558 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO ISQS. 



Jesuit's College, the convent of the Minorites, and two of the Dominicans, 

 the beautiful one of Capuchins, the imperial convent of the Carmelites, that of 

 the reformed Minorites, that of the reformed Augustines, with several other 

 friaries, and an infinite number of ancient and modern churches, colleges, and 

 other public buildings, inhabited by about 2300O souls, its nobility also being 

 many and ancient. Learning was here in its glory; the citizens were them- 

 selves learned, and lovers of knowledge, assisted with the many privileges 

 granted by the king. The university, where the learned laurel was conferred 

 on the worthy, made this place the Sicilian Athens. This once so famous, now 

 unhappy Catania, had the greatest share in this tragedy. Father Antonio 

 Serrovita, who was to preach at Catania the Lent following, was on his way 

 thither on the Uth; at the distance of a few miles, he observed a black cloud 

 like night, hovering over the city; that there arose from the mouth of Mon- 

 gibello great spires of flame, which spread themselves all round; that the sea 

 on a sudden began to roar, and raise itself in swelling billows; that there 

 ensued a very great and dreadful explosion, as if all the artillery in the world 

 had been at once discharged ; that the birds flew about astonished in the air ; 

 that the beasts and cattle in the fields ran crying about affrighted ; that his and 

 his companions horses were so startled, that they stood stock still, trembling so 

 that they were forced to alight, which they had no sooner done, than they were 

 lifted from the ground above two palms; and casting his eyes toward Catania, 

 he with amazement saw nothing but a thick cloud of dust in the air. Of this 

 magnificent Catania, all its edifices are levelled with the ground, except the 

 chapel of St. Agatha, the Rotunda, the castle of Ursino, the walls that en- 

 compassed it, and a few mean houses. There was a very great destruction of 

 the inhabitants buried in the ruins of the bishop's palace; the steeple and dome, 

 where most of the city affrighted with Friday's earthquake, were assembled to- 

 gether to carry the reliques of St. Agatha in procession. Many of the nobility 

 w«ye saved under the chapel of the saint, and some of the clergy. The num- 

 ber of the dead was about 1 5000 ; for though the people had staid in the fields 

 all the Saturday, yet the solemnity obliged them to be in the city on the Sunday, 

 to pay their devotions at the procession. Of th^ 'Benedictines about 25 were 

 killed in the choir, of the Jesuits 21, of the Conventuals 1 1, the number of the 

 Dominicans is not known ; the Carmelites were all buried, except one, as they 

 vi'ent in procession ; and so were the greater part of the other religious orders, 

 and of the nuns few were saved. This was the tragedy of Catania, which was 

 accompanied with dreadful lightnings and thunder from Heaven, and with de- 

 luges of rain ; and in the ruins were heard nothing but cries, shrieks. 



