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'January. I fuppofe you have obferved at *Pifa, the 
unfettled Weather, as we have here j continual Rains, 
iometimesmore, andfometimeslefs ; continual Winds, 
chiefly from the South and W eft, fo that fcarce any in 
this City remember to have feen the like. We cannot 
be faid to want Wind here, fince fcarcely a Day pafles 
without it, from fome Point or other. But to obferve 
in the Country one Wind in the Morning, another at 
Noon, and then a third at Night, is what furprifes 
us. In fome Days, efpecially after the Winter Sol- 
ftice, there have been felt extraordinary warm South- 
ern Breezes, from whence People drew an ill Omen 
of the Health, or other Misfortunes, which every 
one figured according to his own particular Fancy : 
However, no one thought of th'e prefent Calamities, 
the Reafons of which are unfeen by mortal Eyes ; 
for where fhall we find thofe Telefcopes through 
which our Sight may reach the fubterraneous Re- 
ceptacles of that Matter, which, whether burned or 
fomented, makes the whole Earth fiart, and terrify 
Man ? 1 look upon the Foreftght of thefe Accidents, 
as an Undertaking impofiible to accomplifh, and the 
prophetic Fixing them to a certain Time, much more 
■fo : But obferve to what a pitch Ignorance or Fear 
carries fome People j after the firft Shock of the 
Earthquake, every body was in great Confternation 
within this City, not fo much for what they imme- 
diately felt, as through Fear of another infinitely 
more violent, which a certain Milanefe Aftrologer 
predi&ed to happen (as they faid) the 28th of Ja- 
nuary. By Misfortune he was within a Day of it, the 
great Earthquake being the 27th 5 by this means the 
Faith and Credit given to the Aftrologer incrcafed 
fo 
