the Earthquakes in Italy in 1783. 205 
barracks. At Paula the fame. The filhermen here told me, 
they continued to take a great abundance of fifh, as they had 
done ever fmce the commencement of the prefent calamity. 
At Tropea, the 15th of May, there was a fevere fhock of an 
earthquake, but of a very Ihort duration. There were five 
{hocks during my {fay in Calabria and Sicily ; three of them 
rather alarming : and at Medina, in the night-time, I con- 
ifantly felt a little tremor of the earth, which has been ob- 
ferved by many of the Meffinefe. I am really afhamed, Sir, 
of fending fuch an unconnedted hafty'extradt of my journal; 
but when I refledt, that unlefs I fend it off diredtly, the Royal 
Society will be broken up for the fummer feafon, and the fub- 
jedf will become ffale before its next meeting ; of two evils I 
prefer to chufe the leaft. Such rough draughts however (though 
ever fo imperfedf and incorredf) have, as in paintings, the 
merit of a firff (ketch, and a kind of fpirit that is often loft when 
the pidture is corredlly finiftied. If you confider the fatigue 
and hurry of the journey I have juft been taking; and that in 
the midft of the preparations for my other journey to England, 
which I propofe to begin to-morrow, I have been writing this 
account, I (hall hope then to be entitled to your indulgence 
for all its imperfedlions *. But before I take my leave, I will 
juft fum up the refult of my obfervations in Calabria and Si- 
cily, and give you my reafons for believing that the prefent 
earthquakes are occafioned by the operation of a volcano, the 
feat of which feems to lye deep, either under the bottom of 
the fea, between the ifland of Stromboli and the coaft of Ca- 
labria, or under the parts of the plain towards Oppido and 
* Qnaeramus ergo quid fit quod terram ab infimo moveat, quid, &c Haec 
cx quibus caufis accidant digna res eft excuti. See the whole paflage very applicable 
here, seneca, Nat, Queft. lib. VI. cap. 4, 
Terra 
