FOR THE PEOPLE
FOR EDVCATION
FOR SCIENCE

LIBRARY

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS,

• *

GIVING SOME

ACCOUNT

O F T H E

Prefent Undertakings, Studies, and Labours,
OF THE

INGENIOUS,

IN MANY

Confiderable Parts of the WORLD.

LONDON:

Printed for C. Davis, Printer to the Royal
Socie ty; over-againft Gray’s- Inn-Gate in Holbourn*
M. dcc. l.

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| P/uIi’. ’ '/ ‘rtinj N° 491. TAB. I.

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f'/u/oj. Tra/nd.N? 4 yi TAB .I,A 3<f.

&</ 3

Num\ 45jrr..
Beginning VOL. XLVL

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS.

For the Months of 'Jan. Febr. and March. 1749.

I. A Letter from the Rev . Henry Miles
D. D. & F. R. S . to Martin Folkes Efq\
cPr. R. S. concerning Thermometers, and
fome Ohfervations of /^Weather. p. i-

II. An Account of the Cafe of a Clergyman V
Lady, at Cottered near Baldock in Hert-
fordshire, who had a Stone under her
Tongue, by Wm. Freeman Efq, F.R.S, p. 5.

HI. An Account of Glaffes of a new Con-
trivance, for prefer ving Pieces of Anatomy
or Natural Hiftory in fpirituous Liquors,
by Claud. Nic. le Cat, M. D. F. R. S,
Royal Demonflrator in Anatomy and Sur-
gery at Roan. * p. 6. 88.

IV. Obfervationes aliquas aftronomicce a Reve-
rendo P. P. Suarez e S. J. in Par aquaria
habitse, et per D. Suarez M. D. cum See,
Regali communicate. * p. 8.

V.

The CONTENTS

V. Obfervatio Eclipfis folaris Julii 14, et

Lunce Julii 28, 1748- Madirti habits

a Domino Antonio de Ullo'a R. S. S. p. 10.

VI. Remarks on the principal Paintings
fou?id in the fuhterraneous City of Elercu-
laneum, and at prefent in the Poffeffwn of

the King of Naples ; by Blondeau

£/y, commimicated by Tho. Stack M. J D.

&F.R.S. p 14.

VII. An Account of a new invented arith-

metical Infir ums?it called a Sh wan -pan, or
Chinefe Accompt-Table ; by Gamaliel
Smethurfh p. 22.

VIII. Extrad of a Letter from Benp Heath

Efq\ to Peter Da vail Efq\ Seer. R. S. in -
cloftng a Propofal for intirely removmg the
only real Defebl in the lateral Operation
for the Stone; by Mr. John Mudge Sur-
geon at Plymouth. p . 24.

IX. An Account of the Locufts, which didvajl

Damage in Walachia, Moldavia, #WTran-
Elvania, in the Tears 1 747 and 1748; and
of fome Swarms of them , which , in the
Months of July and Auguft i 748. came
into Hungary and Poland ; by a Gentleman
who lives in Tranfilvania. p, 3°.

X.

The C O NTE NTS.

X. A Letter from Mr. Henry Baker F.R.S

to the Prefident, concernmg fome Vertebrae
of Ammonitae, or Cornua Ammonis ; com-
municated to Mr. Baker by the Rev. Dr.
Miles F.R.S. p ■ 37-

XI. Fhe Cafe of Mr. Smith, Surgeon , at Sud-

bury in Suffolk ; the Coats of whofe Sto-
mach were changed into an almofl cartila-
ginous Subjlance\ communicated by the Rev.
Mr. Murdock to Cromwell Mortimer
M. D. Secret . R. S. p. 39.

XII. A Catalogue of the Fifty Plants

from Chelfea - Garden, prefented to the
Royal Society by the Company oj Apothe-
caries, for the Year 1746. purfuant to the
DireSlion of Sir Hans Sloane Bart. Med.
Reg. nuper Soc.Reg.Prcef.\ by' Jof. Miller
Apothecary , Hort. Chelf. Frcef. ac FrceleSl.
Botan. p. 43.

XIII. Floe Reverend Mr. Robert Clarke to

Mr. Fleming, concerning a Boy , who had a
Calculus formed between the Gians and the
Praeputium. p. 45.

XIV. Floe Fftablifhment of a new Genus of
Plants, called Salvadora, with its Defcrip -
tion ; by Laurence Garcin M. D. F. R. S.

The CONTENTS.

of Neufchatel in Switzerland ; communi -
cated in a Letter to Dr . Mortimer Seer.
R. S. p. 47.

XV. A State of the English TV tight s and Mea-

fnres of Capacity, as they appear from
the Laws as well aiicient as modern ; with
fome Confiderations thereon \ being an At»
tempt to prove that the prefent Avoirdepois
Weight is the legal and ancient Standard
for the Weights and Meafures of this
Kingdom 5 by Samuel Reynardfon Ffq\
F. R. S. p ■ 54.

XVI. A Letter from Dr . le Cat F. R. S. to
C. Mortimer M. D. Secret . R. S. concern-
ing the Cure of Dry Gangrenes ; together
with a Defer iption of a new-invented In •
Jlrument for the Extirpation of Tumours
out of the Reach of the Surgeon s Fingers.

P- l2'

[ * ]

• . I

I. A Letter from the Rev . Henry Miles
D. D. & F, R . S. to Martin Folkes Efq;
\cFr. R. S. concerning Thermometers, and
fome Obfervations of the Weather.

^ ^ ' j1 lu'.>

Read Jan. Candor with which you receive

1748 JL whatever is prefented to you, tend-

ing to advance Natural Knowledge, invites me to
offer this Paper to your Hands, on the Subject of
the Thermometer. . .

It has been often complained of, that the /Theo-
ries we have of the Air and Weather, are fo im-
perfect, and that an unfinifhed one, of the honoura-
ble Mr. Boyle, publilhed fince his Death, Ihould be
the beft we yet have > perhaps there is equal Reafon
for Complaint, that the Thermometer firft intro-
duced into Ufe in England by the fame excellent
Philofopher, fhould be fo little improved for more
than half a Century of Years, and be made to ferve
a not much better Purpofe than that of Amufe-
ment. .7 ,rn ’-.orr; x .

For fome Years pall, fcveral eminent Philofophers
at home and abroad have applied tjhemfelves to bring
this Inftrumcnt to greater Perfection, and to render
it more ufefulj and .among them the great Sir-
Ifaac Newtofi did not think it -unworthy, his At-
tention. . ,

It feems now to be pretty generally agreed, that
Thermometers made with Quickfilver are preferable

A to

T 2 ]

to ail others j that extravagant Fluid , as Mr. Boyle
calls it, being mod eafily l'ufceptible both, of Heat
and Cold, and, when well purified, not liable to be
obdruded in itis Motion.

I had, by fome Years Experience, found both the
Excellence of them, and the Neceffity of keeping
them in the open fhaded Air, before I met with the
learned and curious Etlays Medical and Phiiofophi-
cal of Dr. George Martine , in which he fo much
recommends their Ufe ; and it was no final 1 Satif-
fadion to me, to find that Gentleman had proved,
by Experiments, that Quickfilver both heats and cools
fafter than any Liquor we know# fader, 1 am dire
(lays he), than Water, Oil, or even Spirit of Wine,
and never freezes, by any Degree of Cold hitherto
obferved.

Might I be indulged the Liberty, I would embrace
this Opportunity of inviting fuch Gentlemen, as at-
tend to this Branch of Natural Philofophy, to con-
fider what Dr. Martine has faid to* recommend the
Ufe of Thermometers made with Quickfilver, and
to place them in the open Air, guarded from the
Sun’s Rays? which, fome Obfervations I made, and
did my felffthe Honour to lay before the Royal Society
formerly*, may ferve to fhew the Necedity of ■, efpe-
ciaily a more remarkable one, lately made, which I
fhall fubj-oin hereto.

There is another Particular of great Importance,
which I fear we may rather wifh than hope to fee
made a general Pradice, recommended by the fame
Gentleman# thatisj the condruding all Thermome-
ters with one Scale But if this may not be expeded,

* • - certainly

• See Pbil. Tran/. N<\ 484, p. 613.

[ 3 ]

certainly no Thermometer fhould be made without ad-
juftingtwo determinate and fufficiently diftant Points
of Heat and Cold ; fuch, for inftance, as thofe of
boiling Water, and of Water juft beginning to freeze,
and the intervening Space divided into a convenient
Number of equal Degrees. By this means we fhould
be able to know what is meant by any fpecified De-
grees of Heat or Cold, and a Comparifon might
be eafily made of the State of the Air in diftant
Places, provided the Inftruments were accurately
made.

Dr. Martine feems to think, that the Degree of
Cold which caufeth Water to begin to freeze, is
nearly equal in all Places, whatever little Variation
there may be found in that Degree of Heat which
caufeth Water to boil, at different times, from the
different Weight of the Atmofphere: So that we
may look upon thefe two Points as fufficiently de-
terminate.

An Account of an Obfervation I made of the fud-
den Change of the Temperature of the Air on
Tuefday the lid of November laft i with the
State of the Barometer , and other Cirqim-
ftances .

On Monday the 21ft in the Evening the Sky very
clear, the W ind N. and a fmart Froft, the Barome-
ter was 30 Inches ^ T™. At near the Thermo-
meter without my Window at yqr. below o, or
freezing Point. The Thermometer within, of the
fame Conftru&ion with it, and not a Yard from it*

A 2 (the

r 4 ]

the Room having had no Fire in it this Seafon) at
fgr. nearly above o. ,

On Tuefdaj Morning, at 4* 20', when I got up,
I found the Barometer at 30. Too Inch j the

Thermometer without at ij\.gr. 4 below o ; that
within at igr. 4 above o. I was much furprifed hereat,
and before 1 had finifhed my Entry I returned to re-
new my Obfervation, fearing I might have made a
JV.'Ulakc, but found I had not: At 7“ 40' the fame
Morning, upon opening my Study-Window, I ob-
fetved the Sky to look red and lowering ; this induced
me tq go up to examine my Glades,. hifpeciing there
mi-Tu be a Change, and foupd the Barometer fallen
to 30. the Thermometer without rifen to

beiOw freezing Point, but that within fallen to
jgr. jabovc j the Wind getting about to W. and

f^Y-([an^>befpre 10 in the Morning we had fomc
iih, a^jjins fevere Froft went off. At this laft-
mennon’d Hour the Thermometer without had rifen
to jgr. above o; that within continuing at igr. as
before. At 8h 4 that Evening the Thermometer
vyithout .>Yas- at no lefs than 12 gr. above, o, that
within" at jg r, above o: So that from that time I
rha^e rpy Obfervation at 4* 20' in the Morning to
8* 4 at Night, there was a Change in the Tempera-
ture of the Air abroad of 26 gr. 4 ; while the Change
within -doors did not amount to more than Vr.
Warmer.

I yvil^trefpafs no further on your Goodnefs, than
(after have made this one Remark, that it feems pro-
bable from hence, that we may have frequently hadk
greater Extremes of* Heat and Cold by far, than

have

[ 5 ]

have fallen under Obfervation) to beg Leave to Tub-
feribe myfelf, with the higheft Efteem,

SI Ry

Tooting, Dec. 6:

1748. Tour and the Royal Society 7

moft obedient , and
mo ft humble Servant

o ii c; ' , ;

Henry Miles.

II. An Account of the Cafe of a Clergy man* s
La4y, at Cottered near Baldock in Hert-
fordihire, who had a Stone under her
'‘Tongue, by Wm. Freeman Efq\ F. R. S.

</’•. . ' I'.- '•

Retd Jan. 19.'' | ''HI S Subftance, fecmingly a Concre-
1 748‘ tion of Stone or Chalk *, vwas voided

in July 1748. from under the Root of her Tongue,
juft on the left Side of the middle String among
the Blood-veffels. It was lodged in a Cell formed
by itfclf, the Traces being left behind exactly tally-
ing. It was voided without Pain, or Effuflon of
Blood.

The Patient began to fed in the Part affe&ed fome
Uneafinefs about 18 Months before the Difcharge.
The Pain extended itlelf fometimes along the Jaw
almoft to the Ear ; the Glands being at rimes fwelfd,
and a fait Rheum flowing into the Mouth. The
Swelling of the Part gradually increafed to about the

Size

)

* The Stone is in the Mu/tum of the Royal Society.

[ 6 ]

Size of a large Nutmeg 5 and, being felt by the Fin-
ger, was hard.

About a Fortnight before the Difcharge, fome
white Specks appeared > upon which it was fuppofed
that Matter was gathering } and being ftill hard, a
common Poultice of white Bread and Milk was ap-
plied, and then it prefently diflodged itfelf, without
any Application, and left the Patient ever fince free
from Complaint.

I was obliged to the Rev. Mr. Chauncy , the Hus-
band of the Patient, for this Account.

III. An Account of Glades of a new Con -
trivance , for prefer ving Pieces of Anatomy
or Natural Hiftory in fpirituous JLiquors%
by Claud. Nic. le Cat. M. D. P. R. S.
Royal Demonftrator in Anatomy a?id Sur-
gery at Roan.

Tranjlated from the French by T. S. M.T). F. R . S.

Read jia. 19.' | ’HOSE who have Collections of
*748. ^ Anatomy, or Natural H.ftory, and

preferve Animals, Vegetables, or any of their Parts,
in fpirituous Liquors, are fenfible how expenfive it
is to fupply the VVafte of thefe Spirits, which eva-
porate confiderably.

Having in 1739. begun to make a Collection of
this fort, it was uot long before I felt the Necefiity
1 was -under of contriving fome kind of Veflcl, or
fome way of doling the common Glafics, which
might prevent, or at lead diminifh the Quantity of,
this Evaporation. After

[ 7 ]

After trying feveral Methods, which did not fully
fatisfy me, I fixed upon the Glafs, which is repre-
fented in the annexed Figures, Tab. I. Fig. i. and 2.

Its Difference from the common ones confifts in
having, quite round the Edge of its Orifice, a circu-
lar Groove or Chanel, Fig. 1. A A, an Inch deep
for the fmaller Sizes, and two Inches for the larger.
This circular Groove is intended to receive a Bor-
der, SB, of the fame Figure on the Cover C : In
the middle of the Concavity of this Cover is a dou-
ble Hook, on which the Threads are to be fattened,
which fufpend the Piece or Preparation that is to
be pur into the Glafs. ' .

In putting the Piece into the Glafs, which con-
tains the preftrving Liquor, Care muft be taken to
place it on the Hooks in the fame Pofition, which
you intend it fhould keep in the Glafs: That done,
you are to pour Oil, or Quickfilver, which is bet-
ter, into the circular Groove AAy fo as to make it
about half-full. Then you are to let down the
Piece into the preferving Liquor ; and when it is
intirely funk down, the Cover C ought to light upon
the Glafs, and its circular Border BB , enter into the
circular Groove A A, Where it falls into the Oil or
Quickfilver, which rifes up and fills the whole Groove;
by which means the Glafs is in fome meafure her-
metically fealed, The Oil indeed permits fome fmall
Evaporation ; the Quickfilver more completely an-
fwers the End of this Invention, but it is more ex-
penfive,

As I had contrived this Glafs for my own private
Ufe, I negle&ed making it public; till, happening
to be prefent at the public Meeting of the Academy

of

C 8 ]

of Sciences of Paris , at E after 174.6, I heard Mr.
de Reaumur read a Memoir on this Subject. My
Glafs feem’d to me vaftly preferable to the VeflTels
propofed by that great Academician. This Incident
rouzed my Emulation, and gave me the better Opi-
nion of my Glafs, a Pattern of which I fent to M.
Morand. The fame Motive engages me to take the
Advantage of the Freedom of Correfpondence re-
eftablifhed between France and England, in fending
this Defcription to the Royal Society i

IV. Obfervationes aliquae aftrommicce a Reve-
rendo P. P. Suarez e S. J. in Par aquaria
habitae, et per D. Suarez M. D. cum Soc.
Reg ali communicate.

Prefented Jan. 1:9. a N NJO 1 74.7, Februarii 24, poft
*7^8 9 meridiem, nubilo coelo toto fere

tempore eclipfis Lunae, hxc tantum obfervari potue-
runt in millionibus Paraquari* Soc. Jef. a P. Bona -
Centura Suarez, ejufdem Soc. miflionario, in oppido
Sanfti Angelt Cuftodis, poft emerlioncm fecundi
digiti Lunx ex umbra Terrx, telefcopio ped. io|.

t

Ariftarchus emergit
Tycho emergit
Calippus emergit
Dionyftus emergit
Mare Crif. incipit emcrgere
Tinis Eclipfis

H 3 l'A7

14 37 30

H S6 47

15 04
if 13 1 7
if 16 4

Intercapcdinem

t 9 ]

Intercapedinem marginum occidentalium Lunae,
et Maris Crijii vix capiebat diameter minor maculae
'Platonis.

Oppidum Santti Angeli in miflionibus iPara-
quaria Soc. 'Jefu eft reliquis orientalius. Ejus lon-
gitudo ab inlula Ferri eft^r. 323. m. 30. et latitudo
gr. 28. m . 17 Aaft .

Eclipfis Lunae ab eodem obfervata in oppido Santta
Maria Major is, eodem anno 1747. Augufti 19.
horis p. m.

Penumbra fenfibilis erat hor. 14, 44'.

Immerfio Luna et macularum in umbrarn.

kin

Initium ....

14

55

44

Ariftarchus . . .

if

O

Iji

Galilaeus ....

if

O

41

Mare humor, incip.

if

4

14

Ang. infer, terra pruinae

15

f

29

Copernicus, <&c.

if

9

26

Mare humor, toium

if

9

26

Plato, et Tycho aequidiftabant a cent,
umbra

if

13

44

Idem ...

1 f

1 7

2

Plato et Tycho fimul in margine umbrae

1 f

20

2f

Digiti 6 obfeurati

1 f

24

6

Mcnelaus . . . .

if

27

28

Dionyfius ...

if

29

3f

Lacus Somniorum . „

if

36

10

Maris Crifii Initium

if

43

41

Medium

v

46

26

B

Finis

[ 1° ]

«f J

1/

Finis

Totalis obfcuratio Lunx

if 49 1 6
"5 1i

Emerfio Luna ex umbra.

U

Initium emerfionis . . . 17 34 48

Grimaldus . . . . 17 36 52

Ariftarchus . . . 17 40 o

Plato . . , 17 53 34-

Tycho . . . . 18 o 23

Digiti 6 obfcurati . . . 18 3 30

Luna prope occafum vaporibus horizontis trcmula
non amplius fuit obfervata.

Toto tempore ecliplis Lunx fuit coelum valde fe-
renum.

Longitudo S. Maria Maj. ab infula Ferri gr. 322,
in. 40.

Latitudo gr. 27, m. 51. Auftr.

V. Obfervatio Eclipfis folaris Julii 14, et
Eunce Julii 28, 1748* Madriti habitae
a Domino Antonio de Ullod S. S; R:

Prep. Jan. 26.
1748-9.

c

UM ad faciendam hujus eclipfis ob-
fervationem paratum quidem effet
telefcopium reflexionis duos circiter pedes oblon-
gum; cumque fatis notus haberetur motus pen-
duli cujufdam aftronomici, quo in mea ad Peruvi-
ana regna migratione ad plurimas ibidem una cum
D. Georgio Joanne perate obfervationes ufus fueram,

animadvert!

• »

C « 3

animadverti initium eclipfis in tempore
vero acrid ifte Tub horam . . 8 49 $

Macula ab (Tab. I. Fig.y.) in difco folis
notata inter ipfius orientalem auftralem-
que partes, quaeque optime tunc potuit
difcerni,quod nulla alia efiet ei proxima,
coepit Tub Lunam immergi hora . . io 13 44 a

Totalis hujus maculae immerfio . 1+46*

Minime licuit nec emerfionem hujus maculae, nec
totius eclipfis; finem obfervare, qui cum fol in
fua majori reperirctur fupra horizontem altitudine,
deerat telefcopio commoditas necefiaria ad illud
perficiendum. Similiter nec potuit prolixus digito-
rum numerus, ut oportct, haberij cum difpofitio
ipforum inquirendorum caufa fafta minime deliderio
aut exariitudini debitae fatisfeccrit. Antequam con-
ta&us vifualis fieret limborum duorum planetarum
45 ', aut ferme limbus Lunae fefe diftindum ope te-
lefcopii obtulit pereipiendum j idque abs dubio, quod
interceptare radios lucis ex ilia parte incepiflet ;
ideoque quo magis caeterae ipfius difci lunatis partes
a fobs diftabant, eo plus confufae cernebantur.

Sub eclipfis initium vifa eft pars difci lunaris inter-
pofiti quafi coloris cujufdam in rubrum declinantis,
qui poftmodum excrevit prout eclipfis majus habuit
incrementum.

Dies equidem extitit ferenus, et atmofphera nubi-
bus omnino libera, ficque in vefperumfine mutationc
permanfir. Cum eclipfis medium fubefiet, aliqua di-
ininutio lucis apparuit ; notatumque eft ipfius rcflcxio-
nem aliquantulum debiliorem fuifte redditam ; aerem-
B 2 quc

[ 12 ]

que aliquid caloris tempori refpondentis fenfibiliter
amififte; qua: mutatio poft femihoram ab incepra
eclipfi initium alTumens ufque ad illius exitum per-
manfitj poftquam iterum calor ut antea rcdiit.

Vide Tab. I.

Fig- 6- S, Sol, L, Luna, a, limbus folis, a quo in-
cepit immerfio ; b, limbus lunsc, qui fefe ante
eclipfm obtulit percipiendum.

Fig. 7. NOSLy difcus folaris 5 L, oriens ; O, occi-
dens; N, pars borealis ejufdem difci; S, pars
auftralis ; ab, macula in folare difco obfervata ;
c, alia in eodem difco inter feptenrrionem, et
ortum, ad quam minime pertigit eclipfis ; d, alia:
quam plurimas macula: in medio difci folaris.

Obfervatio Eclip/is partialis Luna fub diem

174.8. Matriti, a *D. Antonio de Ulloa navis bel-
licia Rege Cath. prafetto una cum exc client ijjimo
* Duce Aiidonienii, nataralium difciplinarum et
omnigen# eruditionis viro.

Eodem quidem telefcopio, quo obfervata fuit prae-
cedens folis cclipfis, ufus fum ad id peragendum in
dcfeftu Luna:, qui accidit die 8 Augujli anni 1748.
ipftufque phafes annotandas quae ad tempus verum
redudhs ita fe habent.

Penumbra quidem percipi inccpit fub
horam nodtis

Initium eclipfis mihi vifum eft, etfmon
fine aliquo dubio, accidiflc

» / n

op 4J 42

5-0 o
I mm.

[ n J

. * t

Imm. Capuani

Principium immerfionis Maris Humorum
Tycho umbram ingredi incipit
Totalis immerfio Tychonis
Initium immerfionis Grimoaldi
Omnimoda immerfio Maris Humorum
Omnimoda immerfio Grimoaldi
Remold us umbram fubiit
Snelius et Furnerius eandem attingunt
Snelius et Furnerius Tub umbra
Fracaftorius immergi incipit
Grimoaldi emergcntis initium
Mare Neftaris immergi incipit
Grimoaldus totus emerfit
Initium immerfionis Maris Foecunditatis
Mare humorum incipit ab umbra liberari
Mare humorum totum extra umbram
Totalis emerfio Maris Niibium
Totalis emerfio Maris Neftaris
Tycho incipit ab umbra emergi
Totalis emerfio Tychonis
Umbras finis in difeo lunari
Penumbras fortioris finis
Penumbras qualifqualis finis

h ' u
io 015
4 JO

n f4
14. 14
if if
if 18
20 yi
28 40

44 40
47 4o
49 o
fi 16
52 20

n 13 f8
19 II
30 18
40 24

4f i^>
47 3f

4 9 f+
12 10 22

17 2f

22 12

Eclipfis initium dubium extitir, quod umbra et
penumbra non bene difeernerentur j ideoque de eo
difficulter judicari potuir, etiam fi ad oblervationem
peragendam fatis commoda, et ab impedimentis libera
permanfiffet atmofphaera.

Antonius de Ulloa.

VI.

[ *4 3

VI. Remarks on the principal Paintings
found in the fubterraneous City of Hercu-
laneum, and at prefent in the Poffejfion of
the King of Naples ; by — Blondeau
Efq\ communicated by Tho. Stack M, D .
& F. R. S.

Read Jan. 26.^ | '’HE Paintings found under-ground in
*748-9. Herculaneum near Purtici, are ail

done on Stucco in Water-colours in Frefco. They
have been taken from the Walls of an Amphitheatre,
a Temple, and Houfes, and are in great Variety,
fome exceeding fine, and well prefcrved. I divide
them into two Clafles; the firft of which contains
the four following Pi&ures.

The firft is a large Piece of 7 Feet by 7, rcpre-
fcnting Thefeus , after having killed the Minotaur.
He is naked at full Length, holding a Club or knot-
ted Stick in his left Hand by the finall End: A
young Woman by his Side, holding the laid Club a
little higher with her right Hand, and looking up
wifhfully at him : Three Children of different Ages;
one killing his right Arm, which is extended ; the
lccond his left Leg, which is a little rais'd ; and the
third gralping and killing his left Arm; all as it were
wifhing him Joy, and carefling him after the Vitftory ;
the Minotaur lying on his Back dead at his Feet,
a human Body with a Bull's Head and fhort Horns.
This Piece has been a great deal larger. On the
upper Part is Part of a naked Arm with a Trumpet.

The fecondj is a noble Piece of 10 Feet by 7,
vintirc, and feems to reprefent Rome triumphant ;

.2 viz.

\

[ *5 ]

viz. A grand Figure of a Woman fitting, with a
Garland of Flowers on. her Head, a majeftic com-
manding Countenance, a knotted Club, exa&lylike
that of Thefeus, long and tapering, in her left Hand,
refting herfelf on her right Elbow, with her Hand to
her Temple: A young Fawn laughing over her
Shoulder, with a mufical Inftrument of twelve Pipes
in his Hand. At her Side is a Basket of Fruit: Over-
againft her a naked Figure of a Man, robuft and vi-
gorous, with a Beard ; his Back fhorr, and, to Sight,
his Face turned to the left Shoulder ; a Garland of
Flowers or Laurels on his Head ; a Quiver, a Bow
and Arrows by his Side ; under his left Arm fome-
thing like Part of a Lion's Skin, and one Paw, but
faintly exprdfed : A fine natural Attitude 5 mod ex-
quifite Proportion and Drawing. A little higher, clofe
by him, a Genius or Goddefs of Fame, with Wings, a
Garland on her Head, a Sprig like Ears of Corn in the
leftHand, and pointing with the right; and both (he and
the Man looking to a young Infant below (a moft beau-
tiful Figure, and natural Attitude) fucking a Doe,
finely drawn and fpotted, which is licking the Child's
Knee. Under their Feet an Eagle with his Claw
upon a Globe, and a Lion, both as large as Life.
Some reckon the Man Hercules , and the Woman
Tomona : But Herculesi I think, did not ufe the
Quiver; and : Tomona has no fuch Majefty, nor any
Bufinefs with a Club, which is longer and fmalier
than that of Hercules.

The third is a Piece of four Feet fquare, reprefent-
ing the Centaur Chiron , fitting, as it were, on his
Backfide, and teaching his Pupil Achilles , a young
Lad of about twelve, to play upon the Harp. Part
of the Horfe is a very difficult forced Attitude ; the

whole

[ 16 ]

whole Body being in View ; left fore Foot extended ;
great Expreffion and Attention both in Achilles and
Chiron , who is putting his right Hand round the
Boy, and playing, by the Help ofa fmall Inftrument,
on the Strings, which are ten in Number. This is
accounted a mod mafterly Piece as ever was leen.
Chiron has a Mantle tied round his Neck, made of
the Skin of fome Animal $ and Achilles Bands up-
right naked.

The fourth is a Piece of y Feet by 4,, reprefent-
ing fome very folcmn and melancholy Story of the
Romans. , and contains feven Figures, three Men and
four Women. Perhaps. the Story of Virginia , when
Appius Claudius wanted to accufe her falfely, in
order to gratify his Luft. One Man fitting in a pen-
five Mood, his left Elbow on his Knee, and his
Hand up to his Forehead : Another fitting over-
againfthim, fetiing forth fomething in a Paper, which
he holds to the Breaft of the firft : A young Woman
fitting on the right Side of the firft, a Figure expref-
fing great Concern j her left Hand affectionately
about his Shoulder: And another young Woman
Banding with great Attention and Surprize by her:
Behind both, the Fignre of a Woman larger than
the reB, with a Quiver appearing above her Shoulder,
as Riiana: An elderly Woman in a fuppliant bend-
ing PoBurc, with her Finger at her Chin, as if fhe
were lifiening with great Grief, and her Face to the
firfi Figure. Alfo an old Man, in much the fame
Attitude, in great Grief, as if weeping. Perhaps the
Family of Virginia lifiening to the Accufation againfi
her, and feartnl lefi file fhould be delivered over to
the brutal Luft of the Conful : To avoid which, when
no other Remedy was left, Virginias defired to fpeak
with his Daughter in private, and killed her.

Thefe

[ >7 3

Thefe are the four capital Pieces ; and they are
fo extremely well executed, that Don Francefco de
la Vega , a Painter, whom the King of Naples fent
for from Rome , as one of the beft Hands, to take
Draughts of thefe Paintings, told me, that if Raphael
were now alive, he would be glad to fludy the
Drawings, and perhaps rake Lclfons from them.
Nothing can be more juft and corred : The Mufcles
are molt exadly and foftly mark’d, every one in its
own Place, without any of that preternatural Swell-
ing, which is fo much over-done in fome of the beft
Italian Mafters, that all their Men are made to ap-
pear like Hercules. It is furpriftng how frefh all the
Colours of thefe Pidures are, confidering that they
have been under ground above i<5yo Years ; befides
the Years they flood, before they were covered by
the Eruption, which cannot be exadly determined.

Thefeus in the firft, 'and the naked Figures in the
fecond Piece, are a good deal upon the red Colour ;
but the Women and Children are of as foft and mel-
low flefh Colours as if painted in Oil. The third
and fourth are fo highly finifh’d, that you can fcarcclv
dilcern whether they are done in Water or Oil-
colours. The laft plcafed me moftj the Compo-
fition is good j the Attitudes natural, and of fine
Kinds ; the different Characters juftly exprefs’d ; the
Drawing and Drapery exquifite j and, the’ done in
Water, with only two or three Colours at moftj
yet the Light and Shade are fo artfully managed,
that the Figures are quite out of the Surface. The
Connoifieurs prefer the third, or the Centaur.

C

We

[ i8 ]

W e now come to thofe of the fecond Clafs, which
are as follows.

1. A Piece of 4 Feet by 3, fuppofcd to be the
judgment of Tar is. Three Goddefles, with Rays
like Circles of Glory about their Heads, which are
very fine: The firft fitting inclined j two handing
naked ; good Drawing, and natural Attitudes. A
Figure of a Shepherd at a Diftance above them, with
a crooked Staff in his Hand, a Garland on his Head,
his right Hand grafping fomething, which is not di-
ftin&ly feen, as not being fo much finifh’d as the reft.

2. A Piece of four Feet fquare, reprefenting Her-
culeSy when a Child, tearing the Serpent in Pieces
with great Vigour and Fiercenefs in his Eyes : An
old Man drawing a Dagger, being ftartled at the Dan-
ger, in order to kill the Snake : A Woman defign’d
holding up her Hands to Heaven: An old Woman
holding a Child in her Arms. The Whole natural
and well drawn.

3. A Piece of 4 Feet by 3 : An old Man naked,
fitting : A naked Boy (landing by his Side, with a
Piece of a Rod or Twig in each Hand : The old Man
is pointing with his Finger, and teaching the Boy
fomething. Fine Drawing, fomewhat defaced.

4. A Piece of 6 Feet by 3 : A Half Length of Joi e
with Thunder in his Hand: A little Cupid look-
ing over his Shoulder : A Rainbow : An Eagle : A
bold old Head : A Figure like Venus coming from
bathing, naked down to the Thighs. Beautiful Con-
tour, great Softnefs, and fine flefh Colours ; fee ms to
have the privy Parts of a Man, an Hermaphrodite.

y. A fmall Piece, about fourteen Inches fquare :
Two fine Female Heads, or Half-Lengths j one with
a Book in her Hand j great Expreffion ! T wo Mufcs.

6, A

[ i9 ]

6. A Piece of about eighteen Inches fquarc ; two
Figures of Women like Graces,- one naked to the
Middle, fitting ; fomething like a Quiver at her Feet ;
another in a Robe, (landing, and leaning on her El-
bow: Good Attitude j Drawing and Drapery very-
fine j Colours faint.

7. and 8. Two Pieces, of three Feet fquare, of
Egyptian Sacrifices. Firft, The worfhipping of an
Idol, which is placed above in the Portico of aTem-
ple, and appears bloody : Seven Figures bending and
fuppliant in the Adt of Adoration : An Altar in the
middle: Two Birds, Storks, (landing one on each

Side : Many other Figures faint. Second, a Pried

facrificing upon a flaming Altar : A Row of diffe-
rent Figures on each Side : Two in the middle in
the Adi of Preaching. Attitudes very juft and natu-
ral, finely done, great Solemnity or Horror: When
look’d at near, feems more daubing and unfinifhed :
By Virtnofi efteemed a great Piece of Antiquity, and
of great Studv.

9. Is a Half-Length of a Man like a Pried, with a
final l Water-por, pouring it into a Bafin, feen by the
Light of a Lamp.

10. Is Crpheus and Venus lying together, killing
and carefling, chain’d by the Legs: A Servant hold-
ing a Harp. Finely defigned, but defaced.

1 1. An old Man fitting, with a Cup in one Hand,
a Stick and Garland in the other.

12. Is a Half Length of a young Woman.

13. Is a Piece of two and a half by two Feet:
Old Silenus holding in his Arms Bacchus a Child :
A Satyr: A Baccante : Mercury fitting below: A

C 2 Tyger

[20]

Tyger and Afs lying. Finely drawn, and naturally
exprefs’d.

14. A Beeping Nymph ; a Satyr lifting up her
Robe : Three By-ftanders, who fecm to be very cu-
rious. A (mail Piece.

if and 16. Two fmall Pieces of Satyrs ravifhing
Nymphs: Well drawn, and natural Attitudes, but
faint and defaced.

17. A Piece of four Feet and a half by one Foot
and a half : A Figure of a Roman Lady, a 1 molt full
Length, in Attitude of great Grief ; her Head a lit-
tle inclin'd j her Arms dropp’d down, and her Fin-
gers clalpcd j a Sword, with the Handle leaning in the
Hollow of her Hand. Very juft and natural Exprcf-
fion, well finifhed.

18. The Goddefs Flora as defeending from Hea-
ven. Fine Contours: About two Feet fquare.

19. Is a Piece three Feet fquare : A naked Figure
with a Lance like a General : A Woman fitting: A
young Man holding his Horfe : An old Woman.
Finely done, but defaced.

20. Orphtus with his Harp, fitting on a Rock by
the Sea Side : A Child or Sea God riding on a Dol-
phin, prefenting him with a Book.

21. Ten fmall Pieces of Roman Ceremonies with
many Figures j fome eating, dancing making Love j
others tied like Prifoners.

22. Eight fmall Cupids in different Attitudes, and
different Paces. Very good.

25. A Pheafant and other Birds: Two fmall Baf-
kets, one tumbled down : A Rabbit eating. Exqui-
fitely done.

24. Two naked Figures, with Cupid betwixt.

[ 21 3

2 5'. A Figure in the Attitude of a Warrior, with
a Sword in his right Hand, a Buckler in his left,
and a Cup with fome Jewels at his Feer.

26. A large Piece of Architecture, which, look’d
at near, feems rough and daubing, at a Diftance very
good Pcrfpedtive. You fee quite thro’ two Portico's,
one above another, into a Palace or Church. Very
curious Architecture, Colours very lively and frefh.

27. A Landskape with Houfes, Ruins, a Theatre.
Good Architecture: Figures of Pheafants, Mules
loaded, &c.

28. Another Piece of Architecture and PerfpeCtive,
very good.

A great many other Figures of Men and Women,
not eafy to be deferibed, becaufe pretty much de-
faced : Alfo many Fancies of Birds, Beads, Chariots
drawn by different Animals, Children driving: All
in final I.

Little Pieces of Landskapes, and other Ornaments
for the Walls of their Houfes, which were painted
moftly of a yellowifh Colour 5 divided into Squares
or Panels ; with thofe Pieces of Painting in the Pa-
nel, and a Border round it. There is a very good
Piece of Ornament or Cornice, that was upon the
Picture oi 'Thzfeus, of a very good Tafte, and finely
finifhed.

See Accounts of this fubterraneous City in thefe Tranf, N°. 456,
P • 365- N°. 458, p.484, 489, 493.

VII.

C 22 3

VII. An Account of a new invented arith-
metical Infrument called a Sh wan -pan, or
Chinefe Accompt-Table \ by Gamaliel
Smethurft.

Read Jan. 29. '“M "'HE Chinefe have for many Ages
i^s. picqu'd themfelves on being the

rnoft wife of any Nation in the World ; but late Ex-
perience and clofer Converfe with them hath found
this Pride to be ill-grounded. One Particular, in which
they think they excel all Mankind, is, their Manner
of accompting, which they do with an lnftrumcnt
compofed of a Number of Wires with Beads upon
them, which they move backwards and forwards.
Thislnftrument they call a Shwan-pan.

Now I truft 1 have form'd one on the Plan of
our 9 Digits, that in no cafe falls Ihort of the Chi-
nefe Shwan pan, but in many excels theirs.

