Chap. 81.] EAETHQUAKES. Ill 



legs, that in the one, the fluids, like vapour, are forced into 

 the upper parts of the body, while in the other, being a 

 gross numour, it is drawn downwards into the lower parts \ 

 In the cold regions savage beasts are produced, and in the 

 others, various forms of animals, and many kinds of birds'. 

 In both situations the body grows tall, in the one case by 

 the force of fire, and in the other by the nutritive moisture. 



In the middle of the earth there is a salutary mixture of 

 the two, a tract fruitful in all things, the habits of the body 

 holding a mean between the two, with a proper tempering 

 of colours ; the manners of the people are gentle, the intellect 

 clear', the genius fertile and capable of comprehending every 

 part of nature. They have formed empires, which has never 

 been done by the remote nations ; yet tbese latter have never 

 been subjected by the former, being severed from them and 

 remaining solitary, from the effect produced on then by 

 their savage nature. 



CHAP. 81. (79.) — or EAETHQUAKES. 



According to the doctrine of the Babylonians, earthquakes 

 and clefts of the earth, and occurrences of this kind, are 

 supposed to be produced by the influence of the stars, 

 especially of the three to which they ascribe thunder* ; and 

 to be caused by the stars moving with the sun, or being in 

 conjunction with it, and, more particularly, when they are 

 in the quartile aspect*. If we are to credit the report, a 



* There is a passage in Galen, De Temperamentis, iii. 6, which may 

 appear to sanction the opinion of our author ; " Siccos esse, quibus macra 

 sunt crura ; humidos, quibus crassa." 



* The latter part of the remark is correct, but the number of ferocious 

 animals is also greater in the warmer regions ; there is, in fact, a greater 

 variety in all the productions of nature in the warmer districts of the 

 globe, except in those particuW spots where animal or vegetable life is 

 counteracted by some local circumstances, as in many parts of Asia and 

 Africa by the want of water. 



3 " Sensus liquidus ; " Alexandre explains this expression, "judicium 

 sanum, mens intelligendo apta." Lemaire, i. 401. 



* Saturn, Jupicer and Mars : see the 8th chapter of this book. 



5 " Vel qxiando meant cum Sole in conjunctione civm eo, vel quando 

 cum eo conveniunt in aspectu, maxime vero in quadrato, qui fit, quum 

 distant a Sole quarta mundi sive coeh parte." Hardouin in Lemaire, i. 

 401. 



