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the earth is one part impregnated with sulphur, in others 

 with nitre, alluin, vitriol, mercury, bitumen, oker, and 

 chalks. For if an artificial powder, made only of nitre, 

 sulphur, and charcoal, has so wonderful effects, what force 

 must that combustible matter have, which arises from 

 sulphur, nitre, sal-ammoniac, bitumen, gold, copper, 

 iron, arsenic, mercury, and other metallic and mineral 

 spirits, with which the womb of the earth abounds, when 

 the subterraneous fires break through into the hollow 

 vaults, where these are reposited by the God of nature 1 

 Then, according to the copiousness of these combusti- 

 bles, and the more or less firmness of the super-incum- 

 bent earth, these fires cause tremblings and concussions, 

 or violent eruptions ; and perhaps open wide and deep 

 gulphs, wherein whole cities, yea mountains, are swal- 

 lowed up. 



Many such instances occur in history. Pliny tells us, that 

 in his own time, the Mountain Cymbotus, with the town 

 of Eurites, which stood on its side, were totally swallow- 

 ed up. He records the like of the city of Tantelis in 

 Magnesia, and after it of the mountain Sopelus, both 

 absorbed by a violent opening of the earth, so that no 

 trace of either remained. Galanis and Garnatus, towns 

 once famous in Phoenicia, are recorded to have met the 

 same fate. Yea, the vast promontory called Phlegium 

 in Ethiopia, after a violent earthquake in the night, was 

 not to be seen in the morning, the earth having swal- 

 lowed it up and closed over it. 



Like instances we have of later date. The mountain 

 Picus, in one of the Molucca's was so high, that it ap- 

 peared at a vast distance, and served as a land mark to 

 sailors. But during an earthquake in the isle, the moun- 

 tain in an instant sunk into the bowels of the earth : 

 and no token of it remained but a vast lake of water. 

 The like happened in the mountainous part of China, 

 in 1556 : when a whole province, with ail its towns, ci- 

 ties, and inhabitants, was absorbed in a moment ; an ini- 