The Chinefe , according to the Accounts of Tra-
vellers, are fo happy as to have their Parrs of an In-
teger in their Coins, &c. decimated, fo can multi-
ply or divide their Integers and Parts as if they were
only Integers. This gives them the Advantage over
Europeans in reckoning their Money, &c. But then,
as they have no particular Place let apart for the
lelfer Denominations of Coins, Weights, Meafures,
&c. their Inllrument can't be iifcd in Europe , nor
can it be fo univerfally applied to Arithmetic as
mine, for I have provided for the different Divifions
of an Integer into Parts.

This

[ 23 ]

This Inftrument hath the Advantage of our Digits
in a great many Cafes. Firft, the Figures can be felt,
fo may be ufed by a blind Man. If it had no other,
this alone would be fufficient to gain it the Atten-
tion of Mankind.

Another Advantage from it is, that, when attain'd,
this Method is much fwifcer than by our Digits, and
lefs liable to Miftakes : It is likewise not fo burden-
fome to the Memory in working the Rules of Arith-
metic, as by our Digits, we being oblig'd to carry
the Tens in the Mind from one Place to another,

which are fet down by the Shwan-pan. One

may work a whole Night, without confuting the
Head, or affecting the Eyes in the lead. '

It may be of great Ufe to teach People the Power
of Numbers, likewifeto examine Accompts by 5 for,
as the Perfon will, by the Shwan party work it a
quite different Way, it will ferve as if another Per-
fon had gone thro’ the Accompt; if it proves right
with the written one, they may reft aflured the Work
is true.

Ir may be a very pretty Lure to lead young People
to apply their Minds to Numbers.

The Inventor produced one of thefe Inftruments before the Society, and
work’d feveral Queltions in Arithmetic upon it. It much refembles the
■Abacus of the Ancients.

C. M.

VIII.

[ 24 ]

VIII, Extraft of a Letter from Benj. Heath
Efq\ to Peter Davall EJq\ Seer. R. S. in-
clofing a Propofal for intirely removing the
only real Defeat in the lateral Operation
for the Stone ; by Mr. John Mudge Sur-
geon at Plymouth.

Dear Sir ,

Read Feb. 2. *** TTAKE the Freedom of con-
17481 veying to you a Memoir writ-

ten by a very ingenious young Surgeon of my Ac-
quaintance propofing an Improvement in the lateral
Method of cutting for the Stone. His View in put-
ting me on giving you this Trouble is, that it may
be laid before the Society j and if it be thought to
deferve it, it may be communicated to the Public
in their Tran faff ions. I am,

SIR,

Exeter, Jan. 16.

1748. lour moft humble Servant ,

Benj. Heath.

A Propofal for intirely removing the only real
Defeat in the lateral Operation for the Stone.

THO’ the lateral Method of cutting for the
Stone is now almoft univerfally allow’d to
have greatly the Advantage of any other hitherto dis-
cover'd, yet it mud be confefs’d, that the Difficulty

and

[ 25 ]

and Hazard attending the Extraction of large Stones
this Way, has really robb'd it of its Title to Per-
fection ; for tho' the Incifion be made to the Wifh,
quite through the Proftate, and carried on to the
Neck of the Bladder, if this be the Cafe (for it fre-
quently happens to the contrary) as the Bladder itfelf
in general is not, nor in all Probability can be,
wounded in this Way of operating, the real Aper-
ture after all for the Exit of a large Stone is fo
(mail, that the Parts mull fuffer moll violent Lacera-
tions, and a Train of confequent Evils.

The old Method indeed is greatly more obnoxious
to this Misfortune, becaufe the Parts are torn to Pieces
by downright Violence, without any previous Incifion
of any Confequence to prepare them for the Egrefs of
the Stone ; and this Imperfection in the Operation is fo
notorioufly apparent, and fo definitive in fad, that
this Method is defervedly in Difefteem, and almoft
univerfally difearded.

I wifh it could be faid, that the lateral Method vuas
intirely free from this Imperfection j but I fear an
impartial Inquiry will make it clear, that three Fourths
of the Accidents which have attended this Operation,
may in truth be attributed to exceflive Diftenfions and
Lacerations of the Bladder, thofe few Cafes, which
have mifearried from (what may have been fuppofed)
a mere fymptomatic Fever, will, I believe on a ftriCt
Difquifition, afford a fhrewd Sufpicion, that this very
Fever itfelf arofe from fome Violence offer'd to the
Bladder, in the forcible Extraction of the Stone.

I will not enter into a ftriCt Examination of thofe
fatal Symptoms which fometimes fucceed the Ope-
ration in grown Subjects, in order to prove that they

D in

[ 26 ]

in general proceed from the Bladder's being too
roughly dealt with, becaufe I take the Cafe to be
of itfelf very evident : Unlefs the Habit is remark-
ably bad, to what elfe fhall we attribute violent Pain,
and the fucceflive Inflammation, Tumour, Suppref-
fion of Urine, Mortification, &c.} Thefe furcly are
not the Attendants on a Ample Incifion only 5 for
conftant Experience evinces, that the Bladder, tho’
an Organ of great Importance, and efientially necef-
fary to the animal Oeconomy, may be wounded with
as little Danger of any of the above-mention’d Evils,
as any other membranous Part.

But I believe we fhall not be at a Lofs for the true
Caufe of all thofe Mifchiefs, if the State of the Parts
in the Extraction of a large Stone be clofely confi-
der’d.

It may be obferv’d, when a Stone is laid hold of
by the Forceps , that both together, Stone and For-
ceps, from the Screw- pin to the former, form a com-
plete Wedge 5 infomuch that a Pcrfon in a forcible
Extraction, can fcarcely conceive the Power applied
to the Bladder, or the Force with which it is dif-
tended. If the Diameter of the Stone be equal to
a third Part of the Length of the Chops of the Forceps ,
a Force of ten Pounds applied to them will be to
the Wound of the Bladder, equal to thirty 3 but how
Chocking muft be the Cafe, when (either on account
of the Magnitude of the Stone, or Narrownefs of the
Wound) a Man ufes his utmoft Force, and many
fuch Inftancesin adult Bodies I have feen. The Power
is then augmented by the ACtion of the Lever to
two or three hundred 3 a Force no doubt fufficient
to reduce the Bladder and neighbouring Parts to Rags.

This

[ 27 ]

This is fcarce to be credited j but there is too much
Reafon to believe, that the Want of Succefs in Sub-
jects arriv'd at adult Age, where the Stones are almoft
always large, is owing intirely to this very Circum-
flance.

When all this Violence is infufficient, there is at
prefent no other eftablifh’d Method, than cither to
attempt the making a fecond Incifion on the Stone,
as it is held in the Forceps , or to withdraw the lat-
ter, and to make it on the Bladder, in the flaccid
State it then lies, without any Guide at all.

As to the firfl Method, it is evident the Forceps ,
Stone, and Bladder in Men are fo much in the dark,
that the Incifion mad be made with the utmofi: Dif-
ficulty ; indeed it is hardly poflible to cut at all with
any Certainty.

The other W ay of cutting on the Bladder when
the Forceps is withdrawn is much vvorfej for if it
be remember’d, that the Bladder licth upon, and is
contiguous with the Rettum , and that they are both
in the fame flabby State, it will appear impofliblc
to cut the one, without (at leaft a very great Rifquc
of) wounding the other.

This manifeft Defeat in the Operation would be
intirely removed, if there always was a Director for
the Knife left in the Bladder j and this is fo eafily
and completely to be done, that its great Simplicity
feems to be the Reafon it has not been attended to.
If one Limb of the Forceps , from the Joint to its
Extremity, be converted into a Staff, by making a
deep Groove through its whole Length, it will bet-
ter anfwer the End defired, than if it were poflible
to buffer the Staff itfelf to remain in the Bladder

D 2 during

[28]

during the Operation; for, when a large Stone is
laid hold of, and the Forceps of courfe much diva-
ricated, infomuch that the Extraction of the Stone
is found to be impracticable with Safety, without a
fccond Incifion on the Parrs upon the Stretch ; you
then flide the Point of a narrow Knife on the
Groove of the Forceps quite on into the Bladder,
and it will divide the very Part which needs it moft;
whilft the Reffum , on account of its flaccid State,
will moft certainly efcape wounding. If the Wound
is defired to be but little larger, the Forceps muft be
but gently drawn forward when the Incifion is made ;
but if, on the other hand, the Stone prove extremely
large, th c<Forceps fhould be then drawn forwards
with a Force fufficient to put the Bladder upon the
Stretch ; and by this Management the Dilatation
may be made as great or little as is required.

As the common Knife is not fo- proper for this
Purpofe on account of its Breadth, I have got one
made of a more convenient Form, with a Gorget-
Handle and Button-Point, as in the Bubonocele Knife.

This Method, as it removes all Occafion for Vio-
lence to the Bladder, will reduce the EffeCIs of the
Operation nearly to thofe of a mere Incifion only,
which might, as now, fometimes prove fiftulous,
but I believe fcarcely ever mortal.

I would not be underftood to mean that it fhould
be ufed in common Cafes, and moderate fized
Stones ; no ) Mr. Chefelden has fufficiently demon-
ftrated to the World, by Experiment, the Inconve-
nience of cutting beyond the Proftatc, when it can
be avoided. I only fay this, that where a large Stone
offers, and the Circumftances are fuch, that the
Operator is under a Neceflity of tearing the Parts to

Pieces,

[ 29 ]

Pieces, unlefs divided by ail Incifion, the latter is
more fafe and eligible.

The principal Advantages of this Contrivance are,
i. That the Degree of Dilatation is in the Operator's
Power, to the greatefl Exadtncfs : 2. That it will in-
fallibly divide thofe Parts only which are upon the
Stretch i and for this Reafon, 3. The Reffum, if it is
empty, and confequently flaccid, muft certainly
efcape wounding. Its great1 Simplicity is another
Circumftance much in its Favour $ .for it feems al-
low'd on all Hands, the lefs an Operation is incum-
ber’d with Inftruments the better. In common Cafes,
where the Afliftance of this Method is not wanted,
the Forceps is not the lead incommoded as to its ge-
neral Ufe s but if the Stone prove large (which can
never be certainly known till it is laid hold of), the
Remedy is at hand.

Plimouth, Jan. 6.
1748-9.

P. s.

John Mudge,

Thefe forceps and Knife are reprefented in Tab.
I* 3> 4, f-

Fig. 3. The Forceps , with the Knife, a £, applied
to one of the Cheeks of it. c , the Button, bfg ,
the Handle.

Fig. t 4. The Cheek of the Forceps with the Groove
in it d e.

Fig. y. The Knife. The Blade ab i the Button c?
made to fit, and Aide along the Groove de ; bfg
the Handle ; cab the fharp Edgej chf the Back
of the Knife, which muft have the fame Curve
as the Back of the Cheek of the Forceps or Groove
to which it is to be applied, as in Fig. 3. .

C M.

IX.

IX. An Account of the Locufts, which didvaft
Damage in Walachia, Moldavia, <m/Tran-
fil vania, in the Tears 1747 and 1748; and
of fome Swarms of them , which, in the
Months of July and Auguft 1748. came
into Hungary and Poland ; by a Gentle?nan
who lives in Tranfil vania.

Read Feb. 2-TT is certain that the Locufts came into
I/48'9' Tranfilvania from Walachia and Mol-

davia, and particularly thro’ thofe narrow Openings
in the Mountains, which are commonly called Pafles;
the moft confiderable of which, in the Neighbour-
hood of Claufenburg , is called the Pafs of the Red
Tower, and thro’ others not far from Karlfta , which
are common Roads from Tranfilvania into Moldavia
and Walachia.

The fir ft Swarms enter’d into Tranfilvania in
Auguft 1747: Thefe were fuccceded by others,
which were lb furpriftngly numerous, that when they
reached the Red Tower , they were full four Hours
in their Pafiage over that Place ; and they flew fo
clofe, that they made a fort of Noife in the Air, by
the beating of their Wings againft one another.
The Width of the Swarm was fome Hundreds of
Fathoms, and its Height or Dcnfity may be cafily
imagined to be more confiderable, inafmuch as they
hid the Sun, and darkened the Sky, even to that de-
gree, when they flew low, that People could not
know one another at the Diftance of twenty Paces.

But

. [ 3i ]

But whereas they were to fly over a River that runs
in the Vallics of the Red Tower , and could find nei-
ther Refting-place nor Food; being at length tired
with their Flight, one Part of them lighted on the
unripe Corn on this Side of the Red Tower , fuch
as Millet, 'Turkish Wheat, &c. ,• another Part pitch'd
on a low Wood : Where having miferably wafted
the Produce of the Land, they continued their Jour-
ney, as if a Signal had been actually given for a
March. The Guards of the Red Tower attempted
to flop their Irruption into Hranjilvania by firing at
them 5 and indeed where the Balls and Shot fwept
thro' the Swarm, they gave way and divided ; but,,
having fill’d up their Ranks in a Moment, they pro-
ceeded on their Journey.

They are of different Forms, according to their
different Ages : For when, in the Month of Sept em-
ber , fome Troops of them were thrown to the Ground
by great Rains, and other Inclemency of the Weather,
and thoroughly leaked with Wet, they crept along in
queft of Holes in the Earth, Dung, and Straw; where,
being fheitered from the Rains, they laid a vaft Num-
ber of Eggs, which ftuck together by a vifeid Juice,
and were longer and lmaller than what is commonly
called an Ant's Egg, very like Grains of Oats. The
Females, having laid their Eggs, die like the Silk-
worm ; and we Tranjilvanians found by Experience,
that that Swarm which enter'd into our Fields by
the Red Tower , did not feem ro intend remaining
there, but were thrown to the Ground by the Force of
the Wind, and there laid their Eggs ; a vaft Number
of which being turn’d up, and crufhed by the Plough,

in

[ 32 ]

iii the Beginning of the enfuing Spring yielded a
yellowifli Juice.

In the Spring of 1748. certain little blackifh Worms
were feen lying in the Fields and among the Bufhes,
flicking together, and colle&cd in Clufters, not un-
like the Hillocks of Moles or Ants. As no body
knew what they were, fo there was little or no No-
tice taken of them ; and in May they were cover'd
by the fhooting of the Corn fown in the Winter.
But the fubfequent June difeover’d what thofe
Worms were 5 for then, as the Com fown in the
Spring was pretty high, thefe Creatures began to fpread
over the Fields, and become deftrutiive to the Vege-
tables by their Numbers. Then at length the Coun-
try People, who had flighted the timely Warning
given them, began to repent of their Negligence ;
for, as thefe Infe&s were now difperfed all over the
Fields, they could not be extirpated without injuring
the Corn.

At that time they differ little or nothing from our
common Grafshoppers; having their Head, Sides, and
Back of a dark Colour, with a yellow Belly, and the
reft of a reddifh Hue. About the middle of June,
according as they were hatch’d fooner or later, they
were generally a Finger’s Length, or .fomevvhat
longer, but their Shape and Colour ftill continued.

Towards the End of June they caft off their out-
ward Covering $ and then it plainly appear’d that
they had Wings, very like the Wings of Bees, but
as yet unripe and unexpanded ; and then their Body
was very tender, and of a yellowifh Green : Then,
in order to render themfelves fit for flying, they
gradually unfolded their Wings with their hinder

Feet,

[ 33 ]

Feet, as Flies do. And as foon as any of them
found themfelves able to ufe their Wings, they
foared up, and, by flying round, the others provoked
them to join them: And thus their Numbers in-
trcaflng daily, they took circular Flights of twenty
or thirty Yards wide, until they were join’d by the
reft ; and, after miferably laying wafte their native
Fields, they proceeded elfewhere in large Troops.

Wherefoever thofe Swarms happen'd to pitch, they
fpared no Sort of Vegetable ; they eat up the young
Corn, and the yery Grafs s but nothing was more
difmal to behold than the Lands in which they were
hatch’d 5 for they fo greedily devoured every green
thing thereon, before they could fly, that they left
the Ground quire bare.

There is nothing to be fear'd in thofe Places to
which this Plague did not reach before the Autumn *
for the Locufts have not Strength to fly to any con-
fiderable Diftance, but in the Months of Julyy Au~
gufty and the Beginning of September y and even
then, in changing their Places of Refidence, they
feem to tend to warmer Climates.

Different Methods are to be employed, according
to the Age and State of thefe Infers; for fomcwill
be effectual as foon as they are hatch'd j others when
they begin to crawl 5 and others, in fine, when they
are able to fly. And Experience has taught us here
in Tranfilvaniay that it would have been of great
Service, to have diligently fought out the Places
where the Females lodged,* for nothing was more
cafy, than carefully to vifit thofe Places in March
and April , and to deftroy their Eggs or little Worms
with Sticksor Briars j or if they were not to be beat

E out

[ 34 ]

out of the Bufhes, Dunghills, or Heaps of Straw, to
fet fire to them 5 and this Method would have been
very fpeedy, convenient, and fuccefsful ; as it has
been in other Places. But in the Summer, when
they have march’d out of their Spring-Quarters, and
have invaded the Corn-fields, &c. it is almofi: im-
pofliblc to extirpate them, without thoroughly thrcfh-
ing the whole Piece of Land that harbours them,
with Sticks or Flails, and thus crulhing the Locufts
with the Produce of the Land.

Finally, when the Com is ripe, or nearly fo, we
have found, to our great Lofs, that there is no other
Method of getting rid of them, or even of diminifh-
ing their Numbers, but to furround the Piece of
Ground with a Multitude of People, who might
fright them away with Bells, brafs Veffels, and all
other Sorts of Noife. But even this Method will
not fucceed, till the Sun is pretty high, fo as to dry
the Corn from the Dew ; for otherwife they will
either ftick to the Stalks, or lie hid under the Grafs.
But when they happen to be driven to a wafte Piece
of Ground, they are to be beat with Sticks or Briars;
and if they gather together in Heaps, Straw or Litter
may be thrown over them, and fet on fire. Now
this Method ferves rather to lefien their Numbers,
than totally deftroy them; for many of them lurk
under the Grafs or thick Corn, and in the Filfures
of the Ground from the Sun’s Heat : Wherefore it
is requifite to repeat this Operation feveral times, in
order to diminish their Numbers, and confequently
the Damage done by them. It will likcwife be of
Ufe> where a large Troop of them has pitch’d, to
dig a long Trench, of an Ell in Width and Depth,

and

[ 35 ]

and place feveral Perfons along its Edges, provided
with Brooms, and fuch-like things, while another
numerous Set of People form a Semicircle, that takes
in both Ends of the Trench, and encompafles the
Locufls, and, by making the Noife above-mentioned,
drive them into the Trench ; out of which if they
attempt to efcape, thofe on the Edges are to fvveep
them back, and then crufh them with their Brooms
and Stakes, and bury them, by throwing in the Earth
again.

But when they have begun to fly, there fhould be
Horfemen upon the Watch in the Fields, who, upon
any Appearance of the Swarm taking Wing, fhould
immediately alarm the Neighbourhood by a certain
Signal, that they might come and fright them from
their Lands by all Sorts of Noife y and if, tired with
flying, they happen to pitch on a wafte Piece of
Land, it will be very eafy to kill them with Sticks
and Brooms, in the Evening, or early in the Morn-
ing, while they are wet with the Dew; or any time
of the Day in rainy Weather y for then they are not
able to fly.

1 have already taken notice, that, if the Weather
be cold or wet in Autumn, they generally hide them-
felves in fecret Places, where they lay their Eggs,
and then die : Wherefore great Care fhould be taken
at this time, when the Ground is freed of its Crop,
to deflroy them, before they lay their Eggs.

In this Month of September 174.8. we received
certain Intelligence, that feveral Swarms of Locufts
came out of Walachia into Tranjihania thro" the
ufual Inlets, and took Pofiefllon of a Trad of Land
in the Neighbourhood of Clausberg, , near three

E 2 Miles

C 36]

Miles in Length ,* where it was ncrt pofTible to favc
the Millet and Turkijh Wheat from thefe Devourers.

I am of Opinion, that no Inftances of this kind
will occur in our Hiftory, except what fome old
Men remember, and what we have experienced ; at
leaft there is no Account, that any Locufls came
hither, which did not die before they laid their
-Eggs ; however, this is a known Fact, that, about
forty Years ago, fome Swarms came hither out of
JValachiay and did vaft Damage wbere-ever they
fettled 5 but either left this Country before the End of
Summer, or died by the Inclemency of the Weather.

Perhaps better Remedies may be had from other
Countries, where this Evil is more common, againft
next Springj for the Winter Seafon is very fafe from
this Plague.

The Gentleman, to whom the foregoing Account
was fent from Tranfilvania to Vienna , and who
tranfmitted it hither, has alfo informed us, that a
ebnfiderable Number of thefe Locufts had alfo come
within twenty Leagues of that City ; and that one
Column of them had been fecn there, which was
about half an Hour's Journey in Breadth ; but of
fuch a Length, that, after three Hours, tho’ they
feemed to fly faft, olie could not yet fee the End of
the Column. The Eggs of thefe Animals, which
have been preferved in dry Mould, have produced
nothing $ but thole that have been preferved in
Mould that was moiftened with Water from time
to time, gave early in the Spring of 1749. fome of
thefe Grafshoppers. The little ones were, foon after
they came forth, of the Size nearly of ordinary
Elies : They had already the Fomi of Grafshoppers,

thefe

[ 37 ]

but they had as yet no Wings. This Obfemtioii
fhews, that the Author of the foregoing Account was
miftaken, when he fays, “ Thefe Infe&s had at firft
“ the Form of Grubs, or fmall Worms/’ They
change their Skin fcveral times, but they do not ac-
quire Wings till they have changed for the laft time.

The Grafshoppcrs that were taken in England in
1748. have been compared with thofe that have
been lent over from Hungary and from Roland that
fame Year, and they have been found to be perfe&ly
of the fame kind. There are in Sir Hans Sloanes
Colle&ion * fome of the fame fort ofLocufts or Grafs-
hoppers, preferved in Spirits of Wine, and which
were takep up here above thirty Years fince, and are
exa&ly like thofe from Egypt and Barbary.

X. A Letter from Mr, Henry Baker F.R.S.
to the Prefid ent, concerning fome Vertebrae
cf Ammonitae, or Cornua Ammonis ; com-
municated to Mr, Baker by the Rev, Dr.
Miles F, R. S.

SIR,

Read Feb. 9.JTHAVE now the Honour to lay before
j 748-9. yQU a curjOLls antj mofl. extraordinary

Foflil, which was lately fent to me for that Putpofc
by my worthy Friend Dr. Miles , of Tooting, F. R . S.
It cop lifts of 26 Joints, which he calls Vertebra ,
and I believe fuppofes to have been the Joints of the
Back-Bone or Tail of fome Animal 5 bur, upon con-

fidering

* See Sir Hans Sloane's Hill, of Jamaica, vol, I. p. 29.

[ 38 3

fiderifig them with Attention, they will perhaps ra-
ther be judged to be the feveral articulated Divifions
that compofe the Body of fome kind of Nautilus ,
or of fome one or othei of the various Species of the
Ammonites: Which Opinion is 1 think fupported,
not only by the fpiral Figure, which they form when
put together, but likewife by the Traces or Markings
of fuch-like Articulations, found on fome particular
Kinds of foffil Nautili and Ammonit£ } one whereof
I alfo lay before you, as a Proof of this Conje&ure.

You will obferve all the Parts of this uncommon
Foflil are converted into a fort of fparry Subftancc,
and that they are articulated with one another in an
exatt and beautiful Order. I have fattened them to-
gether in two Divifions, that they may be examined
more eafily than they could be, if they were all fe-
parate, and in Gonfufion : And indeed I am not
quite fatisfied that thefe two Bundles belonged both
to the fame individual Animal j if they did, fome
Joints mutt be wanting that came between them,
and united them together, as the two Ends do not
at prefent match : And what makes me fufped they
did not, is a different Articulation to be obferved
on one Side of that Divifion made up of the largeft
Joints: Befides, the whole Number appears rather
too much, and the fmaller Joints feem to make up
a Body whofe Figure is nearly perfed.

^1748-9! 9 Tour mofi obedient humble Servant,

H. Baker.

See Tab. II.

Fig. I.' The larger Joints.

Fig . 2. The fmaller Joints.

Fig • 3. and 4. The fore and back Side of a fingle Joint.

<P. S.

[ 39 3

<p. S. Dr. Miles fays they belong to Dr. Clark of
St. Albans j that they were found in Oxfordjhire ,
and were formerly in the Pofiefiion of the late
Mr. William Becket Surgeon, F. R. S.

XI. The Cafe of Mr. Smith, Surgeon, at Sud-
bury in Suffolk ; the Coats of whofe Sto-
mach were changed into an almoft cartila-
ginous Subftance\ communicated by the Rev .
Mr . Murdock to Cromwell Mortimer
M. D. Secret. R. S.

Smith's Cafe. As there was fomething uncommon
in it, and as it may be for the Benefit of Man-
kind, which was the Defign, and a generous one it
was, of my deceafed Friend, in refolving a good
while before his Death to be opened, I fhall take it
as a Favour that you will communicate it to Dr.
Mortimer. I could not, for the Thing ftruck me
very ftrongly, forbear making a few Remarks : But
I leave it intirely to your Difcretion to fupprefs or
fend them with the Cafe. I am.

Rev . Sir ,

Clare, OSt. 1 1, 1 747.

Greeable to your Defire I fend you
the material Particulars of Mr.

*Dear Sir ,
Tours mojl fincerely,

J. Saver.

?be

f 40 ]

The C AS E.

i % Av.O :• !j'! 1 • *' !; . -t

HE was in the vigorous Time of Life, being no
more than thirty-fix Years of Age ? and, to all
Appearance, of a ftrong well-fet Habir. His W ay of
living was quite regular? but his Pra&ice of Mid-
wifry, which was pretty large, often forced him in
fevere Weather from a warm Bed into bad Roads,
and fometimes into raw uncomfortable Houfes.

He had for feveral Years complained of Uneafinefs
at his Stomach? but it was not confiderable, till
about January 1746-7. From that time, he almoft
conftantly threw up his Food within an Hour or two
after taking it, and he felt violent Pain about the
Scrobic ulus Cordis. Divers Phyftcians were advifed
with, but Medicines availed him nothing ? nor had
he any Eafe, except from Opiates, or fpirituous Li-
quors? and:this was of fhort Continuance.

It being, in the September following, recom-
mended to him to go to Bath , he for fome Weeks
drank the Waters, and afterwards bathed. The firft
had no remarkable EfFeft? but he found himfelf
worfe after bathing. Upon his Return home, new
Phyftcians were confulted, and new Methods were
tried, but to no purpofe ? and, to make Life tolera-
ble, he was forced to be very free in the Ufe of
fpirituous Liquors and Opiates.

In February 1747-8. he -voided, by two or three
Stools, about a Couple of Ounces of Matter. Some
Weeks before his Death the Pains went off, and his
Vomiting was at times flay’d ; but whenever that
happen'd, whatever he took ran direttly through

but

[ 4i ]

him. And indeed he was now-and then, daring the
whole Illnefs, fabjeft to bilious Deje&ions.

On this Remifiion of the Symptoms, his Friends
flatter’d themfclves yet that all might do well ; but his
Wafting, which had long began, continued ; and his
Legs, efpecially one of them, became oedcmatous.
After growing gradually weaker, till Nature was
quite fpent, he expired, with the utmoft Serenity of
Mind, in the Evening of Auguft the feventh.

His Body being, purfuant to his Requeft, opened
in the Prefence of Dr. Scarling, and three or four Sur-
geons, the Coats of the Stomach were found chang’d
into an uniform, white, inelaftic, almoft cartilaginous
Subftance, which was four Tenths of an inch in
Thicknefs. Befides this ftrange Alteration in its Coats,
the Stomach was fo contracted, as to be incapable of
holding more than five or fix Ounces } and its inner
Surface was befmeared with a various colour’d Mat-
ter. The reft of the Vifcera feemed to be quite
unafFe&ed, and every thing was in its natural Situa-
tion, except the Omentum , which, befides being, as
it is in all tabid Bodies, vaftly wafted, was nccefla-
rily drawn upwards by the Contra&ion of the Sto-
mach.

Remarks .

It is highly probable, that this Gentleman’s Dif-
order, whether conftitutional or acquired, was at
firft an Obftru&ion in thofe Glands, which feparate
the Humour that ferves to defend the villous Coat
from the Acrimony of what is taken into the
Stomach, and to prevent its being ftimulated by

' F the

[ 42 ]

the Aliment in Digeftion ; for want of which it was
fo fubjeCt to Irritation, that fcarce any thing would
flay upon it. The Matter voided by Stool was un-
doubtedly formed in the Stomach, becaufe he never
complained of confiderable Pain in any other Part ; be-
lides, had it been from an Abfcefs in the Inteftines, or
any other of the Vifcera , the Seat of it would in a i
Likelihood have been apparent. The Loofenefs, which
in the latter Pm of his Illnefs, always attended him
when the Vomiting ceafed, plainly (hews, that the
Stomach had at that time acquired a great if not its
greateft Degree of Contra&ion ; for which Reafon,
as it could contain but little, any Quantity of Food
muft, if not thrown up, go immediately downwards.
The going off of the Pain i'ome Weeks before his
Death, was owing to the Senfibility of the Coats of
the Stomach being in a great meafure, or quite de-
ftroyed. The bilious Dejections, that frequently at-
tended him, may be aferibed to Want of Digeftion 5
which, as little or no Chyle was fent into the
denum , rendered the Bile ufelefs. The Confe*
quence of this was a Non-fecretion of that Humour,
an Accumulation of it in the Liver, or Gall-bladder;
its being reconveyed into the Blood; or its going
off by Stool. If the firft or third had been the
Cafe, it would have fhown itfelf in a Jaundice; if
the fecond, there would have been an Abfcefs in
the Liver or Gall-bladder; fothat of courfe it muft
run off by Stool. Spirituous Liquors might help to
bring on this Contraction, Ineiaflicity, and Inien-
fibiliry of the Stomach: But it feems pretty clear
that they were not the foie Caufe ; elfe immoderate
Drinkers of them would generally be affeCkd in the
fame Manner.

XU.

[+3 ]

XII. A Catalogue of the Fifty Plants'
from Chelfea - Garden, prefented to the
Royal Society hy the Company of Apothe-
caries, for the Tear 1746. purfuant to the
Dire&ion of Sir Hans Sloane Bart. Med.
Reg. & nuper Soc.Reg.Prcef.\ by Jof. Miller
Apothecary , Hort. Chelf. cPrcef acBrceleSl.
Botan.

Prefented Feb. 16. i2oi. \ Diantum Americanum.
,7+8 9- Cornut.

1202. Adiantum nigrum. Offic.

1203. Acriviola maxima odorata, fiore pleno. Bocrh .

1204. AlaternoidesAfricanaTelephii Imperati folio.

Hort. Amfi.

1205. Alnus nigra. Offic.

1206. Aquilegia hortenfis multiplex, fiore pleno.

C.B.

1207. Arum maximum, quod Colocafia vulgo cau-

libus nigricantibus. Hort. Lugd.

1208. Afperula odorata, fiore albo. Offic. et <rDodon.

1209. Afterifcus perennis maritimus patulus. Tourn.

1210. Buphtlialmum orientale, Tanaceti minoris

folio, fiore luteo amplo. Ibid.

1211. Calendula minor Hifpanica. Hort. Lugd. Bat.

1212. Chamrepitys lutea vulgaris, folio trifido. C. B.

et Offic.

1213. Clinopodium minus- Ocimi facie. C.B.

1214. Clinopodium Americanum rotundifolium, Pu-

legii odore. Houfi.

F 2 1 2 1 y.

3

f.44 ]

1 2 1 y. Convolvulus cxruleus major, folio fubrotundo.

Ger. Bark.

121 6. Conyfa minima. Ger.emac.

my. Corona Solis annua, flore plcno. Tourn.

1218. Coronilla herbacca, flore vario. Ibid.

1215). Euphrafia pratenfis rubra. C B.

1 220. Galega Africana, flonbus majoribus, etftliquis

craflioribus. Tourn.

1221. Geranium Africanum Malvx folio, petalis

florum inferioribus vix confpicuis. Index
Hort. Chelf.

1222. Guidonia Ulmi foliis, flore rofeo. Blum.

1223. Helianthemum vulgare, flore luteo. J. B .
1224,. Horminum coma purpureo-violacea. Ibid.

122 f. Jacea fpinola alata, cinerea caule, fpinisluteis

longiflimis.

122b. Lavatera, folio et facie Althex. All. Reg.
Soc.

1227. Lavatera flore albo.

1228. Lotus anguftifolia flore luteo-purpureo, ex in-

fula San&i Jacobi. Hort. Amft.

1229. Lychnis fylveftris flore albo minimo. Rail

Hift.

1230. Lychnis fylveftris, qux Saponaria. Tourn.

1231. Mefpilus aculeata, Pyri denticulato folio,

fplendens Virginiana. Rink.

1232. Myagrum flliculis longis. C. B.

1233. Myrtus latifolia Romana. Ibid.

1234. Myrtus Buxi folio. Schyl. Hort .

i2$f. Obelifcothcca minor, integro folio. BDillen.

1236. Ophiogloflum, Lingua ferpentina. Bark.

1237. Ophris bifolia. C.B.

1238. Orobus fyivaticus, Vicix foliis. Ibid.

i*39‘

[ +5 ]

1239. Paeonia mas. Officin.ttC.B.

1240. Phafeolus flore coccinco. Cornut.

1241. Pifum humile caule firmo. Tourn .

1242. Polemonium vulgare. Ibid.

1 243. Rapuntium maximum, coccineo fpicato flore.

Col. in Rech.

1244. Rhamnus catharticus. Off. et C. B.

1245. Satureia hortenfis aeftiva. Ibid.

124.6. Sclarca Indica flore variegaro. Boerh.

1247. Saururus humilis, folio carnofo fubrotundo.

Plum .

1248. Spiraea Hifpanica, Hyperici crenato folio.

Tourn.

1249. Thuya Theophrafti. C. B.

nyo. Turritis muralis hirfuta minor. Tourn ,

XIII. The Reverend Mr. Robert Clarke to
Mr. Fleming, concerning a Boy , who had a
Calculus jormed between the Gians and the
Praeputium.

SIR,

Read Feb. 23. T* ‘▼PON Inquiry, I find that the Boy
1748 9. you ^fire to have an Account of,

from his Infancy labour'd under the Difficulty of
making Water ; for tho'he was three Years of Age,
when put under the Care of the Perfon from whom
I have this Intelligence, yet he could not go alone.
He was in the greateft Agony upon every Motion ;
but was relieved by putting a great Pin, the Head

fpremoft,

C 46 ]

foremoft, an Inch, at leaft, between the Prepuce
and the Stone; when fometimes a mucous, fome-
times a gritty Matter, would firft ouze out, and then
came the Urine with fome Violence.

During this time, the End of the Penis was
obferved to grow in the Form of, and as big
as, a Hen's Egg ; occafioned, as may be ima-
gined, by the Concretion of the Stone between
the Gians and the Prepuce. At Jaffc there was
a total Suppreflion of Urine for 48 Hours at leaft,
attended with an Appearance of a Sore in the Side
of the Penis , out of which the ftony Concretion
which I gave you dropp’d 5 and from that time, all
the while the Boy continued under the fame Per-
fon’s Care, which was about half a Year, the Urine
was difeharged at the Side, with lefs and lefs Pain.
Laft Summer he came to fee his quondam Nurfe,
and told her that he was now perfe&ly well. His
Age now is about 23. His Name John Blackhoufe.
I am,

SIR,

Houghton Conquefl, Jan. 21.

3748-9. Tour 'very humble Servant,

Robert Clarke.

XIV.

[ 47 3

XIV. The Eft abli foment of a new Genus of
Plants, called Salvadora, with its Defcrip -
tion ; hy Laurence Garcin M. D. F. R. S
of Neufchatel in Switzerland; communi-
cated in a Fetter to Dr . Mortimer Seer .
R.S.

Tranflatedfrom the French, by T. Stack M. eD.
Read Ftb. 23.'“ | ^HIS Plant is woody. It grows fame-
1748 9* times into a Tree, fometimes into

a Shrub, and fometimes into a Bufhi fpreading very
tufted Branches on all Sides down to the Ground.
Its native Countries are the Parts adjacent to the
Perjic Gulyhy the North olArabia^ and the South of
Perfia. I cannot find that any Author has known, or
made the lead mention of it.

Firft I will give its Chara&ers, and then its De-
feription from accurate Obfervations, which I have
made on the Spot.

Characters.

Calist. This is a monophyllous Cup, divided into
four Lobes, which, as foon as they fpread open,
turn outward, and roll backward on themfelvesj
then wither, grow whitifh, and dry up.

Corolla . Its Flower is void of Petals. . .

Stamina. Thefe are four in Number, anfwering
to the four Lobes of the Calix, and being likewife
of the fame Length. They fpring frorr) the Bafis of
the Tijltllum , and, as they (hoot up, tend outward.

Their

[ 48 ]

Their Summits are round, with a Furrow turn-
ing in on one Side j which gives each of them
the Form of a Purfe.

I Pijlillum . It is round, its Style fingle and fhort,
and the Stigma is blunt, and fhaped like a Navel.
Pericarpium. Is a round Berry, of a middle Size,
with one Cell or Lodgment in it.

Semen . It is ftngle, fpherical, inclofed in a callous
firm Skin, befet with Spots, forming a fort of
Husk like that of Hemp.

I know but one Species of this Genus , which I
deferibe thus.

© efeription .

It is a Plant which varies confiderably in Size ;
that of a larger fort of Shrub, is what it moft fre-
quently grows to. It produces a Number of Boughs
without Order, and very tufted Branches, which
moft commonly hang down to the Ground. Its
Bark is moderately thick, fometimes fmooth, fome-
times full of Cracks, of an Afh-colour, both in the
Trunk and Branches, but green on the tender Shoots.
Its Wood is every-wherc brittle, and nearly of a
Straw-colour.

