Then the earth shook, and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved, and were shaken; because he was wroth.
This Psalm is a triumphal song, whichDaviddeliver'd publickly before God, in thankful remembrance of the great mercies he had receiv'd; being firmly established on his throne: and all his enemies, foreign or domestick, subdued.
He does not attribute this happy situation of his affairs to his own prudence and courage; but, like a consummate politician, absolutely to the mediation of the divine providence. He draws up a most grand and magnificent description of the advent of the deity, such as words never before expressed. All the heathen pictures of the appearance of their gods, are cold and lame, compar'd to this; which is deservedly so much admir'd by all criticks that have any taste for religion, as well as language.
This verse, in our text, is the first movement in the scene, which was to represent the appearance ofJehovah, without whose interpositionDavidhoped for nothing fortunate. After describing all the pomp of light, anddarkness, celestial; hailstones, thunder, lightning, and the like instances of majesty and terror, in the skies; he still keeps his eye on the ground, and concludes with the earthquake, where he began.
Then the channels of waters were seen; and the foundations of the earth were discovered; at thy rebuke, O Lord; at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
Our holy psalmist, at other times, has exhibited the same images, in different coloring; as a great master varies his works, to strike out all the beauties.
Psal. lxviii. 7.O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people; when thou didst march thro' the wilderness; the earth shook, the heavens also dropped, at the presence of God. Even Sinai itself was moved, at the presence of God; the God of Israel.
By this he means, the giving the law.Exod.xix. 8.And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke; because the Lord descended on it in fire: and the smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
Again, Psal. cxiv. when he is describing the passage over theRed-sea, and that overJordan; he brings in the machinery of earthquakes, to testify the divine presence.
When Israel went out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from among a strange people;the sea saw it and fled. Jordan was driven back.
The mountains skipped like rams: and the little hills like young sheep.
Then he asks the question,What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
Ye mountains that ye skipped like rams, and ye little hills like young sheep?
He answers:Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the God of Jacob.
He fails not to attribute these marvellous appearances, to their true cause. Tho' he knew full well, that the God of nature administred the ordinary course of the earth by second causes; yet he could not be so blind but to perceive, when the waves of the ocean retreated; when the waters ofJordandivided; when mountSinaiwas all in fire, smoke, lightning and thunder, with the trumpet of God sounding, and the whole mountain shaking: he could not but perceive the presence of the author of nature, in these extraordinary appearances.
But every where in sacred scripture earthquakes are particularly singled out, above all other naturalphænomena, as having more of the majesty and terrific pomp, to denote an immediate operation of God's hand; to excite our fear, and shew his anger, as in ourtext,because he was wroth. In imitation of the sacred writers, the heathen poets, bothgreekandlatin, express the anger of theirJupiterby an earthquake:
Terrificam capitis concussit terque quaterqueCæsariem; cum qua terram, mare, sidera, movit.Ovid.
Terrificam capitis concussit terque quaterqueCæsariem; cum qua terram, mare, sidera, movit.Ovid.
Terrificam capitis concussit terque quaterqueCæsariem; cum qua terram, mare, sidera, movit.
Ovid.
Ovid.
The moving meteors in the free air, lightning, coruscations, fire-balls, tempests, thunders, or the dreaded comets, tho' frightful enough; yet people that do not think to any purpose, hope, as they are at a distance, to escape their effects. But when the terror comes home to us, to our feet; when the earth moves on which we stand; what heart is not moved? When our housesshakeover our ears, the greatest courage isshaken.
It is true, an earthquake causes an universal dread among all sorts of people; even the philosopher immersed in speculation of second causes, quakes; as well as the pious, whose fear proceeds from solid piety: a due sense of theangerof the almighty Being.
We saw how the late earthquakes affrighted every one; but, as to the generality, it was but for a moment. When they found themselves safe, and alive; thoughtless they ran to their business, or their diversion: and this not only the first, but the second time. And Iam apprehensive, were another, and another to come, they would only be less regarded than the preceding. As theIsraelites, to whom miracles became familiar; as theJews, in our Saviour's time, demanding of him to show them a sign from heaven, in the midst of the constant scene of miracles innumerable.
But 'tis my present business to call you to a due and serious reflexion, on these extraordinary events; by considering,
I. What the written word of God, the holy scriptures, informs us, concerning the ultimate purpose of earthquakes.
II. What we can learn from profane history.
III. To conclude with our text, that they are strictly and properly divine judgments;because he was wroth.
Ever since the earth began, earthquakes have been look'd on as extraordinary appearances, among the prodigies of nature, and executioners of divine justice. In the case ofKorah,the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up; and their houses, and all the men that pertained unto them; and all their goods.
In the miraculous victory obtain'd byJonathan, and his armor-bearer, over the army of thePhilistines, I.Sam.xiv. There was a panic terror infus'd into thePhilistines, and anearthquake: it is call'da very great tremblingof God. What the heathen attributed toPan, an imaginary deity of their own making: theHebrewsrightly refer'd to the true cause, the first, and supreme.
In the new testament, at our Saviour's death, there was a great earthquake, which was altogether miraculous; as much as the eclipse of the sun then. The elements might well sympathize with the God of nature.The sun was darkened, the vail of the temple was rent in twain; the earth did quake, the rocks rent.
Again, at his resurrection,Matt.xxviii. 2.There was a great earthquake. The angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
Matt.xxvii. 54.When the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, they feared greatly.See the consequence of it in one place; and thus in another:
Actsiv. 31.The Apostles, in the infant church,when praying, the place was shaken, where they were assembled together: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. The heathen centurionfearedupon the earthquake: The christians praying, werefilled with the Holy Ghost.
