[ 399 ] 
Motion of the Earth, that the Chair whereon I fat 
rocked under me. The Noife and Shaking feemed 
to come from a Diftance, and approached gradually, 
in fuch a manner as if a loaded Waggon had pafled 
along i and continued nearly the fame Time as fuch 
a Waggon would require to go about an hundred 
Yards. The Motion went from South-Eaft to 
North -Weft; which being the Dire&ion of the Street, 
on one Side whereof the Houfe flood, fome of us 
imagined at firft that a Waggon had really gone 
along*; but, upon running out and enquiring, we 
found there had been no Waggon : And indeed, as 
we were fatisfied afterwards, no Waggon could have 
been heard or felt in the back Room where we fat, 
on account of its too great Diftance from the Street. 
Notwithftanding this happened between Ten and 
Eleven o’ Clock at Night, when moft of the Town 
were in Bed, the Shock was fo fenfible, that many 
People got up very much terrified > and they waking 
others, the Confternation foon became general ; in- 
fomuch that, altho' it was a rainy Night, Numbers 
of People ran out into their Gardens, and fpent the 
Night there, being apprehenfive of other Shocks. 
The Account then newly brought us of a dreadful 
Earthquake at Lima , being frefh in every body's 
Mind, contributed to increafe the Surprize. 
A worthy Clergyman, who lives five Miles from 
Taunton , informed me, that the China and Glaftes 
upon the Cupboards in his Houfe rattled and fhook 
as if they would fall down, and the Bells in his 
Houfe 
* See fomething like this in Phil. Tranf. ?t. 455, />. 289. 
(t (T cr 
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