The Leaves are borne on young Sprigs, which
fhoot out along the Boughs. Thefe Sprigs are firait,
generally fhort, but fometimes pretty long, like little
Wands. The Leaves are thick-fet, and tufted on
the former, but thin on the latter. They grow
fometimes oppofite to one another by Pairs, crofT-
ing alternately ; and fometimes by three and three,
difpofed like Rays; but this more rarely. Their
Length, which varies on the fame Stalk, is generally

from

[ 49 ]

from an Inch and half to two Inches and half, and
their Width is from nine Lines to an Inch a little be-
low the Middle in each, which is the wideft Part.
They are thick, pointed at their Extremity, and
rounded at their Bafe, very even on their Edges,
fomewhat fucculent, but firm : Their Colour is a
pale Green, but fomewhat yellowifh, in thofe that
are fhooting our. The Pedicles which fupport them
are very fhort, each being but half a Line in Length,
and a quarter in Thicknefs. Every one of thefe Pe-
dicles, which is round, furnilhes a little Nerve,
which runs throJ the middle of the Leaf ; it is a lit-
tle hollowed on the upper Side, and fomewhat raifed
on the Back 5 and terminates ar the End of its refpcc-
tivc Leaf. This Nerve gives two or three Pair of
almoft imperceptible Threads, which fpread and di-
vide into other fmall irregular Threads, thro’ the
Body of the Leaf. In fine, thefe Leaves in Shape
nearly refemble thofe of the SeaPurfiain, andfome-
times thole of the Mifietoe of the Apple-tree. There
are fome generally on each Plant, which have one,
two, or more black Spots, as in the Perficaria, but
almoft round, and fmaller.

The Flowers, which are fiamineous, that is, with-
out Petals, are fmall, and difpofed in Clutters on
the Tops of the Shoots. Thefe Bunches of Flowers
intirely refemble thofe of the Vine-BIolfoms. The
Empalement is fmall, green on the under Side, hav-
ing four Segments almoft pointed, which roll out-
ward, and then dry up. Its Diameter in this rolled
State of its Lobes, is but of one Line. The Stamina
are of a Straw-colour. The hollow Furrow in each

G of

/

C 50 ]

of their Summits is not eafily difeover’d without 3

Glafs.

The Piftil or Embryo of the Fruit, which is little,
and yet occupies the whole Inftde of the Calyx , is
of the fame Colour with the Bottom of this, that
is, green. Afterwards it fwells in all Dimenfions,
and grows into a Berry, of the Shape and Size of a
Goofeberry, of three or four Lines in Diameter. At
fitft it is of a pale Green, then a bright Purple, and
in its Maturity of a dark Red. Each Berry is fup-
ported on aftrong thick Pedicle, attached to a fmall
Bunch. Its Subftance is a white tranfparent Flefh,
full of Juice, much refembling Jelly, which fur-
rounds a fingle round Grain, marbled with black or
brown Spots, as in the Tortoife-fhell, when ripe.
This Grain is as large as a Grain of Hemp-feed, that
is, about two Lines in Diameter, but fometimes lefs.
It is properly a Kernel, or a Shell that has a Cavity,
which inclofes a fort of little round Almond, of a
Straw-colour, yellowifh on its outward Surface, and
pale in its inward Subftance, which is pretty firm.

Qualities .

All the Parts of our Plant have an acid pungent
Tafte and Smell, vaftly like our Garden- Crefles, but
more biting. The Fruit is the moll pungent Part of
the Whole" The Smell of the Plant is perceptible
at feven or eight Paces Diftance, when a Pcrlbn is
to Leeward.

The Natives of the Country ufe it againft the Bite
of the Scorpion, by rubbing the wounded Part with
its bruifed Leaves. They alfo employ its warm In-
fufion to walh the Bodies of their Children, in order

to

[ 51 1

to keep them healthy. And they feed Camels with
it, who love it naturally.

Remarks.

This Shrub, which is fometimes large, fometimes
fmall, is moft commonly found along high Roads,
and in dry low Places of its Climate. As its Branches,
which are llender and brittle, fpontaneoufly bend
downward, and form a thick Tuft, this makes it
generally refemble a great Bulb, which takes up a
good deal of Ground in moft Places, where it grows
naturally. It delights in the hotteft and drieft Places,
lyich as thofe adjacent to the Rerfic Gulph, and
perhaps more fo than Palm-Trees : Wherefore I doubt
of there being any growing in the Countries that lie
to the Eaft of the Gulph . And accordingly I have
met with none, either? in the Neighbourhood of
Surat , or in the Kingdom of Bengal, where there
are regular rainy Seaions every Year.

1 fhould rather believe, it is more likely to be
found in the Deferts of Africa , on this Side of our
Tropic 5 thofe being proper Places for it, and where
it rains feldomer than in any other Part of the Globe.

Its Leaves have frequently Excrefccncesof different
Sizes and Shape, round, oval, and fometimes very
large. They are the Work of thofe flying Infects,
which commonly abound in thefe Parts.

The Inhabitants of the Gulph call this Shrub by
the Name oiTchuch. Perhaps its Nature would not
allow it to grow in Lands far diftant from the Sea,
no more than the Sea-Rlants , to which this Sur-
name is given for that Reafon.

G 2

Its

[s* ]

Its Parts are ail brittle, and even the Leaves crack,
if bent in the Middle.

In fine, I have chofen a Name, which I imagined
I ought to give ir, after the Example of Mr. Limans ,
who has called feveral Plants by the Names of Bo-
tanifts of Reputation. This laudable Proceeding is
a Way to perpetuate the Memory of all thofe who
have contributed to the Progrcfs of Botany ; and that
much better than Medals do- with regard to Princes
or Emperors. A Proceeding, which, if duly pur-
ified, will encourage thofe who come after us, to
make ufeful Difcoveries in this Science for the Good
of Mankind, and in much greater Number than
have been publifhed on the Subject of Plants up to
our Times. For it is eafy to comprehend, that what
remains to be difeovered on this Subjcdt for our
Ufe, mull infinitely furpafs all that Man has hitherto
found out.

The Name of Salvador a, which I have chofcn
for our Shrub, is that of the late Mr. Salvador of
Barcelona , a very skilful Botanift, of whom Monf.
de Tournefort makes mention in his Introduction,
which ferves for a Preface to his lnjlitntiones rei
herbaria , where he flyles him the Bhoenix of his
Nation ; becaufe he was really the richeft Naturalift,
and the mod expert in botanical Matters that Spain
ever produced. Before the laft Siege of Barcelona, in
the Years 1713 and 171+ they herborized toge-
ther in Catalonia , and on the Byreneans, while
M. de Tournefort was on his Travels there. They
were intimate Friends, and carried on a Correfpon-
dencc fome Years: And as I was perfonally ac-
quainted with him for three or four Years, and have

likewife

C 53 ]

likewife herborized with him before the faid Siege,
and have fince been honoured with hh Friendfhip
and Correfpondcnce, I thought it incumbent on me
to do Honour to his Memory, by giving his Name
to this Plant. And I have done it with the greater
Juftice, bccaufe it is certain, that, had he lived, he
would have given a Hiftory of the Plants of Spain,
which, by its Accuracy, would have afforded much
Pleafure to the Botanifts of Europe.

To conclude s from the Characters of our Salva-
dora it is manifeft, that its Place in Tournefort’s
Syftem ought to be in the firft Sedtion* of the 18th
Clafs. In the Syflem of Mr. Linnaeus it ought to
be placed after the Rivina in the fourth Clafs, which
receives Plants with four Stamina (Tetrandria and
Monogynia).

* Among Trees and Shrubs having apctalous Flowers with the Fruit
joined to them j to which Section belong the Fraxinus and the S Hi qua.

C. M.

XIV.

[54]

XV. A State of the Englifh Weights and
Meafures of Capacity, as they appear from
the Laws as well ancient as modern ; with
fome Confi derations thereon ; being an At -
tempt to prove that the prefent Avoirdepois
Weight is the legal and ancient Standard
for the W eights and Meafures of this
Kingdom ; by Samuel Reynardfon Efq\

F. R. S.

Rtad March 9.TT is declared by (1) Magna Charta that
1 7481 ^ there fhould be, throughout the Realm,

one Meafure of Wine (2), one of Ale, and one of
Corn ; viz. the Qiiarter (3) of London 5 and that it
fhould be of Weights as of Meafures.

This Declaration has been repeated in many fub-
fcquent Laws (4), and by fevcral of them the Trea-
furer is directed to provide Standards of Bujhels ,

Gallons ,

(r) c. 25.

(2) Bifhop Fleetwood fays, it was a good Law of king Edgar ,
that there fhould be the fame Weight and the fame Meafures
throughout the Realm, but it was never well obferved. Chron .
pretiofum , p. 34. — And, 2 Injl. p. 41. fays, This Law was
grounded upon the Law of God, Deut. xxv. ver. 13, 14. — and
that there were good Laws for Weights and Meafures made before
the Conqueft by Canute. See Cujlum. de Norm. c. 16.

- (3) See p. 64. of this Tranfaft. the Contents of a Quarter.

(4) 51 H. III. St. 6. 14. 25, and 27. Ed. III. 13, 15, and
16 R. II. 9 H. VI. 1 1 H. VII. c. 4. 16 Car. . and 22 Car. II
cap. 8.

\

%

[ 55 3

Gallons, and Weights , of Brafs 5 and to fend them
into every County ; and all Meafures are to be made
according to the King’s Standard 5 the AJJize whereof
is eftablifhed by feveral Laws (1), as follows : 1 2 3 4 5 6 The

* Englijh Peny, called a Sterling round, without
c clipping, to weigh 32 Grains of Wheat dry, and

* taken from the midft of the Ear. 20 Pence make

c an Ounce. 12 Ounces a Pound. 8 Pounds make
c a Gallon of Wine (2). 8 Gallons of Wine make

4 a London Bufhel (3), which is the eighth Part of a
4 a Quarter.' And by other Laws (4) it is declared,

* That the Tun of Wine, Oil, and Honey, fhould
4 contain, of the Englijh Meafure, according to the
4 antient Aflize, 252 Gallons; the Pipe or Butt 126;
4 The Tertian 84.; the Hogfhead 63 ; and every Bar-
4 rel 3 1±, according to the old AJJize , and to be
4 gaged by the King’s Gager. ’

In the Reign of Edward III. (y) an A£t palled to
take away the Weight called Ancell (6), whereby,
and by fubfequent Statutes, it is directed, that every
Sale and Buying fhould by the even Balance .

I11

(1) 51 H. III. St. 1. c. 3. 31 Ed. I. 12 H. VII. c. 5.

(2) The 12th H. VII. c. 5. fays Wheat.

(3) 9 H. VI. c. 8. fays — Buyers of Corn in London bought by
a Veflel called a Fat, containing 9 Bufhels of Corn; which is for-
bid by the A£I.

(4) 2 and 18 H. VI. 1 R. III. c. 13. 5 Ann. c. 27 § 19.

23 H. VIII. c. 7. 2 H. VI. c. 1 r.

(5) 25 Ed. III. St. 5. c. 9. 34 Ed. III. c. 5. 8 H. VI. c. 5.

9 H. VI. r. 8.

(6) King Stephen (fays Knighton) fettled Meafures of Length and
of Land, and made Appointments de Anfulis , Bilancibus , &c.
Decern Scriptores , p. 2391.

4

[ 56 ]

111 the nth Year of Hen. VII. Complaint being
made to the Parliament, that the ancient Statutes
and Ordinances of the Realm relating to Weights
and Meafures had not been obferved and kept, it
was therefore Enabled, ‘ That there fhou d be deli-
‘ vered to the Knights and Citizens of every Shire
4 and City, one of every W eight and Meafare, which
4 the King had caufed to be made of Brafs, accord-
4 ing to his Standard in the Exchequer, to be dcli-
4 vered to the refpedive Places mentioned in the Ad;

4 and that the Inhabitants of all Cities, Boroughs,
4 and Market-Towns, fhould make and ufe IVeights
4 and Meafures made according to the Weights and
* Meafures fo delivered as aforefaid.” In the next
Year another Ad palled, reciting, ‘ That the King
4 had made fuch Weights and Meafures of Brafs, ac-
4 cording to the^/^Standard thereof remaining within
4 his Treafury ; which Weights and Meafures, upon
4 more diligent Examination, had been approved
4 defedive, and not made according to the Statutes
4 and old Laws , and were therefore recalled, and
4 ordered to be broken, and other new Bufhels and
4 Gallons were direded to be made and fifed, ac-
4 cording to a new Bulhel and Gallon to be made
4 according to the AJfize , to remain in the King's
4 Exchequer:' Where we now find a Bufhel in the
Cuftody of the Chamberlains called the IVinchefler
Bufhel (i), and a Gallon agreeing thereto : Upon the

Bufhel

(i) The firft time I find it fo called by any Law, is in an Ad
22 C. II. c. 8. : And afterwards it is called by this Name in feve-
ral Ads of Parliament ; but in the Ad juft now mentioned, it is

laid

[ 57 ]

Bufhel there is the following Infcription j Henericus
feptimus cDei gratia Rex Anglia et Francia.

In the laft-mention’d Acl, the AJJife for Weights
and Meafures is in Subftance the fame as in the old
Sratutcs, only the Pound is faid to be the Found
Troy of 12 Ounces. But Hnce by this and the for-
mer A (life Laws the Pound is dirc&cd to be raifed
from 240 Sterling Penics, it follows, that the Gra-
vity of the Allife Pound was always the fame; but
the Dimenfions of Mcafuresof Capacity refpe&ively
raifed from a Pound of Wine, and a Pound of Wheat,
will be in proportion to each other as the fpecific
Gravity of Wheat to that of Wine or Water.

Thus continued the Laws relating to the Englifb
Standard of Weights and Meafurestill after the Re-
ftauration ; when a Duty of Excife (2) being laid upon
Beer, Ale, and other Liquors, 36 Gallons taken by
the Gage, according to the Standard of the Ale-Quart,
(4 whereof made the Gallon remaining in th z Exche-
quer} were to be reckoned as a Barrel of Beer, and
32 fuch Gallons a Barrel of Ale; and afterwards (3)
34 fuch Gallons of Vinegar (and of Beer or Ale
Wronger or fmall without the Bills of Mortality) were
declared to be a Barrel; and all other Liquors liable

to

faid to be commonly called the Winchcjlcr Meafure. Perhaps it firlb
took that Name from the Statute made at Winchejler 16 R. II-
which direfts the Clerk of the Market to have all his Weights and
Meafures ready, and marked and figned according to the Standard
of the Exchequer.

(2) 12 C. II. c. 24. § 20.

(3) 1 W , and At. c. 24. §5. 10 W. III. c. 21. n and 12

ditto y c. 15.

H

[ 58 ]

to the Excife-Duty were to pay according to the JVine
Gallon.

We now find the Officers of the Revenue deter-
mining the Contents of our Meafures of Capacity
with great Exadnefs : For, on the 25th of May 1688,
two general Officers of the Excife, in the Prefence of
the Lord-Mayor, the Commiffioners of Excife, Mr.
Flamjlead , and others, upon an exact Trial found that
the old Standard JVine Gallon , kept in Guildhall ,
did contain but 224 cubic Inches; neverthelcfs, at
that time it was thought convenient to continue the
former fuppofed Content, being 231 cubic Inches,
as the Standard JVine Gallon , and which has fincc
been eftablifhed by a Law (1).

In the Year 1696, an Experiment was made, in
order to fix the true and exad Contents of the Brafs
Standard Bufhel of Henry VII. which being filled
with common Spring-Water, and the Water mea-
fured out with great Nicety and Exadnefs ; the
Bulhel (2) was found to contain 2145,6 folid or cubic
Inches ; and the Water being weighed by the Stand-
ard Weights in the Exchequer (and by a Beam, which
would turn with fix Grains put into either Scale,
with 30 Pounds in each Scale) was found equal to
1 13 1 Ounces 14 Peny weights Troy j and at the fame
Time and Place the Standard Troy Weights were
compared with the Standard Avoir depots , and 15

Pounds

(1) 5 Ann. c. 27. § 17 This Ad fays. Any Cylinder 7 Inches

Diameter, and 6 Inches deep, or any Veflel containing 231 cubi-
cal Inches, and no more, Anil be a lawful Wine-Gallon.

(2) Everard’i Summitry, p, 193,

[ 59 ]

rounds of the latter were found equal to 18 Pounds
2 Ounces iy Peny weights Troy ; which fixes the
Pound Avoirdepois at 7000 (1) fuch Grains, as the
Troy Pound weighs 5760; and upon three feveral
Trials, made by the Gentlemen of the Council of the
Royal Society , at the Exchequer, upon a Medium the
Avoir depots Pound was found equal to 7000,2$
Troy Grains.

By the firft (2) Malt Aft, which palled foon after
the making the Experiment upon the Winchefter
Bufhel, it is declared, that every Bufhel 18 Inches
and \ wide, and 8 Inches deep, fhould be efteemed
a legal JVinchefler Bufhel : And the Coal Bufhel is
dircded (3) to be made 19 Inches and ~ Diameter,
and to contain the laft Bufhel and one Quart of Water.
The firft contains 2iyo,42 cubic Inches, the laft
2217,47.

We now fee different Meafures eftablifhed bjr
Law (4) ; and under the Excife Laws, two different
Gages or Meafures, ufed for raking the Dimen fions
of Wine and Ale Veffels. The Wine Gallon con-
tains 231 cubic Inches, and the Ale Gallon 282 j but
upon what Foundation this laft Meafure was efta-
blifhed is difficult to determine.

Troy

(1) Ward , in his Young Math. Guide , fays, 69997 Grains.
Phil. Tranf. N9. 465. p. 1 81. and N°. 470. — Bifhop Hooper 10.
Pharmacopoeia Londin. fays, — The Avoir depots Pound is faid to
be about 7000 Grains.

(2) 13 W. III. c. 5. § 28. and 1 Ann. St. 2. c. 3. § 10.

(3) }2 Ann. St. 2. c. 17. § 1 1.

(4) Though contrary to Magna Charta , and feveral other Laws
not repealed.

H 2

[ 6o ]

' Troy Weights had for fome time been eftablifhed
and ufcd for the Money Affairs in the Mint , and
for weighing Gold, Silver, and fome few Commo-
dities ; and the Avoir depots were in general Ufe for
weighing all heavy and grofs Commodities. Wine
Mcafure was generally look’d upon as equal to Troy
Weight : From hence the Managers of the Excife
Duty were perhaps led to fix the Standard of the
Ale Gallon, bearing the fame Proportion to the
Wine Gallon as the Avoir depots Pound did to the
Troy ; and according to this Conje&ure, the two
Gallons anfwer pretty exactly (i) ; the Ale Gallon
exceeding the Proportion by fomewhat more than one
cubic Inch and one Quarter ; but it exceeds the Win -
chejler Gallon, or 268,2 cubic Inches by very near
14 cubic Inches: And not one of thefe Meafures is
agreeable to the Words of the AJJife, which diredts,
(2) ‘ That the j3#/7;?/ fhail contain 8 Gallons of Wheat,
* the Gallon 8 Pound of Wheat of Troy Weighty
1 the Tound J2 Ounces of Troy Weight/ e>vr. ac-
cording to the old Laws of this Land.

It is very plain the Law- makers in Henry the
Vllth’s Time took the Troy Weight for the Standard;
and mod Authors who have wrote upon this Subject
have follow’d their Example.

The great Difficulty we are under in fixing upon a
Standard 'Pound, agreeable to the AJJife , arifes from
the Uncertainty of the Rule laid down in our Laws

of

(1) For, as 144 : 175 :: 231 : 280, 729 — And as 144 :
175 : : 224 : 272, 222. This lafl comes very near the vulgar dry
Gallon.

(2) 12 H. VII, (. 5.

[ 6i ]

of Ajjife for railing the Bound i rom 7680 Grains of
IVheat ; as thcfe Grains differ in Weight, in dif-
ferent Countries, and in different Years, I might
have faid in the fame Field, and in the fame Year.

The Uncertainty of a Pound fo raifed might with
great Probability occafon the Variety in our Weights
and Mcafures, fo often complained of in our ancient
Laws, and for the Prevention whereof Edward III.
in his 14th Year, ordered ‘ Standard Weights and
*■ Meafures to be made of Brafs , and fent into every
* City and Town in the Kingdom/

The Laws of AJJife never received any Alteration,
except by the 12th of Hen. VII. when the Pound is
declared to contain 12 Ounces of (1) Troy Weight,
and the Gallon 8 Pounds of Wheat of Troy Weight ;
and fnce the Laws have received no Change, we
have great Reafon to conclude, that the Standard
Weights themfelves never fuffer’d any Addition or
Diminution but however this be, we (2) now find
in the Cuftody of the proper Officer of the Exche-

query

(1) This is the firft time the Standard Weights are called Troy
Weights. But in an A£t 2 H. V. St. 2. c. 4. and 2 H. VI. c. 13.
relating to Goldfmitbs , there is mention made of The Pound of Troy .

(2) Phil. Tranf. N°. 470. — The Avoirdepois Weight of 14
Pounds is marked with a crowned E. and infcribed

XIIH POVNDE AVERDEPOIZ.

ELIZABETH. REGINA.

1582.

The Troy Weights marked with a crowned E. are Ounces, from
256 down to the 16th Part of an Ounce : And there are no whole
Pounds Troy, Peny Weights, or Grain Weights, at the Exchequer.
There not being Pounds, or greater Weights, feems to be a Proof
that thefe Weights were never defigned or ufed for determining the
Weight of large Bodies, or heavy Goods,

E 63 3

qiier 2 Setts of Weights, kept there as Standards;
one called Troy , the other Avoir depots Weight.

As there is no Account handed down to us by our
Anceftors, (hewing at what time, and upon what
Occafton, thefc Weights, differing conftderably in
Gravity from each other, were there firft depofited,
we are at a Lofs to determine which is the ancient
Standard Weight deferibed by the Laws of AJJife.

The Ad in the 12th of Hen. VII. has called the
Standard W eight by the Name of Troy Weight ; this
is the firft time the W eights are fo called in any of
our AJJife Laws; and notwithftanding this Authority,
it will be found very difficult, if not impoffible, to
reconcile the Troy IV eight and Meafure raifed there-
from with the Words of the AJftfe , and any Meafurcs
now in being; for the natural and mod ready Way
to determine this Queftion is to compare both the
Troy and Avoir depois Weight with Meafures raifed
from each, according to the Rule laid down in the
Ajffey and with fuch Meafures as are or have been
ufed by Authority.

4 The mod exad (x) and geometrical Way of ex-
s preffing the Capacity of any Veflel or Meafure is
c by expreffing in known Terms the Solidity of a
c Body which will precifely fill it : The fitted will
‘ be Water. The Solidity of all Bodies is beft ex-
‘ prefied by the Help of a Cube, whofe equal Sides

‘ we

(1) Bifhop Cumberland's Eflay, p. Co. — who alfo fays, The
Egyptians made their Ardob the Cube of their known Standard the
Cubit : — And that the Romans made their §>uadrantal the Cube of
their Standard the Foot ,

* we know by a Standard Meafure of Length ; and it
4 appears, that this Way of determining Meafurcs of

* Capacity is not only the mod geometrical, but
4 alfo exceeding ancient (2)’. By this Rule fome
Gentlemen at Oxford , in the Year 1687, determined
the Weight of a cubic (3) Foot of Spring Water , or
1 728 folid Inches, to be 1000 Ounces Avoirdepois ;
and by the fame Rule the Capacity and Contents of
the Standard Bufhel in the Exchequer was deter-
mined in the Year 1696, with great Care and Exaft-
nefs: By the fame Rule the Contents of other Vef-
fels of Capacity have been fettled; and in the fol-
lowing Table p.yi. I have inferted the Names of fuch
Meafurcs as are of any Authority, whofe Contents
are known ; by which the Proportion they bear to
each other, and to Meafures raifed according to the
AJfife , as well from the Pound Troy as the Pound
Avoirdepois , will be readily obferved.

In the next place let us compare the Experiment
made upon the cubic Foot of Spring Water with that
upon the Winchefier Bufhel, and we fhall find an
uniform and perfect Agreement between them; and
that, upon each Trial, a cubic Velfel, the Sides
whereof were equal to an Englifh Foot, did contain
(4.) 1000 Ounces Avoirdepois of Spring Water. From

hence

(2) Meafures of Bodies are either determined by their folid Con-
tents, or Weight. Meafures of Content are formed from Cubes of
afligned Lengths. Bifhop Hooper , p. 2.

(3) Phil.Tranf N°. 169.

ox. f>io. Cu. In. ox. Cu • In.

(4) For as 1131. 14 "Troy : 2145,6 :: 1000 Avoir. :: 1728,041;
Some Writers upon this Subject fay, that a cubic Foot of Spring-

Water

[ 6+ 3

hence we are led to the Difcovery of a natural and
univerfal Standard for the Englifl) Weights and
Meafures ; and fuch an one as is, in every refped,
agreeable to the Words of the AJ]ife recorded in
our mod: ancient Laws.

Magna Charta points out the Quarter of London
as the only Standard for Meafures and Weights of
that time ; but we are left to guefs of what Mcafure
or Weight it was the Quarter Parr. If we fuppofe it
the Quarter of a Ton , or 2000 Pound Weight, then
the Quarter was foo Pounds, and the eighth Part of
that, or a Bujhel , was equal to a cubic Foot , or 624
Pounds; from whence lefs Meafures and Weights
were eafiiy deduced. Subfequent AjJife Laws dired
the greater Meafures to be raifed from the lefs ; that
8 Pounds fhould make a Gallon ; 8 Gallons a Bufhel j
which was to be the eighth Part of a Quarter ; and
by this Rule the garter is raifed to 512 Pounds,
and the Ton to 2048 Pounds. Thefe Meafures and
Weights are raifed with Eafe from known Parts of
the Foot. For a cubic Veffel, whofe Sides are equal
to ^ of a Foot, will contain a Cube of Spring Water
equal to an Ounce Avoirdepois ; and from hence,
by a regular geometrical TrogreJJion , we fhall obtain

Cubes

Water is equal to 76 Pounds Troy ; which is 10 Penyweights 20
Grains more 'than theiooo Avoirdepois. See Arbuthnot’s Tables ex-
plain’d., p. 80, 283. Bijhop Hooper’r State , (Ac. p. n. But

the Explainer of Arbuthnot’s, Tables feems to have been quite igno-
rant of any Experiment fince Sir 'Jonas Moore’s, Time ; and to have
difregarded the due Proportion between the Avoirdepois and Troy
Pound ; and for 1 75. to 144. his Tables, he fays, are calculated
zt 17. to 14.

[ 6 5 ] ,

Cubes equal to (*) 8 64 'fi2 Ounces, or to

4 32 256 2048 Pounds Avoirdepois :

And from a cubic Veflel containing one fuch Pound,
\vc fhall have other cubic Veflels, equal in Weight

8 64 5T2 Pounds; and in Meafure to the

Gallon, Bujhel and Quarter, according to the AJfiJ'e.

The (*) Gallon , Bujhel, and Quarter, are called
dry Meafures ; and are ufed for afeertaining the
Quantity of Com, and other dry Goods ; the Gallon
is alfo a liquid Meafure railed from a Bound, in Li-
quids now called a Pint (1 2 3); from whence all the
other liquid Meafures are railed j but with this Dif-
ference in the Proportion, that the liquid Bujhel is
not 64, but 6 3 Pounds or Pints ; eight whereof make
the Hogfjead equal to 6 3 Gallons ; from whence the
Contents, as well of the larger as fmaller Veflels or
Meafures of Capacity are fettled.

The Meafures of Capacity thus raifed, are fuf-
ficicn'ly convenient for common Ufe, and are gene-
rally retained at this time j but for V/eights , there
has been fome Variety from time to time, in the
Compofition of the larger forr, ufed for determining
the W eight of Merchandize and heavy Goods, as will
appear from the following Extrad from feveral old

Ads

(1) Eight Ounces are equal to a Mark , whereof two, or twice
the Contents of that Cube make a Pound Avoirdepois .

(2) The Half-Bufhel, Peck, Gallon, Pottle, and Quart, are
directed by 25 Ed. III. St. 5. c. 10. to be made according to the
King’s Standard.

(a) See Bilhop Hooper, p. 6.

(3) See Note (5) of p. 66. infra. —The Pint is not mention’d in
the AJjijehz'ws ; but Bilhop Hooper has given a long and learned D A-
fertation upon that Meafure, and calls it the Pint of Old , p. 458. .

1

f 66 1

Ads of Parliament.* — The Stone for weighing Lead
was (*) fettled at 1 2 ‘Pounds ; for Wax, Sugar, Spices,
and Allom, at 8 Pounds > of which laft, 13-i, or 108
Pounds, made the hundred Weight : The Sack of
Wool (*) was to weigh but 26 Stone , 14 Pounds to
each Stone : A Weye (3) of Chccfe 32 Cloves , each
Clove 7 Pounds . And for many Years pad, the
Hundred weight has been fixed (*) at 112 Pounds
Avoir depots, and that by a general Confent, and
without any patticular Law to eftablifh it.

Thefe Weights have been univerfally and imme-
morially (*) ufed in England , with an Exception to
the weighing of Gold, Silver, and fome very few
Commodities, for which the Troy Weight has been
ufed for a great many Years. When it was firft

introduced

(1) Cay’s Abridgment Title freights, § 9.

(2) 25 Ed. III. St. 5. c. 9. 13 R. II. (. 9.

(3) 9 H. VI. c. 8. The Weye equalled 224 Pounds.

(4) That is, 14 Stone at 8 Pounds, or & Stone at 14 Pounds each,
according to the Old Laws, and prefent Ufage of the Stone Weight,
The 1 12 Pound is a very convenient Weight for a Standard, be-
caufe it is divifible into more even Parts than any lefs Number. —
And it is compounded from the AJJife Bujhel, its Half and Quarter;
that is to fay, 64.32, and 16 Pounds.

(5) The Apothecaries (who, next to the Goldfmiths, are fuppofed
to make the moll Ufe of Troy Weights) feldoin keep Weights ad-
jufted to the Troy Pound heavier than two Drams; but for all
above buy and fell by Avoirdepois : And with them, by the Term
Libra in Meafure is meant the Wine Pint ; tho’ this Meafure is not,
fay they,fo denominated from its containing an exa6f Pound-Weight
ef any Liquor, and the Term Uncia in Meafure does not denotea
twelfth Part of the Pint, but the fixteenth ; though in Weight,
agreeable to its Signification, it is ufed to exprefs one twelfth Part
of a Pound ; fo that an Ounce in Meafure is fcarce more than
three Quarters of an Ounce in Weight. See Pembtrton's Difpenfary

b 44*

4

[ 67 ]

introduced into this Kingdom, does' no1 2- where appear i
but Mr. Folk.es , in his Tables of the Evglijh Silver
Coins (*), tells us, it was not eftablifhed or ufed at
the Mint before the 18th of Hen. VIII.

By reducing the liquid Biijhel, or one Eighth of
the Hogfhead , from 64 to 63 Pints, it feems plain
that our Anceftors took the cubic Foot for their
Model $ the Contents of fuch a VelTel being 6i~ Pints
or Pounds : And from hence, and from what has
been (hewn before, it is not very unnatural to con-
clude, that at firft our Anceftors fixed and eftablifhed.
as well their Weights as Meafures from known Parts
of this Model $ taking always a whole Number for
each primary Weight or Vejfelh and from thence
proceeding, by a regular geometrical Proportion, to
raife the greater Weights or Meafures: So that the
Enghfb Foot (the undoubted and univerfal Standard
of all Meafures of Length within this Realm) is
alfo the Standard for the Avoirdepois (*) Weights,
and all Meafures of Capacity.

Upon

( 1 ) Page 4. Mr. Folkts fays. The Pound ufed at the Mint be-
fore that time, called the Tower or the Moneyers Pound, was equal to
5400 Troy Grains : And, p. 13, 14, that the Weight of the Groat,
from 13 Hen. IV. to 4 Edw. IV. was equal to 60 fuch Grains.
Which is agreeable to what is faid in an Aft of Parliament of 2
Hen. VI. that the Pound Troy of coined Money was worth 32
Shillings ; for 32 Shillings, or 96 Groats, at 60 Grains each,
weigh 5760 Grains, ora Pound Troy. Tho’, by the fame Aft,
by reafon of the Scarcity of Silver Money, and in order to bring
Bullion into the Mint, it was enafted, That Silver uncoined, of
the fame Goodnefs as the Money, fhould be fold only for 30
Shillings the Pound Troy.

(2) The very Name Avo\rdepo'tsy by which our common Weights
are known, has by fome been looked upon as a Proof that they

I 2 were

[ 68 ]

Upon the whole therefore, I think it is fufficiently
proved, that a cubic VtJJ'el, whofe Sides are equal
co an Englifh Foot , will contain 1000 Ounces Avoir -
depots , or very near that Weight of Spring-Water :
That Weights and Meafures, deduced by a regular
geometrical Progrejfiun from fuch a Veffel, or from
cubic Veilels, whole Sides are equal to known Parts
of an Englijh Foot, bear an exact Analogy to each
other, and to Weights and; Meafures railed from a
Found, according to the YVords of our mod ancient
AJJife Laws. This being confidered, and that the
Avoir depots Weight is now in common Ule for
determining the Gravity of all heavy Bodies, that this

Weight

were of foreign Extraction. The firft time I find the Word u fed in
our Laws, is in an Ad of Ed. III. St. i. where it is applied to
Wines as well as Corn ; as it is afterwards in 25 Ed. III. St. 3. c. 2.
and 16 R. II. c. 1. And in an Ad 27 Ed. III. St. 2. c. xo. there
is the following Claufe: — ‘ Becaufe we have perceived fume Mer-
‘ chants buy Avoirdepois Merchandizes by one Weight, and fell by
‘ another, we will and eftablifh, that one Weight , one Meafure , and
‘ .one Yard , be through all the Land ; and that Wools, and all man-
‘ ner of Avoirdepois, be weighed by even Balance.” This King,
in his 14th Year, had directed Standard Weights to be made of
Brafs, and fent into every City and Town ; and I conjecture, that
thole Standards , from the Words of the foregoing Claufe, took the
Name of Avoirdepois, and were the Weights by which the Mer-
chants ufed to buy. What were the lighter Weights by which they
fold, does not appear ; perhaps the Pound Troy. That the former
were the lawful Weights, appears by an Ad 24 H. VIII. c. 3.
where they are fo called ; and Butchers, who before that time fold
their Meat by Hand, were thereby obliged to provide themfelves
with Beams, Scales, and Weights fealed , called Haberdepois (for
Avoirdepois) ; and in the next Reign the Avoirdepois Weights, now
remaining as Standards in the Exchequer, were depofited there, as
appears from the Name and Infcription thereon.

[ 69 ]

Weight now is, and immemorially has been, ufed
for fettling the ancient Duty of Tonnage and "Pound-
age upon all Goods and Merchandize taken by
Weight (except fome few Drugs, which are charged
in the Book of Rates by the Ounce Troy ) ; and that
there is not the leaft Proof, either in our ancient or
modern Laws , to induce a Belief that this Duty was
ever generally taken by the Troy Weight, or that
Troy Weights were ever in general and common
Ufe in this Kingdom, it mud Purely be allowed, that
the Weight mentioned in our old Laws, or Ads of
Parliament, was the Avoir depots Weight.

Pofifcript.

The learned Bifhop Cumberland, in his ( x) Treatife,
fays, ‘ That our Englijh Avoirdepois Ounce is the
‘ fame as the Roman Ounde ; and was probably in-
‘ troduced into this Kingdom by the Romans, when

* they gave Laws and planted Colonies here, and

* hath thence continued unchanged to this Day j
c which is not commonly obferved, becaufe we ufe
‘ the Avoirdepois Weights only about heavier Com-
‘ modifies; not in weighing Silver and Gold, which

* are weighed by the Troy Ounce; which I fuppofe
1 was introduced by the Normans , becaufe it takes

* its Name (1 2 3) from a French Town, Troyes in
‘ Champaigne. ’ Moll Authors (3) have been of this

Opinion.

(1) See p. n, 103, 107.

(2) Bifhop Hooper, p. 432, of another Opinion as to the Deri-
vation of the Name.

(3) See Hooper’s Inquiry , p. 10, 14, 92. and Arbutbnot's Tables
explain'd, p. 16, and *83.

[ 7° 1

Opinion. This leads me to compare our EngViJh
Foot with the Roman Foot, which Mr. Greaves
takes as equal to 967 fuch Parts, as ours is icoo.
The Roman Amphora or ^uadrantal is generally
allowed (x) to be equal to a cubic Roman Foot ;
and to contain 80 Pounds, or 960 Ounces. Then
the Side of the Amphora is equal to (*) ,986 Parts
of the Englijh Foot ; agreeing exa&ly with the Foot
deduced by Villalpandus from the Congius of VeJ-
pajian ; and a cubic Vcflel, whofe Sides are equal
to ,967 Parts of the Englijh Foor, will not contain
(1 2 3) quite 904^ Ounces; which, if true, reduces
the Roman Ounce to near 412,-7 Grains Troy.

» " ■■■■•■ ■■ - — -- ■

(1) See Bifhop Hooper, p. 152, 175. Greaves's Mif. IVorh^
p. 198, 199, 297,303.

(2) For the cube Root of 960 is 986,1. And

ex. Parts.

(3) The Cube of 967 is but 904,231063. And Mr. Greaves
himfelf fays, an Amphora made by the Pes Colotianus held only 7^
Congii , equal to 900 Roman Ounces ; which comes as near the
Cube of 967, as can be expe£ted from the uncertain Method he
took to determine the Contents of that Amphoray which was by
filling it with 7 Congii , and, as he guefled, about an half, of Milium •
See his Mijcellaneous JVorks , (1737) p- 225.

