[ 664 ] 
of the Atmofphere had continued y or 6 Months, be- 
fore the firft Earthquake : Is it not hence rcafonable 
to conclude, that the Earth mull, efpecially in our 
Region, be brought into an unufual State of Elec- 
tricity j and, confequently, wanted nought, but the 
Approach of a non-ele&ric Body, to produce the 
Snap, and the Shock of Electricity ? 
That the Earth was in that vibratory and electric 
State, we have further Reafon to conclude, from 
the very extraordinary Forwardnefs of all the vege- 
table World with us. Every one knows, that, at 
the End of February , all forts of Garden-fluff, 
Fruits, Flowers, Trees, were as forward as, in other 
Years, in the Middle of April. Conformable to 
which. Experiments abundantly fhew us, that elec- 
trifying of Plants quickens their Growth} for the 
fame Reafon as in Animals it quickens the Pulfe. 
Any folid Matter is capable of being put into a 
State of Electricity} fuch as iron Guns; and the 
more fo, by reafon of their Solidity : And in pro- 
portion to it is the Greatnefs of the Snap, and of 
the Shock* and a kind of lambent Flame iflues 
out of the Point of Contact ; and likewife fome- 
what of the fulphureous Smell. So that if both 
Flame ami Smell were ditcerniDle in an Earthquake, 
it is to be found, without going to the Bowels of 
the Earth. 
As to the immediate Caufe of this wonderful 
Appearance of an Earthquake, I hinted that it was 
owing to a non-eleftric Body coming near or touch- 
ing the Earth, when in its electrify ’d State ; which 
may be a Shower of Rain : And the learned Dr. 
Childrey obferves, that Earthquakes always fucceed 
Rain : 