Actsxvi. 26. WhenPaulandSilaswere in prison.At mid-night when they pray'd, and sang hymns to God, suddenly there was a great earthquake; so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
Observe the consequence it had upon the gaoler;He called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
The gaol trembled; and the gaoler trembled, as is observed by a writer on this head, an earthquake couldsoftenhishardheart, andopenwhat he hadlock'd. It awaken'd him out of his spiritual slumber, as well as his natural sleep, and made his conscience, as well as the foundations of the prison, to quake. A bad conscience isas a troubled sea, that cannot rest, but casteth up mire, and clay. The gaoler perceiv'd the celestial warning, and made a proper use of it.
There are many circumstances in the nature of earthquakes, which render them peculiarly proper to be the instruments in God's hand, to give warning to a people, to amend their ways.
Thesuddennessis one. We saw, not long ago, what an effect was produced by a solareclipse, tho' it was expected long before. We had the prediction, and calculations about it in all our almanacs; yet there was an universal seriousness that followed it. All that morning, we could walk the street, without hearing an oath, and the churches were full, in time of prayer. But thesuddennessof an earthquake that comes at an instant, unthought of, without warning, that seems to bring unavoidable death along with it; is able to touch an adamantin heart. To see death stalking o'er a great city, ready to sweep us all away, in an instantaneous ruin, without a single moment to recollect our thoughts; this is fear without remedy; this is far beyond battle and pestilence. The lightning and thunderbolt,the arrow that flieth by day, may suddenly take off an object or two, and leave no space for repentance: but what horror can equal that, when above a million of people are liable to be buried, in one common grave!
Another consideration that inhances the dread of earthquakes, is theunavoidablenessof the calamity. Famine, and war, and rebellion, and pestilence we may run from, the disease among the cattle, and locusts, and the like stripes of angry heaven, we may have some chance to escape: but no means, no precaution, no remedy, no prudence can screen us, from so universal a desolation as this: 'tisas the presence of God. Whither then can we go to hide ourselves? Must we call upon the rocks and mountains, to cover, and shelter us from the divine wrath!And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of theLord,and for the glory of his majesty; when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Alas, those are the very instruments he employs for our destruction; to be our tombstones!
Thisunusualkind of death too, strikes us with horror; to be buried alive. The earth, the common mother of us all, and the common grave; to eat up her offspring alive; crouds all the images of amazement together, that can enter into the heart of man.
The greater the terror accompanying earthquakes, the greater a blessing is our deliverance from the danger of it! What can equal God's power and judgment but his mercy? Consider the wonderful consequence; that the whole city ofLondonshould so sensibly be shaken, and yet no one inhabited house to fall; nor one person kill'd. Amazing instance of power, and goodness, in our preservation! And this not only once, but the second time also; tho' evidently stronger was the concussion. So strong that almost every person was throughly persuaded, that some part, at least, of their houses, was falling down. Can wehelp admiring, that judgment should be so temper'd with mercy! Do we look only at the second causes with our unbelievers; and sport away the divine presence, as if it was an ordinary occurrence of every day? They want to see a miracle. Nought can affect them, but a direct, supernatural agency.
I answer, behold a visible, and notorious miracle; plainly obvious, and before all their senses. For can there be a greater miracle, can any thing be more directly the finger of God than this, which we ourselves saw with our eyes; that befell the whole city ofLondon.
We know the nature of the building ofLondonhouses; which sometimes fall of themselves, without shaking. Wonderful then is it to be thought, and a miracle indeed, that every house in this vast city, should twice be agitated, and rocked to and fro; and not one fall, nor one person receive any damage.
In vain will the philosophers seek for a solution of this problem, in natural causes only. By their chymical experiments, they make some little mimic imitations of tremors and fumes, and explosions. So by gun-powder, we ape the regal voice of thunder. But where is the discretionary act of mercy, and benignity, that separates between the vengeful and kind? These second causes act according to theirmaterial nature, like the roaring waves of the ocean, that flow in, and overwhelm every thing, where a breach is made. They can observe no distinction between the lands of a righteous man, and of a sinner: they cannot stop at the breach, and gather themselves on an heap, and not enter in at all, as the waters ofJordandid.
But in the case before us, the hand of the Lord, that stayed the flowing of the waters, that quelled the raging of the sea, and its proud waves; sets bounds to the trembling of the earth. Hither shall its vibrations go, and no further. When alas, if it went but one inch further (in comparison) a total ruin must unavoidably follow.
Consider this particular, when apply'd to all the buildings in this immense city: and wonder and adore, that almighty providence, which overlook'd us, and prescrib'd the limits; so narrow, so precise; which sav'd us from universal havoc!
II. Did we escape; how much happier are we, than the millions that have perished by the like calamity?Josephusthe famousJewishhistorian records, that about 29 years before our Saviour's birth, there happened such an earthquake in the country ofJudea, that 30,000 men perished.
In the fifth year of the reign ofTiberius, so dreadful an earthquake happened inAsia minor, that no less than 13 cities were destroy'd in one night; many of them great, and Royal:Sardisin particular, said to be second toBabylon.
InA. D.66. Another earthquake happen'd there, which destroy'dLaodicea,Hierapolis, andColossus.
A. D.79. Three cities inCypruswere overthrown.
A. D.114. The city ofAntiochsuffered extremely; whilst the emperorTrajanwas in it. And in the 7th year of that emperor, nine several cities were destroy'd inAsia,Greece, andCalabria.
To come nearer home, and our own times: In 1169,CataniainSicilywas destroyed, and 15,000 people killed.
1692, The whole city destroy'd and 18000 Inhabitants.
1456, AtNaples40,000 perished by an earthquake.
1531, In the city ofLisbon, 1400 houses were overthrown there, besides many damaged.