The

[ 71 ]

The Table of

Bufhels

in

Gallons

in

Pints

in

Weight of
the Gallon
i n Avoir dep.
Pounds.

By the Coal Aft
By the Malt Aft
IViricheJler Bufhel
From , the Wine Gallon
The Guildhall Gallon
16 Oz. Avoirdepois
1 2 Oz. Troy

Cube Inch.

Cu. Inch.

Cu. Inch.

2217,47

2150,42

2145,6

1848

1792

[769,472

1456,0224

277.183
268,8
268,2
231
224

221.184
182,0028

34.648
33,6
33,525
28,875
28

27.648
22,75035

10,025

9,722

9,6

8,354

8,iox

8

6,5826

The following are not
fupported by any Law
or Authority:

(1) The vulgar dry Meal

(2) The Ale Meafure

2178 -f
2256

272,25

282

34,0625

35,25

9,8468

10,1995

( i ) Dr. Arbuthnot gives a Table of the vulgar dry Meafure , as
the Contents of the Winchejler Meafure. And he had fo little Re-
gard for the Averdepois Weight, that he does not give any Table

thereof. •

. (2) The Ale Meafure even exceeds the Coal Meafure. And the
Excefs of the Ale Meafure above the JVincheJler is more than one
in 20 of the laft Meafure.

(+) See the Note (1) p- 60.

XVI.

[ 72 ]

XVI. A Letter from Dr. le Cat F. R . *5^. to
C. Mortimer M. D. Secret . R. S. concern-
ing the Cure of Dry Gangrenes . together
with a Defcription of a new-invented In -
Jlrument for the Extirpation of Tumours
out of the Reach of the Surgeon s Fingers .

TranJJated from the French by Ph. H. Zollman Efq-, F.R.S.

SIR ,

Read March 9 and 1 6. O R fome Years paft. in curing
I/48'9‘ the dry Gangrene, I have made

fome Progrefs, of which I think I ought to inform
the Royal Society.

From the Year 172 f to the Year 1733, when I fre-
quented the Hofpitalsof Rarisg fawthata great many
Perfons there died of a dry Gangrene, and even
that nothing was done to them. I knew that Ampu-
tation had been attempted in vain ; but I did not fee
any of the Practitioners endeavour to cure that Dif-
temper by Remedies j nor did I think that Cure im-
pollible. I fufpected, that the Caufc of the dry Gan-
grene was the want of a Flow of the arterial Blood
and of the Spirits into the Part afFeCtcd : And this
Want, as it accounts for the Deadncfs, which cannot
mifs befalling the Parr, and the Drynefs which at-
tends this fort of Mortification 5 whereas in the hu-
mid Gangrene, it is chiefly the Return of the Blood
which is hindered, and thereby the Fluids arc accu-
mulated, that fwell and difltnd the Parr.

Two Caufes fo oppofite muft demand alfo very
different Cures. The Diflenfion which characterizes
the humid Gangrene {hews the Neceflity there is for

Scarifications

[ 73 ]

Scarifications and Evacuations; as the Drynefs of the
other Gangrene points out the Ufelefsnefs of thefe
Operations in this fort.

In the humid Gangrene the Solids are choaked up,
and overflowed with the accumulated Liquid ; the
Nerves are there ftupefied and benumbed : What can
be more proper then after Scarifications, which dif-
gor.'e and relax thofe Regions, than to apply ftimu-
lating Topics ? Tonics , which reftore the Spring, the
Tone of the folid Parts; help them to expel thofe
fuperfluous Liquors, the Spirits of which are as it
were drowned and fuffocated ; and in fhort the De-
fed being local, if thofe Succours do not fuffice, it
is very common to cut off a Limb ; the Lofs of which
may bring on that of the whole Pcrfon.

On the contrary, in the dry Gangrene the Solids
are void of Fluids of all forts. The neighbouring
Regions, which begin to fhare of that Want, are af-
feded with the mod cruel Pains : If you attack thofe
Parts with the cutting Inftrument, you increafe the
Irritation of the Solids, the ConftridiOn of the Veffels,
the W ant ofFluids, the Exficcation, and haften Death.

On the contrary, the general Indication, which
this Diftemper affords us is therefore to foften, to re-
lax the Veflcls, to draw thither the Liquors by To-
pics, whilft inwardly all Remedies mud be given
that are capable of bringing the Blood and the Spirits
from the Center to the Circumference.

If this Method is not fuccefsful, Death is inevita-
ble ; for even fuppofing that the Amputation was
not liable to the difmal Confequences juft now fpe-
cified, there is no Room for this Operation in an
internal Defed, which depends on the whole

K Habit,

C 74 ]

Habit, as the Cafe is with the dry Gangrene. And
fuppofing that there are dry Gangrenes purely local,
as the critical cDepoJitnm$ of certain malignant Fevers,
you may allure yourfelf, that the very fame Nature
which has caufcd this Crifis, if you affift her but a
little, will be able alio to feparate this Mortification
from the found Parts; andfhe will do it more gently
and more dextroiifly than we.

Thcfe were the Notions I had formed to myfelf
of thefe two forts of Gangrenes ; I only waited for
Opportunities to make the Trials which this Theory
fuggefted to me.

1 did nor find any before 1738. in the Perfon of
a Wood-Merchant of our Town, called Mrs. Four-
naife. She was then 6y Years of Age, extremely
corpulent j the Gangrene feized her at the Heel, by
a black and round Blotch, of two Inches Diameter,
without any Tumour, with fome fmall fcorbutic
Spots, great Pains, and a little Fever.

The Plethora made me begin with Bleeding and
Purging ; the lafter I repeated every 8 Days.

I applied all over the Foot and Part of the Leg, a
Pultis made of Herbs and Farina s, emollient, re-
folving, and aromatic, the fuppurative Ointment, and
Storax.

I gave inwardly diaphoretic Ptifans: In the Morn-
ing, Broths of Vipers, ofCrayfifh prepared with pro-
per Herbs, and above all with Watcr-crefies : In the
Evening a Bolus of Theriaca. In fhort, I fpllowed
intirely the Theory I had formed to myfelf about
the dry Gangrene, and in 9 or 10 Days I faw the
Suppuration formed > fo that my Patient was per-
fectly cured in about 2 or 3 Months.

This

[ 75 3

This Succefs has been followed by many others,
both in our Town and in our Hofpital. I have been
particularly fuccefsful in the latter Place, becaufe I
am more Mailer there than any-where elfe, to fee
my Method exactly followed, which I have hill im-
proved fincc 1738.

The Report of thefe Cures having fpread itfelf as
far as Tarts, I was fent for thither in February
1746. to attend M. Ronde , Treafurer-General of the
Fortifications of France , who was at the laffc Extre-
miry, by a dry Gangrene, which had fphacelated his
Foot ,• the Caufe of which had kept him in a lan-
guishing Way for 4 Years. M. Ronde was in a
dreadful Condition, and I was vexed at having been
fent for in fo defperate a Cafe : I declared it to his
Relations, and to the eminent Surgeons who at-
tended him : I therefore applied my Remedies to
the Patient, at the Requeft of his Relations, only
by way of Trial, which I publicly declared to be
molt doubtful. However, contrary to our Expecta-
tion, from the 3d Day there appeared plainly a Be-
ginning of Suppuration, and a Separation of the
Efchars. On the pth Day there was a complete
Suppuration, and the Regeneration of the Flefh was
even fo far advanced, that the Singularity of it raifed
the Curiofity of fome of the fir ft Surgeons of Tar is.
At laft, on the iyth Day my Patient found himfelf
in a more favourable Crifis ; which, according to
the Teftimony which M. Morand , an affiduous
Spectator of my Cure, publicly gave of it, gave
Hopes of Recovery in a Cafe that had hitherto
been thought defperate.

' IC 2 *

The

[ 76 ]

The Suppuration, the Separation of the Efchars,
and the Regeneration of the Flefh, being all that a
Surgeon can defire in a like Cure, I then thought
that my Million was fulfilled, and that I might re-
turn home, whither I was called by more material
Affairs. I had Rcafon to repent of this Journey :
My Patient having naturally a very voracious Appe-
tite, I had confined him to a fevere Diet 5 but he
could hold out no longer s and, by the Connivance
of his Nurfe, he took various Food, and that plenti-
fully too. This Conduct had foon ruined our Pro-
grefs. I returned to Raris i my Rcprefentations
were ufelefs : The Patient had lhaken off the Yoke
of the Faculty, and of Reafon. Indigeftions enfued
one upon another. The Loofenefs, which never left
him after, totally fupprefled the Suppuration, and
made him void the Matcer quite crude by Stool, and
at laft he died.

I was fcarcely returned to Rouen, when there came
to my Hofpital a Patient feized with the dry Gan-
grene, and who fo perfc&ly refembled M. Ronde
that we commonly called him the Ronde of Rouen.

This Cure being extremely intcrefting in all its
Circumftances, I think. Sir, it is fit to tranferibe for
you the Obfervation taken from a Letter which I
wrote on the 2 8th of November 174,6. to M. Morand ,
and which he has fince made public.

“ As this Letter has been made public by Mr. Morand ,
“ I fhall not fill up this Tranfattion with a Tranf-
“ lation of a long Letter ^already in Print, but
“ only give a fhort Account of the Cafe.

C. M.
Thomas

. .[ 77 ]

'T’Homas le Monnier, a Carpenter, aged 66, was,
■*- in 'December 1744. feized with violent Pains in
his right Foot refembling thole of the Gout, but with-
out (welling, and not preceded by any Sicknefs. He
had work'd hard at his Trade, and hill carried it on
in marfhy Places, and in bad and cold Weather,
when he was feized with this Pain. He took various
Remedies to no Effect. In November 174?- his
great Toe turned black 5 which Blacknefs gradually
fpreaa to the other Toes, to the whole Foot, and at
laft to the Ankle. He was fent to the Hotel Diets
at Roan May 19. His Foot was intirely gangrened,
black and dry 3 his Pulfe was low, and a little fever-
ifh i he never llept but 2 Hours a Night, fuffered
cruel Torments, was greatly emaciated, and of a yel-
low and leadifh Complexion } his other Foot was
oedematous. 1 M. le Cat fays, he would not attack
‘ this Cafe Steel in Hand, by Scarifications or Am*
c putation 3 cruel and numbering Methods ! which
c quite extinguifh the Springs of Life in the nervous
4 Syftem, which is already but too much ruffled.
4 A barbarous Surgery! which Prejudice, Ignorance,
4 and Unskilfulnels alone can adopt, and by which I
4 have feen Patients die, when there were great Hopes
* of their Recovery.' See le Drans Operations,
^>, 30. Saviard's Observations, p. 98. and de la Alette
Obf. 303. especially 371. Tome III.

As this Diforder arifes from internal Caufes, its
Cure is chiefly to be attempted by internal Remedies ;
and of thefe I give Cordials, Diaphoretics, and fuch
as arc capable of reviving the drooping Spirits, and
of quickening the Circulation even to the Extremities:

To

T 78 ]

To which fhould be joined Medicines adapted to
the particular Habit of each Patient, whether it be
fcorbutic, fcrophulous, or any other, which may
have contributed to have brought on this particular
Species of Gangrene ; At the fame time emollient,
attradive, external Remedies, moderately warmed
with Spices, applied to the Part, concur to the fame
Intention, by facilitating the Flow of Blood and Spi-
rits ; the Interception of which makes the diftinguifh-
ing Charaderiftic of the dry Gangrene. Spirituous
and aqueous Topics, impregnated with Volatiles,
charged with faline, adive, violently ftimulating Par-
ticles, and others in Ufe in ordinary Gangrenes, are
to be avoided like deadly Poifons 3 for fuch Applica-
tions would rather contrad and dry up the Part the
more, and increafe the painful Irritations, and dif-
pofe the contiguous Parts to a dry Gangrene. He
gives us Hopes of a Treatife exprefly on this Sub-
jed.

But to return to the Cafe. The Suppuration began
to appear, and the Efchars diftinguifhed themfelves
from the live Flefh the very firft Days of the Cure;
and, after the Time ufual in the like Suppurations,
the Foot and lower Part of the Ankle feparated of
themfelves 3 and afterwards, healing over intirely,
left a Stump quite cover’d over with a Covering of
Flefh, except fome Points of Bone, which were not
eafily to be fe'en, but might be felt, by palling the
linger over this new Flefh.

After this Separation the Tendons of the Mufclcs,
which lie along the Leg, formed Abfcefics and
Sinus's. Some Praditioners would have laid open
thefe Sinus's their whole Length 3 but fuch large

Incifons

[ 79 ]

Incifions would have To affeCted the Syflem of the
Nerves, as to have brought back the gangrenous Dif-
pofition into the internal Pans, and fo have dedroy’d
the Patient; as M. le Cat fays he has feen it very
lately happen by the like Practice : Wherefore he lets
the Matter gather in thofe Sinus’s, till it forms a
Bag, and greatly thins the Skin, when he opens
them aanoft without Pain, in the Place only where
they point. Thefe Openings are fuflicient both f-pr
the Difcharge of the Matter, and for the coming
away of the Tendons; which no fooner happens,
but the Integuments, whether open'd or nor,’ unite
and cicatrize. Thus, at the End of 6 or 7 Months,
the Stump itfelf cicatrized, and the Patient yyas quite
recover’d. : , ;

So long a Cure could not but be liable to fome
Accidents: The Patient was one who would induke
in his Diet, and the Hofpital is open. for any one to
come in and vifit jtheir Friends : He had feveral drong
Accedes of an accidental Fever, and five or fix vio-
lent Indigeftionsj one in July kept him infenfible
for 20 Hours, and was attended with a Defluxion
on the Lungs, accompanied with fuch Expectora-
tions as gave the word Prognoflications. Thefe were
Incidents which render'd his Recovery the more re-
markable. He has pick’d up his Flefh, and promifes
to enjoy a good Habit of Body; fo that probably he
may live to a good old Age. Several that have been
cured by the DoClor of this Diforder have lived to
upwards of 70. y „

Thus, fays die, the common Opinion, that it is
impoflible radically to cure the dry Gangrene, is as
falfe, as the ordinary Method of treating it is bad.

He

[ 8° ]

He does not eftablifh his Method as infallible; but
allures us, that, in 8 or 9 Years Practice it has not
failed curing any Perfons who exaftly followed it,
and obferved the Regimen prefcribcd.

u We now return to Dr. le Cat's own Words."

I fhall here fubjoin the Defcription of an Inlku-
ment of Surgery, which I have lately invented.

Forceps for the Extirpation of Tumours too remote
from the Surgeons Finders,

When the Fingers can lay hold of an Excrefcency,
the Surgeon need not think of making ufe of Ma-
chines for it ; he wiil never find any convenient
•enough; but all Tumours that arc to be extirpated
are not within the Reach of the Fingers .: There are
even many of them which the Fingers can reach,
but where they cannot lay hold of them, nor work
as the Extirpation requires. Such are the Ex-
crefcences fituated a little deep in the Anus , in the
Vagina , in the Throat, &c. For the like Extirpations
I have been obliged to invent the Forceps which I
am going to deferibe.

Fig. 1. ihe firft Figure reprefents the Forceps fhut,
as they are when the Inftrument is elofed, or when
it holds a fmall Excrefcency.

AC is the Extremity defigned for laying hold of
the Excrefcency : It is of Silver, pliant as tar as aa ,
in order to be able to give to thefe Cheeks the dif-
ferent Figures which thofc of the Tumours to be
•extirpated may require. The Infide of thefe Branches
2 is

[ 8i ]

is lined with a Slip of Buff-Skin, or clofe Shamoys
(KK, Fig. 2. Tab. III.) to prevent the Tumours
flipping when once it has been laid hold of.

BE) is the Extremity of the Forceps , to be held
in the Hand of the Operator.

E F, GH7 are the Pieces which conned the two
Parts of the Inftrument, inflead of the common Joints
or Rivets of the other Forceps , in a very advantageous
manner. Thefe Pieces make the principal Utility of
this Invention.

Fig. 2. Tab. III. reprefents the Pincers taken to pieces

in two Parts.

One eafily fees that the Piece E is to go into the
Notch gg, fo that the Screw f may pafs through its
Slit, and that the Nut F, put on upon that Screw
f is to keep the Whole together : But one thing
which the Figure cannot fhew, is, that this Piece E is
moveable in the Diredion lengthways of the Forceps,
to anfwer the different Openings of the Cheeks. You
may obferve in b the Pin upon which this Piece
turns.

The Piece G likewife receives the Screw h into
its Slit 5 and the one and the other is flopped by the
Nut H. But an eflential Remark with regard to the
Piece G, is, that it rnufl have the Figure of an Arch
of a Circle, the Radius whereof is the Inftrument
itfelf j that is to fay, it ought to be the Portion
of an Arch of a Circle, the Center of which is at the
Extremity of the Inftrument } and this to the end
that in the fmall Extremity of the Pincers, the Ends
of the Cheeks find themfelves over-againft each other,
whatever Opening one may give to the larger Extre-
mity, or to the Handle G H ,

L

To

L 8+ ]

To explain the Ufe of thcfe Forceps :

1 fuppofe I am to extirpate an Excrefcence, a Con-
dyloma, of two Inches Depth in the Re Hum. I can-
not lay hold of this Tumour with the Fingers, nor
make it come our; yet it is very troublefome to the
Patient, and one is difpofed to (lit or lay open the Antis t
to make room for this Extirpation. With our For-
ceps we fhall avoid this cruel Preparative, and fhall
with great Eafe make the Extirpation.

Firft, I introduce the Fore-finger of the left Hand
into the ReHum over the Tumour that is to be ex-
tirpated, to make myfelf fureof the Situation: With
the right Hand I take the Part of my Forceps CF),
Fig. 2. and thruft it into the Refium, under the Fin-
ger which is already there, and make it Hide along
the right Side of the Tumour, which to me is the
left Side.

With the Fingers of the left Hand I fupport this
Inftrument in its Situation, whilft with the right
Hand I introduce the other Part of the Forceps A B,
Fig. i. and let it flide along the left Side of the
Tumour, which is over-againft my right Hand.

Without taking the Fore finger of my left Hand
out of the Reftum , I put together the Parts of the
Inftrument. I prefs between its Cheeks the Tumour
by its Root ; after which 1 draw the Fore-finger out
of the Rcffum. 1 take with the left Hand the Han-
dle of the Forceps BF), Fig. i. ,• I thruft along the
right Side of their Checks underneath the Knife
Fig. 3 . the Button A being turned againft the Checks,
and the Back C'D towards the In fide of the Reftnm.

I pufh this Inftrument as far as beyond the Tumour
under the Extremity of the Checks of the Forceps ,

of

[ «5 3

of which I can make myfelf fure with the Fore-
finger of the left Hand. Then I raife towards the

upper Part the Cheeks of the Forceps , in order to
prolong as much as pollible the Root of the Ex-
crefcencc; and in this Condition I pull towards my-
felf, with the right Hand, the Knife s which docs
not fail cutting the Tumour.

There are Cafes, in which the Infirutnent, Fig. 4,.
will be of more convenient Ufe. This cuts only by
its Crefcent ab , pufh’d forward, and mov’d alter-
nately from one Side to the other, to afllft its
Cutting.

There are Circumftances, wherein the Knife Fig. y.
may be preferable.

In fine, there are others, wherein all thefe Inftru-
ments are of Service in one Operation, which hap-
pen’d to me in October 1748. in the Extirpation of
a feirrhous 1 Toly pus in our Hotel Hieir, in which
Operation 1 employ’d not only all the Inftruments
above deferibed, but alfo a cutting Forceps , which I
had contrived in 1735. for the Extirpation of Fun-
gus's of the Bladderj and which alone was proper
to take off one Part of this Tumour, that was as
large as a Goofe’s Egg, and was falling into the
Throat.

I fuffer the Wound to bleed a little, and then drefs
it with all the Precautions ufually taken again!! Hae-
morrhages in the Operation of the Fijlula in the
Anus .

L i

Forceps

[ «4 ]

Forceps for extracting Stoness and other foreign

Bodies , lodged in the Parti where the common

Forceps are of no Ufe. Fig. 6. Tab. III.

The fame Mechanifm juft now defcribcd in the fore-
going Forceps , may be applied with Advantage to the
Forceps with which the Stone is pulled out, and to
other Inftruments defigned for extracting Bullets,
Splinters of Grenadocs, Pieces of Iron, and other fo-
reign Bodies.

There are feveral Cafes in the cutting for the Stone,
in which no Ufe can be made of the common For-
ceps: The moft frequent is this 5 when a Stone, laid
hold by the ordinary Forceps , elcapes from the In-
ftrument half-way, and fo remains engaged in the
Incifton. The Expedient commonly taken, is to pufn
the Stone back into the Bladder, in order to have
again the necefiary Room for managing the Forceps ;
But befides the cruel Pain in thus pufhing back the
Stone into the Bladder, this foreign Body may enter
into the cellular Texture which lurrounds the Blad-
der, and lodge itfelf there, and then the Forceps
not having any longer that Play which was endea-
voured to procure to them, the Stone will remain in
that fatal Lodgement, without Poftlbility of pulling
it out, and the Patient will die. This has been fecn
many times.

The Stone having flopp'd in the Paflage of the
Incifton, you Bide along the Body of it one of
the Cheeks of our Forctps , A or C, well-oiled,
which will be done without much Trouble, as I
have experienced it j the other Cheek afterwards will

2 pafs

C 85 ]

pats on the other Side ; after which you join them,
as has been fhewn above, taking care to prefs clofe
the Extremity AC upon the Stone, and to leave the
largeft Opening on the Side of the Handle B^Dy as
in Fig. 7. both to hinder the Stone from efcaping,
and to widen its Patfage ; then, having well-fecured
the Screw G, you leave the Screw F almoft at Li-
berty." You grafp the Inftrument with both Hands,
as near the Stone- as you can, and you draw that
Body out, managing it as is ufual with the common
Forceps.

A fecond Cafe of cutting for the Stone, where
thefe new Forceps will be of great Ufe, is this ;
when the Stone is exa&ly embraced by the internal
Coat of the Bladder ; be it that it completely fills
this whole Organ, or that it fills Part of it, which
may have clofed itfelf upon the Stone; as has hap-,
pen’d to Jofeph Bunel , whom I cut at Andeljs in
1743. of which I have communicated the Obfervation
to the Royal Society ; °1' fhajt the Stone has made
to itfelf a Lodgement or Bed in the in fide Coat of
the Bladder, prolonging itfelf towards the cellular
Texture, which furrounds a fmall Part of thofe in-
fide Coats ; as I faw it in the Bladder <?f M. Figache,
an eminent Counfelior of our City of Rouen,.

In fhort, every foreign Body lodged in the Sub-
ftance of any Part of the human Body, be it of what
Nature it will, becomes the Object of our Inftru-
ment ; and the Extraction of it will, in my Opinion,
become much more eafy by the means of thefe .For*
ceps, than by the Bullet- drawers, and moft of the
other Inftruments invented for that Purpofe ; pro-
vided however one gets Forceps made of ail forts

[ 88 ]

of all forts of Lengths and Bignefs, in fhort, of all
the Shapes which the different Cafes may require.

1 have the Honour to be, &c.

Rouen, May zo.
1748. N. S.

Le Cat.

Addition to the Defcnption of the Glaffes for pre-
ferring things in Spirit of Wine, by "Dr. lc Car,
fag. 6.

In ufing the Bottle, of which I have given a Dc-
fcriprion, I found that it was attended with one In-
convenience.

The circular Groove, the Edge of which was
turn’d up on the Infide of the Bottle, retained a fmall
Quantity of the Water, when I emptied and rinfed
it 5 fo that it was impoflible to do it thoroughly.

Wherefore I caufed this VelTel to be made, as rcpre-
fented in the annexed Figure, Tab. I. Fig. 1. which
is a Settion of it ; and where it appears that the Groove
A A is placed on the Outfide of the Edge of the Bot-
tle. By this means every Drop of the contain’d
fluid can be pour’d our.

It is eafy to fee that the circular Border BB of
the Cover is to enter into thefe Grooves A A, which
are fill’d with Oil or Quickfilver ; and that the Hook
C, of the fame Cover, is deftined to fufpend in the
Liquor fuch Pieces as are to be preferved in it.

S> V?

7*A//sv Tr,

Numb. 4<)2.

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS.

For the Months of April > May, and "June, 1749.

I. Vi® Comet arum, fecundum hypothefin

quae ftatuit illos curfu fuo Parabolam
circa Solem defcribere, per Nicolaum
Struijk , R. S. Lord. S. y>. 8 9

II. Epiftola a Job. Jacobo Hubero M. D.
Med. 6c Confil. Reg. Suec. 6c Anatom. Prof.
Cafel. ad Cromwell Mor timer um R.S. Secret,
de Cadavere aperto , in quo non exftitit Ve-
Jica fellea', et de Sterr.o gibbofo. p. 92

III. 'The Operation of Lithotomy on Women,

by Monf le Cat, M. D. SP F.R.S. Tranf-
lated from the French, by T. S. M. D. and
F. R . S. p. 97

IV. De Barometrorum cum Aeris et Tempef-

tatum mutationibus confenfu : Au&ore
Sam. Chrifliano Hollmanno , Philof. in
Acad. Gottingenfi ProfefT. publ. ordin. et
R. S< Cond. S. p. 10 1

The CO NTENTS.

V. A Letter from Captain John Waddell,
to Mr. Naphthali Franks Mercha?it , con-
cerning the EffeSls of Lightning in deflroy-
ing the Polarity of a Mariners Compafs ;
to which are fubjoined fome Remarks there-
on , by Gowin Knight, M.B. F.R.S. p. n i

VI. A Letter frotn Sir Hans Sloane Baronet ,
late Pr. R . S. to Martin Folkes Ef quire
Pr. R. S. containing Accounts of the pre-
tended Serpent-ftone called Pietra de Cobra
de Cabelos, and of the Pietra de Mom-
bazza or the Rhinoceros Bezoar, together
with the Figure of a Rhinoceros with a dou-
ble Yiomffrom a Coin of Domitian. p. 1 1 8

VII. Some Account of the Rana Pifcatrix ; by
James Parfons, M. D. F. R. S. p. 1 26

VIII. Obfervations on the Height to which
Rochets afcend ; by Mr. Beniamin Robins

F, R. S. p. 1 3 1

IX. ExtraSl of fo much of Don Antonio De
Ullba’r F. R. S. Account oj his V oyage to
South America, as relates to the Dijlemper

called

The CONTENTS.

called there Vomito Prieto, or black Voniif.
Tran flat ed from the Spaniih by W. Watfon
F.R.S. p. 134.

X. Declinationes quarundam Stellarum

Aujlralium primae et fecundae magnitudi-
nis, menfe Junto 1738. cum methodo
inveniendi horam in mari nodlu, ex afpe&u
Cruet s aujl rails ; per Dn. de la Condamine ,
Reg. Societ. Londin . & Acad. Reg. Sclent.
Tar if. Socium. p. 139

XI. A Letter from Mr. Emanuel da Coda
F. R . S. to the President, . concerning two

beautiful Echinites. p. 1 43

•

Xlf. The State of the Tides in Orkney; by
Mr. Murdoch Mackenzie. p. 149

XIII. Some Account of the Remains of John

Tradefcant’s Garden at Lambeth ; by Mr.
W. Watfon F. R. S. p. 160

r> X n * ~

XIV. A Letter from the Rev. Mr. Richard

Dunthorne to the Reverend Mr. Richard
Mafon F. R. S. and Keeper of the Wood-
wardian Mufeum at Cambridge, concerning
the Acceleration of the Moon. p. 162

XV.

The CONTENTS.

XV. Alberti Halleri, Archiatri Reg. Medi-

an. Prof Gotting. R. S. Lond. S.
Fabrics morbofe in cadaveribus repertae
hiftoriae aliquae. p. 172

XVI. A Memoire cn the Lacrymas Batavicae,

or Glafs-Drops, the Tempering of Steel,
and Effervefcence, accounted for by the fame
Principle. By Claud. Nic. le Cat, M. D.
F. R. S. &c. Franfated from the French,
by T. S. M. D. p. 175

XVII. ExtraB of a Letter from Mr, Prof

Geo. Matthias Bofe, of Wittemberg, to
Mr. W. Watfon, F. R. S . on the EleBri -
city of Glafs , that has been expofed to Jlrong
Fires. p. 189

June 15. the Society adjourned to OB. 2 6.

1749«

[ «9 ]

I. Vise Cometarum , fecundum hypothefin
qute ftatuit illos curfu fuo Parabolam
circa Solem defcriberc, per Nicolaum
Struijck , R. S. Lond. S«

prefL April 6/w'Ndagationem curfus cometarum ex prac-
1/49 ' X cipu'‘s afttonomiae fublimioris partibus

elle, nemo hodie aftronomorum in dubium vocave-
rit: poftquam vir fummus Ifaacus Newtonus ante
annos lxiii in lucem edidiiTet celebratum probJema
de via cometarum per tres obfervationes accuratas
invenienda ex hypothefi, illos curfu fuo parabolam
circa folem defcribere, hac methodo ufus E. Halle jus
vias xxiv cometarum per caiculum determinavit in
tabella, qua: reperitur \wTr anfaftionibus Thilofophicis
N. 297. p. 1886. et in Aft is Eruditorumznm 1707.
p. 216. Revera autem funt xxi comets diver!?.
Quanto labore id conftiterir, docent ipfa Halleji
verba, qui <c undique enim, inquir, conquifitis co-
metarum oblervationibus tabellam, immenfi pene
calculi frudtum obtinui.” Non opus eft ut de-
monftrem, quam neceflaria litifta tabella feculis ven-
turis; fufficiat teftimonium autoris modo citati;
“ Huic tabulae adornands nullis peperci laboribus, ut
“ pcrfedta prodiret j utpote pofteritati confecrata ; ac
cC cum fcientia aftronomica duratura.”

Tanti viri veftigio infecutus eadem methodo alios
xviii cometas, qui in ilia tabula non reperiuntur,
undique conquifitos annotavi, co confilio ut tandem
fingulorum tempus periodicum inveniri poflet. Nc
veto iftas obfervationes de viis cometarum cafu aliquo

M pcrirenr.

u

<1

[ 9° ]

perirenf, illas nunc in publicam lucem emittere de-
crevi, fimul officii rnei efle ratus indicare quinam
illas calculo arirhmctico accommodaverint. Via co-
mcturum anno 1723, ct 1737, per calculum determi-
nata eft a J. Braalty. via cometarum 1 744, a y. Bets.
via comuarum 165)9, 1702, et 1739, ab Abbate
de la Cai/le. via lecuudi cometa; 1793, a D.
Khnkenberg ; via fecundi Com eta: anno 1796, a des
Chezeanx ; pi inn Cometae anni 1798, a Maraldi .
Cumque ipfe tempore excluderer, obiervationes Co-
metarum confpedtorum annis 1 53 3 , 1678, 1718, et
1729, cum C. cDorjones calculo fubjiciendas commu-
nicavi. Comctas vcro ann. 1706, 1707, 1742, pri-
mum anni 1743, et fecundi anni 1748, ipfemet ad
calcu'um revocavi : quin etiam haud variis rationibus
dudus, ex.ftimo, ejufdem anni 1748, menfe Mato ,
et hie Amflelodami, et afiis Europe locis, fimul et
eadem node tres cometas confpici potuiflej cujus rei
in hiftoriis nullum aliud indubitatum exemplum exrar.
Addidi etiam Cometam exitu anni 1680, et initio
anni 168 t confpedum ; quia in poftrema If. Newtoni
editione emendationes leguntur, per quas elliplis,
quam circa folem movendo defcripfit, determinatur.

Nunc etiam indicandum cfiet, quantum theoria
fingulorum Cometarum ab obfervationibus differat ;
fed brevitati ftudens hanc tractationcm alii fcripto,
cujus editioncm paro, fervare malui, illud unice
mcnensj ex xxxi obfervationibus, quas habeo, Co-
meta: ann. 1742, confpecti, efle xxii quarum lon-
gitudinesvix unicominuto inter fedifferunt, ctxxni,
quarum latitudines ne minuto quidem differunt.

Sequuntur vise xix Cometarum, quorum fupra
fada eft mentio.

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[ 9r ]

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Diftantis:

[ 92 ]

Diftantia: autem Perihelia: aeftimantur in ejufmodi
partibus, qualcs media: diftantue terra: a foie habct
ccnties millenas.

II. Epiftola a Joh. Jacobo Huber o M. D.
ad Cromwell Mortimerum R. S. Secret, de
Cadavere aperto , in quo non extitit Vefica

ad: re fas eft, virum humaniflimum quidem, fed
cundem etiarn talium rerum avidiflimum, quibus
aiiqua pars illius cognitionis contineatur, in qua au-
genda et publicanda illuftriffima Societas, cujus tibi
acta commiifa funt, elaborare folet. Supereft, ut
hie aliquid invenias ab illo inftituto non abhorrens.
Volui certe aliquem tibi guftum quafi dare, quid,
prater fcopum primarium, fabricam corporis humani
docendam Medicina:, Chirurgia: prasfertim fiudiofos,
fpe&are in quotidianis cadaverum humanorum fectio-
nibus, in Theatro Collegii apud nos Car ohm inftitutis,
confueverim, et cujus generis obfervationes expec-
tari porro, ut in rebus humanis, a me poflint.

Obfervationes autem e pluribus duas hie fpeciminis
et guftus caufa breviter deferibam, unam qua: vitia-
tam, eoque ip l'o fingularem iiftit partis corporis hu-
mani ftru&uram, fimulque ufum arti falutari pradhre
nonnubum videtur; alteram, qua: oeconomia: cor-
poris noftii fingularem prtebet mechanifmum, quo
etiam ph;fiologorum dilerepantes de bile cyftica ien-

fellea \ et de Sterno gibbofo.

Read April 6
*749-

ON fine aliquo literario munuf-
culo ad te celeberr. Mor timer e ,

tentias

[ 93 ]

tentise conciliarl forte poterunt. Hepar ha:c exhibct,
veliculx fellca; penitus cxpers.

FEMINAE cadaver erat, fexaginta circitcr an norum,
demonftrationibus anatomicis inferviturum, proximo
anno in auditorium Carolinum inter plura aiia a da-
tum, in quo reperi magnum valde hepar, et prater
morem craffum ; fedlobumejus dextrum parte con*
cava omni carentem. Nullum nec fulci nec excava-
tionis pro recipienda velicula f el lea offerebatur vef-
tigium, fed uni verfus lobusille erat ab utraque parte,
tarn qua; inteftina attingit, quam ab altera, qua; dia-
phragmati fe accomraodat, Ixvis, xqualis, atqtie in
primis tumidus, utrimque convexus atque eminens,
et quafi rotundus. Uti in hoc lobo, ita et in omni
alia hepatis parte veficulam felleam fruftra quxfivi :
nec quidquam vicinx partes referebant cum velicula
comparandum, aut condi bilis fecundarii vices detun-
gens 5 contra pro more partes reliquas omnes \ idi
formatas. Ifte vero velicula; defedus du^us hepatici
amplitudine, prater omnem confuetudinem magna,
refarciri videbatur, qux digitum minimum admitte-
bar. llle quamvis jufto, et fuo loco conftitutus,
ordinariaque via incedens, in eo tamen erat ftru&urx
Itngularis, quod tunica craffitie fua arteriarum tunicis
fere eflfet xqualis: non ilia tamen alba, led tota
quanta fublutea, intus villofa, ex puudulisfeu exibbus
maculis, totidem, puto, folliculos fimplices teferen-
tibus, non paucis notata. Ab hepate adufque duo-
denum eandem fervabat dudus ide diamcrnm, lic-
que cum vena portarum fere confundeb tur : ubi

vero duodeni tunicas attigerat, ealque llibierat, fe|.o-
fuit mox nimi.im illam amplitudinem, er conlucra
papillx, in duoueni cavo eminentis minifttrio . jam

quxfivit

[ 9+ ]

quaefivit, ct per omnem mulieris vitam, puto, habuic
cxonerationem. Pori in hepate biliarii, feu rami ductus
illius magni confpiciebantur plures, ab utroque lobo
confluentes, arteriarum in morcm ampli valde, ct
ad ultimam fere hepatis peripheriam facile profe-
qucndi, extus lutei omncs intus bile infardi. Ama-
ram fat continebant bilem, nec copia paucam dudus
omnes, ct prxfcrtim magnus illc, extra hcpar forma-
tus. Illam dudus amplitudinem condi feu veficula:
fellex loco fuifle, arbitror, et illius ufus, uti in eo
in immenfum diflento bilis, in hepate fecreta, nec
omnis ftarim excernenda immorari commode poflet,
et ibidem mora fua reddi acrior j atque tunc dcmum,
quando vcrum digeflionis tempus ingruebat, evacuari
copia et actimonia prxflantior. Prscftare ut potucrit
haec duduum amplitudo condi officium, adjuvabant
porro folliculi fmplices, per omnem dudus magni
tunicam intus difperfi, blandum pro na'.ura fua effun-
dentes humorem, quo umverfus dudus ab acrimonia
remanentis bilis defenderetur, fleque ibidem ad juf-
tum majoris evacuationis tempus fervati luperflua
commode poflet. Similem itaque ftruduram refere-
bant dudus illi ampliores, qualis veficula; fellcae ordi-
nat;o efle folet.

