the Earthquakes in Italy in 1783. 207 
tills fimple quedion, did the Aholian or Lipari iflands (ail 
which rofe undoubtedly from the bottom of the fea bv volcanic 
explofion-s at different, and perhaps very didant, periods) owe 
their birth to the Apennines in Calabria, or to veins of mine- 
rals in the bowels of the earth, and under the bottom of the 
fea ? Stromboli an aclive volcano, and probably the youtio-eft 
of thofe iflands, is not above 50 miles from the parts of Cala- 
bria that have been mod; affedted by the late earthquakes. The 
vertical (hocks, or, in other words, thofe whole impulfe was 
from the bottom upwards, have been the mod dedrudtive to 
the unhappy towns in the plain ; did they proceed from Monte 
Dejo, Monte Caulone, or Afpramonte ? I11 (hort, the idea I 
have of the prelent local earthquakes is, that they have been 
cauled by the lame kind of matter that gave birth to the fEoliati 
or 1 ipari iflands ; that, perhaps, an opening may have been 
made at the bottom of the fea, and mod probably between 
Stromboli and Calabria Ultra (for from that quarter all agree, 
that the fub terraneous noifes feem to have proceeded); and that 
the foundation of a new ifland or volcano may have been laid, 
though it may be ages, which to nature are but moments, be- 
fore it is completed, and appears above the furface of the fea. 
Nature is ever adtive ; but her addons are, in general, carried 
on lo very (lowly, as fcarcely to be perceived by mortal eye, 
or recorded in the very (hort (pace of what we call hidory, let 
it be ever fo ancient. Perhaps too, the whole deftrudtion I 
have been deferibing may have proceeded limply from the exha- 
lations of confined vapours, generated by the fermentation 
of fuch minerals as produce vc lcanoes, which have efcaped 
where they met with the lead refidance, and mud naturally 
in a greater degree have affedted the plain than the high and 
more folid grounds around it. When the account o r the 
Royal 