We know the miserable and deplorable catastrophe ofPort-Royal, inJamaica; which fell out in our own days. My blood shudders at the relation of it. And not manymonths ago, the populousLimainAmerica, was wholly swallowed up.
Have we not reason then to fear, for ourselves? 'Tis true, we have hitherto escaped. But can we tell how soon God shall let loose the avenging power of another; which may come, for ought we know, while we are speaking of it. And if it must come, happy may it be for us, that it finds us in this place, and so doing.
III. And this brings us, to consider the uses of these admonitions; and to show, that they are the effects of the divine anger.For the earth shook and trembled, says the holy psalmist,the foundation of the hills moved and were shaken; because he was wroth.
And here we cannot possibly have a stronger and more convincing evidence, of these convulsions of nature, being the immediate finger of God, than this single consideration. Let us but reflect on what has been said, in short; that these visitations only happen to great and populous cities, to great and eminent ports, and maritimeemporiumsflourishing in trade, riches, and luxury.
We hear not of barren desarts, uninhabited wildernesses, wide heaths, and downs, rocky cliffs, and beaches of the sea, to be the usual subject of earthquakes: but of towns and cities. Not so much of little villages,but of those immense collections of people. God does not give his warnings to birds, and beasts of the forest; to flocks of sheep; that punctually execute the respective offices he has enjoined them: but to us, the lords of the creation; to whom he has given reason, sense, and faculties, to reflect, and judge of things, of our own actions, as well as his; ofhisdoings, toward the children of men.
We observed before, a plain and notorious proof of God's hand in these judgments; that he cou'd move a whole city without throwing down a house. And this is most assuredly a second proof; that he visitsonlygreat cities, with these judgments. And we must conclude this to be as strong an argument of a divine interposition in these affairs, as any mathematical demonstration.
Some free-thinkers, or free-livers, when they find, they cannot set aside this reasoning, shelter themselves, with the history of God's converse withAbraham; about the cities ofSodomandGomorrha; assuring themselves, there is no danger. For tho' they can't pretend to be the meritorious people; yet they think God's mercy will be as signal to us, as heretofore: and that we have among us, at least ten righteous persons, to save the rest.
But vain are such hopes: God will say to them, as heretofore to theJews:If I bring my great judgments upon the earth, as I live saith the Lord, tho'Noah, Daniel,andJobwere there; they should save neither sons, nor daughters, but their own souls only.
God can, if he pleases, by very extraordinary means, preserve such as he thinks fit. But in general judgments, the righteous must undergo one common fate, with the wicked. God's mercy will be shown to them after this life, to make the superabundant amends.
But this is a solid lesson to us, of the necessity of a future life. We may as well banish God out of the earth, as to deny his attributes of power, and goodness, and justice, and the like. And these will insure us of a future state; when an exact return will be made, for our behaviour in this; otherwise we might justly expostulate, asAbrahamdid,Will not the judge of all the earth do right?
Good men, who have endeavour'd to do their duty, may say,God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, tho' the earth be remov'd; tho' the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; tho' the waters thereof roar, and be troubled; tho' the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
Come behold the works of the Lord; what desolations he hath made on the earth.
In the mean time, let us not think on runningawayfrom the danger, so much as on mending ourways; perfecting the christian life; reforming the abominable crimes, so justly chargeable on great and maritime cities; overflowing with riches, pride, and luxury, with vanity, pleasure, and profaneness; with gaming, immorality, infidelity; and especially with the notorious crime of sabbath-breaking, which is the foundation of all, and comprehends all others; for it prevents people from amending of any. If they fail of their duty towards God, in making their regular approaches to his temple; no wonder they are guilty of all crimes; regard neither God nor man. If they fail of coming, where they may hope for the kindly influences of God's holy Spirit; we need not wonder at their egregious wickedness: they become absolutely irreclaimable.
But of you, my beloved brethren, here assembled, I hope better things. You shun the degenerate corruptions of this evil age; you are not of the number of those that frequent our public meetings of folly, from the morning rendezvouzes to the mid-night assemblies; andthatprotracted to the morning light again. As if we ought to banish all seriousthoughts of our immortal interests; andthatin the sacred season of lent; destin'd by the church, for this very serious purpose.
Let us think, how this warning happen'd to us, in the time of lent; when they were revelling in their places of entertainment, both morning and evening, as if no such thing had been; and this on the very days; as if they confronted, and dar'd almighty vengeance. Much of a parallel case with that of the famous city ofHerculaneum, which is now the entertainment of the curious. First it was miserably shatter'd by an earthquake; whilst the people were at their diversions in the theatre; where all assembled perished. This was in the first year ofTitusthe emperor: but such a partial judgment not mending their manners; 9 years after, the whole city was destroy'd by a lake of liquid fire and brimstone, from mountVesuvius, just in the manner we now find it; 50 foot deep in cinders, and ashes.
When thy judgments, O God, are abroad, the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness.
The Lord is the true God; he is the living God; the everlasting King: At his wrath, the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation; says the prophetJeremiah, x. 10.
God give us grace, that instead of these short-liv'd, and unsatisfying pleasures; instead of palaces and houses here, ornamented in a sumptuous and eleganttaste; which may perhaps be swept away, with their owners, in a moment; we may aspire towards that heavenly city, which is above; whose foundations are not laid with hands, eternal in the heavens,&c.
FINIS.
THEPHILOSOPHYOFEARTHQUAKES,NaturalandReligious.PART II.Philosophi ipsius, qui de sua vi ac sapientia unus omnia pene profitetur, est tamen quædam descriptio; ut is qui studeat omnium rerum divinarum atque humanarum vim, naturam, causasq; nosse: & omnem bene vivendi rationem tenere, & persequi; nomine hoc appelletur.Cicero de Oratore.ByWILLIAM STUKELEY, M. D. Rector of St.George's,Queen-Square: Fellow of the College of Physicians and Royal Society:LONDON: Printed forC. Corbetover-against St.Dunstan'sChurch,Fleetstreet.MDCCL.
