ji Letter mitten by D. Lucas ^odg^on ^ ' Phyfician At Newcaflle, 
coHtaiHtngfome ObfervAtions mAdeby ^/w^/^ Subierrancal Fire 
in* CoAl mineneArthAt City. 
SIR, NetvcAfiU May the 1 5 . r 6 7 6 . 
I- Had long fince returned ray hamble thanks to the RoyAl Sceiety 
for their candid acceptance of my paper ; and particularly to 
you for your moft obliging Letter, had I not thought a farther 
account of what I have bbfef ved in the fire, would be more ac- 
ceptable to that liluftrious Body ; particularly to the Honourable 
TAr.Efiyle, for whofe ingenious $ti^ries I give him moft hearty 
thanks,accountingmy fclf happy/that by this occafton any thing 
of mineftoulcil come under the confideration of fo worthy a pec- 
fon. To the end therefore that I might return more than words^(as 
my occafions would permit ) I have feveral times vifited the fire,, 
diligently obferving what'might occur at the various places of its 
eruption, whereby I am in fomemeafure enabled to give a parti- 
cular Anfwer to his dcfire in thac matter. 
Qu.i* Whether the vents of the SubterrAntAl fire are not fibjtif 
tofaro^yfms orgrtAtfits of eruption At times? 
2. Whether thofe not Able eruptions do happen regular ty At any fet 
timeSy orfortuitoufty ; andif at fet times^ whether thefe times be the 
beginnings imiddle^or endings ^of Any of the four feafons of the year ? 
3 . Whether from the eruption^ the fiknceor [upprejjloni or the 
fmoaking of the SubterrAneAl fires , Any certAin or probAble progno- 
fiickjan bemAde of changes of rveather^ or of Meteors and if they 
can 5 horp long they Are wont to precede the things t hej prefage ? 
Anfw. This Fire keeping no analogy with other Vulcanio's in 
any of the particulars mentioped in thefe three queries, I thought 
fit to anfwer them altogether to avoid prolixity , feeing all I can 
obftrve is, that it increafcth or decreafeih according to the fubjeft 
it feedcth on ; which is for the moft part a Day- 
*f?h Ta? ^lext ^^^^ ^'^y fl^^t you way light a candle 
iip!!fi7u^^^^ ^^ ^^ in foipe places, in other places it is fome fa- 
thoms deep, according as the Day^coal heightens 
or deepens ; in other things it is no ways inftruftive. 
4. Whether the Marcafites that Are fomd in or about the Burning 
Coalpits be of fuch a nAture^ as being laid on heAps fmall orgreAt, And 
drench* t with rAtn^or other water , they will of themfelves a0ually 
tAke fire ^ 
if»/, I reiccmberthat Dr. P^wr, iahis book of Microfcopical 
Obfer- 
