922 Karthquakes in'Sicily. 
Our author goes on to speak of the necessity of having 
acute angles to many.of the streets on account of their crook- 
edness, and how liable buildings are, from this circumstance, 
t thrown down; that regular foundations are not very 
much used; and even when used, are soon destroyed by the 
action of the atmosphere, by water, and many other causes. 
He finds fault with the forms of the stones used in building ; 
with the cement, its want of adhesion ; and compares houses 
constructed in this manner with those of ancient Tyndaris, 
many of the walls of which, standing on the top of some of the 
highest mountains, were so well balanced, the pieces so nicely 
cut and jointed, even without any cement at all, that they 
have stood firm for a thousand years. 
Upon foundations so infirm, and with materials so frail, 
buildings are raised to the height of four or five stories. He 
next remarks on the disproportion of the thickness of the 
walls to the weights they sustain. Though diminishing ex- 
ceedingly in thickness from bottom to top, they are still very 
much weakened by the great number of windows, are over- 
burdened by immense cornices, and little chambers, and 
kitchens, projecting fearfully beyond the sides ; and by ter- 
races and balconies, loaded with enormous yases of stone. 
The beams which support the floors, can scarely touch upon 
the walls, are not charrea nor faced with lead, to defend 
thém against the moisture, and are almost always injured by 
the lime in which they Jie. Many particulars of this kind, 
our author has mentioned, all tending to show the great want 
of prudence in the manner of building. 
nen teem ames 
In the night of the Ist of September, 1726, continues Pro- 
fessor Ferrara, an earthquake destroyed, or very much in- 
jared, all the buildings situated on the muddy soil; and many, 
which were out of repair, or badly constructed, placed on 
rock. arth of the nature of the first. is less capable of re- 
ceiving motion from a shock than the last, since it possesses 
less resistance. But facts show that this advantage is more 
than compensated by want of stability in edifices raised upon 
it. At Messina, in 1783, all the buildings upon a plain, and 
upon earth thrown up by the sea, were destroyed ; while those 
on the neighbouring hills were not moved. ‘The same hap~ 
