qo4 ^ Profert WittiaMs on Earthquakes. 
its inhabitants buried in its ruins.— And in the earthquake at 
Lima in Peru,-in 1746, all the buildings in that city, and in 
the port of Callao, except about thirty, were funk, or laid in 
ruins, and great numbers. of people deftroyed :—four hundred 
and fifty-one íhocks, many of which were equal to the firit, 
fucceeding in the {pace of four months... The deftruction of 
Lifbon, by the earthquakes in 1755, was alfo attended with the. 
-moft tragical fcenes of defolation, death and mifery. And yet, 
notwithftanding all -thefe dire effects of earthquakes, it is very 
poflible; that the laws and caufes from whence they arife, may 
‘bea neceffary provifion, and a real advantage to the globe. The 
power of gravity, the wind and water, rain, heat and cold, 
have occafioned the deftruction of vaft numbers of mankind +. 
and yet they are a general advantage to the earth, and to itsin- 
-~ «habitants ;—and fuch an advantage, that no creature could live 
-on this globe without them. And fince they produce an over- 
balance of good, they are to. be efteemed advantageous and be- 
-meficial upon the. whole ; although in fome particular cafes, 
-they may be attended with very dangerous and fatal effects. 
This, it is probable, is the cafe with all the laws, powers and 
-operations of nature ; and to all thofe agitations and concuffions 
to which the earth is fubject. : 
To enumerate all the ends to which thefe formidable se 
mena may ferve in the natural world, would require higher de- 
grees of knowledge than it is probable we fhall ever have of 
this fubje@t. And yet, perhaps, we may fee enough to con- 
vince us of the wifdom and -benevolence of the Creator, in 
making ghe globe fubject to fuch concuffions. Thefe extenfive 
werful agitations tend to weaken the attraction, loofen the 
parts, and open the pores of the earth ; and thus to fit and 
prepare 