Hoc exemplum, rariffimum quamvis de novo me
declinat ab eorum phyfiologorum fententia, qua vcl
vcficulx tribuitur ftrudura propria, ad fecernendatn
bilem luam apta, vel dudus aflumuntur cyft-hepatici
vel hepatico-cyflici, et ira flmplicis condi officium
denuo adfcribo veficulx fellex, quod in diflertationc
mea inaugurali jam monu’i

Ob argumenti affinitatem hoc infuper hie addam;
vidifle me Argentorati ante hos xv annos in recenti

cadavcre

I

[ 95 3

cadavere humano dudum cyfticilm atquc cholodo-
chum ita diftentos, qui facile admitterent digitum.
Calculis vero debebatur valida ilia amplificatio haud
paucis, in veficula generatis. Aliquot eorum in dudu
auhuc hterebant, nucis avellante magnitudinem tequan-
tes, molles tamen, et ductus fe aliquo modo accom-
modanres. Erat autcm ductus hepaticus de more
conftitutus.

ALTERA quam tecum, clariffime Mortimere , et
ft ita videatur, cum omnibus communicate placet, ob*
fervatio de gibbofo fterno agit, ab externa demum
vi et incauta tractatione, non ab ipfa natura deformi
configuratione producta. Non unica fed repetitis in
diverfis cadavcrculis obfervationibus pectus perfpexi
ptxter omnem confuetudinem configuratum. Pra:
reliquis deforme erat pectus infantis octo hebdoma-
dum, fcquentem in modum : valde prominebat os pec-
toris gibbol'um, quod ita a Jateribus erat prefiiim, uti
vix recederet a fellae equinse figura. Coftarum lupre-
marum duabus vel tribus exceptis, partes anteriores
intropreflac confpiciebantur intra pedus ab utroque
latere, plures tamen finiftri latcris quam dextri, ubi
de biles funt valde atque molles, et cum cartiiaginibus
fterni committuntur. Et in primis cartilagines exca-
vatam extus referebant figuram. Atque ita fere dif-
fradx adparebant coftarum aliquot. Una tamen prse
altera exilibus intervallis erat magis introprefta.
Aperto demum pedore plures vidi coftas, cavum
pedoris verfus gibbofas; quarum cartilagines tubercu-
lis fuis quaft nodofae fadse erant, ideoque nonparum
contulerunt ad anguftandum praeter morem pedoris
cavum. Unde facile erit cuique ad intelligcndaiA

intantum

r 96 ]

infantum phthifin, qua miferi illi ita deformati vitam
amiferunt. Id porro pulmones, pleura; circumcirca
adnati atque infardi, quales tunc rcpcri, fatis confir-
ms unt. Cogitando inquirens in magni vitii hujus,
aliquotics jam in diflecandis infantibus a me obfer-
vati, et quod in vivis ctiam animadverti, caufam, et
fcdulo contemplando pedus hocce deformc, atque
comparando illud cum annotationibus meis, ex alio-
rum cadaverculorum fimilem in modum vitiatorum
fedionibus defumtis, in veram tandem tantx defor-
mitatis et tarn noxix caufam incidi. Infantum fcili-
cet curatricibus omnern ha«c culpam, aio, elle ad-
Jfcribendam. Non fatis enim cognita eftiisftrudura
tenellorum corpufculorum plaftica : nec debite per-
pendent luius omnes, quibus vcl placare morofulos,
aut gefticulatione vel faltatione exhilarare vivaciores
infantulos conantur, unde diverfas excogitant trada-
tiones. Noxia prx aliis ea eft, quando finiftrx manui
fax nates intantis imponunt, et antrorfum ica incli-
natum paulum intantis truncum dextra fua, pedori
applicata, expands digitis fuftinent, atque ita fubinde
miferum corpufculum in altum tollunt, atque deor-
fum labens illud pondus omne manu luftinent dextra.
Eo enim haud raro fit, uti fuffulrac manus veftigia
tcnello pedori, et vi facile cedenti imprimantur.
Antcquam in didam mox deformitatis illius caufam
i iciderem, ad coftarum foveas aliquot diftindas non
attendi. Jamvero rite perpenfis omnibus certocom-
peri, eife iilas deprcftioncs feu foveas quinque cura-
tricis, feu magis deformatricis, digitorum veftigia,
pedori infantis tandem impreffa. Mca enim appli-
cata pedori infantis manus dextra didudis pauxillum
digirisexade relpondebat deprdlionibus iliis: quarum

quatuor

C 97 ]

quatuor erant hi finiftro pe&ore pro dlgitls, quinta
vero eademque maxima dextrum deformabat pe&us,
pollicem recipiens. Quam itaque perverfus fit ille,
ct dcteftandus tenellos infantes tra&andi mos, fatis
ille frequens. ex fupra di&is facile patebit, fpero,
cuique. Si vero ad illos perveniat hasc obfervatio,
quod valde optarem, qui infantum curas gerunt,
plures, puto, a vitio illo immunes praeftari in pofte-
rum poterunt homines, ne prima aztate male tra&ati
hoc vcl alio modo non minus cauto, vel defiguren-
tur ; vel ct tabe, vel alio morbo inde orto conluman-
tur. Simillimam narratas obfervationem feci nupera
hycme in puella duorum annorum. Et uti jam.
monui in vivis etiam corporibus animadverti finnlia.
Cum Rachitide ccetcroquin minime confundenda
eft deformitas ifta.

Dabam Caffellis Jan. 31.
1747-

Joh. Jac. Huber,

III. l!he Operation of Lithotomy on Women,
by Mon if le Cat. M.D. 6P F.R.S.

Tranjlated from the French by T. S.

Read April 6. rT™*'HE lateral Way of cutting for the
*749- Stone, which I have ufed on Men

fince 1732, naturally led me, in the Year 173 y, to
cut the Widow Neel , a Farmer near Tvetot in the
Rais de Caux in the fame manner, as has been feen
in the Obfervation. In this Operation the common
grooved Staff ferved me as a Director 5 and having

N made

[ 98 ]

made the Incifion, on the left Side of the Urethra ,
with the (trait grooved Knife, which I ufed that Year
in cutting Men, I withdrew the grooved Staff, and
introduced the Groove of the Knife.

Immediately after this Operation, I fhorten’d the
Work, by reducing the three Inftruments to two.
For that Purpofe I contrived to add to the common
Gorget A A, Fig. i . and 2 . T ab. I. a grooved Staff BB.

After placing and tying the Patient in the fame
manner as for cutting Men, I at once introduce into
the Urethra the End B of the Gorget, which con-
ftitutes the grooved Staff, 1 turn the Groove towards
the Patient’s left Buttock : On this Groove I pufh
the Knife {Ur tthro-cijlit ome) Fig. 3. which is not
grooved, nor fo broad as that which I made ufe of
in 1735 on the Widow Neel. Having laid open
the Neck of the Bladder, I lay afide the Knife, and
thruft the Gorget farther into the Bladder ; for Ex-
ample, as far as C. Then I pafs the Fore-finger on
the Gorget into the Bladder, to dilate the Neck j
which done, I introduce the Gorget as far forward
as is ncceffary, and on it the Forceps. The reft of
the Operation is performed as on Men.

The firft of the Sex, whom I cut in this laft Me-
thod, as appears by my Journal, is Magdalen le
Marchand of the Tais de Caux , aged 22, cut in
May 1738. I extracted a large Stone from her, and
fhe was cured in ten Days.

Since that time I have conftantly practifed this
Method, which has fucceeded perfectly well. When
the Stones were little, the Patients were cured in a
few Days : But here is one, whofe fpeedy Cure has
fomewhat furprifing in it ; inafmuch as I really be-
lieve it the only one which has happen’d fo.

[ 99 ]

Mary le Comte of Ttiepdal near Rouen , aged 12,
cut the 24th of May 1740, had a- Stone of a mid-
dling Size. In three Hours fhc retain’d her Urine,
fo as not to difeharge it but voluntarily. I thought
it was the pretty common Effect of the inflamma-
tory Swelling, which frequently happens after the
Operation; and that the Suppuration would foon
relax thefe Parts, and open the Wound ; but I was
miftaken. There was not the lead Suppuration.
Mary le Comte perform’d all the Functions of this
Organ, as ufual ; and being tired of the Bed, to
which fha was confined againft her Will, fhc got up
the third Day, in good Health, without ahy Acci-
dent fupervening.

At the fame time that I was labouring to improve
the Manner of cutting Women, and fhorten the
Operation, I contrived another Gorget {Fig. 4.)
which, befides the grooved Staff of the former, con-
tain’d within it the cutting Inflrument, which was
to make the Incifion or Enlargement; that is to fay,
the three Inftruments in one : And this Inflrument
was attended with this Advantage, that it could ferve
for Men as‘ well as W omen. One Hand is fufficient
to perform tlie Operation with this Inflrument ;
but as the other Hand became in a manner ufelefs;
and moreover, as it is probable that a Perfon can
better depend on an Incifion made directly with the
Hand, than on thofe which are made by Machines
or Springs. I have not hitherto ufed this Inftru-
ment; tho’ poflibly the Habit I had contracted of
ufing the others has fome Share herein. However
that be, I have annexed the Figure and Defcr:ption
of this Gorget, that thofe who like it, may make
ufc of it.

N z Explanation

t 100 ]

Tab. I. Fig. 4.

Explanation of the Figure of the Gorget, which
Mr. le Cat calls Gorgeret Urethro-ciftitome.

A , A Ring, for palling the middle Finger of the
right Hand, which grafps the Handle G.

B} Another Ring which is Aid by the Fore-finger to-
wards dy to pufh the Blade ab, out of the Groove EF ,
The Figure reprefents the Inflrument in the State
in which it is at the very Inftant when the Incifion is
made into the Neck of the Bladder. The fame
Fore finger draws the Piece B back towards A ,
when the Operator intends to make the Blades
return into the Groove F 5 where they lie hid,
while he introduces the Inflrument from 2), as
far as Ff into the Urethra.

The Groove FE is clofed or covered from d to e , in
order to fecure the Pieces a , by c} d, ey in Situation.

The Pins, which bind the Hinges ay by mull not
be in the Center of the Pieces, but as they are
expreffed in the Figure ; where b is pretty near
the outer Edge, and the other two**, ey on the op-
pofite Side $ to the end that, when the Ring B is
thruft forward, the Hinge b may bend, and iffue
out of the Groove F, by making the Angle abc .

IV;

[ 101 ]

IV. De Barometrorum cum Aeris et Tempef-
• tatum mutationibus confenfu : Audlore
Sam. Chriftiano Hollmannoy Philo£ in
Acad. Gottingc?iJi Proiefs. publ. ordin. et
R. S. Lond. S.

Read April 23. TJ^XIfticultatis plena res adhuc vifa eft
J749- | j veram mutatac mercurii barometrici

altitudinis caulam confcnfufque adeo cum fubfequen-
tibus rcmpeftstum mutationibus rationem et modum
explicare. Neque orrni difficultate rcm carere tot
pracftantilTirnorum virorum adhuc excogitata: hypo-
thcfes iatis indicant. Inter has vero, q ;ae occafione
controverfac inter Schellhamerum et Ramazzinum
ea de re exortac, a Leibnitio excogitara, et publici
juris paflim fa&a eft, reliquis fere omnibus anteferri
a multis coepit. Oftenfum vcro jam in his praefenti-
bus Tranfa&ionibus a do&iftimo ‘Defagtdierio fads
eft, legibus hydroftaticis Leibnitianam ifthanc hypo-
thefin adverfari* : ut adeo mirum ftt, a tot aliis ab
illo tempore eandem adhuc potuiffe dcfendij impri-
mis, quum et nature phamomenis eandem parum
convenire, fere in propatulo ftt. Quodft ilia enim
caufa defcenlus afcenlnlque mercurii in barometris
eflet, quam Leibnitius allegavit ; neque prius, auc
non multo faltem prius, mercurius poftet defcendere,
quam gut: re pluviac per incumbentem atmofpheram
defcendere ccepiflent : neque prius iterum ille poftet
afcendere, quam defcendere iliac defiiflent : quod

utrumque

* Fide N. 351. p. 570, et feq>

[ IQ2 ]

.utrumque vero experientiaj omni reclamare, illis
fads notum eft qui ad mutationes barometricas vel
per unum alterumve rnenfem folum attenderinr.
Non raro enim tribus quatuorve integris diebus mer-
curius fenfim jam ante incipit defeendere quam vel
guttula ex aere ambiente decidat ; et afeendere ite-
rum, etfi integros ftepe dies adhuc pluat. Imo mer-
curius in barofeopiis faepe quoque defeendit , licet
nulla plane infequatur pluvia. Neque guttulx ca-
dentes pluviae in fine defeenfus fui a'erem fuccum -
bentem ita premunt, quemadmodum pondus in ex-
perimento Leibnitiano per aquam defeendens, fun-
dum rcafis fui, in quo delcenderat ; neque adeo
eodem modo, ac hoc quidem vafi fufpenfo, reddere
aeri /equilibrium fuum amiflum poftunt. Adeo
omnia in experimento Leibnitiano nature funt dif-
formia et diflona, ut anceps hreream, num magis
Leibnitii, viri fuo alias merito magni ingenium an
coecum potius afleclarum aflenfum mirari debeam.
Accedit circa ipfum experimentum caufas, quam vo-
cznt.fallaciam a Leibnitio efie commifiam, quando
mutati nernpe aequilibrii iilam efie exiftimavit, quod
folida in fiuido defeendentia, durante defeenfu fuo
in fluid um ambiens non gravitant. Experimentum
enim turn omnium fuccedere optime deprehendi,
quando corporis per aquam defeenfuri, v. c. globi
plumbei, diameter tubi lumine paulo minor eft, in-
tegramque adeo tubi aqua rcpleti, cavitatcm fere re-
plet. Quoniam globus enim defeendere nequit nifi
fuo fimile aqua: volumen loco fuo expellat, eideni
adeo motum, a fundo vafis recedentem, imprimat,
totoque adeo defeenfus illius tempore ejufmodi aquae
volumen, quale globi cadentis magnitudini refpondet,
4 " — . .. njfum

[ I03 ]

nifum ct impetum vi naturali corporum centrlpetae
contrarium ab eodem accipiac > noil poteft non tubus
crurc bilancis fufpenfus totas etiam, quoad globi ille
dcfcenfus durat, in tantum aequilibrium fuum amit-
tere, donee globus ad fundum vafis pervenerir, ficque
adeo aquae aliquod volumen furfum porro pellere de-
finar. Et experimentuni ergo ipfum ex Leibmtit
fententia fpedatum, vitiofum er erroneum, et ad
explicandas mutationes barometricas prtepoftere ad-
modum eft applicatum. Taceo tandem in toto fuo
xatiocinio circulum vitiofum Leibnitium commififte.
ilaufamanxm redd lturus eft, quare aer,oricnte vel im-
minentc pluvia, levior evadar, mercuriumque adeo,
in vafeulo barometri ftagnantem, minus premat : et
leviorcm tamcn jam fadum eundem efle fupponit :
iiquidem quamdiu a'eris gravitas et vis elaftica, qua
Juftineri exhalationes in eodem haerentes hadenus
poterant, eadem adhuc eft, et manet, nunquam ifke
vel in guttulas redigi, vel defeendere per eundem,
incipient. Scd poenitet fere, in re adeo evident!
plura addere. De re ipfa tamen pauca adhuc adjicere
Jiceat.

Magna plerifque imprimis difficultas efte vid.etuiy
quae caufa fir, cur aere turbido, ct exhalationibus
variis graviori fado, mercurius in barometris fubfi-
dat ; fereno vero, adeoque et leviori reddito, idem,
contra, in iifdem afeendat? quum omnia potius
contraria ratione evenire debere videri poflent. Ve-
rum quando hoc modo, uti a plerifque quidem fieri
videmus, quaeftio ifta formatur ; annon tacite aliquid
aftumitur, et fupponitur, quod neque evidum adhuc
eft,neque evinci facile poterit:graviorem fcilicet aerem
efte fadum, quando tutbidus et exhalationibus variis

rcpletus

[ I0+ ]

repletus eft; lcviorcm contra quando fercnus Itcrum
evafir. Imo, annon tacitc limul fupponitur, vapores
et exhalationes iftas tunc demum aerem noftrum
fubire, vimque adeo cjus elafticatn imminuere,
quando in confpc&um noftrum prodeunt? abejfe
vero, contra, aeremque adeo iifdcm liberum, et re-
purgatum efle, quamprinium vifui noftro iterum fe fub*
ducunt? Utrumque igitur hoc fuppofitum fi negave*
rimus ; maxima difficulratum hac in re adhuc mota-
rum pars ftatim evanefcit. Negari vero utrumque
graviilimas ob caufas pofle, imo negandum omnino
efle, videtur. Quis rerum enim peritus v. c. largietur,
pulvifculos folares in acre nos ambiente prius non
adefle quam in camera obfcura in confpe&um nof-
trum prodeant; adefle vero, iterum defiifle, ex quo
lumini aditus iterum undiquaque patefa&us fuerit ?
Aur, ut tot alia, cum falibus acidis et alcalinis in-
ftituta experimcnta hie prsetermittamus, fatis alias
cognira, exemplo ad rem prrefentem magis facicnte
utamur : quis eft qui ignoret, in campana vitrea,
orbi madido antlia? pneumatica; impofita, quampri-
mum agirari antlia incipit, nubeculas quafdam ftatim
oriri, quee, eodem illo aere iterum admiflo in eadern
ilia campana mox iterum difpareant et evanefcant?
Jam nemo vero adeo harum rerum temere imperitus
eft, qui exiftimef, exhalationes iftas aqueas ex quibus
nubeculre iftae oriuntur, tunc demum campanam vi-
tream fubiifle quando in confpe&um noftrum, im-
minuta vi aeris elaftica, veniunt ; aut nullo modo in
cadem amplius fuperefle, poftquam vifui noftro ite-
rum fe coeperunt fubducere,aerifque, a quo antea fuf-
tinebantur, poftquam magis gravis et elafticus iterum
fa&us eft, poris denuo condi. Adefle ergo cxhala-

lationcs

[ I05 ]

lationes iflas novimus antcquam propias ad fe invicem
accedanr, et vifibiles nobis evadant ; neque annihilari
cafdcm, aut in aere amplius non fuperefle fcimus,
quando magis diftipat$ vifum noftrum, ob fubtilira-
tem fuam maximam, fugiunt. Accedere autem pro-
pius ad fe invicem incipiunr, quando vis aeris elaftica
in tantum imminuta eft, ut fuftineri ab codcrn, uti
antea, commode nequeant ; er recedunt iterum, vifum*
que noftrum afficere definunt, quando prior fua aeri
gravitas, et vis elaftica eft reddita. Utrumque ergo
hoc Jinnil contingit, ut aeris nempe imminuatur vis
elaftica, eodemque tempore exhaiationes, per eundem
hasrentes, ab eodem paulifper dimitti, vifuique noftro
fe fiftcre incipiant : iterumque, ut aeri fua redeat vis
elaftica, fimulque exhaiationes et vapores, in eodem
hzerentes, diffipentur et evanefcant; alterum tamen
alterius caufa did propterea nequit: neque aer ergo
ob eafdem exhaiationes alio tempore magis, alio
minus gravis, etiam did potent.

Quod ft idem ergo in aere, terram noftram ambi-
ente, contingere fupponamusj maxima difficultatum
pars jam corruit, Ponamus enim vim ejus clafticam,
quacunque etiam ratione id eveniat, dequo mox plura,
imminui ; exhaiationes in eodem haerentes fubfidere,
et vifibiles fieri, necefte eft : eadem vero quomodo-
cunque reftituta, vapores nubefque, in eodem prze-
fentes, iterum diftipari, et evanefeere. Eodem vero
tempore, quo vapores ifti fubfidentes in confpeftum
noftrum veniunt, mercurii quoque in barometris, imo
faepe jam aliquamdiu ante ob eandem caufam fubfi-
dere incipitj neque vapores tamen ifti ad hujus de-
feenfum quicquam conferunt Itmili modo, quando
vapores nubefque difparcre per aerem, nos ambientem,

O incipiunt.

[ 106 ]

incipiunf, vel aliquamdiu etiam ante jam, mercurius
in barometris incipit afcendere ; aeris tamen ifta fe-
renitas aeque minus caufa afcenfus mercurii in baro*
metris eft, ac mercurii afcenfus caufa ferenitatis iftius
dici potcft. Caufa ergo iterum dici meretur fallacia
quando duorum iftorum phtenomenorum, quaeeodem
circiter tempore contingunt, a’terum referri ad al-
terum folet, alterum adeo pro alterius caufa hadenus
a plerifque haberi.

Quo ad oculum vero hoc omne eo magis pateat,
fumatur (v. c.) cylinder virreus, luminis trium aut
quatuor circiter digitorum, utrinque apertus, et adeo
longus, ut barometrum aliquod portabile immitti
eidem poftlt. Cylinder ille imponatur aliquantifpcr,
ante experimentum, orbi, aqua corioque madido ob-
tedo, antliae, quo vapores nonnulli aquei fubire
aerem, codem contentum, interea poftint. Immitta-
tur poftea barometrum, exadeque cylinder fupcrne
claudatur, quo aer poftit exhauriri. Quodft omnia
rite curata fuerint, aerque inclufus antlia incipiatur
educi ; et nebula quazdam ftatim in cylindro ifto
oriri, et mercurius barometri ftmul fubjidere , in-
cipiet: utrumque equidem, quod fatis apparet, ab una
eademque caufa, neutrum tamen ab alterutro. Quodft
idem vero, qui fubdudus modo erat, aer ftatim inrra
cylindrum vitreum iterum admittatur ; aeri inclufo fua
mox redibit fcrenitas , mercuriufque barometri ftmul,
imo paulo adhuc citius, afcendet : neque alterum
tamen ab altero iterum pendere, fatis patet. Imo
neque iilo cafu aerem graviorem, neque hoc leviorem
fadum effe manifeftum fatis ftmul eft. Ita ars quodam-
modo imitatur naturamj ob miras tamen caufarum
naturalium complicationes nunquam exade faris
poteft.

Etfi

C I07 ]

Etfi ita primarium, vcro hac in re oflfcndiculum
fublarum efle videtur ; res tamcn tota hoc ipfo non-
dum confe&a eft. Difqairendum enim adhuc reftat,
quibufnam caufis ita vel imminui vel augeri vis aeris
elaftica pofiit, ut ilia: ipfae mutationes inde prove-
niant ? Non adeo difficile tamen videtur, quid hie
refpondendum fit. Quibus enim conftat, quam fa-
ciilime calore quocunque accedente aer expandatur,
et rarefcat, quantaque folarium perpendiculariter in-
primis incidentium, radiorum vis fit; illis vel fola
ha:c caula forfan jam videbitur fufficere ad aeris paf-
fim tollendum aequilibrium, ft vel maxime nulla: alia:,
qua: varia: tamen adhuc efle pofl'unt, accederenr. Mit-
tamus autem jam terra:, aerifque adeo noftri diurnam ,
circa axem fuum revolutionem ; mittamus etiam terra:
aerifque ftmul noftri motum circa folem annuum j
nihilque de tot in terra: noftra: fuperficie cxiftentibus
wont thus ignivomis , nihil d.c tot in aere oriundis
fulguribus et fulminibus , nihil denique de tot fu-
nefttflimis terra: marifquc fupcrficiem paflim, ipfum-
que adeo aerem, concutientibus terr<e motibus, igni •
bufque adeo e terra crumpentibus fubterraneis , ad-
damus, etfi fingulorum mira in augenda, vel immi-
nuenda, paflim aeris vi elaftica poteft efle efficacia:
atque unumquod pra: ceteris memoratu dignum efle
videtur, in praflenti folum confideremus.

Vim aeris terra: noftra: fuperficiem proxime attin-
gentis elafticam a pondere aeris incumbentis imprimis
pendere fatis inter omnes conftat. Pro majori ergo
aut minori incumbentis columns: aereae altitudine
aerem inferiorem magis aut minus etiam elafticum
efle. ex diverfa barometrici mercurii in montibus
magis minufque excelfis, locifqueterne deprcflioribus,

O 2 altitudine,

[ 108 ]

altitudine, fatis non minus eft norum. Neque mi-
nus randem inter omnes conftat, primariam fluxus re-
fluxufque marinicaufam lunam imprimis noftram cfle.
Quocunque vero modo ctiam mirabile hoc phxno-
menum a lunari corpore in terra noftra efficiatur, de
quo in prxfenti non attinet fpeciatim agere > id certe
dubitatione omni videtur carere, lunam in terrx
nofttx maria , quocunque etiam modo agar, non
pofle agere, nifi ct in aerem , inter ipfam terramque
noftram interjacentem , eodem fimul tempore et
modo agat. Quodfi corporum ergo fluidorum mobi-
iitas rationem denfitatis, denfitas vero eorundem ra-.
tionem gravitatis ipforum fpecificx, habet ; aer, terrx
proximus, qui aqua dulci 86 o, circiter levior eft,
marina aqua 900 circiter vicibus erit mobilior: adeo-
que et eadem ilia caula, qux manbus noftns adeo
conftantem et ordinatiflimum motum imprimis, iif-
dem agendi viribus, aeris noftri altitudinem nunc
augere, nunc imminuere, multo facilius poterit. ,
Fluxu ergo quafi quodam in aeris determinata regi-
one oriundo, non poflunt non columnx aerex eodem
in loco altiores fieri, eoque ipfo et vis elaftica, mfe-
riorcs, cxteris paribus, augeri ; refluxum autem quo-
dam exorto, altitudinem columnarum aerearum eo-
dem in loco imminui , ficque adeo, cxteris iterum
paribus, inferioris aeris yim elafticam decrefcere, ne-
cefle eft. Atque hxc altitudinum differentia eo major
forfan eft, quo magis aeris, in extremis atmofphaerx
noftrx limitibus rariflimi, gravitas fpecifica, a gravi-
tate fpecifica aquarum noftrarum marinarum, ipfiufque
aeris inferioris, vincitur et fuperatur. Quo minus
vero vices fuas alternas aeris ille fluxus, refluxufque
xque ordinate et conftanter, ac marium ille xftus

reciprocus.

[ I09 3

rcciprocus, obfervet; prater maximam ejufdem fluidi-
tatem, obquam alcviflimis agitari caufis poteft, antca
enumeratx cauTx proculdubio efficiunr, quibus miras
quippe, omni ,£ere tempore, five in hac, five in alia,
globi noftri terraquei parte, aeris -agitationes et per-
turbationes oriri, Tatis confiat. Ab his ergo oufis
omnibus, fimul fumris, columnarum aerearum lccis
temporibufque diverfis mutatx altitudines, arque ab
his porro in aere inferiori pendentes mutationes, cum
ipfis phaenomenis barometricis crunt rcp.tendx.

Reftat unicum, paucis tangendum. Soiicitos mul-
tos efle vidcmus, d zprafagiendis ex mercurii in baro-
metris five afcenfu five delccnfii, tempeftatibu •, deque
regulis eum in fincm certis eondendis laborare : quum
unices hie die \ideatur, quern return naturalium non
fatis alias perici expedarea mirab.Ii hac machina ufum
pofiinr. Atque utinam velde co l'olum certi ahquid
jam conftarer, fiquidem magna jam hoc ipfo rebus
humanis afferri utilitas poffet. Non videntur veto,
qux itaconjunda elle volumus, inter fc neceffario die
connexa. Barofcopia enim noftra, prater incremen-
tum vel decrementum, vis elafticx aerex nihil nobis
proprie, et per fe, indicant, aut indicare poflunt;
tempeftates vero omnes a varii generis exhalatiombus,
codem tempore vel fimul in aeic exiftentibus, vel
non exilVentibus, vel non eadem faltem copia Tem-
per praTentibus, unice pendent. Fieri ergo poteft,
ut, quo vis aeris elaftica forte imminuitur, mercu-
riuTque adeo in barometro defeendir, Tufficiens ex-
halationum crafiiorum in aere copia fimul adfir, hic-
que turbidus inde evadat, vaporelque adeo porro lub-
fidere, imo in majores minoreTve guttas pluvias
coaleTcerc, incipiar, aliaque ejuTmodi phenomena

conTequantur.

[ ]

confequantur. Fieri vero aeque facile poteft, ut,
aeris elafticitate licet imminuta, ob fufficientium ta-
men exhalationum in eodem defe&um, nulla fere
lenfibilis tempeftatis mutatio fubfequatur. Idem con*
traria fc ratione habere poteft ob nimiam exha-
lationum in aere copiam ; licet vel maxime mercu*
rius afeendens, audam vim aeris clafticam efle, evi-
dentiflime oftendat. Quoniam ergo cafu quafi quo-
dam hxc folum coincidunt ; nulla certa ex mercurii
five afeenfu five defeenfu, futurx tempeftatis capi
prxfagia pofle videntur. Negative tamen inde fatis
tuto videtur pofle concludi. Conftans enim fere ob-
fervationum docet confenfus, fi defeenfum mercurii
turbida fubfecuta tempeftas fuerit, ferenam prius non
redire quam afeendere mercurius iterum coepcrit:
aut fi afeenfus mercurii cum ferena tempeftate copu-
latus fuerit, nubilam pluviamque, aut huic fimilem
aliam, non fubfequi, nili defeendere prius mercurus
coeperit. Atque hoc xque magnum fxpe in vita
communi ufum habet, aefi pojitive femper poflemus
prxdicere, qualis afeenfum defcenfumque mercurii
tempeftas prxeife fit infecutura. Lapfum tamen mer-
curii frequentius turbidam quam ferenam ; alcenlum
vero ejufdem ferenam magis, quam turbidam tem-
peftatem infequi, experientia multiplici non minus
confirmatur : magnoque adeo ufui fxpe efle poteft,
tutius in cafibus ejufmodi obvenientibus eligere.
Vento tamen ex plaga aliqua, inter boream zephyrum-
que intermedia lpirante, pluviam turbidamquc tem-
peftatem frequentius vel oriri, vel ortam continuari,
quam ferenam, mcrcurio in barometris licet afeen-
dente, etiam in his regionibus, cum aliis noratu dignis,
jam faepe mihi obfervatum eft : de quo alias forfan

[ 3

V. A Letter from Captain John Waddell
to Mr . Naphthali Franks Merchant , con-
cerning the EffeSls of Lightning in deftroy -
ing the Polarity of a Mariners Compafs 5
to which are fub joined fome Remarks thereonr
by Gowin Knight, M. B, F. R. S.

SIR , Horjlydo'wn , Feb. 22, 1748-9.

Read April 13. \ Greeable to my Promife I have here
1749 LX. inclos'd you the Heads of our Mif-
fortune, and have alfo fent you one of the Com-
pares, and am, with great Eftecm,

SIR ,

Tour moft obedient humble Servant ,

John Waddell.

■ - ~ ■, •. ’ , : ' . ■ . 1 i • * : '

1 r

ON the 9th of January 1748-9. the new Ship

Dover, bound from New fork to London,
being then in Lat. 470 30' North, and Longitude
220 1 5' Weft, from London, met with a very hard
Storm of Wind, attended with Thunder and Light-
ning, as ufual, moft Part of the Evening, and fundry
very large Comazants (as we call them) over head,
fome of which fettled on the Spintles at the Top-
maft Heads, which burnt like very large Torches j
and at 9 p.m. a fingle loud Clap of Thunder with
Lightning ftruck the Ship in a violent manner,

which

[ "2 ]

which difablcd myfelf, and great Part of the Ship's
Company, in the Eyes and Limbs: it flruck the
Mainmaft about -| up alrnoft half-through, and ftove
the upper Deck one Carling, and Quick-work;
Part of which Lightning got in between Decks,
Parted off the Bulk-head, drove down all the Cab-
bins on one Side of the Steerage, ftove the lower
Deck, and one of the lower Deck main Lodging-
Knees.

Another Part of it went through the Starboard
Side, without any Hurt to the Ceiling (or infide
Plank); and darted off from the Timbers four out-
fide Plank being the Whale upwards ; one of which
Planks, being the fecondfrom the Whale, was broke
quite afunder, and let in, in about ioor iy Minutes
time <? Feet Water in the Ship.

Ir alfo drew the Virtue of the Loaddone from all
the Compaffes, being four in Number, all in good
Order before, one in a brafs and three in wooden
Boxes. The hanging Compafs in the Cabbin was
not quite fo much difabled as the red ; they were at
fird very near revers'd, the North to the South ; and
after a little while rambled about fo as to be of no
Service. The Storm lafted five Days, we left our Main-
maft and Mizenmaft, and alrnoft all our Sails ; arriv’d
at Cowes the 21ft of "January in a very fhatter'd
Condition.

' i;ir bn ; „v.-i in*. >i. a : io ?...4 - -i

1

hi

An

C JI3 ]

An Account of the Mariners Compa fs, that was
Jtruck with Lightning, and fljewn at the lafl
Meeting of the Royal Society ; with fome further
‘Particulars relating to that Accident } commu-
nicated by Gowin Knight, M. B. F. R. S.

TT7HEN I came to examine the Compafs ftruck
with Lightning, I obferved that the outward
Cafe was joined together with Pieces of iron Wire,

1 6 of which were found in the Sides of the Box,
and io in the Bottom. I applied a fmall Needle to
each of thefe Wires, and immediately perceived that
the Lightning had made them ftrongly magnetical;
particularly thofe that joined the Sides. All the
Heads of the Wires on one Side of the Box attraded
the North Point of the Needle, and repelled the
South; vvhilft all the Heads on the other Side at-
traded the South and repell’d the North. The Wires
at the Bottom attraded the South and repelled the
North ; but it is not certain, whether this Polarity
was any-ways owing to the Lightning ; lince it might
be acquired by their continuing long in an ered
Pofture.

In examining the Card, I found the Needle was
vigorous enough in performing its Vibrations, but
that its Polarity was inverted j the North Point turn-
ing conftantly to the South. I then tried to take
out the Card, to examine the State and Strudure of
the Needle: But the Jundurcs were every-where
well-fccured with Putty, and that grown fo hard,
that I was obliged to ufc fome Violence, and at lad
broke the Glafs. The Needle (if 1 may fo call it)

P confided

[ ”4 J

confiftcd of two Pieces of Steel Wire, each of which
was bent in the middle, fo as to make an obtufe
Angle; and the Ends of thefe Wires applied toge-
ther, forming an acute one, the whole appear’d in
the Shape of a Lozenge, in the Centre of which
was placed the brafs Cap whereon the Card turned.
And fo far was it from being made with any tole-
rable Degree ot Exaclnefs, that there was not the
Ieafl Care taken cither to bend the Wires in the
middle, or to fix the Cap exa&ly in the Centre of
the Lozenge : For, upon trying it with a Pair of
CompafTes, I found its greateft Eccentricity to be
full ~ of an Inch. The Pin, upon which it turned
was made of a Slip of Plate-Brafs fharpened to a Point.

Befides the Particulars already communicated to
the Society, the Captain informed me, that he was
obliged to fail above 300 Leagues, after this Accident
happen’d, without a Compafs, till he arrived at
Cowes in the IJle of Wight ; where being provided
with one, he placed it in the Binacle, but was much
l'urprized to find that it varied from the Dire&ion
it flood at when out of the Binacle nearly 2 Points.
He removed the Binacle to different Parts of the Deck,
but found that it always made the Needle to vary
after the fame manner when placed in it. He re-
peated the fame Experiment lately in the River,
with the like Succefs * only that he obferved, that
the Variation of the Needle, when placed in the
Binacle, was rather lefs than at firft. It was natural
to inquire if there was any Iron about the Binacle j
but 1 was furprized when the Captain informed me,
he had given ftridt Charge to the Maker; not to
put fo much as a fingle Nail in it s and that he firmly

believed

5

C TI5 1

believed that there was not the leaf! Bit of Iron about
it.

Being willing to befatisfied of the Truth of a Cir-
cumftance fo very extraordinary, the Captain was de-
fired to fend the Binacle to a Houfe in the City 3
where, in Company with the Captain, Mr. Ellicot ,
and another Gentleman, I tried it with a large Com-
pafs touched by my Bars 5 but finding no fenfiblc
Variation, we at that time defifted, thinking the Fadt
quite improbable : But having difeovered the Effect
which the Lightning had produced upon the Wires
which fattened the Sides of the Compafs-Box, I was
induced to examine the Binacle a fecond time 5 which
I did with a fmall Compafs, and with great Care, in
every Part* and at laft, about the middle of the Bi-
nacle, I found it to vary very fenfibly, but could not
difeover any Nails or Iron any-where thereabouts 5
till, turning it up to examine the Bottom, I there
found 3 or 4 large Nails, or rather Spikes, driven
thro' it to fallen the upright Partitions in the middle
of the Binacle.

It would not be difficult to explain why any
Needles, under the like Circumftances with thofe
above-related, fhould be render'd ufclefs by Light-
ning, tho’ the Needles themfelves had remained un-
hurt. So many iron Wires made ftrongly magneti-
cal would doubtlefs have effected it 3 and 3 or 4
large Nails in the Binacle, if made magnetical, would
alone have been fufficient to have done it» But I have
already taken notice that the Polarity of the Needle
was inverted by this Accident ; and I would further
obferve, that all Needles conftru&ed after this man-
ner are liable to be render'd ufelefs, not only by the

P -2 Lightning’s

[ 116 ]

Lightning's deftroying their Virtue, but alfo by its
placing it in a particular Diredion 3 e . g. if the
Lightning ftruck the Needle in the Direction of either
of the two parallel Sides of the Lozenge, it mud
ftrike the other two Sides very obliquely 3 whereby
the fir ft two Sides may have their Polarity deftroyed,
and a very ftrong one given them in the contrary
Diredion 3 whilft that of the other Sides, if it be in-
verted, will be very weak > but it is probable that
tiie Virtue would be placed obliquely in the Diredion
of the Stroke 3 in either Cafe, thefe two Sides can
contribute but very little (if any thing) in direding
the Card 5 and if the two firft Sides only are capable
of ading upon ir, it will point in the Diredion of
thofe Sides, which will produce a Variation of about
4 Points.

