendit. Brevis autem et crispans 
tremor partem inclinatam statim contrario motu in sedem restituit, preevenit- 
que lapsum, unde Plinius, lib. ii. cap. 82, ‘ Latere etiam facti parietes minore 
noxa quatiuntur,’ inquit.”—p. 202. 
__ As to the places subject to earthquakes :—Egypt, he says, was very free 
rom them, and so was Belgium, especially its southern and Dutch por- 