Philosophi ipsius, qui de sua vi ac sapientia unus omnia pene profitetur, est tamen quædam descriptio; ut is qui studeat omnium rerum divinarum atque humanarum vim, naturam, causasq; nosse: & omnem bene vivendi rationem tenere, & persequi; nomine hoc appelletur.
Cicero de Oratore.
ByWILLIAM STUKELEY, M. D. Rector of St.George's,Queen-Square: Fellow of the College of Physicians and Royal Society:
LONDON: Printed forC. Corbetover-against St.Dunstan'sChurch,Fleetstreet.MDCCL.
This discourse is but a necessary consequence of the preceding. The whole no other than an essay, toward investigating the true nature of the wonderful appearance of an earthquake. And something is done toward it, if only by eradicating an old error. In attaining the proposed end, I have endeavour'd to lay all the necessary circumstances together, which to our great amazement we have seen, and felt. That they may not be as soon forgotten, as they generally were, by the giddy multitude; equally thoughtless of what they knew to be past, as childishly fearful of an imaginary one, subsequent: for which there could not be the least ground of apprehension. By sober persons it was, with great reason, thought a judicial infatuation, and as much to be wonder'd at, as an earthquake itself; a real panic. When a third part of this immense city ran out into the fields for half a cold night; alarm'd with the silly prediction of a distemper'd fellow!
Nothing could tempt one to commemorate the follies of our cotemporaries, but the hope,it may be useful hereafter: and to show the true cause of this senseless terror; the want of a true sense of religion; and an universal degeneracy, and corruption of manners: begun by the great ones, and now propagated thro' all degrees to the lowest: begun in this great city; and now advancing apace to every great town in the kingdom.
'Tis from the great ones alone, that we can hope for a reformation: andthatby a strict observance of the sabbatical duty. Example, we know, governs the actions of mankind. Thatmust restore the practice, and the influence of religion: which alone can prevent the dangers that infest every corner of our streets; every road in the kingdom. We mistake the point, and betray our ignorance in human nature, when we think, acts of parliament, laws, and executions will do it. They are very weak in comparison of the impressions of religion, and conscience: as all philosophy both natural and religious, has hitherto thought, and known.
Since I had the honour to lay before the Society, in the spring, my thoughts upon earthquakes: we have had many further opportunities of reflecting upon that most awful, and hitherto unusual appearance. An earthquake was felt atEastwellinKent, onmonday march12, and onsunday, march18, atPortsmouth, theIsle of Wight,Southampton, and along the coast ofSussex, the isles ofGuernsey,Jersey.April2, a smart earthquake atManchester,Liverpool,Taunton,Bath,Flint,Lancaster,Wrexham, reaching 40 miles north and south: 70 miles east and west. Since then atRome,Naples,Leghorn; in the south ofFrance, and atPauunder thePyreneanmountains:Oporto, atS. MacaireinGuienne,MessinainSicily,MunichinBavaria, &c. &c. so that the year 1750, may rather be called the year of earthquakes, than of jubilee. For sinceFebruarylast, when they began with us atLondon; as far as I can learn, they have appear'd in many parts ofEurope,Asia,Africa, andAmerica. And have likewise revisited many counties in our own island, and at length, on the 30th of lastseptembergave much the most extensive shock, we have seen here in our days.
It may be well expected, that these frequent visits, in themselves so very extraordinary, to us so rare, andthatin one year, should keep up our attention: and as to my own part, induce one to reflect, on what I before offer'd concerning them; and be a sufficient apology for the present paper.
We have been acquainted, by those who remember it, that in the earthquake of nov. 1703, which happen'd inLincolnshire, the weather was calm, close, gloomy, warm, and dry; in a degree highly unusual, at that season. And thus it has been with us, all the year. And from the numerous accounts we have receiv'd at the Royal Society, in the beginning, and ending of the year; where any mention is made of the weather; they all agree in the like particular. Which is consentaneous to what I remark'd, as the constant forerunner of earthquakes; and what prepares the earth's surface, for the electrical stroke: which I asserted to be the cause of them.
Inmaylast, we had a paper read at the Royal Society, concerning the second earthquake felt by us atLondon, on the 8th ofmarch. A shepherd belonging to Mr. SecretaryFoxatKensington(the sky being perfectly serene, and clear) was much surprised with a very extraordinary noise in the air, rolling over his head, as of cannon close by. He likewise thought, that it came from the north-west, and went to the south-east: a motion quite contrary, to what must have been the case, if it were really of cannon. This noise pass'd rushing by him; and instantly he saw the ground (a dry, and solid spot) wave under him, like the face of the river. The tall trees of the avenue, where he was, nodded their tops very sensibly, and quiver'd like a shaken spear. The flock of sheep immediately took fright, and ran all away together, as if dogs had pursued them. A great rookery in the place, were equally alarm'd, and after an universal clangor, flew away; no less than if chaced by hawks.
I was likewise inform'd, that in the same earthquake, a great parcel of hens, and chickens, kept at that time inGray's-inn-lane, upon the shock, ran to the roost, affrighted. And the like was observ'd of pigeons. And in our last account of the earthquake fromNorthampton, 'tis remarked, that the birds incages put their heads under their wings, as to hide themselves.
June21, at the Royal Society, Mr.Jacksonpotter atLambeth, gave an account of some boats, cobles and lighters in the river, at that time; the people in them seem'd to feel, as if a porpoise, or some great fish had heav'd and thump'd at the bottom of the vessels. This is sometimes the case of ships at sea, when all is perfectly calm: which seems evidently owing to an electrical impression on the water.