It may further be obferved that a Needle would
not continue long in this State, but would every
Day grow more and more regular; becaufe if the
Virtue be placed obliquely, it generally turns itfelf
in the Diredion of any Piece of Steel that is long
and flender j and that may be the Reafon why this
Card is now become regular, except that it is in-
verted.

The Wires that join the Box feem weaker than
when I firft examin’d them ; which makes it very
probable that they might be vaftly ftronger when firft
ftruck with the Lightning: And the fame may be
likewife true, in regard to the Nails in the Binacle ;
which may account for the Experiments not anfwer*
ing exadly the fame as at firft.

From what has been faid it appears, that this Form
of Needles is very improper, and ought to be changed

for

[ ”7 ]

for that of one (Irak Piece of Steel ; and then if a
Needle fhould be inverted it might kill be ufed. It
alio {hews the Abfurdity of permitting Iron of any
kind about the Compafs-Box, or the Binacle. Who-
ever confidcrs the whole Defcription here given of
this Compafs, I am perfuaded, he will efteem it a
moft defpicable Inftrument: How then mull anyone
be fhocked to hear, that almolt all the Compafies7
made ufe of by our trading VelTels, are of the fame
fort! the Boxes all joined with iron Wire, and the
fame Degree of Accuracy obferved throughout the
Whole !

This lam credibly informed, is the Cafe j and that
for no other Reafon, but that one of this fort may
be purchafed for $s. and it will coll about is. 6d.
more to buy a tolerable good one. So that the Lives
and Fortunes of thoufands are every Day hazarded for
fuch a trifling Conflderation.

f .*

VI.

t ”8 3

VI. A Letter from Sir Hans Sloane Baronet ,
late Pr •. R. S. to Martin Folkes Ef quire
Pr. R. S, containing Accounts of the pre-
tended Serpent- ftone called Pietra de Cobra
de Cabelos, and of the Pietra de Mom-
bazza or the Rhinoceros Bezoar, together
with the Figure of a Rhinoceros with a
double Horn.

SIR, Chelfea, April 19, 1749.

Read April 2o.T'pj£R<E Tend you to be communicated
*749‘ to the Society , if you think proper,

an Account of two pretended Stones, faid to be
found in the Head of the mod venomous Snake of
the Eaft Indies called Cobra de Cabelo, together
with an Account of what I have heard, and what
I believe they really are. The firft I have heard
and do believe to be a Stone found in the Sto-
mach or Inteftines of the Rhinoceros ; not, that I
know, taken notice of by any Natural Hihorian, ex-
cepting Redi. The Place where it is faid to be
found is on the South-Eaft Coaft of Africa , accor-
ding to the Information Redi had of it, and from
which Place I had the two Horns figured in thefe
TranfaAionSy Np.4/o, by Dr. Parfons, which were
tied together acrofs, the better I believe-to preferve
the fhort Skin that connc&ed them on the Nofe of
that Animal, fo that the ftrait and crooked Horn
might appear diftinft, as they do in a very intire
Email brafs Medal of Domitian in my Collection.

Whether

[ *r9 T

Whether the Rhinoceros, who bore thefe two>
Horns, be a diftindt Species of that Animal from that
of Afia, future Travellers muft determine

Thefe Horns were given me by my worthy and
ingenious Friend and Acquaintance Charles Lockyer
Efq; who was (as I have been told) fent in a Ship
of Strength with a Power given him by the Eajl-
Indian and African Companies, to go on their Affairs
to that unfrequented Coaft which common Travellers
have been afraid to go to becaufe of the Barbarity and
Cruelty commonly faid to belong to its Inhabitants,
and with which the Egyptians , and from them the
Greeks and 'Romans, had a greater Intercourfe and
Knowledge than with the Southern Parts of Afia,.
where that Animal is generally found with only one
Horn. I am,

SIR,

Tour humble Servant ,

Hans Sloane,

Pietra de Serpenti di Mombazza Redi Efperienze ,
Nat. p. ?9, Tab. II. Lapis Serpentis de Mom-
baza, Edit. Latin, p. 82.

DR. Waldo, an old Acquaintance of mine, went
into the Eajl Indies, on purpofe to fearch after
and collctt the natural Productions and Curiofities
of thofe Parts, efpeciaily fuch as related to the Cure
of Difeafes, which he fent from time to time to his
Sifter he left in London, with Directions to fhew
them to the Earl of Pembroke, Sir Godfrey Kneller,

and

[ 120 ]

and myfelf, to fell. The two former not caring to buy
feveral of them, they fell into my Hands. Among
the reft which I purchafcd were fomeof thefe Stones,
which were by him call’d RJhinoceros-Bezoars, which
I fuppofed were taken cut of the Stomach or Guts
of that large Animal.

Thefe Produ&ions or Bezoars, as they are com-
monly call’d, confift of feveral Coats made up of
feveral Parts attra&ed by their Centers, fuch as the
Stones of Fruits, and other indigeftable Subftances
fwallowed with its Food, after the manner of thofe
found in the Stomach and Inteftines of Mankind,
and other Animals. The uppermolt Coat or Layer
of this Bezoar is made up of feveral brown (Mated
fmall Knobs or Tubercles fomething like low Warts,
diftant from one another, and making its outermoft
Surface very unequal, as well appears by the Figure
of it hereunto annexed, Tab. II. Fig. i, and 2. diffe-
rent from the other Bezoars whofe Surface is generally
fmooth. Thofe I have of this Bezoar are of different
Sizes and Diameters, the largeft about the Bignefs of
an Orange, heavy, and as hard as Stone, and capable
of being polifhed.

Redi relates great Virtues belonging to them, as
told by the Bringers of them from the Raft Indies \
fuch as, being tied to the Hip or Leg of a Woman
in Travail, it helps her Delivery, and without Pain,
even if the Child be dead ; but with this Caution,
that, immediately after the Birth, it fhould be re-
moved i for if it remains tied there, it brings away
the Womb, <&c. and the Woman dies.

This I believe to be attributed to them from their
Center’s being fometimes loofc, and rattling within,

like

[ *21 ]

like an ^yE.tites or Eagk-ftone, as Tome of thofe I
have do : Ado that it is good tor intermitring Fevers
given in their Drink at the going off of the Fit ; and
that it is good for the Colic, and Hypochondriac Me*
lancholy, as may be feen in that Author, who I think
is the only one, that lpeaks of it.

It has been the mod rare of any of thefe Snake-
ftones, as they are call’d in the Indies , and fo not
taken notice of.

I was inform’d there was one in Paris offer’d, to
that great Inquirer after natural Productions the late
Duke of Bourbon, at the Price of ioo Piftoles; to
whom I fignifkd by fome of his Acquaintance, that
1 had more than one of them, and would make,
him a Prcfent of one, which I afterward did, left he
fhould be impofed upon by giving fuch a Pr ce, as
fome curious Perfons have often been in other
Things of the like Nature.

Pictrc del Serpente Cobra de Cabelo * Redi Efpe -
rienze , Nat. p. 3. Tab. 1. Lapides Serjentis
Cobras de Cabelo dibit, Edit. Latin. Pedra de
Cobra, Kempfer. Amoenitat.Exot.p. 3 96. Pierres
de Serpent. Biron Curiofit. de la Natura , &c.p.j 2.

Y^\R. John Bateman , my worthy Prcdeceflor, for-
merly President of the College of Phyjicians
of London, told me, with great Admiration, that he

had

* Which fignifies in Portuguefe, the hooded Serpent, becaufe
it has a Membrane about its Head which it can expand like an
Hood : By others it is called the SpeCtacle-Snake ; for on the back
Part of its Neck is the Reprefentation of a Pair of Spectacles. See
a Figure of one in Kempfer’s Amasnit. Exotic, p. 567.

0.

[ 122 ]

had feen the great Effects (upon the Bite of a Viper)
of the Snakc-ftoneor Serpcnt-ftone, as it is call’d, be-
fore King Charles II. who was a great Lover of fuch
Natural Experiments ; and that he knew the Perfon
poflefled of the very Stone he had feen tried, who
he believed would part with it for Money.

Upon my Defite and Requeft to fee him, he came
to me, and brought with him the Stone, which was
round and flat, as the common ones brought by
Merchants and others from the Eafl Indies , about
the Size of a mill’d Shilling, but thicker, for which
he asked five Guineas, tho’ it was broken. There are
feveral of this Sort, figur’d in Tab. II. Fig . 8, a ,
b, c , d.

Dr. Alex. Stuart , who had been my Acquaintance
for feveral Years, returning from the Eajl Indies ,
brought from thence, among many other Curiofities,
fome of thefe Snake or Serpent-ftones, together
with this Account of them, which he had from a
Father Miflionary in the Eajl Indies, ‘ that they were
k not taken out of a Serpent’s Head, but made of
‘ the Bones of the fmall Buffalo in the Indies (by
which their Coaches arc drawn inftead of Horfes);
the Bones being, half-calcin’d or chard by the Dung
of the fame Buffalo. He gave me feveral Pieces, with
fome of the Snake or Serpent-ftones made out of
them, and which I have in my Collection of feveral
Shapes and Colours.

I think the firft who gives any Account of them
is Francefco Redi at Florence , who had them from
the Duke of Tnfcany s Collections, and who, in his
Efperienze Nat. tells great Virtues of them, related
by three Francifcan Friers, who came from the
Eajl Indies in 1 662. which were, that, being ap-
plied

[ 1 23 3

plied to the Bites of the Viper, Afp, or any other
venomous Animals it flicks very faft till it has im-
bibed or attra&ed all the Poifon (as a Loadftone
does Iron), as many People in the Indies believe,
and then it falls off of itfelf ; and being put into
new Milk, it parts with the Poifon, and gives the
Milk a bluifh Colour ; of which Redi tells the Suc-
cefs of thofe he figured.

Kempfer , in his Amcenitat. Exot. p. 396. fpeak-
ing of this, fays, it helps thofe bit by Vipers, out-
wardly applied j and that it is not found in the Ser-
pent's Head, as believed, but by a fecret Art made
by the Brahmens i and that, for the right and happy
Application of it, there muft be two ready ; that
when one has fallen off fill’d with the Poifon, the
other may fupply its Place. They are commonly, as
he fays, kept in a Box with Cotton, to be ready
when Occaiion offers.

Biron fays, that if the Wound of the Serpent
has not bled, it muft be a little prick'd, fo as the
Blood comes out, and then to be applied as ufual.
It comes from the Kingdom of Camboya.

Tab. II.

Fig. 1. A Fietra de Mombazza i \ Inches in Dia*
meter, weighing io-- oz. 3 dr. ii,gr. with large
Prominences or Emboflmcnts on the Outfide.

Fig. 2. another 2^ in Diameter, with fmaller Em-
boffments on the Outfide.

Fig. 3. the fame faw’d in two, and the Se&ion
polilh'd, wherein appears a common Pebble a , of

an

C I24 ]

an Afh-colour, as the Core or Center on which
this Stone was form’d.

bbbby are feveral almoft concentric Lines, nearly
anfwcring to the Shape of the Pebble in the Cen
ter, and refemble, the different Coats of an Onion,,
fhewing the progreflive Accretion of the feveral
Lamina or Strata , of which this Stone is com-
pofed.

cccc , pyramidal Spaces of a darker Colour, and
more compad Texture than the intermediate lighter-
coloured Spaces, whole Bafes arife at the outer
Circumference and form the Emboffments there,
and whofe Points all tend towards the Center of
the Stone ; both the Outfide and Inftde of thefe
Stones are of a light Oker-colour diluted with a
little white ; the Pyramids being about 2 Shades
darker than the reft of the In- or Outfide.

Fig. 4. another of the fame fort fawn in two, in
the Center of which is lodged a Fruit or large
Seed, about the Size and of the Shape of an Acorn,
having a thick Husk on the Outfide.

Fig. y. a Coin of Domitian in fmall Brafs, having
on the Forefidc, the Figure of a Rhinoceros with
2 Horns growing out of his Nofe, the one above
the other j which in the Numifmata Pembrokiana>
Part 1. Tab. XVI. n. 68. the Engraver has made
like a Tusk or Dens txertus of a Boar, and in
Part 3. Tab. 35?. he has made the 2 Horns on
his Nofe like 2 Tusks, and has likewife given him '
2 Horns clofe to his Ears ; fo that he has made
him a Creature with 4 Horns j and therefore it
was thought proper to give an accurate Copy of

the

[ 125 ]

the Medal, in order to clear up that famous Paf-
fage of Martial , Lib . de Speptac. N°. XXII.

Namque gravem gemino cornu flc extulit urfum ,
JaPtat ut impofitas taurus in aftra pilas.

Which has for many Ages puzzled the Critics, all
thinking that the Rhinoceros was a real Unicorn
or Animal, which never had any more than one
Horn. See thefe Tranf. N®. 4.7c, p. 537. and
befide the double Horns, or geminum Cornu , in
Sir Hans Sloane\ Mufeum , 1 am told Dr. Mead
has got another geminum Cornu like wife from
Africa.

Fig. 6. is the reverfe of the fame Medal, with this
Infer iption imp domit avg germ and in the
middle sc

Fig. 7. is the Figure of the Rhinoceros magnified,
that the Pofition of the 2 Horns might appear
diftindl and plain.

Fig . 8. a, by c, d , reprefent the Fietre de Serpente
Cobra de Cabelo, of an Afh-colour and black. In
that mark'd b, the dark Shade in the middle {hews
an Hollow, which was Part of the Cavity of the
Inlide of the Bone, e and f are rough Pieces of
Bones, half-calcin’d, porous, and not polilh’d. The
Figure and Defcription of the Buffalo, whofe
Bones they ufe for this Purpofe, are given in Mr.
Edwards’ s Hiftory of Birds, to which he has fub-
joined the Figures and Defcriptions of fome few
rare Quadrupeds. Flate 200,

VII,

C 126 ]

VII. Some Account of the Rana Pifcatrix; hj
James Parfoiis M. D. F. R. S.

Read April 17.iT N fome Parts of Italy this Fifh is
*7+9- caneci R0Jp0i in others Bora\ and

by the Lombards Zatto.

Lophius ore cirrofo , Fetrus Artedus.
b a A /as (bctrov, /3 a A /as. Arijlot.

Rana Fifcatrix , by the following Authors 5 viz,.
Bellonius , Rondelletius , Salvianus, Gefnerus, Charle-
ton, Willoughby , Ray.

Fifcatrix vel marina. Schonveld .

— vulgaris. Aldrovand.

ALT HO’ this Fifh is already defcribed by mod of
the Natural Hiftorians, yet (everal of its Proper-
ties appear to have been overlook’d ; and as I am per-
fuaded many of this Learned Society may not have
feen it, I laid hold of this Opportunity to lay it be-
fore them, with fome little Account, and Drawings,

I believe nearer the Truth than any exhibited already j
referring the Curious to the general|Hiftory of this
Animal, as collected by Gefner ; and to Sir George
Ent’s Account and Ditie&ion of him, as deliver’d by
Dr. Charleton , in his Ex ere it at tones de Dijferentiis
et Nominibus Animalium } whofe Figure of him is
copied by Willoughby with moft of the Dihertation,
and which, if 1 miftake not, was taken from Salvi-
anus by Dr. Charleton , for the better llluftration of
Sir Georges Difiertation.

This Animal is four Feet three Inches long, and
about nineteen Inches from Side to Side in the wideft
c Part

C i27 3

Part. His Mouth is very wide, and his Teeth are-
let in Clufters in both the upper and under Jaws,
and not in regular Rows, as was the vulgar Opinion :
They are long and fmall like Spikes, moveable, and
direded inward, in order 10 fccure his Prey from
efcaping, after he has once laid hold on him. His
lower Jaw is longer by far than his upper j having
a large Capacity in the Skin of the former, to yield
according to the Bulk of the Creature he feizes ;
for with this Jaw, and the external Clufters of the
Teeth of the upper Jaw, he holds it faft, whilft with
another inner cartilaginous Jaw (whofe Teeth cor-
refpond with an inner Clufter of Teeth in the upper)
he chews and tears his Prey, fwallowing it by degrees
as he minces it 5 neither the under Jaw, nor external
Row of the upper, having any Share in the Mafti-
cation at all.

Altho’ he is faid to be of the cartilaginous kind,
his Head is as bony as that of any Fifti ; having rough
fpiny Ridges, ferving as Eye-brows. Between thefe
arife three black limber Twigs ; the anterior is
longed, the fccond fhorter, and the next fhorteftj
each having at its Extremity a white flat Piece, with
which, it is faid, he allures other Fifth to approach
near enough to fteize on them. There are two
others lefts confiderable on his Back, between thofe
Fins or Webs, which, in him, mult be call’d hume-
ral Webs.

»

Thele Webs are cartilaginous and flefhy, and are
fupported by ftrong Bones, analogous to the humeral
Bones ot ftome other Animals- Under each of thefe
is a Sacculus or Marfupinm , which runs up the Side
of his Head, 28 Inches deep, and 6 Inches wide:

Thefe

f *28 3

lhefe have not been duly taken notice of, except I
think by Bellonius , who mentions two Holes, with-
out adding any thing eife about them. But they are
of fo lingular a Nature, that 1 think there is Ionic En-
couragement to make the following Conjc&ure.

The branchial Holes are three on each Side, which
are firuated deep in the Mouth, and open into thele
Marfupia , the Sides of which are the Branchcojitg,
having feveral long {lender cartilaginous Bo es run-
ning longitudinally for their Support, analogous to
the brancheoftegal Bones of other Fifhes, fo that
probably thefe Sacks may anfwer two Ends; firfl, ro
form the Membwn# hr anchecfleg^ ; and, fccondly,
to make a convenient Receptacle for the Young till
they arc able to fhift for themfelvcs. Perhaps the
following Conje&ures may ferve to ftrengthen this
Opinion for if this End was nor to be anfwer'd,
the Branchiae might have been terminated near their
Origin in the Mouth, as it is in other Fifhes.

Authors have ranked this F.fh among the cartila-
ginous Tribe, who are faid to be viviparous j but
of this there are Dilputes among them as yet unde-
termined Now if this Fifh does not bring forth its
Young perfect, there can be no Ufe aflign’d to thefe
Sacks ; for Eggs are depolited by the oviparous Tribe
in S;.nd, Weeds, or any other proper Nidus ; nor
could the Creatures by any means place Eggs in them,
bccaufe they open in a wrong Direction for fuch a
Purpofe. But if they are viviparous, then the Young
may probably be harbour'd in them, being capable
of crawling into them, as we may fee by the pe&o-
ral Webs on the under Side.

f

And

[ 129 ]

And to ftrcngthen this Conjedure, we may draw
another Confideration from the Manner of their
Feeding j for thefe are Creatures of no fwift Motion,
and crawl on Bottoms of fhoal Places, watching and
alluring their Prey; now their Young cannot be
fuppofed to have Power or Sagacity enough for this
Work, till they are grown large and Prong, and have
thefe Twigs in Pcrfedion ,* therefore they mud of
Necefiity be protected by the Parent, till they arc
able to provide for themfelves ; which probably may
be when they grow too large to enter into thefe
Marfupia.

There are feven fmall finny Webs like little in-
dented Leaves, on each Side the under Jaw, and
others of the fame kind all round the Sides to the
Tail.

He has a dorfal Fin near the Tail upon the Spine,
and a ventral flefhy Fin nearer the Tail than the
former.

The five-fingcr’d Webs under the Thorax are
rough and flefhy, {hewing their Bufinefs is to affift
in flowly crawling from Place to Place ; and there
appears the Veftige of the Spine from the Place of
the Vent to the Tail on the mod pofterior Part of
the Belly.

Thefe are what I thought worthy your Notice,
and hope they will have produced the Effect I de-
figned ; which was no more than to entertain you,
by illuftrating any lingular Piece of natural Hiftory,
that may happen to fall in my Way; efpecially in
fuch Subjeds as do not often occur.

As to the Sex of the Fifh, I could be no Judge of
it, nor of any internal Part, as the Vifcera had been

R taken

[ *3° 1

taken out before I faw it, and all Appearances dc-
ftroy’d that might inform us ; and therefore we muft
refer the Reader to that curious Difle&ion of it made
by the learned Sir George Ent , as it is quoted by

Char let on, in his Mantijfa Anatomic a.

\

References to the Figures.

x ^ ;| j *j q . j ; i . [ t K f . > !, : j i . ....

Fig. I. is a back View of the Rana pifcatrix.

aa, the bony Ridges and Afperities between the Eyes ;

from the central Sulcus of which arifc
hbb , the three Virgo; pifcatori# , or Fifhing rods,
cc , the Cirruli , or little Webs, all round the Borders
of the Fifh.

dd, the large humeral Fins, under which are the
Openings into the Marfupia and Branchiae,
ee, the two pofterior Rods.

f, the pofterior and fuperior fpinal Fin,

g , the Tail, which in this Fifh is vertical.

Fig. II. A View of the under Surface or Belly of
this Fifh.

aa , the Angles of the lower Jaw, feen and felt
through the Integuments.

by the Skin or Floor of the Mouth capable of ftretch-
ing into a Sack, according to the Bulk of the Prey
he holds.

cc, the flefhy five -finger’d Webs, by which they crawl
upon the Bottoms of Shoals.
dd, the Openings into the Marfupia and Branchiae.

<?, the Vent or Anns,
f the pofterior and inferior fpinal Fin.
g, the cartilaginous .branchecftegal Bones.

C I3I ]

Fig. III. is a View of the Mouth open’d tofhesv,

a, the Skin of the Floor of the Mouth, as at b in
Fig. II.

b, the Tongue.

cc , the external Teeth in the upper and under Jaws*
for holding the Prey.

del, the correfponding Clutters of Teeth in the inner
cartilaginous Jaw, for Maftication, and tearing the
Prey.

ee, the Riel us oris, f the upper Jaw. g, the En-
trance into the guU and branchial Holes.

Fig. IV. is a fuil View of the Opening into the
Marfupium , lying under the Fin d.

VIII. Obfervations on the Height to which
Rockets afcend\ by Mr. Benjamin Robins
R R. S.

May 4. ^ ¥^HE Ufe of Rockets is, or may be, fo
-/49- confiderable in determining the Pofi-

tion of diftant Places to each other, and in givihgSignak
for naval or military Purpoles, that I thought it worth
while to examine what Height they ufually rife to,
the better to determine the Extent of the Country,
through which 'they can be feen. I therefore, at the
Exhibition of the late Fire-works, ddir’d a Friend of
mine, who I knew intended to be only a .diftant
Spe&ator, to obferve the Angle of Elevation to
which the greateft Part of them rofe, and likewife
the Angle made by the Rocket or Rockets, which
Ihould rife the higheft of all.

R % M 7

[ 132 ]

My Friend was provided with an Inftrument,whofe
Radius was 38 Inches; and, to avoid all Uncertainty
in its Motion, it was fixed in an invariable Pofition ;
and its Field, which took in ten Degrees of Altitude
was divided by horizontal Threads. The Station my
Friend chofe was on the Top of Dr. Nisbett’s
Houfe in Kingftreet near Cheapfide , where he had a
a fair View of the upper Part of the Building ere&cd
in the Green Tark. There he obferved that the
fingle Rockets which rofe the mod erect, were ufually
elevated at their greateft Height about 6°^. above his
Level ; and that amongft thefc there were 3 which
rofe to‘7°i; and that in the daft great Flight of
Rockets, faid to be of 6000, the Creft of the Arch,
formed by their general Figure, was elevated about
From the Care and Dexterity .of my Friend,
and the Nature of the Inftrument, I doubt not but
thefe Obfervations are true within a few Minutes.

The Diftance of this Station from the Building in
the Green Tark is 4.000 Yards, according to the
laft great Map of London: And hence it appears,
that the cuftomary Height, to which the fingle, or ho-
norary Rockets, as they are ftyled, afeended, was near
440 Yards: That three of thefe rofe 526 Yards j and
that the greateft Height of any of thofe fired in the
grand Girandole was about 61 5 Yards : All reckon’d
above the Level of the Place of Obfervation, which
I efteem to be near if Yards higher than the Green
*Park, and little lefs than if Yards below the Chefts
whence the great Flight of Rockets was difeharged.

It Lems then there are Rockets which rife 600
Yards from the Place whence they are difeharged :
And this being more than a third Part of a Mile, it

follows.

r 133 ]

follows, that if their Light be fufficiently ftrong, and
the Air be not hazy, they may be feen in a level
Country at above 50 Miles Dillance.

The Obfervations on the fingle Rockets are fuf-
ficiently confonant to fome Experiments I made
myfelf about a Fortnight fince : For then I found
that fevcral fingle Pound Rockets went to various
Heights between 450 and yoo Yards, the Altitude
of the higheft being extremely near this laft Number,
and the Time of their Afcent ufually fhort of 7 '.

But though from all thefe Trials it fhould feem
as if good Rockets of ail Sizes had their Heights
limited between 400 and 600 Yards ; yeti am dif-
poled to believe, that they may be made to reach
much greater Diftances. This I in fome degree col-
left from the Nature of their Compofition, and the:
ufual imperfect Manner of forming them.

Nor is this merely Matter of Speculation j for I'
lately faw a dozen of four Pound Rockets fired 5 the
greateft Part of which took up near 14" in their
Afcent, and were totally obfeured in a Cloud near
9 or 10'' of the Time; fo that the Moment of their
burfting was only obfervableby a fudden Glimmering
through the Clouds : And as theie Rockets, during the
Time they were vifible, were far from moving with a
languid Motion, I cannot but conceive, that the ex-
traordinary Time of their Afcent muft have been at-
tended by a very unufual Rife.

IX,

[ 134 ]

IX. ExtraEl of fo much of Don Antonio De
Ulloa’j F. R. S . Account oj his Voyage to
South America, as relates to the Diftemper
called there Vomito Prieto, or black Vomit,
d from the Spanifh by W. W atfon

Read May 4. r | ^ H E City of Cartagena in America
I?49’ is fituate in 10 Degrees, 25 Min.

481 Seconds of North Latitude. The Weather there
is aiways fultry hot. A Thermometer conftruded
by Monf. de Reaumur gave, on the 19th of Novem-
ber 1735. one of their Winter- Months, the Degree
of the Warmth of the Air 1025 Divifions and a
half; and this with little Variation, both Night and
Day. The greateft Height to which the Spirit af-
cended at Raris the fame Year, by a Thermometer
graduated in the fame Manner, was 102 y and a half;
half ; fo that the Heat of the cool Nights at Cartagena
was nearly equal to that of the hotteft Days at Raris.

As the Heats in this Climate are fo great, without
receiving any fenfible Mitigation from the Nights, it
is no Wonder that the Perfpiration of the Inhabit-
ants is very great. From this it comes about, that
all thofe who make their Abode there any time, ap-
pear pale and weakly, as though newly recovering
from a Fit of Illnefs. You remark in all their Ac-
tions, even fo far as in fpeaking, a certain Idlenefs,
and, as our Author exprdfes himfelf, a Disjointed-
ncfs : Notwithstanding this they are in good Health,
though their Alped indicates the contrary. The
People who arrive there from Europe, hold the Ap-
!>carancc of Strength and Colour in their Counte-
nances

Tranflate

F. R. S.

[ *35 ]

nances daring three or four Months ; but after that
time they lofe both one and the other from the Quan-
tity of Sweat, until they become like the former In-
habitants. Thefe Effects are moftobfervable in younger
People } on the contrary, thofe who are farther ad-
vanced in Life, when they go thither, preferve their
former Appearance better, and enjoy fo good a State
of Health, that they live commonly to more than eigh-
ty Years of Age.

As the Temperament of this Country is particu-
lar, fo are fome of its Diftcmpers. Thefe may be
conftder’d of two kinds ; viz. thofe Diftcmpers to
which the Europeans newly arrived there are liable,
and they only ; and thofe which are common to all
Perfons, as well Criollos as Chapetones.t

The Diftcmpers of the firft Ciafs are many, as the
Refort of the Europeans there is very great. They
are very dangerous, and often mortal. They fre-
quently deftroy a great Part of the People, both
Sailors and others, who arrive there from Europe.
The Continuance of thefe Diftempers is very fhort 5
they laft but three or four Days, in which time the
Sick either die, or are out of Danger. The parti-
cular Diftemper, to which they are mod liable, is
very little known; though it takes its Rife in fome
from taking Cold, in others from Indigeftion ; but
from whichfocvcr of thefe, or from what other Caufe
it takes its Rife, it becomes in the fhort time before-
mention’d the Vomzto Erieto or black Vomit, which
is what kills them ; it being very rare that thofe, who
have it, efcape. It is obferved in fome, that their
Delirium is fo violent, that they are obliged to be
tied down in their Beds, that they may nor tear
themfelves in Pieces ; and they often die raying with
th.e greateft Degree of Agony. 6

C r36 ]

It is to be remarked, that thofe only are fubjeft
to this Diftemper, who are lately arrived from Eu-
rope: The Inhabitants of the Country, as well as
thofe who have abided there any time, are by no
jmeans liable to it, and enjoy perfed Health during
its greateft Violence. As the Crews of Ships arc
very liable to this Diftemper, and more fo than the
Officers and Paflengcrs, who have greater Variety of
Pood and Liquor, it has been conceived, that the great
Exercife and Labour ofthefe People, and their feed-
ing upon fait Provifions, prepares their Conftitutions
to be liable in this Climate to a Corruption of the
Blood and Humours, from whence is fuppofed to
proceed the Vomito Prieto. What muft beobferved
is, that although the Crews of Ships fufFcr the
greateft Slaughter, neverthclefs Paflengers and others,
who go the Voyage under the greateft Advantages,
with regard to the Conveniences of Life, are not
free from being expofed to it. It muft be remarked
alfo, that thofe Perfons, who, after having been ufed
to this Climate, go from thence, and arc abfent even
three or four Years, are not liable to it at their Re-
turn, but retain their Health like the other Inhabit-
ants 5 although in their Way of living they have not
obferved the moft exad Regimen.

The Defire of knowing the Caufe of this terrible
Calamity has occupied from time to time the Minds
of the Surgeons who make thisVoyage in the Galcons,
as well as thofe of the Phyficians of the Country ;
and their Opinion has been, that it chiefly takes its
Rife from the Labour to which the Ships Crews
are conftantly expofed, and their Manner of living.
There is no doubt but thefe may greatly contribute

thereto ;

C 137 ]

thereto; but then it will be difficult to conceive,
why Perfons who are better circumftanced are like-
wife liable to it : And it is fomewhat extraordinary,
that, notwithftanding many Endeavours have been
made towards finding out Remedies equal to this
Difeafe, none have been dilcover'd, either as Speci-
fics, or Prefervatives ; for the Inconftancy of the
Symptoms is fo great, that they are not in the Be-
ginning to be diftinguifhed from thole which are in
common to this with {lighter Diftempers ; but the
principal Complaints are at riifi: a Wearinefs, and
great Diforder in the Head.

This Diftcmper dots nor always attack the Ships
• Europe at their Arrival in the Bay of Cartagena ;
nor is it very ancient in that Counrry$ for what here*
tofore was called Cbapetonaday lo denominated, as
thole from Europe were only liable to it, were In-
digeftions: And though they were in that Climate
always atrended with Danger, the Women of the
Country, as they do now, cured them with Eafe,
efpecially when they are taken in time. The Ships af-
terwards going from CartagenaioBorto Bello , it was
there fuccecded with the great Mortality, which was
always attributed to the Unfeafonablenefs of the Cli-
mate, and to the Fatigue of the Ships Crews in un-
loading their Ships, and in the Bufinefs of the Fair
there.

The black Vomit was not known at Cartagenay
nor in its Neighbourhood, until the Years 1729 and
1750, when firft it carried off a great Part of the
Crews of the Ships of War, which Don ‘Domingo
Juftiniani then commanded, and were then there as
< jiiarda Cojlas . Thcfe Ships were firfl attacked at

S Santa

[ T38 1

Santa Martha , where the Severity of this Diftem-
per, and its gr-eat Slaughter, had cad a great Terror
upon their Crews. The fecond Attach of this Dif-
temper was on board the Galcons commanded by
Don Manuel Lopez ‘Pintado , when its Mortality
was highly formidable, and Death follow'd the At-
tack lo quiek, that Perfons, who were one Day feen
walking at large, were next Day met carrying to
their Graves.

Our Author is of Opinion, that this, as well as
fome other Diftempers to which Europeans are liable
at firft, or foon after their Arrival at Cartagena , and
other Places under the fame Circumftances, fhould
be confider’d as ariling from the great Alteration that
happens in their Confiitutions there : And this
Change, which from the Climate is foon brought
about, makes them fuffer this and other Diftempers,
which either deftroy them, or generate in them a
Difpofition to bear the Heats; after which, being as
it wTere naturalized, they enjoy the fame Share of
Health with the Natives.

Our Author remarks, that at Cartagena , when the
Ships from Spain fail in their Arrival, the European
Productions, which at all times are dear, and much
valued there, arc fometimes quite expended : Thefe
more particularly are Wine, Oil, and Raifins. When
this is the Cafe with regard to Wine, the People
there fuffer much in their Health; as every body,
except the Negroes, and thofe who ufe Brandy, ac-
cuftom themfelves to drink ic with their Food.
From the Want of this, their Stomachs fail, they
g'ow Pick, and this S>cknels becomes general. This
Want of Wine happen’d when our Author arrived

at

[ *39 ]

at Cartagena , and the Sicknefs in confequencc was
fo general in that City, that Mafs was celebrated
only in one of their Churches.

X. Declinationes quarumdam Stellarum
Aufiralium primae et fecundae magnitude
nis, menfe Junio 1738. cum methodo
inveniendi horam in mari nodlu, ex afpe&u
Crucis au fir alts ; per Dn. de la Condamine ,
Reg. Societ. Londin. & Acad . Reg. Sclent,
PariJ. Socium .

Rtad May 1 1 . TTe drclinationes er litre funt ex •var'tis
1 '49 J. J. obfer ationibus habitis e opuadrante

tripedali, menftbus Junii annorum 1 737, 1738, et
Jequentmm , Quiti in America in latitudine o° 1 3 / 1 6f/
aufirali , in loco fcilicet 1 1 mmutis J'ecundis magis
ad aujirum fito , ac locus obfervationis folfiitiorum
‘Dec. 1 736, et Junii 173 7, rft/W latitudinem in
commen ariolo m. 0 de dijiantia tropicorum obfervata
jampridem jlatueram.

Notandum eft prAerea me in calculandis hifee
dechnationibus ufum fluff e tabula refradlionum
Petri Bouguer pro alt it udine Soli dfuitienfis qure in
comment ariis Reg. Scient. Acad, pro anno 1738
inferta ejl.

o / it

In navi Argo a Canopus. Stella prima:
magnitudinis, et maxima fixaruni uno
Sirio excepto . . . 52 34. 1 6

S 2

Quse

[ l+° ]

■ o / H

Qua:in brachio praeccdenti feu occidentali
Cruets Auflr alls ( Bayeroy ) magnitu-
d;nis mediae inter fecundani et tertiam. 57 17 32
^~in~pede Cruets ftella, quae Polo auftrali
maxime vicina eft e quatuor ftellis quibus
crux conftat, telefcopio vifa duplex ap-
- paret, nudo oculo {implex, et primae
magnitudinis . , r . . 61 38 57

Quae in vertice Cruets rmaxime B borea-
lis lecundae magnitudinis, in brachio
• fequenti § fecundae: magnitudiuis . 58 15” 5:

In pede Centauri praecedenti leu occiden-
tali y primae magnitudinis . . fp f 3f

In pede fequenti Centauri a primae mag-
nitudinis . . . . 59 44 f 6

Jampridem cPanam£ obfervantes menfe Januario
anni 1736. animadverteramus repetitis vicibus ad-
denda duo minuta prima circiter declinationi fteilae
Canopi in Catalogo Britannico , ut latitudo loci ex
obfervationibus praedi&ae itellx illara cum latitudine
ex altitudinibus iolis colle&a conveniret ; quae quidem
annotatio omnibus fubfequentibus obfervationibus
fuit confirmata, iifque nominatim quibus innititur
antecedens Canopi declinatioje quibus colligitur ma-
jor duobus minutisprimis,etduobus fecundis, ea, quae
ex catalogo Britannico eruitur.

Hae omnes ftellae, de quibus fupra, lucidifiimae funt,
omniumque maxime fpetftabiles in hemifphoerio au-
ftrali inter eas quae in Europa non confpiciuntur.

In

[ *+! ]

In plerifque planifphaeriis varie reprsfentatur Crux
auftralis, cujus Titus, in his a Borea ad Auftrum, in aliis
ab Euro-Bor ea (N. E.) ad Auftro-Zephyrum (S. O.)
dirigitur. Carta coeleftis partis coeli auftralis Ignatii
Eddies fchema Crucis auftralis exhibet duplex,
unum fcilicct in ilia, alterum in hac dire&ione, qua-
rum prior vera eft.

Ciux itaque auftralis, cum in meridiano verfatur,
redta apparet, id eft, horizonti perpendicularis, ideoque
abfque errore fenftbili nautis infervire poteft ad horam
inveniendam, cognita differentia temporis inter tranf-
itum ipfius per meridianum ac Tolis, methodo fequenti.
ad praxim nautis facilem accommodata.

Ex repetitis obfervationibus ad annum praffentem
1749. reda&is, colligo, quatuor minuta prima cum.
dimidio circiter intereffe inter mediationcm fteilarum
£ et g in pede et capite Crucis auftralis, prioremque
appellere ad meridianum minutis fere 13, poft-
quam in boreali hemifphserio culminavit primum
arietis pun&um. Ex tabula igitur mediationis primi-
puncti arietis, qualem exhibet libellusqui lingulis annis
prod it in lucem Tub titulo Notit ia Temporum (Con-
noiftance des Terns) hora vera nodtu in mari facillime
obtinebitur ex afpe&u Crucis aultralis, attendendo*
qua hora Crux videbitur recta, et horizonti perpen-
dicularis, feu potius, quando per fempus licuerit, fiio,
vel funiculo, appenfo, pondere verticaliter tenfo, et
ex manu fufpenfo, obfervando illud momentum quo
ftellx £ in pede, et «, in capite Crucis auftralis hinc
et hinc a perpendiculo acqualitcr difrare videbuntur.
Htec ex parte orientali, ilia ex occidentali 5 nempe
quo temporis pun&o hasc fili pofitio obtinebit., vix
uno minuto errabit in hora vera, addendo if minuta-

primte.

