184 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1727. 



carried up by the streaming on all parts of the horizon. This sometimes seemed 

 to ascend with a force, as if impelled by the impetus of some explosive agent 

 below, like that of March 1715, l6. This forcible ascent of the streaming 

 matter, gave a motion to the canopy, sometimes a gyration, like that of a 

 whirlwind ; which was manifestly caused by the streams striking the outer parts 

 of the canopy. But if it struck the canopy in the middle, all was then in con- 

 fusion. 



These two particulars, namely, the streaming all round, in all points of the 

 horizon ; and the canopy in and near the zenith, are what were observed in all 

 parts of England. But in the more southerly parts of Europe, it seems to have 

 been somewhat different, by the accounts from different places. 



One thing observed in most places was, that in some part of the greatest 

 streaming, the vapours between the spires, or lances, were of a blood-red 

 colour ; which gave those parts of the atmosphere the appearance of blazing 

 lances, and bloody-coloured pillars. There was also a strange commotion 

 among the streams, as if some large cloud, or other body, was moving behind 

 them, and disturbed them. In the northerly and southerly parts the streams 

 were perpendicular to the horizon ; but in the intermediate points they seemed 

 to decline more or less one way or other ; or rather to incline towards the 

 meridian. 



As for the cause of these phasnomena, Mr. Derham takes it to be from the 

 same matter, or vapours, which produce earthquakes : and that for these rea- 

 sons : First, because some of these phasnomena have been followed by earth- 

 quakes. As that which Stow gives an account of in his Annals, in the year 

 1574, on Nov. 14; in which he says, " were seen in the air strange impressions 

 of fire and smoke to proceed forth of a black cloud in the north towards the 

 south. That the next night following, the heavens from all parts did seem to 

 burn marvellous ragingly, and over our heads the flames from the horizon round 

 about rising did meet, and there double and roll one in another, as if it had 

 been in a clear furnace." And after this, he says followed, on the aSth of 

 Feb. great earthquakes in the cities of York, Worcester, Gloucester, Bristol, 

 Hereford, and in the countries about, which caused the people to run out of 

 their houses, for fear they should have fallen on their heads. In Tevvksbury, 

 Breedon, he. the dishes fell from the cupboards, and the books in men's studies 

 from the shelves, &c. 



So this last, in October, was preceded by that fatal earthquake at Palermo in 

 Sicily, and succeeded by one in England, on Tuesday, October 25, following. 

 This it seems was perceived in London, and was very considerable at Dor 



