10* 



ticulars that may develop some circumstances that ought 

 to be known, and show more of the nature of these sub- 

 stances than are to be understood from the two which have 

 fallen in our own country. 



<e Tradition has handed down to us the fall of stones in 

 antient times. The learned Graevius leads us to conclude 

 that the image of Diana was a stone which fell from the 

 clouds. He tells us, on unquestionable authorities, that 

 many other images of Heathen deities were merely such. 



" Herodianus says that the Phoenicians had no statue of 

 the Sun but a great stone which they reported to have fallen 

 from heaven. 



" Clemens Alexandrinus concludes the worship of stones 

 to have been the first and earliest idolatry in the world. 



" Plutarch mentions a stone which formerly fell from 

 the clouds; and the old writer from whom he took his ac- 

 count says : c It hovered about for a long time ; seemed to 

 throw out splinters, which flew around like wandering stars, 

 before they fell, and at last it came down to the earth a 

 stone of extraordinary size.' Pliny tells us of its being pre- 

 served in his days, and that it was of a dark burnt colour. 

 He mentions one also which fell at Abydos, and was wor- 

 shipped at that place ; and of another at Pontidaea. 



" Livy (whose credulity has been censured for preserv- 

 ing traditions of an extraordinary kind, which have been 

 proved in ages of more enlarged information to be founded 

 in truth,) describes a fall of stones on Mount Alba, during 

 the reign of Tullus Hostiluis, about 650 years before the 

 birth of Christ." 



Mr. King very properly quotes the Royal Psalmist : " The 

 Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the Highest gave 

 his Thunder, Hailstones and Coals of Fire*." 



* Psalm v. At the same page he speaks of the large hailstones observed 

 by my friend P. Rashleigh, Esq- of Menabilly, giving figures of them between 

 5 and 6 inches in circumference, and of which he has been so obliging as to 

 send me a model. 



