-( '57 ) 
maketh about the Caufes and Effects of Earthquakes in 
general: He obferveth, 
That fuch Countries as abound much with Foffil- 
coals, as England . , fome Parts of Germany , and even 
Sicily itfelf, are more fubjeft to Tremblings of the 
Earth, than any other. 
That peftilential and other Difeafes, which frequently 
follow great Earthquakes, are rather to be afcrib’d to 
noxious and infefted mineral Effluvia , which upon 
fuch an Occafion iffue out of the- Earth through the 
feveral Openings, than to the Putrefaction of dead Bo- 
dies, which per idl’d in the Earthquake, and were bu- 
ried under the Ruins of deffroy’d Buildings. 
That amongft the Minerals hidden in the Entrails of 
the Earth fome are combuftible, fome not j that of the 
combuftible Ones, as Sulphur, Bitumen, Alum, Vi- 
triol, Salt-Petre, &c. fome take Fire quicker than o- 
thers ^ that others, as Coals, are with greater Diffi- 
culty to be inflamed, but keep the Fire fo much the 
longer ; that the Fleat and fulphureous Smell of the 
Waters, which broke lirft through the Openings of the 
Earth,probably depends upon the Mixture and Fermen- 
tation of fome of thefe Minerals. 
That Baccius , Kircher , and others, which draw the 
Origin of the abovementioned fulphureous Lake near 
Mena , and of feveral others in other Places from tne 
fubterraneous Cavities of the Mountain jEtna^ are much 
in the wrong, there being not the lead Neceility of its 
being derived fo far, fwce the Country every where a- 
bounds with combuftible Minerals, which rather feem 
to entertain and nourifh the fiery Eruptions of JEtna, 
than to be occafton’d by them. 
That the Sea’s retiring from the Shore, and finking 
down, is the lefs to be wonder’d at, fince there are many 
Examples in Hiftories of whole. Towns and Elands (wal- 
low’d 
