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be mixed with these waters, a precipitation soon is excited, and they become 
tnrbid, and then white.” 
From this cause these unite badly with soap, since the acid of these waters 
conflicts with the alkali of the soap, and so blunts its virtues, that the sul¬ 
phureous and oily part of the soap, now liberated from the fixed salt, cannot 
mix with the water, but swims on its surface.” 
Thirdly, respecting the cause of earthquakes, as proceeding from some 
inward commotion of the central parts of the earth, the cessation of many 
volcanos, which may be said to be burnt out;*' and the less frequency of 
these occurrences in our times, is a strong argument against this sentiment. 
A better explanation of these, wonderful phenomena seems to me given 
* In Spallanzani’s Travels in the Two Sicilies there are numerous examples of this fact. Chap. xvi. 
Observations on Lipari. ‘ I ascended,’ says this philosophic traveller, ‘ to the summit of Monto San 
Angelo, situated to the north of the city of Lipari, this being the highest mountain of the Island. 
The top, far from having a conical figure, such as is that of Stromboli, and in a certain manner Vol¬ 
cano, was composed of groups of broken mountains, confusedly heaped together, which gave it a 
most irregular appearance. 
It is evident that the volcanic fires have raged in many places, and that, from their too great 
proximity to each other, they have not been able to form those distinct cones which are so observ¬ 
able in Vesuvius and on iEtna. 
But the matter ejected by the superior volcanos, pouring upon those which issued from the lower, 
have produced in every part confusion and disorder to be observed there. 
From the summit of LEtna we may discover a multitude of subjacent craters, well characterised; 
but from that of San Angelo I could not perceive one. There are, indeed, many openings and hol¬ 
lows to be seen, which once were fiery mouths; but none of these have at present the figure of an 
inverted funnel, being filled up, or destroyed by time. 
That fires existed in the time of Aristotle is certain. K oa 'jo ev tvi AiTtapa Js orvp tpavepov x,ou tproyafiscy 
cv pav yptepois, aXXa wSjog ptovov zoa etrSui Xeytjui, Sincewhich time there is no mention of any fires appearing- 
in that island.’ 
Speaking of Felicuda and Alicuda, two islands to the westward of Lepari, Chapter xvii, he says, 
« both shewed vestiges of their primitive crater, that is, of that which gave birth to each respective 
island. 
The volcanic materials were numerous, yet were there no signs of any activity in these islands 
to be discovered, except a warm spring in Felicuda, which issues from a rock on the northern side of 
these islands.’ 
I shall here collect the observations which have been left us by the ancients relative to these two 
islands, as these are extremely brief, and few. 
Aristotle, speaking of Phenicura, as it was then styled, says, ‘ it received its name from its abound¬ 
ing in palms,’ c pom%, (potvwos, being the Greek appellation of that tree.’ 
Ericusa, as it was then called, was derived, according to Strabo, from heath, ‘ erica,’ which was abun¬ 
dant there. 
But neither of the above writers, or any other of the ancient authors, mention any fires as existing 
in these two islands, although they relate that Lipari, Stromboli, and Volcano, threw out flames, as 
these, it is more than probable, were wholly extinguished in those days.’ 
