ON VOLCANOES AND EAKTHQ,UAKES. 375 



comes rational and uniform ; as the present views 

 give the strongest support to that one which has, very 

 ignorantly, thought proper to disclaim it. 



Of Earthquakes. 



It yet remains to examine the phenomena of Earth- 

 quakes ; a subject so intimately connected with the 

 present, in all its circumstances, as to leave no doubt 

 of their being effects of a common cause. Theories 

 of Earthquakes are as antient as the times of Anax- 

 agoras, and are as numerous as the singularity and 

 importance of the phenomena might lead us to expect. 

 It is unnecessary to revive these hypotheses ; and, 

 with respect to the only one requiring notice, the 

 electrical theory, it is sufficient to say that it is as 

 gratuitous as it is irreconcileable to the appearances. 



History has recorded Earthquakes from all times ; 

 the disappearance of mountains and islands, new lands 

 produced, lakes and rivers lost, cities overwhelmed, 

 and even their vestiges destroyed. Of the most noted 

 in antient history, is that which swallowed up twelve 

 cities of Asia Minor in one night, in the reign of 

 Tiberius, with those which took place in the reigns of 

 Gallienus, of Valens and Valentinian, and of Justinian. 

 A remarkable one occurred in modern times on the 

 coast of Puzzuoli in 1538, which annihilated the lake 

 Lucrinus, destroyed a town, and raised the present 

 Monte Nuovo to the height of eleven hundred and 

 twenty-seven feet. In 1638, the earthquake of Cala- 

 bria, described by Kircher, swallowed up the town 

 Euphemia ; and, in 1692, Jamaica was the seat of one 

 which destroyed Port Royal, sinking the houses thirty 

 or forty fathoms deep. At this time also, nearly all 

 the houses in the island were thrown down, and many 

 ships in the harbour were forced on shore. The great 



