CENTURY II. 83 



a concomitant of the sound, as hath been said, and 

 not from the sound. 



127. It hath been anciently reported, and is still 

 received, that extreme applauses and shouting of 

 people assembled in great multitudes, have so rari- 

 fied and broken the air, that birds flying over have 

 fallen down, the air being not able to support them. 

 And it is believed by some, that great ringing of 

 bells in populous cities hath chased away thunder ; 

 and also dissipated pestilent air : all which may be 

 also from the concussion of the air, and not from the 

 sound. 



128. A very great sound, near hand, hath 

 strucken many deaf; and at the instant they have 

 found, as it were, the breaking of a skin or parch 

 ment in their ear : and myself standing near one 

 that lured loud and shrill, had suddenly an offence, 

 as if somewhat had broken or been dislocated in my 

 ear ; and immediately after a loud ringing, not an 

 ordinary singing or hissing, but far louder and differ 

 ing, so as I feared some deafness. But after some 

 half quarter of an hour it vanished. This effect 

 may be truly referred unto the sound : for as is com 

 monly received, an over-potent object doth destroy 

 the sense ; and spiritual species, both visible and 

 audible, will work upon the sensories, though they 

 move not any other body. 



129. In dilation of sounds, the inclosure of them 

 preserveth them, and causeth them to be heard fur 

 ther. And we find in rolls of parchment or trunks, 

 the mouth being laid to the one end, of the roll of 



