2 



appeared ; and on the same spot, on the ground 

 fissured in various directions, another city is 

 slowly rising*. Already those heaps of ruins, the 

 grave of a numerous population, are become 

 anew the habitation of men. 



In retracing changes of so general an interest, 

 I shall be led to notice events, that took place 

 long after my return to Europe. I shall pass 

 over in silence the popular commotions, and the 

 modifications which the state of society has un- 

 dergone. Modern nations, careful of their own 

 remembrance, snatch from oblivion the history 

 of human revolutions, which is that of ardent 

 passions, and inveterate hatred. It is not the 

 same with respect to the revolutions of the phy- 

 sical world. These are described with the least 

 accuracy, when they happen to coincide with 

 the period of civil dissentions. Earthquakes 

 and the eruptions of volcanoes strike the imagi- 

 nation by the evils, which are their necessary 

 consequence. Tradition seizes in preference 

 whatever is vague and marvellous; and amid 

 great public calamities, as in private misfortunes, 

 man seems to shun that light, which leads us to 

 discover the real causes of events, and recognise 

 the circumstances by which they are attended. 

 I have thought proper to record in this work all 

 I have been able to collect with certainty respect- 

 ing the earthquake of the 26th of March, 1812, 

 which destroyed the town of Caraccas ; and by 