[ r + 2 ]

prima, horce mediations primi puntti arictis, quse
ex praedicta tabula, emendata meridianorum calcula-
tors ct obfervatoris differentia, concludetur.

Stella £ in pede Crucis ideo maxima inter qua-
tuor apparer, quod nudo oculo vifa coalef.it cum
altera exigua,qnas quatuor aut quinque minutis fecun-
dis poft ibam appellit ad meridianum, quxpietcle-
fcopio obfervato auftralior eft minuto cum 31 lecua-
dis ; difcanria mir.rometro menfurata.

Pes fequens live orit ntalior Centauri % ftella . rimse
quoque magnitudinis, quae c.-peilam vi erur aemuiari,
imofuLore ct magnitudine fuperare, et am duplex eft,
conftatque duabus ftellis, quarum minor e majons
finu emergere vix notatur optimo 'el fcopio tripedali.
Hcec etiam ilia boreal ior eft, ac paulo auftrabor.

Ludovicus Feuilleus , qui unam et alteram tele-
fcopio 18 pedum obfervavit, majorem tert.ae, mino-
rem quarta: magnitudinis ttatuit, quod propnis obfer-
vationibus confirn.ave mihi non licuit j fed perperam
idem auctor pedcm Centauri in quo hze duae ftella:
unirse confpiciuntur, Borealem nuncupat. Obfervata
ab ipfo Feudleo anno 1710. die Feb. 26, in civitate
Concept ionis Chileenfis eiufdem ftellae declinatione,
quam 39 minutis majorem altcrius pedis dedinatione
ftatuit.

XI.

[i43]

XI. J Letter from Mr. Emanuel da Cofta
F. R. S. to the Prehdent, concerning two
beautiful Echinites.

SIR,

Read May u. X HAVE the Honour of laying before
X, you (in order to communicate to the
Royal Society , if you think it worthy) the Defc ip-
tion of two Echinites , or Stones moulded in folTil
Echini Shells, hitherto undefcnbed, as far as I know.

Thefe Echinites ate undoubtedly moulded in
Shells, of a Genus of which weatprefent find fome
Species now living in the Seas ; moltly in the Wejl
Indies . The Echinometra of Arifiotle , Alarovand ,
and of Dr. Grew (a), is of this Genus. Dr. Breynius
(h) calls the whole Genus Echinanthus ; and Mr.
Klein {c) Scutum. Woodward (d) in his Diftri-
bution of foil'll Echini calls them the Fentaphyl-
loides , from the Rays on the upper Part forming a.
beautiful cinquefoil Figure ; but wrongly fixes their
Charaderiftics in having only one Aperture, and that
at the Balls; in which he not only contradids Na-
ture, but alfo the very Specimens he quotes in his
own Coiledion, which have all two Foramens or A-
pcrtures, and are elegantly figured fo by Agojtino Scilla
\e) who was thePerfon that fent them to the Dodor;

and

(a) Mufeum Reg. Sac. p. 139. (b) Schediafma de Echinis,

p. 60. (r) Nat. Difp. Echinodermatutn, p. 20, Tab. 17.

A , etTAB. 18, B. ( d ) Cade of foreign extraneous Foffils,/>. 16.
(e) La vana Speculazione difmgannata dal fenfo , Tab. 9, 10,

and 11.

C r44 ]

and our latePrefident Sir Hans Slodne (f) has alfo figu-
red and defcribed two Species of this Genus , whereof
one Species is an Inhabitant of our Englijh Seas.

I obfcrved aoove, that, to my Knowledge, no
Aurhor has ever defcribed Echinites or Stones
moulded in the foil! Echini of this Genus-, nor even
have the toll'll Echini or Shells themlelves been ever
exhibited by any Lithologift, except by the above-
quo- cd A. Scilla, who fent them to Dr. IVoodward,
and round them in Malta ; to which the Do&or in
h s Catalogue recounts two other Specimens, whkh
were dug up in Maryland ; fo rare are the Instances of
the Foflils of this whole Genus !

The two Echinites here defcribed (as alfo <omc
few other Specimens ot this fort, which I hear are
in fome Cabinets in this Metropolis) were ail fou d
in the midft of fome Rocks, which were blown up
at Tort Mahon fome Years ago, and fiom whence
they were all brought.

The fi ft or largeft is in the Pofl'eflion of the Riuht
Rev. Dr. Lavington , Lord Biftiop of Exeter .• it is
compofed of a hard or ftony arenaceous grc> llh Sub-
ftancc, and is of an Efcutcheon or Heart- like Shape :
It meafures about 14! Inches in Circumference, or
quite round the Limb or Ed re, about two Inches
high from the Elat or Balls to he Tip of the AptX ,
five Inches in Length at the Ba is, and 4-5- m Breadth.
On the upper Part it rifts nc r y gradually from the
Edge quite to the Ap x. A central Point, with a
flight declining Space, tops the LidApex 5 from which

Space

(/) Nat. Hi/f. of Jamaica, Vcl. 2. Tab. 242, Fig. 3. ct feq.

[ >45 ]

Space the Body regularly divides into five Parts fi-
gured like Leaves to the Edge. Thefe Leaves are
narrow at the Apex, greatly widen toward theBottom,
and narrow a little again at theirEnd. Each Divifion or
Leaf is bounded on each Side by a Row of parade!
Ridges, which are accompanied alfo on each Side
of every laid Row, with two other Ranges of Points
or Knobs ; all which Rows do not meet or clofe
together at the lower End of the Divifion, but Lave
a void unwrought Space : A Row of larger irregular
Knobs runs through the midft of each Leaf. From
the Divifions between each Leaf runs a rugged knobb’d
Pillar, which is join’d to the Edge : The other Parts
between the Leaves and the Edge are Hollows, or
void Spaces. The Edge or / imbus is of a thick
cylindric Make, runs quite round the who e Body,
and only has fome Signs of being disjoined at the
one Extreme of the Length, or where the Aperture
was j the Stone anfwering which is here extended a
little cylindrically outward like an Appendage, and
was fo formed by the ftony Matter being too much
in Quantity for the Shell, and fo was protruded
through the faid Foramen. On the outer Edge of
the Limbus are fome few irregular ftony Con-
cretions. The Bafis is flat, and is likewife divided
into five Parts from the Center, which is one of the
Foramens ; the other Fcramen (as has been above
delcribed) being placed at one of the Extremes of
the Length. This Foramen or Center is about the
Size of a Shilling. The five Divifions extend to the
utmoft Edge of the Body, or quite over the Limbtis ,
contrary to the Divifions on the upper Part, which
extend only to it. Each Divifion is formed by a
ftony Line edged on each Side with ftony cylindrical

T Bodies

C *4-6 ]

Bodies of the Thicknefs of a Pin, but of different
Lengths, fo as to appear like the Teeth of a Comb,
or the Gills of a Fifh -y the Interftices between all
which is a rugged ftony Work, and Hollows per-
vading quite through the Body to the upper Part.

I cannot but think thefe five pectinated Divilions
on the Bails owe their figure to fome Parrs of the
included Fifh; which I am more confirmed in, as I
have feen fome Specimens of the common pileated
and galeated Echinites , which have been hollow'd
at their Apex, and mark'd ftar-wife ; that Concavity,
and theftellar Mark proceeding from the Interpofition
of the Fifh between the ftony Matter then filling the
Shell, and the Top of the Shell itfelf.

The other Echinite I have the Honour of pro-
ducing before the Society , belongs to Mr. Edward
Jacobs of Eeverjham. It is of a different Species,
though of the lame Genus , of a heart- like Shape,
and about one third the Size of the above-deferibed.
This is greatly copped, the Apex lying very high,
and the five Divilions running near perpendicularly
down to the Edge. The upper Part of this is ele-
gantly perfect 3 the Work is near the fame as on the
other jonly that, by the Perfection this preferved is in,
we obferve that the Rows of parallel Ridges, which
adorn each Side of each Leaf or Divifion, rife into
a kind of arch’d Work or Bridge, made up of arch'd
cylindrical Bodies, through which the middle Row
runs, joined or connected in a long ftrait cylindrical
Stem, in a mod curious and elegant manner. The
Bafis or under Part of this Specimen is very imper-
fect, and only feems to differ in the Center being
greatly excavated or concave, anfwering to the great

Copping

C T47 ]-:

Copping or Height of the Apexx> r upper Part. Thi*
Foffil alfo confifts of a hard ftony arenaceous Sub-
ftancc like the other.

From the Infpedion of the feveral Hollows of
thcfe Echinites , it is evident they were not imme-
diately moulded in the Shells, but were fo m'd in
Cavities which thofe Shells formerly filled in the
Rocks they were lodged in. The Rocks were appa-
rently of a loofened arenaceousTexture, and the Water
&c. continually pervading them, rotted and deftroy’d
the inclofed Shells, and bore away their whole Sub-
ftance. In the fame manner, and by the fame means,
were the ftony. Particles replaced into thofe very Ca-
vities which the Shells formerly filled ; conlequently
thcfe Bodies were moulded cxadly to the faid
Cavities.

This Remark carries a Conclufion with it, if Ob*
fervation be made, that the Hollows and fol id Parts
of thefe Stones exadly anfwer to the Hollows and
folid Parts of the very Shells themfclves ; which, had
they been moulded in the very Shells* muft have
happen’d diredly contrary; the folid Parts of the
Shells forming Hollows in the Stone, and vice verj'a.
In all fandy or lax earthy Matter fofiil Shells are very
feldom found, but only the moulded Stones ; the
loofc Texture of thofe Subftances giving freeAccefs
to Wafer, Vapours, and mineral Exhalations,
which intirely corrode and deftroy the Shells buried
in it.

I have taken the Liberty to produce before the
Society a recent Echinus of this Genus from the
Weft bidies , to elucidate my Subjed ; as alfo two
Drawings done by Mr. Mynde ; viz. of the Bafis of

T 2 the

[ »48 ]

the large Echinite , and the upper Part of the fmall
Echinite : All which are ingraved in Tab. IV.
I am, with Refpect,

London, April 27,
1749.

SIR ,

Tour very devoted, and

obliged humble Servant ,

Emanuel Mendes da Cofta.

References to the Figures.

See Tab. IV.

%

Fig. 1. A View of the upper Part of a curious
Echinite , in the Pofifeflion of Mr. Edward Ja-
cobs, of Feverjham in Kent.

Fig. 2, A View of the under Side of the fame
Echinite.

Fig. 3. A View of the under Side of a curious
large Echinite, in the Pofieflion of the Right
Rev. Dr. George Lavington, Bifhop of Exeter.

FI. B. The upper Part of this Echinite having
nothing remarkably particular or different, it
was not judged ncceflary to give a Figure of it.

XII.

[ >49 ]

Xlf. The State of the Tides in Orkney ; by
Mr. Murdoch Mackenzie.

Read May z 5 . % T o Accounts of the Flux and Reflux
*749- r^e Sea were fatisfaflory, till

Sir Ifdac Newtons penetrating Genius deduced
their true Caufe from the Laws of Gravitation.
His Principles carried fuch Conviction along with
them, and gave fuch an cafy Solution of fome of the
mod remarkable ePhanomenaJ that Mankind feemed
to imagine a thorough Knowledge of the Tides might
be obtained from an attentive Confideration of- the
Principles he had eftablifhed, without the Trouble
of further Obfcrvations ; but, as he, and all Philo-
fophers fince his Time, have confider’d only, or prin-
cipally, the Influence of the Moon in elevating or
deprefling the Tides; their feveral Directions, Velo-
cities, and other AffeCtions, rcfulting from the In-
fluence of Land, Shoals, and Winds, remain ftill as
inexplicable, and as little known as ever.

As a diftinCt Knowledge of thefe Things is not only
conducive to the Advancement of Science, but would
greatly contribute to a convenient and fafe Naviga-
gation, it may not be unacceptable to communicate
fuch Remarks on the Tides about the Orkney Iflands,
as came under my Obfcrvation, while I was em-
ployed in furveying and navigating that and other . Ad-
jacent Places; hoping it may incite others to exptore
the various Motions of that Element, on which luch
a conflderable Part of the World are daily emplo)ed,
in a more cxtenlive and accurate manner than has
yet been done.

From

[ iso ]

From fome Obfervatiotis on the Tides in Orkney ,
I incline to think the Water begins to rife and fall
fooner near the Shore than at a Diftance from it.

When Spring-Tide is at its greateft Altitude, or
Deprcfllon, the Water conrinues in a quiefeent State
near half an Hour : Neap-Tides continue lo about an
Hour and a half.

The Motion of the Water, both in Afcent, De-
feent, and Progrellton, is accelerated from the fiift
to the fourth Hour, commonly} from the fourth to
the lart Hour its Velocity diminifhes. This, however,
admits of fome Variation from the Influence of
Winds.

The greateft Spring-Tides, and leaft Neap Tides,
are commonly on the third or fourth Day, atrer tnc
Syzygies and Quadratures } but in this alfo the Winds
have a conftderable Influence} Weft and South weft
Winds making the greateft Floods, and leaft Ebbs ;
North and North-eaft Winds, on the contrary, making
the greateft Ebbs and leaft Floods in Orkney , and on
the North Coaft of Scotland. When Flood Tide is
raifed higher than ordinary by Winds, the l'ubfequcnt
Ebb is not lo low as it would have other wile ben.
When a high Flood is raifed by the Moon, the l'uc-
ceeding Ebb is proportionally low.

Ordinary Spring Tides rile 8 Feet perpendicular,
ordinary Neap I ides 34* extraordinary high Spring-
Tides life 14 Feet} extraordinary low, only 5} extra-
ordinary high Neap-Tides rife above 6 Feet} extra-
ordinary fmail Neap Tides not above 2. Low-water
Neap Tide, at a mean, I judge is about 3 Feet above
Low-water Spring Tide, and High-water Spring-Tide
about 3 Feet above High-water Neap-Tide : Yet the

Rife

C l5I ]

Rife and Fall vary fo much, that it would require a
longer Courfe of Obferyations than I have had Op-
portunity of making, to determine what is moll fre-
quent in this Cafe:

When a Stream of Tiders interrupted by Land,
or Rocks, or is confined within a Chanel, or long
Arm of the Sea growing uniformly narrower, the
W ater will rife higher there than in neighbouring
Places, where it is not fo affe&ed. If the Chanel,
or Arm of the Sea, has feveral Windings, or Reaches,
as they are called in the Thames y the fuperior Ele-
vation will not be fo confiderable.

The following Obfervations of the Riling and
Tailing of the Water, were made in the Day-time,
in the Bay of Kirkwall , anno 1748.

T f » * y-

! ’ » ■ r 1 1

Auguft 8. Wind W. a Breeze.

Laft Quarter 4th Day.

Moon's Apogee diftant 240.

Moon’s Declination 270 N.

Moon bearing at fir ft W. by N.

o 1

Q

The Water rofe

1 ft Hour 1 I

Feet

O

Inch*

jt^

i

id • . ’v

O

2

^ d • • »

O

H

4 th

O

<)th

O

fb

-6th and to the End .

O

fi

In all 2 y

Augufi

[ *52 ]

Angujl i y Wind E N E. fmall Breeze,'
New Moon 3d Dav.

Moon's apparent Diftance 6y°.

Moon’s Declination 70 S.

Moon bearing S S E.

The Water fell

Feet Inch.

o it

0 4?

1 4

1 8

1 f

o 10

In all

f 9

Augujl 23, Wind W. almoft calm.
Firft Quarter, 3d Day.

Moon's Perigee diftant 130.

Moon’s Declination 250 S.

Moon bearing E by N.

The Water rofe

so.

■ \ o • *

.- • * o . *

Feet Inch.

o 6

1

1

1

o

o

o

8

o

8

7

In all

5 9

Aug • 29, Wind SMV. Breeze at firft, afterwards
calm.

Full Moon 3d Day.

Moon's Perigee Dift. 68°.

Moon’s

Feet Inch.

. I O

. O 10

. I 4

. 1 2

. 2 ro

. 1 o

_

I11 all 8 y

Aug. 27, Wind W S W. a fmall Breeze, the Day
of Full Moon, Moon’s Perigee Diftance 36% Decl.
40 S. bearing NNW. the Water fell in ail 8 Feet
4 Inches perpendicular.

Aug. 7, o, ca m, 4th Day after Full Moon, Perigee
Diftance 80% Decl. 130 N. Moon bearing N^W.
the Warer rofe 8 Feet 3 Inches.

Sept. 3, Wind S VV. a fmall Breeze, firft Day of
the laft Quarter, Apogee Dift. yo°. Decl. 27° N.
Moon bearing W. the Water rofe 6 Feet 1 Inch.

Sept. 6, Wind E. a fmall Breeze, 4th Day of the
laft Quarter, Apogee Dift. iy° Decl. 210 N. Moon
bearing W. the Water rofe 3 Feet 9 Inches.

Sept. ly, Wind S. a moderate Breeze, y;h Day
after New Moon, Perigee Difr. 8o°. Decl. 240 S.
Moon bearing S byE. the Water fell y Feet 9 Inches.

To afeertain all the Varieties in the rifing and fall-
ing of the Water, the Obfervations ought to have
been continued much longer, the Night-Tides as
well as Day-Tides obferved > alio the exaft Times of

U the

[ r53

Moon's Declination 6° N.
Moon bearing N N W.

\fl Hour

The Water fell

2 d
(3 d
4th
*)th
6th

]

C r54 ]

the Beginning and Ending of each, the Strength of
tiie Wind and Weight of the Atmofphere by a Ba-
rometer. .

CIO.

The foregoing Articles relate to the Riling and Fal-
ling of the Water.; the following to the various Mo-
tions of the Stream, and their Confequcnces.

On the Coalt of Orkney , and Fair Ifle of Shetland ,
the Body of the Flood comes from the North- welt;
on the Eaft and Weft Coafts of Lewis, one of
the Weftern Ides of Scotland, it comes from the
South.

4 League or two off the Coaft, the Strength of the
Stream is fcarce fenftble, except when it is confined
by Land, or near Rocks or Shoals.

When the Tide begins to rife or fall on the Shore,
about that fame time the Stream near the Shore
begins to turn or reverfe its Dire&ion, a few Irregu-
larities excepted.

The Stream of Tide changes its Dire&ion fooner
near Land than at a Diftancefrom it; infomuch that,
in a Place two or three Miles from Land, the Turn-
ing of the Tide is two Hours, or more, later than
on the adjacent Shore : At intermediate Diftances
the Streams turns at intermediate times. Hence a
VefTel may find a favourable Tide near Land, while
it would be againft her a Mile or two from it; and
the contrary.

During the Continuance of Flood, the Stream va-
ries its Direction gradually from the Eaft toward the
South, and the Stream of Ebb from the Weft to-
wards the North: That is, if the Stream, when it
becomes firft fenftble, runs Eaft, at the latter End of

the

[ *55 ]

the Tide it will run South, if the Proximity of Land
or Shoals defes not hinder this Change of Direction.

The greateft Velocity of Spring Tide in Orkney , in
the Chanels where it runs quickeft, is about 9 Miles
an Hour: The greateft Velocity of Neap-Tide is about
one third or fourth of Spring-Tide. The Tides are
moft rapid commonly between the third and fourth
Hour. Spring-T ides acquire a confidcrabie Degree of
Strength in Jefs than one Hour after their quiefeent
State begins; Neap-Tides are hardly fenfible in two
Hours after.

In fimilar Streights or Chanels, lying in tire fame
Direction, and fupplied from the fame Part of the
Ocean, the Velocity of the Streams will be in the
dirett Ratio of the Bread.h of the Inlets, and the
Inverfe of the Outlets.

If a Sound, or Streight between two IOands, or
Continents, lies in the Direction of the main Body
of the Tide, the Velocity of the Stream in that
Streight will be grearer (all other things alike) than
in any other adjacent one, not lying in that fame
Dire&ion.

If an Illand lies dire&ly in the Tide-way, the
Stream will divide, or fplit, before it reaches the
Ifland, into two Branches, one of which will run
toward one Side or End of the IQand, and the other
toward the other End of it ; and, in palling by, will
be reflected a little from the Land. Hence a Vcftel,
in a Calm, carried along with a ftrong Stream of
Tide, is in no Danger of touching an Illand, or vift-
ble Rock, if the Water is deep enough near them.

If the Tide runs ftronger, or more obliquely, by ,
one End of an Illand than the other, from theftrongeft
Stream, and from the moft oblique, there will be a

U 2 languid

[ 156 3

languid Current toward the other j that is, the Tide,
along that Side of the Ifland, will fet longer one
Way than the other.

If a ftrong Stream of Tide runs acrofs the Mouth
of a Bay that docs not reach far into the Land ;
within that Bay there will be a flow Stream fetting
the contrary Way. Or, if a ftrong Stream fets di-
rcftly, or nearly fo, along the Extremity of a Point,
or Promontory, that ftretches ftrait out from tire
Conft, between this Stream (before it reaches the
Point) and the Coaft, there will be a languid Cur-
rent with a contrary Dire&ion. By attending to this,
one Vcflel may keep her Courfe, or gain a Port,
while another is carried away with the Tide.

If a fmall Ifland lies thwart a Tide-way, that Part
of ihe Stream which runs along one End of it, will
join what runs along the other, at lomc Diftance
beyond the Ifland, inclofing between them a curved
Space, within which there will either be no fenfible
Current, or a flow one, contrary to the other Streams.
The counter Current, in the middle of this almoft
flagnant Space, or Eddy, when it gets near the Ifland,
fplits in two; one Branch of which runs towards
one Extremity of the Ifland, the other towards its
other Extremity; where meeting the ftronger direct
Streams that form the Eddy, are by them again car-
ried towards its Vertex.

Thefe Eddies may be of great Service to
Ships or Boats, by fheltering them from a rapid
Stream, or even carrying them againft it ; or may
enable them to crofs it with more Advantage, ac-
cording to the different Places to which they are
"bound. The Oppofition of the contrary Tides

bounding

[ 1 5 7 3

bounding the Eddy, makes that Part of the Sea
rougher in blowing Weather, and of a darker Colour
in Calms, than the reft, by which the Limirs and Di-
rection of thefe Eddies are always diltinguifhe'd.

The Colliiion of the oppofite and oblique Streams,
near the Ends of the Illand, will excite a circular
Motion in the Water, and, if the Celerity of the
Tide is confidcrable, will occahon Whirlpools, or
Cavities in the Sea, in Form of an inverted Bell,
wide at the Mouth, or at the Surface of the Sea, and
growing gradually narrower toward the Bottom :
Their Width and Depth are in proportion to the
Rapidity of the Streams that caufe them, and are
fometimes fo large as to be dangerous. Thofe in
Zetland Firth , near the Iilands Stroma and Swona ,
may, with Spring-Tide, turn any Velfel quite round,
but are never fo large as to endanger one otherways:
There have been Inftances, however, of Email Boats
dropping into, and being fwallowed up by them. The
Hiatus , or Cavity, is largeft when it is hrft formed,
and is carried along with the Stream, diminishing
gradually in Dimenlions as it goes, until it quite dilap-
pears. The Su&ion, or fpiral Motion communicated
to the Water, does not feem to extend far beyond the
Hiatus. 1 paffed, in a Boat, within 20 Yards of
one, without being fenfible of any Attraction 5 but
indeed it was toward the latter End of the Tide,
when its Strength was much abated : The Diameter
of the Cavity, at that time, I judged to be between
two and three Feet. When Fifhermen are aware of
their Approach toward a Whirlpool, or Well, as it
is called in Orkney , and have Time to throw an
Oar, or any other bulky Body into it before they

are

[ i$8 ]

are too near, the fpiral Motion is interrupted, and
the Continuity of the Water broke; which, rufhing
in on all Sides, immediately fills up the Cavity, and
enables them to go over it fafe. Hence in blowing
Weather, or when there is a breaking Sea, tho' there
may be a circular Motion in the Water, there can
be no Cavity.

When there is a fteep funk Rock near the Con-
courfe of fuch ftrong 1 ides, and not very deep below
the Surface, a mod amazing ‘Phenomenon wil hap-
pen : For, the Stream being interrupted in its C o »ne,
and falling fuddenly over the Rock, is reflected t cm
the Bottom upwards, fwelling and bubbling on the
Surface like boiling Water, and carrying Sand, Shells,
Flfhes, or other loofe Bodies along with it ; which,
with Boats, or whatever elfe is near, are driven wi h
great Force from the Center all around toward the
Circumference, upon which, a Gyration of the V\ ater
enfuing, a Whirlpool begins, which is carri d along
with the Stream, as was faid above, lefltnmg gradu*
ally till it is quite extinguifhed : In a little rime a new
Eruption and Ebullition, like the former, begins,
which proceeds in the fame manner, till the Swift-
nefs of the Stream abates, or the 1 idc rifes or falls
too much above the Rock,

*

Queries concerning the Tides in a large Ocean ;
which, it r^Johed from Observation, would ren-
der the Theory more pi rfeEt.

i. Smce the A traftion of the Moon ra;fes the
W ater directly below; her, by d minifhing its Gra-
vity toward the Earth's Center, and, at that very

fame

[ i59 ]

fame time, depreffes it at a Quadrant’s Diftance, by
augmenting the Gravity there, fo that the fuperior
Altitude of one Part of the Ocean is immediately
balanced by the fuperior Gravitation of another; do
not, therefore, the Tides in the Ocean rife and fall
without any progrelfive Motion, or fenfible Velo-
city) And do not all Currents, or Streams of Tide
(not caufed by Winds) proceed from the Interruption
'which Land, or Shoals, give to the undulatbry Mo-
tion which muft accompany the perpendicular A feent
or Defcent of the Fluids ?

2. Is it agreeable to Obfcrvation, that the Power of
the Sun and Moon together, raifes the Tides within
the Tropics about 14. Feet, as Newton, Halley , and
Maclaii in fuppofe ? And how high are the Tides
found to rife in Parts of the Ocean of a greater La-
titude ? If the Water does not rife and fall fo much
within the Tropics, as in Places more diftant from,
the Equator, what hinders the greater Power to have
a greater Effcft? For the Moon muft aft with greateft
Farce on thofe Parts to which (he is vertical.

3 If the Times of high and low Water- depend
on lie Moons Appulfe to the Meridian, is it not
high or low Water in all Parts of the Ocean, under
the fame Meridian, about the fame time ? And is
the Difference of rhe Times, in Places under diffe-
rent Meridians, in any certain Proportion to their
Difference of Longitude r

4,. Since the Power of the Moon to raife the Tide
in any Place is greateft when (he is neareft the Ze-
nith, it is agreeable both to Obfcrvation and Theory,
that the Water rifes and falls more when (he is above,
than when below the Horizons of Places on the lame

Side

[,i6o ]

Side of the Equator with her; and the contrary:
Are not the Tides alfo of longer Duration in that
Cafe ? Since a greater Portion of the Hemifphcroid,
into which the Sea is formed by the Moon’s Attrac-
tion, is then above the Horizons of thefe Places,
than is below them. If this is found to be Fad, it
will alfo be found, that the Duration in d ffcrent
Places (other things alike) will be in lomc n eafure
p;oportional to their Latitudes, and the Declination
of the Moon.

y. In an oblique Sphere, all Azimuth Circles cut
the Equator and its Paradels obliquely ; and there-
fore the Moon mull come fooner to, or from, a
given Azimuth, with one Declination than with an-
other. In fome Latitudes this Difference will amount
to leveral Hours. Is it not then a falfe Rule to judge
of the Times of high or low Water by the Moon’s
Azimuth, or to fignify one by the other, as is the
Cuftom of Sailors ?

XIII. Some Account of the Remains of John
Tradefcant’s Garden at Lambeth ; by Mr.
W. Watfon F. R. S.

Read May 25. TTpON a Vifit made to Mr. John
1 749‘ U Trade fcant' s Garden at South Lam-

beth , May 21, 1749. by Dr. Mitchell and myfelf,
were obferved the under-mention’d exotic Plants.

This Garden was planted by the above-mention’d
Gentleman about an hundred and twenty Years fincc,
and was, except that of Mr. John Gerard , the Author

of

[ ]

of the Herbal, probably the firft botanical Garden in
England. The Founder, after many Years fpent in
the Service of the Lord Treafurer Salisbury , Lord
IVotton , See. travell’d feveral Years, and procured a
great Variety of Plants and Seeds before not known
in England i to feveral of which at this time the
Gardeners give his Name, as a Mark of Diflin&ion ;
as Tradefcant's Spiderwort, Tradefcant’s After, Tr a-
defcant’s Daffodil. He firft planted here the Cupref
Jus Americanus Acacia foliis deciduis , which has been
fince fo much efteem’d, and is now one of the great
Ornaments of the Dukeofy^rg;'//'s Garden at Wit ton.

Mr. Tradefcant’s, Garden has now been many Years
totally neglecled, and the Houfe belonging to it
empty and ruin'd ; and though the Garden is quite
cover'd with Weeds, there remain among them ma-
nifeft Footfteps of its Founder. We found there the
Borrago latifolia Jempervirens of C. B. Polygona-
tum vulgar e latifolium C. B. Arifolochia clema -
titis reSta C. B. and Eracontium Eod. There are
yet remaining two Trees of the Arbutus , the largeft
I have feen ; which, from their being fo long ufed
to our Winters, did not fuffer by the fevere Colds
of 1725) and 1740, when mod of their kind were
kill’d throughout England. In the Orchard there
is a Tree of the Rhamnus cat hart icus , about 20
Feet high, and near a Foot in Diameter, by much
the greateft: 1 ever faw.

It is not unlikely but there may be feveral other
Plants yet remaining in the Garden, but flourifhing at
a different Time ol the Year.

X

W- Watfon.

XIV.

[ 162 ]

XIV. A Letter from the Rev. Mr. Richard
Dunthorne to the Reverend Mr. Richard
Mafon F. R. S. and Keeper of the Wood-
wardian Mu feu m at Cambridge) concerning
the Acceleration of the Moon.

Read

>749

June i.

S 1 R, Cambridge, Feb. 28, 1748-9.

AFTER 1 had compared a good Num-
ber of modern Obfervations made
in different Situations of the Moon and of her Orbit
in refpeft of the Sun, with the Newtonian Theory,
as in my Letter of Nov. 4, 1746 I proceeded to
examine the mean Motion of the Moon, of her Apo-
gee, and Nodes, to fee whether they were well re-
prefented by the Tables for any confiderable Num-
ber of Years, and whether I fhould be able to make
out that Acceleration of the Moon’s Motion which
Dr. Halley fufpected. Vide Phil. Tranf. n. 218.

To this End I compared feveral Eclipfcs of the
Moon obferved by Tycho Brahe , as they are fet down
in his Progyninafmata ; p. 1 14, with the Tables *, and
found them agree full as well as could be expe&ed ;
confidering the Imperfe&ion of his Clocks, and the
Difficulty there mud commonly have been in deter-
mining the Middle of the Eclipfe from the Fafts ob-
ferved, as publifhed in his Hijloria Codleflis. Indeed
fmall Diftance of Time between Tycho Brahe

and

the

■ ■■■

* . % ) J . « . f . i

f See thefe Tranfa£h No. 482. p. 412.

* My Tables corrected as in my former Letter ; which is al-
ways to be underftood of the Tables mention’d in this.

[ i63 ]

anti Flammed render’d Tycho’s Obfervations but of
little Ufe in this Enquiry.

The next Obfervations that occurred to me were
thofe of Bernard fValther and Regiomontanus, which
being at double the Diftance of Time from Flamjleed
that Tycho’s were, feemed to promile fome Aflift-
ance in this Matter: Upon comparing fuch of their
Eclipfes of the Moon whofe Circumftances.are beft
related with the Tables, I found the computed Places
of the Moon were moftly f' too forward, and in
iome confiderably more, which I could hardly per-
fuade myfelf to throw upon the Errors of Oblerva-
tionj but concluded, that the Moon’s mean Motion
fincc that time, mult have been fomething fwifter
than the Tables reprefent it; though the Diiagree-
ment of the Obfervations between themfclves is too
great to infer any thing from them with Certainty
in fo nice an Affair.

Then I compared the four well-known Eclipfes
obferved by Albategnius with the Tables, and found
the computed Places of the Moon in three of them
confiderably too forward : This, if I could have de-
pended upon the Longitude of Arabia, would very
much have confirmed me in the Opinion, that the
Moon’s mean Motion mud have been fwifter in
fome of the laft Centuries than the Tables make it;
though the Differences between thefe Obfervations,
and the Tables, are not uniform enough to be taken
for a certain Proof thereof.

I could meet with no Obfervations of Eclipfes to
be at all depended upon between thofe of Regio-
montanus and Albategnius , except two of the Sun
and one of the Moon made at Cairo in Egypt ,

X 2 related

[ I6+ ]

related in the Prolegomena to Tycho Brahe’s Hijloria
Coelejlis , p. 34; nor any between thole of Alba-
tegnius and Ptolemy , befides the Eclipfe of the Sun
obferved by Theon at Alexandria ; notwithstanding
I carefully fearched all the Remains of Antiquity I
could find with that View. Thefe Eclipfes of the
Sun are the more valuable, becaufe they were ob-
ferved in Places the Longitudes and Latitudes whereof
are determined by Monficur Chazelles of the Royal
Academy of Sciences, who was fent by the French
King in the Year 1693, with proper Inftrumcnts for
that Purpofe. T)u Hamel Hift. Acad.p. 305), 3 95.

The l'olar Eclipfe obferved by Theon was in the
1 1 2th Year of Nabonafj'ar the Day oiThoth, accord-
ing to the Egyptians , but the 2 2d Day of Tauni ,
according to the Alexandrians: He carefully ob-
ferved the Beginning of 2 temporal Hours and yo'
Afternoon, and the End at 44 Hours nearly After-
noon at Alexandria. Theonis Comment, in Ttol.
mag. ConflruEt. p. 332. This Eclipfe was June 16,
in the Year of Chrirt 364: And the temporal Hour
at Alexandria being at that time to the equinoctial
Hour as 7 to 6, makes the Beginning at 3 equinoctial
Hours and 1 8' Afternoon, and the End at 5 equinoctial
Hours 15' nearly.

The Eclipfes obferved at Grand Cairo were as
follows.

“ AnnoHegirx 367, die Jovts, qui erat 28, rabic
tc poftcrioris (is eft ordine menfis quartus, et incipit
“ ille annus Saracenicas die 15) Augufli , anno Chri-
“ ftiano 977) obfervatum fuit Cahirre \n<^/Egypti
“ metropoli initium eclipfis Polaris, cumaltitudo lolis

“ diet

[ i65 ]

f< cflet ifn 43'. quantitas obfcurationis 8 digit. Ea
<£ tinita, fol clevabatur E x Schickardo in

“ MS.” This Eclipfe was Tdecemb. 13, in the
Year of Chrift 977, the Beginning at 8h 25-', and the
End at ioh 45-' apparent Time in the Morning.

“ Anno eodem dieSabbathi, videlicet 29 menfis
“ Sywal (numero decimi, qui Pafchaiis eft eorum)
<c cclipfis Solis occupavit digitos y\. In principio
“ Sol altus fere $6*. In fine Sol occiduus elcvaba-

“ tur gradibus 26. Ex Schickardo in MS.”

This Eclipfe was June 8, in the Year of Chrift 978.
The Beginning at 2h 31', and the End at 4h 50'
apparent Time Afternoon.

“ Anno Hegirre 368 (qui incoepit die 9 Augufli ,
“ anno Chrifiiano 978) die Jo-vis, 14 Sywal, Luna
“ fuit orta cum defe&u, qui ad 5*- digitos accrevit ;
“ cum extaret fupra horizontem gradibus ctiam 26
“ fubaudio finem tunc accidifte). Schickardus.” —
This Eclipfe was May 14, in the Year of Chrift 979 ;
but as the Middle cannot be known from what was
obferved of it, I made no ufe thereof in this Enquiry.
The Account concludes with the following Para-
graph :

“ Hre tres obfervationes habitcc funt ab Ibn-Junis,
“ qui juflu Regis Abu-Haly Almanzor , fapientis,
“ <^yEgyfto tunc Imperantis, rebus vacabat coelef-
“ tibus. Hujus authoris tabulas habet Jac. Golius
“ Profeflor Lugdun. (qui mihi inde communicavit
t( ifta) in quibus plures aliae, fui et fupeiioris xvi ob«
“ fervation-es extant. Locus obfervationis propinquus
“ utbi Cahiro. Schickardus ”

That

[ 166 ]

That the before-mention’d folar Eclipfes might be
applied to the Examination of the Lunar Motions,
I contrived the following Method ; which I think ren-
ders Eclipfes of the Sun as ufeful at leaft as thofe of
the Moon are in that Bufinefs.

£ I

Let ABC in the annexed Figure reprefent half the
Earth’s enlightened Disk, AEC a Portion of the Eclip-
tic projected thereon FGH the Path of the Moon’s
Shadow over the Disk, El, the univcrlal Meridian, a
the Situation of the Place at the Beginning of the
Eelipfe, /3 its Situation at the End thereof, S the Cen-
tre of the Shade at the Beginning, and g its Centre
at the End of the Eelipfe. Draw EG, a£, and
/3>j, perpendicular to the Path of the Shadow,
parallel thereto ; join aS and /3e, and through
draw Gat perpendicular to A C.

