1 am not able to fix the end, nor confequently the 
duration, with the fame exadtnefs : however, from 
the time, when the clock ftopt, to my looking on 
the watch, it was about 3' i-half; and the jarring 
was not quite over till about a minute after this : fo 
that I think I fpeak within bounds, if I fay, that this 
thock with us lafted at leaft 4. In other places, its 
duration might pofiibly be different. I was careful 
to note the time, when we had it, as exactly as I 
could, in hopes, that, by comparing it with the like 
accounts from diftant places, we might be able to 
judge, with a good degree of exadlnefs, of the courfe 
of this earthquake, the place of its origin, and the 
velocity of its progrefs. But all the accounts of the 
time, which I have yet feen, are fo very lax, that 
no juft conclufions can be drawn from them, with 
refped; to either of thefe points. What I have been 
able to colledt with relation to them, I fhall fet 
down prefen tly. 
Thofe, who fuppofe the duration much fhorter, as 
i f i-half, or 2', urge, that a minute is a longer fpace 
of time than moft people are aware of ; which is 
very true : but it fhould alfo be confidered, that if 
we judge of the length of any fpace of time by the 
number of ideas, which pafs through our minds in 
that time ; a very great fright,— a fright fo great, as 
to take intire pofteflion of the mind for a time, and 
fhut out every idea except that of the prefent danger, 
will make us judge the time to be much fhorter than 
it really is. And this, I make no doubt, was the 
cafe^with many ; the furprife, into which they were 
thrown, being fuch, as to keep out every idea, except 
that, which happened to ftrike their minds witli the 
greateft 
