Lesson xxxv.] EARTHQUAKES. 2(53 



arguments: "They happen most frequently in dry 

 tf and hot countries, which are most subject to 

 " lightning and other electrical phaenomena ; and 

 " are even foretold by the electric coruscations and 

 et other appearances in the air, for some days pre- 

 fc ceding the event. Earthquakes are attended by 

 (f no fire, vapour, or smell, which, however could 

 tc hardly fail to appear, if the common opinion, of 

 t( their being occasioned by a subterraneous ex- 

 " plosion, were true. The effect of an explosion 

 <c of this nature would be a gradual lifting of the 

 " earth, after which it would fall -again, and, no 

 " doubt, destroy or change the course of springs, 

 11 and considerably alter the face of the country : 

 *' the contrary to which is true; for, as far as ob- 

 " servation can determine, the shock of an Earth- 

 " quake is instantaneous to the greatest distances, 

 " and seldom does more mischief than overthrow- 

 " ing buildings. Earthquakes are usually accom- 

 " panied by rain, and sometimes by the most dread- 

 " ful thunder-storms. All these, and many more 

 " circumstances, but especially the almost instan- 

 " taneous motion of the shock, induce us to look 

 " for their cause in electricity, the only power in 

 tf nature that acknowledges no sensible transition 

 " of time in its operations." Against this reason- 

 ing, it has been objected,that if the accounts which 

 historians have transmitted us of Earthquakes in the 

 last century, be correct, the circumstances attend- 

 ing these awful events are frequently widely dif- 

 ferent from what Mr. Nicholson supposes them to 

 be. At present, each of these disagreeing hypo- 

 theses 