In the evening-post ofjune23, we had a paragraph fromVenice, that a terrible earthquake had been felt lately in the little rocky isle ofCerigo, in theMediterranean, south ofMorea. It threw down a great number of houses; and above 2000 of the inhabitants were buried in the ruins.
Another earthquake about that time, happen'd inSwitzerland; which split a vast, rocky mountain; and an old castle wall of an immense thickness.
All these circumstances, and many more confirmed me in my former opinion. But since then, these wonderful movements have stalk'd round the globe: and again been lately felt in our own island; happily for us, to the terror only, of many thousand people: beside those concussions of this sort that appear'd in the western parts, in the more early time of the year.
I receiv'd a letter from my friendMaurice Johnson, Esq; the founder, and secretary of the Literary Society ofSpalding; which has now subsisted these 40 years. He acquaints me, that onthursday, 23d ofAugustlast, an earthquake was very sensibly felt there, about seven o'clock in the morning; throughout the whole town and neighbourhood; and many miles round: but that it chiefly spread itself northward, and southward. He says, that for a fortnight before, the weather had been serene, mild, and calm. And one evening, there was a deep redaurora australis, covering the cope of heaven, very terrible to behold. This same shock was felt atGrantham,Stamford, andMiltonbyPeterborough; and generally at all the intermediate places: and fromSpaldingit fled northward, along the sea shore, toBoston: thence upBostonriver, toLincoln.
Since then, I had a letter from Mr. AldermanTaylorofStamford, giving an account of another earthquake, that happen'd there,september30, at 36 minutes after twelve o'clock at noon. He describes it thus. They were suddenly surprised with an uncommon noise in the air, like the rolling of large carriages in the streets, for about 20 seconds. At the same instant they felt a great shake, or snap, as he calls it; insomuch that it sensibly shook a punch-bowl, which was in his parlour, andmade it ring. He says, it was perceiv'd of most of the people ofStamford, who generally ran out of their houses. AtOakhamthe chief town ofRutland, the congregation ran out of the church whilst the preacher was in the pulpit. All the towns roundStamford, were sensible of it: and atPeterborough, down toWisbech.
Thus far the Alderman. But we have had many advices from all hands, at the first, and second meetings of the Royal Society, for the winter season; with further particulars relating to this great concussion. That it was felt at the same time, atRugbyinWarwickshire, and reach'd toWarwick, atLutterworth, inLeicestershire: atLeicester, and round about. It extended itself toCoventry,Derby,Nottingham,Newark; then came eastward toHarborough,Towcester,Northampton,Rowel,Kettering,Wellingborough,Oundle, inNorthamptonshire;Uppingham,OakhaminRutland;Stamford,Bourn,Grantham,Spalding,Boston, and toLincolninLincolnshire;Holbech, and allHollandin that county.Peterborough,Wisbech, in the isle ofEly; together with all the intermediate, and adjacent places. Then it passed over the whole breadth ofElyfen: was felt atMildenhall, and reach'd toCalfordbyBuryinSuffolk, and the country thereabouts; of which we had notice from ladyCornwallis. An extent fromWarwicktoBuryof about 100 miles in length; and generally speaking, 40 miles in breadth. And this vast space was pervaded by this amazing motion, as far as we can get any satisfaction, in the same instant of time. They describe it, that the houses totter'd, and seem'd to heave up, and down: tho' it lasted but a few seconds. It was attended with a rushing noise, as if the houses were falling, and people were universally so affrighted, as to run out; imagining that their own, or their neighbours houses were tumbling on their heads. In the villages around, the people being generally at divine service, were much alarm'd: both with the noise, which exceeded all the thunder they had ever heard, beyond compare: and with the great shock accompanying; which was like somewhat, as they imagin'd, that rush'd against the church-walls, and roof. Some thinking the pillars crack'd, many that the beams of the roof were disjointed; and all, that the whole was falling. And happy were they that could get out first. Many people fancied, that nests of drawers, and cabinets, or the like heavy things, were fallen down above stairs: or that chimnies had broke thro' the roof of the house: or that some persons fell down stairs: and the like. Some perceived the crackling of inward wainscots or partitions: as Dr.Mortimerand I, observ'd in our first and secondshocks atLondon. A few slates, tiles, and parts of chimneys fell from some houses: pewter, china, glasses and brass from shelves. A clock bell, chamber bell sometime struck: windows universally rattled, and the like circumstances of tremor.
In regard to circumstances, they were pretty similar throughout. Many people sitting in their chairs relate, that they and their chairs were several times sensibly lifted up and set down again. A stack of chimneys were thrown down inCollege-lane; a place retaining the memory of a sort of university once beginning atNorthampton. The windows of houses rattled throughout the whole town: but no mischief done: in general it was frightful, and innocuous.
They fancied there, the motion of it, as they expressed it, to be eastward. In streets that run north and south, the houses on the east side of the way, were most affected. And Dr.Stonehouse's dwelling, the strongest in the town, was most sensibly shaken. So it was likewise observ'd, that churches were most subject to its violence. They thought too, that the motion seem'd rather horizontal, or lateral, than upward. Some counted the pulses distinctly, to the number of four: that the second, and third pulses were stronger, than the first, and fourth.
From all these various accounts, there was no sulphureous smell, or eruption; no fissures in the ground perceived. Yet several people were sick upon it: infinite numbers terribly affrighted, and as soon forgot the impression of it; or talk'd of it in a merry strain; as commonly with us atLondon. So little are the vulgar assessed, without something very sensible; and so soon is the sense of it worn out!
