1 84 Earthquakes. 



highness, by having proposed to concur with his Sicilian 

 majesty in the quicker and more effectual development, 

 transcription, and puijllcation- ot" these manuscripts, will 

 reap the satisfaction of having made a most princely attempt 

 in behalf of knowledge and literature, on an occasion where 

 their interests might be affected most materially, and in a 

 manner of which no annals have afforded, or can hereafter 

 afford, an example. Your very interposition will be your 

 glory; your want of succcis will onlv make the learned 

 world feel with gratitude what you would have done." 



The interposition of his royal highness has had the hap- 

 piest effect. The splendid encouragement which he gave 

 to the work revived the drooping spirits of the Italian lite- 

 rati ; and the consequence has been, that the business of un- 

 rolling and transcribing tlie manuscripts now proceeds with 

 an alacrity which promises the most brilliant success. In 

 forty-six years not more than eighteen rolls were developed 

 before the interference of our prince. Under his encou- 

 ragement, ninety h.ave been recovered in two years ! What 

 new facilities may not now be expected when all the vigour 

 of British intelligence is exerted on the subject 1 



F-ARTHaUAKES. 



Clermont Feiranc!, Oct. 24, if 04. 

 At half past eight in the morning, on the 23th of Au-r 

 gust last, the weather being very serene, the thermal wa- 

 ters of Nery (Allier) suddenly became agitated in a wonder- 

 ful rtiunner. At the principal place from which they issue 

 they first rose to the height of a foot above the level of the 

 bason which contains them, then to three, and in that state 

 exhibited for two mjnutes th.e figure of a cone the base of 

 which seemed to be four or five feet in circumference. A 

 great agitation was observed in other parts of the bason. 

 The water boiled with the greatest violence : a greater 

 quantity of gas seemed to escape; and this extraordinary 

 effervescence continued for the space of live or six minutes. 



Letters from Alnieria, in Spain, announce, that at half 

 after eight, on the •■2b\\\ of Augiiiii, three shocks of an earth- 

 quake were felt in that city : they were so violent that not 

 a. house escaped suffering injury : some of the houses were 

 destroyed. Is it not probable that tlicrc m!i>,ht be some 

 connection between this earthquake and the phtcnoiucnon 

 observed at Nerv ? Mav not the perfect coincidence of these 

 yxo events, which took place the same day, and at the same 

 hour, thro* s'jme I'c'tit on the cause, stilt luiknown, of th^j 



heat 



