102 HISTORY OF 



to vibrate, as if we were in the scale of a balance 

 that continued wavering. This motion, however, , 

 soon grew more violent; and, being no longer able 

 to keep my legs, I was thrown prostrate upon the 

 ground. In the mean time, the universal ruin 

 round me redoubled my amazement, The crash 

 of falling houses, the tottering of towers, and 

 the groans of the dying, all contributed to raise 

 my terror and despair. On every side of me I saw 

 nothing but a scene of ruin ; and danger threaten- 

 ing wherever I should fly, I commended myself to 

 God as my last great refuge. At that hour, O how 

 vain was every sublunary happiness ! Wealth, 

 honour, empire, wisdom, all mere useless sounds, 

 and as empty as the bubbles in the deep. Just 

 standing on the threshold of eternity, nothing but 

 God was my pleasure ; and the nearer I approach- 

 ed, I only loved him the more. After some time, 

 however, finding that I remained unhurt amidst 

 the general concussion, I resolved to venture for 

 safety, and running as fast as I could, reached 

 the shore, but almost terrified out of my reason. 

 I did not search long here till I found the boat 

 in which I had landed, and my companions also, 

 whose terrors were even greater than mine. Our 

 meeting was not of that kind where every one is 

 desirous of telling his own happy escape ; it was 

 all silence, and a gloomy dread of impending 

 terrors 



" Leaving this seat of desolation, we prosecut- 

 ed our voyage along the coast ; and the next day 

 came to Rochetta, where we landed, although the 

 earth still continued in violent agitations. But we 