It was more evidently perceiv'd, by people standing; most, by those that were sitting: least, by such as were walking: and in upper stories of houses, more than in lower; or in cellars. Some coming down stairs, were in danger of being thrown forwards. Several sitting in a chair, and hearing the hollow, thundering noise, and thinking it was a coach passing by; when they attempted to get up, to see what it was, they were thrown back again in their chair. Some heard the wainscot crackle, Some sitting in their chairs leaning forwards, were thrown down on their hands, and knees. Some people heard the noise without feeling the shock: others felt the shock without hearing the noise. Some in a standing posture, were forc'd to lay hold on a table, to keep themselves from falling.
It was particularly remarked (as before observ'd) that birds in cages were sensibly affrighted; thrusting their heads under theirwings. Mrs.AllicockofLoddington,Northamptonshire, a lady in child-bed, was so affected, that it caused her death. Mrs.Hardy, another lady in the same circumstance, and in the same county, likewise expired upon it, Some people felt a sudden shortness of breath, that they were forc'd to go out into the open air, it so affected the pulmonary nerves. Many were taken with head-achs, and other sicknesses.
These are, in general, the circumstances and observations made, at the time of these earthquakes; when we recollect ourselves, after the suddeness, and fright. Give me leave to make the following remarks therefrom.
1st. As far as we can possibly learn, where no one can be prepar'd, at different places, by time keepers; this mighty concussion was felt precisely at the same instant of time; being about half an hour after twelve at noon. This, I presume, cannot be accounted for, by any natural power, but by that of an electrical vibration; which, we know, acts instantaneously.
2dly, Let us reflect on the vast extent of this trembling, 100 miles in length, 40 in breadth, which amounts to 4000 square miles in surface. That this should be put into such an agitation, in one moment of time, is such a prodigy; as we should never believe, orconceive, did we not know it to be fact, from our own senses. But if we look for a solution of it, we cannot think, any natural power is equal to it, but that of electricity; which acknowledges no sensible transition of time; no bounds.
3ly, We observe, the vulgar solution of subterraneous eruptions receives no countenance, from all that was seen, or felt, during these earthquakes. It would be very hard to imagine, how any such thing could so suddenly, and instantaneously operate, thro' this vast space: andthatin so similar, and tender a manner over the whole, thro' so great a variety, as well as extent of country; as to do no mischief. A philosophical inquirer inNorthamptonshirehad his eye particularly on this point, takes notice, there were not any fissures in the ground; any sulphureous smells, or eruptions any where perceiv'd; so as to favour internal convulsions of the earth. The reverend Mr.NixonofHigham, and Mr.Smith, in his letter fromPeterboroughtake notice, that they could not learn, there were any sort of eruptions out of the earth, any where: no smoke, vapor, or smell: tho' they made sufficient inquiry about that circumstance, according to particular direction. Yet we learn from a letter atUppinghaminRutland, that a plaister floor became crack'd thereby. These kind of floors are frequentin this country; what we callstuccoinLondon: and it gives us a good notion of the undulatory vibration, produc'd by an earthquake; which some have compar'd to that of a musical string: others to that of a dog, or a horse shaking themselves, when they come out of the water. This last comparison would have pleased some of the ancients, who would needs fancy, that the globe of the earth was a great animal.Plato,Plutarch, and others, had such kind of sentiments. Whence one may imagine, that they would conceive an earthquake to be, as when a horse shakes a part of his skin, upon a fly touching him. Some of our correspondents express the motion of an earthquake to be like a boat lifted up by one wave, let down by another.
4ly, The former earthquake that happen'd atGrantham,Spalding,Stamford, (which towns lie in a triangle) took up a space which may, in gross, be accounted a circle of 30 miles diameter: the center of which is that great morass, calledDeeping-fen. This comprehends 15 miles of that 30, in diameter: and where probably, the electrical impression was first made. Much the major part ofDeeping-fenis under water in the winter time; underneath 'tis a perfect bog. Now it is very obvious, how little favorable such ground is, for subterraneous fires.
In the second earthquake, not only this country was affected again, but likewise a much larger space of the same sort of fenny ground, rather worse than the former: allDonnington-fen,Deeping-fen,Croyland-fen,Thorney-fen,Whitlesea-fen,Bedfordlevel, and the whole extent ofEly-fen, under various denominations. This country, under the turf, abounds with subterraneous timber of all sorts; fir, oak, and brush-wood: and stags horns. Now and then they find a quantity of hazel nuts, crouded together on an heap. I have some of them. This is a matter common to all boggy ground over the whole globe, Such things are the ruins of theantediluvianworld, washed down from the high country where they grew, were here lodg'd upon the subsiding of the waters, and by time are o'ergrown with the present turf. They that seek for any other solution of this affair, than the universalNoachiandeluge, want to account for a general effect, by a partial cause: and shut their eyes, both to the plain history of this matter; and to the infinite, notorious demonstrations of it, from fossil appearances.
5ly, All this country, tho' underneath 'tis a watry bog, yet thro' this whole summer, and autumnal season (as they can have no natural springs in such a level) the drought has been so great on the superficies, that the inhabitantswere oblig'd every day, to drive their cattle several miles, for watering. The drought was greater, than has been known in the memory of any one living. This shows how fit the dry surface was, for an electrical vibration. And we learn from hence, this important particular, that it reaches but very little below the earth's surface.
Mr.Johnson, in another letter which he wrote to me concerning the second earthquake observ'd atSpalding; says upon this occasion, he was obliged to scour his canal, and deepen it: that they came to a white, quicksand; which afforded to all the neighbourhood, excellent water in plenty.
