Chap. 81.] 
EARTHQUAKES. 
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 humour, 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 these latter have never 
been subjected by the former, being severed from them and 
remaining solitary, fron^ the effect produced on them by 
their savage nature. 
CHAP. 81. (79.) — OP 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 Gralen, De Temperamentis, iii. 6, which may 
appear to sanction the opinion of our author ; " Siccos esse, quibus macra 
sunt crura ; humidos, quibus crassa." 
2 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 m those particular 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 Hquidus ; " Alexandre explains this expression, "judicium 
sanum, mens iateUigendo apta." Lemaire, i. 401. 
4 Saturn, Jupiter and Mars : see the 8th chapter of this book. 
^ " Yel quando meant cum Sole in conjunctione cum eo, vel quando 
cum eo conveniunt in aspectu, maxime vero in quadrato, qui fit, quuin 
distant a Sole quarta mundi sive ccelL parte." Hardouin in Lemaire, L 
401. 