In the gravelly soil ofLondon; and where the two shocks were felt by us, in the beginning of the year; we know, there is not a house in the whole extent of this vast city, and all around it, but a spring of water is ready, upon digging a well, Whence we have much reason to believe, that the interior of the earth, is like a sponge soak'd in water. So that the only dry part is the superficies, which is the object, and the subject of that electric vibration; wherein, according to my sentiments, an earthquake consists.
This shews the mistake of the ancients, who fancying that earthquakes proceeded from subterraneous eruptions, built their prodigious temple ofDianaatEphesus, upon a boggyground, to prevent such a disaster, The marshy part ofLincolnshire, being my native country, the adjacent fen, together with that in the isle ofEly, I have been perfectly acquainted with; from one end to the other, ever since I knew any thing. This vast extent of fenny level, from nearCambridgein the south, to nearHorncastlein the north, is 70 miles in length. And when I perceiv'd, that it was, in whole, or in part, shaken by both the last earthquakes: I could not but see, that it was no less than a demonstration against the old notion of their cause.
6ly, Earthquakes are truly most violent, in a rocky country: because the shock is proportionate to the solidity of the matter electrify'd. So that rocks, cliffs, quarries, old castle walls, and strong buildings, are most obnoxious to the concussion. The isle ofCerigowas more liable, and more rudely handled by the late earthquake; both because it was an isle, and because it was rocky. So we must say of the late earthquake inSwitzerland, that split the mountain, and the old castle wall. Whence Mr.Johnsonin his second letter, says, it cracked a very strong brick-house inGosbertonbySpalding. Dr.Doderidgeobserves fromNorthamptonthat Dr.Stonehouse's dwelling being a very strong one, was most sensibly shaken. And throughout the whole compass of this great earthquake, we find, boththe noise, the shock, and the terror was greatest at the churches, whose walls and bulk made more resistance than houses. And generally speaking, the churches throughout this whole extent have very fair, and large towers, and very many remarkable spires all of good stone, which no doubt quiver'd very much at top, if we could have discern'd it. This same vibration impressed on the water, meeting with the solid of the bottom of ships, and lighters, gives that thump felt thereon; just as in common electrifying, we feel the stroke upon the joints of our limbs chiefly. Yet of the millions of ordinary houses, over which it passed, not one fell. A consideration which sufficiently points out to us, what sort of a motion this was not, what sort of a motion it was, and whence deriv'd; not a convulsion of the bowels of the earth, but an uniform vibration or undulation of its surface, aptly thought like that of a musical string: or what we put a drinking glass into, by rubbing one's finger over the edge; which yet brought to a certain pitch, breaks the glass; undoubtedly an electric repulsion of parts. And from this remarkable similarity in the appearance of earthquakes we gather an invincible argument against the old opinion of their cause; for the tumult of subterraneous eruptions can have no possible place herein.
7ly, We find from all accounts, ancient and modern, that the weather preceding these shocks, was mild, warm, dry, serene, clear, frosty: what notoriously favours all our electrical experiments. This is particularly observ'd by Mr.Johnsonand Mr.Smith, and other accounts. In the extensive shock ofsunday march18, along theSussexcoast, they take notice fromPortsmouth, that the day was serene, warm, and dry, and that a shower of rain fell immediately before the shock. Mr.BowmanofMoulseyobserv'd a shock there onmay24 last, and says, the air was perfectly serene, and clear. We very well know, that generally, all last winter spring, summer, and autumn, have been most remarkably of this kind of weather; more so, than has been observ'd in our memory; and have had all those requisites, appearances, and preparations, that notoriously cause electricity, that promote it, or that are the effects of it.
8ly, We find the blood-redaustralis aurorapreceding atSpalding, as with us atLondon. At the time of the earthquake atManchesterthis year, it accompanied it. And this year has been more remarkable than any for fire-balls, storms, wind, thunder, lightnings, and coruscations, almost throughout allEngland. A large ball of fire, with a long fiery tail onjuly22, that passed over great part ofEnglandnorthward. Another seen overLondon,passing from west to east, inoctober. Coruscations were seen just before that extensive shock of 70 miles long felt fromLancastertoWrexham, onapril2, last. Fire-balls more than one were seen inRutland, andLincolnshire: and particularly observ'd. And Mr.SmithfromPeterboroughwrites, that a fire-ball was seen the morning of the earthquake, in the upper part ofNorthamptonshire. All these kind of meteors are rightly judg'd to proceed from a state of electricity in the earth and atmosphere: and how far they are actually concerned in causing earthquakes, time, and accurate observation must inform us.
9ly, Mr.Johnsonin both his letters to me, on the first and second earthquakes, atSpalding, remarks particularly, of their effects being mostly spread to the north and south, and especially felt on the sea coast. We may observe, that such is the direction ofSpaldingriver, which both conducts, and strengthens the electric vibration: conveying it along the sea-shore thence, up toBostonchannel; and so upBostonriver toLincoln, as we discern, by casting our eye on a map.
We observe further, that the main of this second earthquake display'd its effects along, and between the two rivers,WellandandAvon: andthatfrom their very origins, down to their fall into the sea. It likewise reach'd the riverWitham, which directed the electric streamthat way too, toLincoln. For which reason, as there meeting the same coming fromBoston, the shock was most sensibly felt. It reach'd likewise to theTrentatNottingham, which convey'd it toNewark.
The first electrical stroke seems to have been made on the high ground aboveDaventry, inNorthamptonshire; where theRomancamps are, made byP. Ostoriusthe proprætor. From thence it descended chiefly eastward, and along the riverWelland, fromHarboroughtoStamford,Spalding, the sea: and along the riverAvon, orNen, toNorthampton,Peterborough,Wisbechto the sea. It spread itself all over the vast level of the isle ofEly; further'd by very many canals, and rivers, natural, and artificial, made for drainage. It was still conducted eastward upMildenhallriver, inSuffolk, toBury, and the parts adjacent. All this affair duly consider'd, is a confirmation of the doctrine I advanc'd on this subject.
10ly, I apprehend, it was not the noise in the air, as of many cannon let off at once, preceding the earthquake, that so much affrighted people, or affected the sheep, the rookery atKensington, the hen and chickens inGray's-inn-lane, the pigeons. It could not be barely the superficial movement of the earth, that disturb'd them all at once. I judge it to be theeffectof electricity, somewhat like what causes sea sickness; such a sort of motion, as we arenot accustomed to. So the earthquake affects all those of weak nerves, or that have nervous complaints; obnoxious to hysterics, colics, rheumatick pains in their joints; several women were seized with violent head-achs, before both the shocks we felt inLondon. It was this that gave the people a shortness of breath. Mr.SmithfromPeterboroughspeaks of a person that found himself very sick upon it. This made the dog run whining about the room, seeking to get out: this made the fishes leap up in the pond atSouthwark; like as the experiment of electrifying the fishes: it makes them sick. And this causes the birds in cages to hide their heads under their wings, because they cannot fly away. Which is commonly observ'd of them inItaly, and countries, where earthquakes are more frequent.
11ly, I observe, the shepherd atKensingtonthought the motion of the earthquake, and the sound, was from the north-west to south-east; the like Mr.W. SmithfromPeterborough. On the contrary, Mr.Byfieldthe scarlet dyer inSouthwark, thought the noise came from the river below bridge, and went towardWestminster; where it rattled so, that he did not doubt, but that the abbey-church was beaten down.
Dr.Parsonstook pains to find out the way of the motion of the earthquake, from the different position of people's beds; but from the contradictoryanswers given, he cou'd not obtain any satisfaction, as to that point. All this, and what was observ'd fromNorthampton, of the motion being thought by some, to be upward and downward; by others rather horizontal, or lateral: the counting the pulses, and the like, only points out to us the prodigious celerity, and the vibratory species of the motion of an earthquake. But far, very far is this from being owing to the tumultuous ebullition, the irregular hurry of subterraneous explosions.
12ly, How the atmosphere, and earth, are put into that electric and vibratory state, which prepares them to give, or receive the snap, and the shock, which we call an earthquake; what it is, that immediately produces it, we cannot say: any more than we can define, what is the cause of magnetism, or of gravitation; or how muscular motion is perform'd, or a thousand other secrets in nature.
We seem to know, that the author of the world has disseminated ethereal fire, thro' all matter, by which these great operations are brought about. This is the subtil fluid of SirIsaac Newton, pervading all things: the occult fire diffused thro' the universe, according toMarsilius Ficinusthe platonic philosopher, on theTimeusof his master. All the Platonists insist on an occult fire passing thro', and agitating all substance, by its vigorous and expansive motion.
Before them,Hippocrateswrites in the same sense,I. de victûs ratione, that this fire moves all in all. This ethereal fire is one of the four elements of the ancients. It lies latent, and dispersed thro' all the other three, and quiescent: till collected into a quantity, that over-balances the circumjacent; like the air crouded into a tempest: or till it is excited, by any proper motion.
This fire gives elasticity: and elasticity or vibration is the mother of electricity. We don't so much wonder at phosphorus arising from animal substances; for this fire is in water, and betrays itself to our senses, in salt water. Many a time when I have passed theLincolnshirewashes, in the night time; the horse has seem'd to tread in liquid flames. The same appearance is oft at the keel of a ship. Fire exists in water, saysPliny, as well as in human bodies.nat. hist.II. 107. Loaf sugar beaten in the dark is luminous. Many vegetables, as indian cane, and rotten wood the like, asBartholinlargely recites,de luce hominumc. 4. All electric bodies have this privilege: that is, they more easily discover it. Amber, gum lac, naptha, bitumens, some precious stones. My old friend Mr.Stephen Graythe father and great propagator of electricity, show'd me experiments therein, in the year 1705, then atCorpus Christicollege inCambridge. Afterward in the year 1719, he show'd by experimentsbefore the Royal Society, that paper, ribbands, silk, sattin, cloth, shavings, linen, goldbeaters skin, and in short, almost all kind of substances discover electrical sparks of fire in the dark: especially when well warm'd before the fire, or in a cold, dry, nitrous air, and in a room where there is no company. This same quality is foundin vacuo, as Dr.Desaguliersshow'd before the Royal Society,march31, 1720. He took an exhausted glass globe, and caused it to be turn'd round violently, in an engine: by rubbing the hand upon it, it was illuminated within side, with purple streams. This gave foreigners the idea of using a glass globe, in electrical experiments.
The operation of the ethereal fire is various, nay, infinite, according to its quantity, and degree of incitement, progress, hindrance, or furtherance. One degree keeps water fluid, says the learned bishop ofCloyne: another turns it into elastic air, and air itself seems nothing else, but vapors, and exhalations render'd elastic, by this fire.
This fame fire permeates, and dwells in all bodies; even diamond, flint, and steel. Its particles attract with the greatest force, when approximated. Again, when united, they fly asunder, with the greatest force, and celerity; it resists nothing quiescent, but when put into motion, it disdains all resistance. All this is according to the laws prescrib'd by the sovereignarchitect. This is the life, and soul of action, and reaction, in the universe. Thus has the great author provided against the native sluggishness of matter! light, or fire in animals, is what we call the animal spirits; and is the author of life, and motion. But we know not the immediate mode of muscular motion; any more than how, in inanimate matter, it causes the vibrations of an earthquake.
Of this fire, the excellentManiliusthus writes, who liv'd in the time ofAugustus.
Astronom.I.