Then (computing the true Places of the Sun and
Moon at the obferved Times of the Beginning and
End of the Eelipfe) wc fhall have given Se the Mo-
tion of the Moon from the Sun in her Orbit during
the Time of the Eelipfe, and a. S' = /3 e the Semidia-
meter of the ‘Penumbra which are to be reduced
into fuch Parts as the Semidiameter of the Disk con-
tains

t i67 ]

tains 10000 : The Angles BEI and BEG, being
found by Methods commonly known, GE! their
Sum or Difference will be likewife given. Alio Ex
and Eft will be Sines of the Sun’s Altitude at the
Beginning and End of thcEciipfe refpeflively ; IEx
and IE[3 are the Angles at the Sun between the
Vertex of the Place and the Pole of thofe Times;
which being found, the Angle aE/ 3, their Difference
will be known, from whence the Line afi and the
Angle Ex\ 2 may be computed.

The Angle GEx is the Sum or Difference of the
known Angles GEI and IEx : In the Figure before
us, the Complement of this to a Semicircle is Exy i
Which being fubtra&ed from Ea/ 3 leaves the Angle
yx/2 , from whence and the Line a/3, ay, and y{3 =

may be found. _ — .

Let a—S'e — b=xl=(3t, C—ay , and x—{3>r]=y^.

Then V bb — xx=»e,and V bb — cc — 2cx-t—xx=S'£,

by Enel. 147. ______ _ _____

Confequentiy^ — \/ d — xx=V bb — cc — icx=xx

which being reduced, gives us the quadratic Equation
xx *-{- cx = This Equation folved.

gives us the Value of x , from which and ve will
be likewife had. In the Triangle a£0 we have
and the Angle ^a^=GEB given, whence a0 and £9
may be found : Confequently J9 will be known;
and from the obferved Time of the Beginning of
the Eclipfe, and hourly Motion of the Moon from
the Sun, the Time when the Centre of the Shade
is at 6 will be had. Laftly, in the Triangle Eia ,
We have given the Side Ea, and the Angle j£cti =

BEx

C 168 3

BHa (the Sum or Difference of the Angles BEI and
IE*)-; therefore the Sides Ei and ai may be found.
But Ei is the Diftance of the Moon from the Sun
in the Ecliptic, and eti £ aG the Moon's Latitude at
the Time when the Centre of the Shade is at 0 j
which may be compared with the Computation from
the Tables for that Time.

By this Means I compared the aforefaid Solar
Eclipfes with the Tables, and found the Difference
in Longitude and Latitude, as follows.

A.D.

Apparent Time
at Greenwich.

Dilt. j) a 0
from E t.

Lat. D
from 9/.

D a O
byTab.

Lat. j)
by Tab.

Diff. fromObfer.

Diff. in Lat.
from Digit!
obfer ved.

nLong

in Lat.

364

977

978

h. , „

Julie 16. 2 4 20

Dec. 12. 19 12 30
June 8. 1 r6 10

39 41 inconfeq.
43 39 in antec.
29 3 inconfeq.

34 37 Nor
30 23 Nor.
8 24 Sou.

35 25

36 3

l37 48

37 a6Nor.
31 50 Nor.
1 3 21 Sou.

-4 16

,+7 36
4-8 45

+ 2 49
-(-i 27

-5 3-

— 2 36

+ 3 38

The Agreement there is between the two laft of
thefc Differences in Longitude, fhews that the Ta-
bles reprefent the mean Motion of the Moon’s Apo-
gee very well for above 700 Years, the Moon being
very near her Perigee at the Time of one of rhofe
Eclipfes, and near her Apogee at the Time of the
other.

By the fame Method I alfo compared the Sun’s
Eclipfe, July 29, 14.78. (which appears, from what
is related of it, to have been carefully obfcrved by
Bernard VValther at Nuremberg ), with the Tables,
and found the Difference in Longirude to be -f- 10'
29" and in Latitude -]- 9' \z" . This wide Dif-
ference in Latitude, from the Tables, that agree fo
well with the former ancient Obfervations, con-
firmed me in the Opinion, that the Nuremberg

• Obfer-

[ 1 69 ]

Obfcrvations are too inaccurate to determine any
thing from them in this Affair.

The EcJipfcs recorded by ‘Ptolemy in h:s Alma-
geji, are mod of them fo loofely described, that, if
they fhew us the Moon's mean Motion has been
accelerated in the long Interval of Time fince they
happened, they are wholly incapable ot fhewing us,
how much that Acceleration has been. There are
indeed two or three of them attended with (uch
lucky Circumftances as not only plainly prove that
there has been fuch an Acceleration, but alfo help
us to guels at its Quantity. One ot thefe is the Ec-
lipfe, laid by Hipparchus to have been obferved at
Babylon, in the 366th Year of Nalonaflar , the Night
between the 26th and 27th Days oi'Thoth, when a
Email Part of the Moon’s Disk was eclipfed from the
North Eaft, half an Hour before the End of the Night,
and the Moon fet eclipfed. This was in the Year before
Chrift 313, P)ecemh. 22. The Middle of this Ec-
liple at Babylon ( fuppofing with Ptolemy the Me-
ridian of that Place to be 50' in Time Eall of the
Meridian of Alexandria ), by my Tables was P)ec.
22. 4* 4 ' apparent Time; the Duration was ih 37',
Ptolemy makes it ih 30' nearly j whence the Be-
ginning fhould have been about 8h 1 y' after Mid-
night: According to Ptolemy , the Night at Baby-
lon was at that Time i4h 24' long, and therefore
Sun rife at yb 12 ' after Midnight; and as the Moon
.had then South Latitude, and was not quite come
to the Sun’s Oppofition, her apparent Setting mull
have been fomething fooner, i. e. more than an
Hour before tha Beginning of the Eclipfe, accord-
ing to the Tables } whereas the Moon was feen

Y eclipfed

C *7° ]

eclipfed feme Time before her Setting 5 which, T
think, demonftrates, that the Moon’s Place muff
have been forwarder, and consequently her Motion
lince that Time lefs than the Tables make it by
about 40' or 50'. But the computed Place of the
Moon in each of the before-mentioned Soiar Ec-
lipfes obferved at Grand Cairo , being about 8 be-
fore her Place, from GbLrvation Shews us, that the
mean Motion of this Luminary has been fomething
greater in the laft 700 Years than the Tables fuppole
it, and therefore mud have been accelerated.

This Acceleration is further confirmed by the
Eclipfe, which Hipparchus lays was oblcrved at
Alexandria , in the 54th Year of the Second Calip-
pic Period, the 1 6th Day of MeJJori , when (he fays)
the Moon began to be eclipfed half an Hour before
her Riling, and was wholly clear again in the Mid-
dle of the third Hour of the Night. This was in
the Year before Chrift 201. Sept. 22. The Middle
of this Eclipfe at Alexandria by the Tables was
Sept. 22. 7* 44' apparent Time j and the Duration
3* 4', which makes the Beginning at 6k 12' appa-
rent Time, that is, about io' after the riling of the
Moon at Alexandriay or 40' later than the Begin-
ning from Obfervation. This Difference in Time
makes a Difference of near 20' in the Moon’s Place.

The mod antient Eclipfe of which we have any
Account remaining, namely that related by ‘Ptole-
my, to have been obferved at Babylon the firft Year
of Mardokempad , in the Night between the 29th
and 30th Days of Thoth, in which the Moon began
to be eclipfed when one Hour after her Riling was
fully paftj if, by reafon of the Latitude of the Ex-

preffion.

[ 171 3

predion, it be not a direct Proof of the Accele-
ration, it may nevcrthelefs help to limit its Quantity.
This Eclipfe was in the Year before Chriit 721.
March 19. The Middle whereof at Babylon, by the
Tables, was March ip. ioh 2 6' apparent Time}
and the Beginning at b'h 32', the apparent Riling
of the Moon at that Place was about yh 46' After-
noon j fo that the obferved Beginning of the Eclipfe
was at lead 6“ 46' Afternoon, i. e. not above
before the Beginning, by the Tables : Wherefore the
Moon’s true Place could precede her Place by Com-
putation but little more than yo' at that Time.

If we take this Acceleration to be uniform, as the
Obfervations whereupon it is grounded arc not fuf-
ficient to prove the Contrary, the Aggregate of it
will be as the Square of the Time: And if we fup-
pofe it to be 10" in too Years, and that the Tables
truly reprefent the Moon’s Place about A. <D. 700.
it will bed agree with the before-mentioned Ob-
fervations ; and the Difference between the Moon’s
Place by the Tables and her Place in the Heavens,
will be as follows.

Y z

Years

[ 172 }

Years

before

Chrift.

Vrror of
Tab.

Years

of

Chrift.

Error of
Tab.

Years

of

Chrift.

Error of
Tab.

/ n

—f6 6

I

l 0

/ 11

JCO

2 00

12 30 IIOO

-f- 4 0

600

— 49 5°

3 OO

f) 20

Il 200

-f 4 10

fCO

—44 0

400

— 6 30

1300

■f 4 0

4c 0

—38 30

fOO

— 4 °

7 400

+ 3 3°

3°°

—33 20

600

— i H

O

O

-F 2 4°

2CO

—28 30

700

0 0

1600

+ 1 3°

IOO

A.D.O

IOO

— 24 0

—19 fO
— 1 6 0

0 0 0
000
00 C\ O
1-1

+ 1 3°j
4“ 2 4°,
+ 3 3°,

I700

0 0

I am,

SIR,

lour humhle Servant,

Richard Dunthorne.

XV. Alberti Halleri, Archiatri Reg. Medi-
an. Prof. Gotting. & R. S. Lond. S.
Fabrics morbofae in cadaveribus repertas
hiftorise aliquse.

O B S. I. .

Read, June 8.*¥" N femina quadragenaria reperi Vcnam
1/49- cavam inter renalis fmiftrx originem,

inter iliacas venas, enormitcr anguftatam, ut vix

t 173 1

quidquam tranfmittcret. Aliquid tamen polypofb
duri fanguinis in c j us cavitate, quae inter craflas mem-
branas arftifiima fuit, repertum eft: Vena vero fper-
matica dextra enormiter dilatata, unciali diametro
vena: cavae locum fubiit, et fanguinem, exclufum a
via folita, reddidit ureteris venae, alioquin in fano
corpore exiguae, ortae ab iliaca dexrra.

Rariftimi hujufmodi coalitus exemplum aliud re-
peri in Jokannis Rhodii Mantijf. Anatom. Obf.

XXI.

Ex utroque conftat, etiam in maximis truncis va-
forum corporis humani morbos fubnafei polfe, et
obftrutlionem in venis vere dari et canales mini-
mos, quando fanguinis, folitis viis cxclufi, impetus
eo vergit, patentillimos reddi pofte.

OBS. II.

In femina decrepita, quam centum annorum actate
cfle di&itabanr, non tamen ita firma fama, ut earn
fequi tutoliceat, aetatis fummae aliqua veftigia reperi.

Tota corporis fabrica durior fuit, vel cultro ju-
dice : glandula: conglobatae fanas, fed ftmiles fere re-
nalis carnis firmitati j nervi praeduri ; cellulofa tela
ubique vix feiftilis ; coftarum cartilagines nondum
cfleae, nifi fupremam velles, quae cum fterno, nexu
vix ullum dilcriminis veftigium relinquente, confer-
ruminata erat : led in ea cofta id non rarum eft.

Verum in arteria magna multae mortis caufae fue-
runr. Ampiilllma primum aorta, qua ex corde pro*
dit, ut quinque unciarum et linearum duarum cflet
ambitus. Deinde aperto hoc, non aneuryfmate qui-
dem, fed ampliflimo tamen finu, adparuit.

(1) Val-

f r74 ]

(1) Valvulas cordis arteriofas, partim induratas^
partim et am pctrofis humoribus varias efle, perinde
ubi Co'izteri fere figuram dcmonftranr, [ Myikol.
reform Tah. XL.] Reliquiae valvulas venolaset arte-
riofae cordis vix mutata:.

(2) In arteria aorta turn ad cor, turn fn thorace,
in abdomine denique, membrana interna undique
Jacera, quail fcabendo in eminentes crirtas, liberas,
fluduantes, mutata, tanquam ulcere aliquo confumta
eflfct. Ha: fquama: pallim oflea: erant, alicubi etiam
petrolas, et accrvi tophaceorum granorum plerorum-
que vaforum ex aorta oriundorum oftia oblidebant.
Membrana mufculofa fana fuir, turn externa, ut vi-
tium omne in intima federet.

(3) In hypogaftricis, iliacis, pelvis arteriis, et iis
qua: ex pclvi ad nates exeunt, plurimie cruflas oflea:,
fubflexiles tamen, in quas mutata erat interna harum
arteriarum membrana, ita tamen adha;rcntibus fibris
carneis, ut paflim calculofa; fquama: dudubus tranf-
verfis inferiberentur 5 nihil tamen hie petrol! : In
omnibus arteriis corporis pra:dura ct figurata, teretia
fanguinis craflamenta, fuo canale tamen minora.

(4) Velicula fellea Hava bile, vix amara, plena, et
calcuiis ad viginti, exiguis, angulofis, quorum unus
ita obfidebat oftium dudus cyftici, propius paulum
choledocho, quam prima cyftici valvula, ut bilis,
contra quam folet, ex velicula premendo expelli non
pofler. Dulcedinem in bile, quando in calculos
coivit, plerumque reperire foleo.

Hxc fere fuerunt, qua; obfervationem mereren-
tur, et demonftrant arteriarum internam membra-
nam ab idibus repetitis cordis tandem partim indu-
refcerc, partim inter oflilicata fpatia rumpi, fle de-

bilitari

C *75 ]

bilitari truncum aorrae, et ad aneuryfmata reddi pro-
num. Demonrtrat etiam, in ipfo fanguine ubiquc
terram vcram calculofam circumvehi, nec in rena-
libus folum viis deponi, fed ibi hzerere et congeri,
ubi ruptae funt leviffimae membrantc vaforum, et at-
tradtio rerrearum molecularum ad afperas inxqualcs
fuperficies major eft.

XVI. A Memoir on the Lacrymze Batavicae,
or Glafs-Drops , the tempering of Steel,
and Effervefcence, accoimtedfor by the fame
Principle . By Claud, Nic. le Cat, M. D.
F. R. S. See. ‘Tranflated from the French,
by T. S. M. D.

Read June 15. | ^HE Glafs-Tear, or Drop, comfnonly
1749‘ JL called Lacryma Batav'ica, or La -
cryma Borujjica, becaufe it was firft made in thefc
Countries, is much celebrated among Natural Phi—
lofophers, upon account of the lingular Phoeno-
mena which it exhibits, and which have for a long.
Time exercifed their Sagacity.

The Make of this Drop is as limple as its Ex-
planation is difficult. It is the W ork of the meaneft:
Workman in a Glafs-houfe. On the Top of an
iron Rod they take up a fmall Quantity of the Mat-
ter of Glafs in Fulton : They let it drop into a Pail
of Water : The Drop makes that Part of the Water
which it touches, to boil with a hilling Noife, as a
red-hot Iron would do, which it refcmbles in that
Inftantj and when it does not break in this Ope-
ration,

[ 176 ]

ration, as it moft frequently docs, it forms the little
pyramidal Mafs, which is known by the Name of a
Glafs-Drop ; the EfFe&s whereof I will firft relate,
and then endeavour to account for them.

Experiment i. This Drop is of fuch Hardnefs and
Refiftance, that it bears fmart Blows of a Hammer,
without breaking.

Exper. 2. Nevcrthclefs, if you grind the Surface
of this Drop which refitted the Hammer, or if you.
only break the Tip of the fmall End or Tail, the
"Whole fhatters into Powder.

Exper. 3. This Shattering of the Drops is attended
with a loud Report; and the Duft or Powder to
which it is reduced, fhoots out, and fcatters all
around.

Exper. 4. If the Drop be ground with Powder
of Emery, imbibed with Oil, it often elcapes
breaking.

Exper. y. If this Experiment be made in the
Air-Pump, the Drop burfts with greater Impetuofity,
fo as fometimes to break the Receiver and its Duft
js finer than when done in the open Air ; and if it
be made in the dark, the Drop in burfting produces
a little Light.

Exper. 6. If this Drop be annealed in the Fire,
it lofes all thefe Singularities ; and being reduced
to the State of common Glafs, it eafily breaks un-
der

[ I77 ]

der the Hammer ; and does not burfl: upon break-
ing the fmali End.

Exper. 7. The Drops that are made by letting
them cool in the Air, produce no other Effects
than thofe which have been annealed.

The firft natural Philofophers who endeavoured to
inveftigate the Caufe of thefe Phenomena, imagined
that they found it in the Air. Some of them fup-
pofed, that this Air was fhut up in the Drop by the
Cruft which the cold Water forms on its Surface
while it is yet red-hot; and attributed its Rupture
to the Violence with which this Air iflued thro’ the
too narrow Pafl'age made for it, in breaking the
fmali End of the Drop. Others maintained on the
contrary, that the Drop, in this State, contained no
Air at all, nor any thing but Particles of Fire, or
fubtile Matter; or, in one Word, a Vacuum of Air ;
and that the fudden burfting of the Drop was oc-
calioned by the impetuous Entry of the Air into
this fort of Vacuum. In fine, the Cartejians have
fubftitutcd their fubtile Matter in the room of this
exterior Air, and fay, that the Drop is burftcd by
the lcfs fubtile Particles of this Matter; which enter-
ing with Force into the Drop by the Opening made
therein, and finding large Pores on the Infide, and
fmali ones on the Outfide, burfl: the Sides of the
Drop, by rufhing from the Centre to the Circum-
ference, wherewith its Paffage is obflru&ed.

Melf. Mariotte and Homherg came afterwards ;
Being provided with an Air Pump, they caufcd one
of thefe Drops to be broken in Vacuo ; and Hom-

Z . berg

[ x78 1

berg having obferved, that it broke therein better
and with a louder Report than in the open Air;
they both inferred, that neither the impetuous En-
try of the outward Air, nor that of a Fluid fome-
what lefs grofs, could be the Caufe of this Shock;
bccaufe the Receiver of the Air-Pump is void of
thefe Fluids; and even if a little fhould remain
therein, it is too much rarefied, and too thin to be
capable of fuch an Effett.

Mr. Mariotte , thro' forne Remains of Attach-
ment to an Opinion, which he had held to rhat
Time, did net intirely exclude the exterior Air from
the Caufe of the Phxnomcnon of the Drop ; but
thought proper to add another to it ; which he
makes ufe of as a Subftitute in Cafes like thofe of
the precei. ing Experiment, where the Infufficiency
of the Air, or of a Fluid nearly fimilar to it, plainly
appears.

Mr. Homherg fhews no Indulgence to the exte-
rior Fluid ; and aferibes the Whole to the new
Caufe, which is, the Quality of temper’d Glafs, which
the Drop acquires, like Steel, by being thrown red-
hot into cold Water. This Tempering, according
to thefe great Academicians, confers at the fame
time more Springinefs to the Parts, and lefs Con-
nection with each other. When a Steel Sword-
Blade is bent forcibly, it breaks more eafily than one
of iron; and the Jarring which is occafioncd by its
Spring, is capable of breaking the other Parts of the
Biade: And thus we fee, that it generally breaks
into fevcral Pieces. This Blade is the Image of the
Lacryma Batavica , or Glafs-Drop.

This is the Point to which I found Things brought,
when 1 began to ftudy the Phoenomena of the Gl afs -
Diop. The

[ *79 ]

The Air was partly banilhed from the Infide of
this Mafs of Glafs : There is none in the liquid red-
hot Matter of a Glafs Furnace. It was purely out
of Complaifance for a generally received Opinion,
that Mr. Mariotte allowed the exterior Fluid any
Share in the Phenomenon j and Mr. Homherg put
the finifhing hand to its Exclufion. But the Sort of
Temper given to the Drop by plunging it red-hot
into cold Water, and its Comparifon with temper’d
Steel, is not fo much a Caufe as a Comparifon :
And moreover, is this Comparifon very juft? Can
there be any between a long, thin Sword-Blade,
which breaks into two or three Pieces, and a thick
inflexible Mafs of Glafs, which flies into Powder.
The Tail alone of the Drop might feem to favour
this Parallel : But an Experiment, which I made,
entirely deftroys this Opinion, and proves, that it
is not the Spring, or the Vibrations of the Parts
of the Drop, that occafion its burfting.

I put about half the Tail of a Glafs Drop into a
Vice between two Bits of Deal-board of about a
Finger’s Breadth. I lcrew’d the Vice, till I faw this
fmall Cylinder or Thread of Glafs make Imprefflons
in the Wood on each Side for its Lodgment, in or-
der to be lure that it could not be fufccptible of
Vibrations. In this Condition I broke the End of
the Tail, fupporting it on my Nail, to prevent force -
ing any Part but the End which I intended to break;
and in order to be the more certain of oivins no
Shock to the Part that was fqueezed in the Vice.
My Drop flew into Powder as ufual ; and the Por-
tion fecured between the two Bits of Wood, per-
fectly retained its Figure in the Imprdlions wherein

Z 2 it

[ 18° ]

it was lodged. But when I touch’d this little Cylin-
der, it was reduced to Powder, much in the fame
manner as is faid to have happen’d to fome Men
who had been ftruck with Lightning. Now, it was
not polliblc for this Glafs to receive, or convey to
the Body of the Drop any Vibrations ; or if any,
they mud be infinitely fmall ; and yet the Effeft was
precifely the fame as ufual. Therefore the Syftcm of
Vibrations is not happier than thofe invented before
it.

It is among the Glafs- workers, and in their Art,
that the Secret of the Lacryma Batavica, or Glafs-
Drop, is to be fought j and there it is that I think i
have difeover’d it.

All thofe who have feen Glafs-houfes know, that
when a Piece fails in the Hands of a Workman, he
throws it aftde; and this Piece is not long expofed
to the Air, before it breaks in Pieces : And when
the fame Workman has fucceeded in making a Piece,
and is willing to preferve it, he takes great Care not
to let it cool in the Air; but carries it hot into an-
other Oven of a moderate Heat, where he leaves it
for a certain Space of Time. And this laft Opera-
tion is called Annealing the Glafs.

A natural Philofopher, who is Witnefs to this
Management, ought to inquire into the Reafons and
Neceflity of it.

How comes it that the Glafs, which cools in the
Air, breaks ; and when it has been nealed, it docs
not break ? This is the Reafon, if I am not mif-
taken.

A Bit of melted Glafs, red-hot and liquid at the
fame time, is in that Stare, purely bccaufe its Par-
ticles are divided by fo great a Quantity of Particles

of

[ ]

of Fire, or fubtil Matter fo violently agitated, that
thefe component Parts of the Glafs do hardly touch
one another : They fwim, if 1 may be allowed the
Expreflion, in a Flood of this Matter of Fire ; and
for this Reafon it is, that melted Glafs affefts the
Colours of Flame.

When this Subftance is expofed to the Air, the
Goolnefsof this Fluid, which touches the Surface of
the Glafs, cools that Surface firft j that is, brings the Par-
ticles nearer together, braces tncirjl Pores, and thus im-
prifons the Particles of Fire, which ftill fill the Infide
of this Subftance. While thefe fiery Particles find
Pores enough on the Surface, to move freely, the
Glafs continues whole j but when the Giafs grows
colder, that is, when the Pores of its Surface begin
to confine thefe fiery Particles ; then their whole
A&ion is exerted againft the Parts of the Glafs,
which they break into a thoufand Pieces. In order
to avoid this Fracas, nothing more is requifite than
to keep the Pores on the Surface of- the Glafs wide
enough, that the fiery Particles contain’d therein
may pafs through, and fly off infenfibly. Now, this
is what is done, by putting the hot Piece of Glafs
into an Oven, the moderate Heat of which keeps
thefe Pores open to a certain Pitch, and yet allows
the Glafs to acquire its due Confidence in this State
of middling Porofity : Wherein confifts the An-
nealing of G'afs and other fufed Subftances.

Hence it appears, that all unnealed Glafs carries
within itfeif its Principle of Deftru&ion, which is
the Matter of Fire imprifoned. But the Lachryma
Bata-vica , or Glafs-Drop is in this refpeift, in a
worfe Cafe ftill than unnealed Glafs : For befides
that it has not been expofed to this fecondary Heat,

which

[ 182 ]

which keeps its Pores open, till the Glafs has ac-
quired its due Confidence, for Fear that the Cool-
nefs of the Air alone fhould not clofe its Pores foon
enough, and imprifon a fufficient Quantity of the
igneous Matter, it is fuddcnly thrown into cold
Water, which by its Coldnefs and Weight is fitter
than the Air to produce fuch an Effed fpeedily and
effectually. Wherefore the only furprifing Circum-
ftance in thefe Glafs-Drops is, that any of them re-
main without breaking, by the great Quantity of
igneous Matter fuddenly (hut up in them by the
cold Water. And indeed this Accident befalls more
than one half of them ; and thofe that efcape, doubt-
lefs owe their Prefervation to the fpherical or cy-
lindrical Figure of the compad Shell, which the
Coldnefs of the Water forms on their Surface : For
it is well known that this Figure produces an Equa-
lity of Refiftance on all Sides, which confiderably
encreafes the refilling Force : And this is the firft
Reafon why, as foon as this Equilibrium is broken,
either by rubbing away one Side of this Surface, or
by making a Hole in it, or, in fine, by breaking the
fmall End of the Drop ; the Refinance is inftantly
overcome, and the igneous Matter, imprifoned with-
in the Glafs, and conftantly upon the Strain againft
it, burfis it into Powder.

This defiroyed Equilibrium is but one Difpofi-
tion that favours the Effed of the imprifon’d igne-
ous Matter : But the Communication which is opened
for it with the fubtile exterior Fluids, roufes this
Matter which is in a State of Inadivity, develops its
Spring, kindles it fomewhat in the Manner of the
Phofphorus, which produces no Effed while clofe

(hut

C l83 ]

fliut up, but takes Fire, as foon as a free Commu-
nication with the outward Air is given it.

On the Union of thefe Caufes depend the Phoe-
nomena of the Glafs-Drop. It is of a Hardncfs that
refills the Strokes of a Hammer, becaufe the violent
Condenlation, given to its Surface by the cold Wa-
ter, into which it was thrown when in a foft State,
render’d its Texture very clofe, compad, and con-
fequently hard.

It burfts with great Noife; and in fo doing it re-
tains the Charader of all the EfFeds produced by
the Explofion of the igneous Matter.

Its Dull flies two or three Feet all around, becaufe
it is pufh’d forward by the Adion of a Fluid con-
tained in its Centre ; which would not happen, if
it had been the Effed of an exterior Fluid. This
fame Dull of the Glafs-Drop darts forward with
greater Force in the Air-Pump than in the Air, be-
caufe the Air is an Obftacle, of which it is freed in
the Receiver of the Air-Pump : Wherefore it fome-
times breaks the Receiver j and for the fame Reafon
its Dull is finer, that is, more minutely broken, as
being done by a ftronger Power, and lefs counter-
balanced.

This violent Explofion produces Light, becaufe the
Property of fhining Lightning is always the EfFed of
fuch an Explofion of the Matter of Fire : Wherefore
this Fad affords another Proof, that this Matter is
the Principle of the Phoenomenon of the Drop.

If the Surface of the Drop be ground with fine
Powder of Emery, imbibed with Oil, it frequently
happens, that it does not burft ; becaufe the Sort of
oily Maftic that refults from this Mixture, flops the

Pores

[ i84 ]

Pores of the Drop, and prevents the fudden Com-
munication of the exterior Fluids with the imprifoned
igneous Matter j and as Glafs cannot be ground with
very fine Emery and Oil, but by long rubbing ; fuch
rubbing heats the Drop, and gradually opens the
Pores fo as to grant an infenfible Paflage to the igneous
Matter, whereby the Drop becomes at laft in the fame
Cafe with nealed Glafs j and in the Cafe in which
itfelf is, when it is put into the Oven to be nealed.

When a Glafs-Drop is made, by fufpending it in
the Air only, it does not break fooner than nealed
Glafs : Becaufe as this fmall Mafs of Glafs retains its
Heat a long while in the Air, the Heat ferves as a
Nealing-Oven, and keeps its Pores dilated long
enough for the igneous Particles to find a free Paflage.

The Principles, by which I have accounted for the
Effects of the Glafs-Drop, are not confined to this
Phenomenon alone : They are more general than
is commonly imagined. Some Corollaries, which I
(hall deduce from them, will prove what I advance.

Steel, like the Glafs-Drop, acquires its Hardnefs by
being plunged into Water : And if Melf. Mariotte and
Homberg had compared them together in this Cir-
cumftance alone, they had been in the right.

The mod celebrated natural Philofophers, in order
to account for the tempering of Steel, have had re-
courfe to different Arrangements of its Parts produced
by the Fire, and fixed, by the Co]d of the Water, in
the new State, in which the violent Heat had put
them.

J

The

1 he

3

[ '8s 3

The Mcchanifm of the tempering of Glafs Drops,
applied to that of Steel, is the the moftfimple of all
the Hypothecs, and anfwcrsall its Properties, which
are thele :

i. Tempered Steel has a coarfer Grain. 2. Is is
increafed in Bulk. 3. It is harder and brittlcr. 4.
By annealing it becomes lefs brittle.

Explanation. Steel made red-hot is filled and
fwelled, and its Pores dilated, by the igneous Matter.
In this Srate, the cold Water, into which it is thrown,
comprefies and clofes the Parts of the Surface, while
the imprifoned igneous Matter dilates the Pores
within : Thus the Texrure of Steel becomes more
compad by thele two Caufes, while its Pores are
dilated.

Thele large Pores conftitute the coarfe Grain of
tempered Steel. Its Dilatation by the igneous Mat-
ter, which could not be thoroughly condenfed by
the Cold of the Water, caufes its augmented Bulk :
The clofe Texture of the Subfiance that furrounds the
Pores, and the imprifoned igneous Matter, occafion
its Hardncfs and Brittlenefs. Its Rtcodion or An-
nealing deprives it of this Brittlenefs, and of a Part
of itsHardnef. : Becaufe it opens thisTexture, which
it relaxes at the Expence of the neighbouring Pores,
and drives the igneous Matter out of it.

Fermentation .

The Fermentation of Acids and Alkali’s feem, to
tre to be another Corollary of the fame Principle.

A a Firjl,

[ x86 ]

Firft, It is pretty univerfally allowed, that the
add Particles have the Figure of fmall Needles } and
that Alkali’s are fpheroidal or polyhedrous Bodies
with a vaft Number of Bodies proper to admit the

add Needles.

Secondly , Experience fhews, that Salts are alka-
lifcd by Fire, and that our Juices arc a! kalifed by
Hear, &c. What can the iepeated Action of the
Fire produce on Salts, in order to alkalife them ? It
calcines them, blunts their Points, and hollows them
with a vaft Number of Pores j and we fee with the
naked Eye, that Calcination has this Effect on all
Bodies. In a word, it converts an angular very folid
Body into a very porous and light Spheroid ; and this
Body is an Alkali by thefirft Suppofition.

Thirdly , Calcination introduces, and generally
leaves in the Pores of the calcined Body, after the
Operation, a great Quantity of igneous Matter. This
Matter is perceptible to the Senfes in the Lapis Bo
nonienfis , which becomes a Phofphorus by Calcina-
tion } in Lime-Stone, which by Calcination is fur-
nifhed with fo great a Quantity of igneous Matter,
that in the Effcrvefcence, which is raifed in it by
throwing a* little Water on this Stone, you may
kindle Sulphur or a Match by it. The Alcaline, or
alcalized Salts alfo, that is, thofe which are calcined,
have their Pores full of the igneous Matter.

Fourthly , Such is the Nature of the igneous Mat-
ter, that it tears afunder whatever oppofes its Paf-

fage.

C i87 3

fage, and makes it fly off with a Report.' This Prin-
ciple is univcrfally allowed : The Effeds of Gun-
powder, of Volcano’s and Earthquakes, prove it :
And to come nearer our Subject, unnealed Glafs
breaks in the Air, and the Lacryma Batavica does
as much upon breaking its fmall End.

Whereas an Alkali is a fpongious Body filled with
the igneous Matter, and an Acid are Points propor-
tioned to thefe Pores ; thefe ought to be regarded as
fo many Pegs or Pins, which enter into the Holes
on the Surface of the Alkali, and fill them up exactly :
Whereby the igneous Matter is imprifoned; and by
the preceding Principle it burfls the alcaline Globule
with Noife, and fcatters around the acid Pegs, in the
fame manner as it burft the Glafs-Drop.

A Mixture of an alkaline and acid Liquor being
compofed of an infinite Number of fuch Particles
that burft and broke to Pieces, the Liquor rfruft take
up more room, or fwell. The Particles of Air
therein contained, being tolled about by all thole
iiitle Explolions, together with the neutral Liquors,
which area Vehicle to the Salts, form the Scum or
Froth ; and the igneous Matter, which gets out of
the Alkali’s, and is agitated by the Shocks of all thefe
Exploftons, produces He3t, drags with it the aqueous
and other volatile Particles, which form the Steam.

Yet there are cold Fermentations, becaufe then,
either the Motion of the Particles of Fire, and their
Fracas , is inconfiderable j or becaufe thefe Particles
fly off eafily by a dired Morion. Moreover, at this
Day that we have it in our Power to be convinced,
that the Prufh or Stream of electric Matter is very

A a 2 cold,

[ iM ]

cold, nobody will be furprifed, that a Stream of
the Matter of Fire may produce Cold.

If all the alcalious Corpufcles burfted at once, the
Fermentation would laft but an Inftant : But as the
acid Liquor requires a certain Space of Time, to pe-
netrate the whole alcaline Liquor, and fill the Pores
of the alcalious Corpufcles, the Fermentation is per-
formed fucceflively in a certain Number of Cor-
pufcles at a time, until they are all broken: And
this Succelfion conflitutes the Duration of the Fer-
mentation ; which ceafcs when there are none of
the Alkali’s left entire.

Thcfe Principles not only ferve to explain the
Fermentation which refults from the Mixture of
Acids and Alkali’s, but alfo almoft all the Motions
of this Kind, which are occafioned by the Mixture
or Penetration of two or more Subftances.

For Example ; Lime, which we have mentioned
above as a Body filled with the Matter of Fire, and
which produces an Effervcfcence capable of lighting
Sulphur, if Water be thrown on it; Lime, 1 fay,
produces this Effeft, only becaufe the Particles of
Water, which enter into its Pores, have a Ten-
dency to fhut up the igneous Particles more elofely.
It is by a Mcchanifm entirely fimilar, that Hombergs
Phofphorus kindles into Flame, upon being expolld
to the Air: ’Tis upon this Principle likewife, that a
Mixture of Spirit of Wine and Water acquires a
new Degree of Heat; and fo of other Phenomena
of this Nature.

• Le Cat.

XVII.

[ *89 ]

XVII. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Prof
Geo. Matthias Bofe, of Wittemberg, to
Mr. W. Watfon, F. R. S. on the EleSiri -
city of Glafs , that has been expofed to flrong
Fires .

Dated March T*T, 1 74^.

* * *

Read April 6. 'F’x feemsto me that a Glafs Ball, which
1;49‘ has oftentimes been employed for

violent Diftillations, and other chymical Operations,
does fend forth the Electricity incomparably more
flrong than any other Glafs, which never fnce its
making had been expofed to a violent Fire. As l
am the firft that has mentioned this notable Circum-
ftance, be pleafed to let me have the Honour of this
Improvement in the Philofophical TranfaCtions.

* * *

E R R A-

•.I ■

j a \ « », • Li i

_rj . "1 f r*x

- .oc /

■« i, .

Errata.

No. 490. p. 583. 1. 12. for 10 Miles r. 8 Miles.

N°. 492. p. 38. for cijlitome r. epitome j and the fame

"Where- ever the Word occurs.

. . 7

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS,

GIVING SOME

ACCOUNT

O F T H E

Prefent Undertakings, Studies, and Labours,
O F T H E

INGENIOUS.

IN MANY

Confiderable Parts of the WORLD.

LONDON:

Printed for C. Davis, Printer to the Royal
S ocie tyj over-againft Gray s- Inn-Gate in Holbourn .

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Numb. 493.

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS.

For the Months of Oftob. Nov. and ‘Dec . 1749.

I. A Defer iptmi of an extraordinary Rain-

bow obferved July 15, 1748. by Peter
Daval, Ejq\ Secret. R. S. p. 1 93

II. A Letter from Mr. Henry Baker, F. R. S.
to the Pr eli dent, containing an ExtraSl of
a Letter from Mr. William Arderon,
F. R. S. to Mr. Baker, giving an Ac-
count of the prefent Condition of, the Ro-
man Camp at Caftor in Norfolk, with a
Flan of it \ and alfo a Reprefentation of
an Halo or Mock-Sun obferved by the
fame Gentleman July 11, 1749. p. 196

III. Fart of a Letter from Leonard Euler,

Frof. Math, at Berlin, and F. R. S. To
the Rev. Mr. Cafpar Wetftein, Chaplain to
his Royal Highnefs the Prince <?/Wa]es, con-
cerning the gradual Approach of the Earth
to the Sun. Tranflated from ^French, by
T S. M.D. F. R. S. p. 203

IV.

The CONTENTS.

IV. Part of a Letter from Mr. Benj. Cooke,

R. S. to Mr. Peter Collinfon, .F. R. S.
concerning the EffeEls of the Mixture of
the Farina of Apple-Trees; and of the
Mayze or Indian Corn : And of a Child
horn with the Jaundice upon it , received
from its Father ; and of the Mother take-
ing the fame Di ft emper from her Hujbandy
the next Lime of bemg with Child, p. 205

V. A Letter from the Rev. Henry Miles,
D. D. and F. R. S. to Mr. Henry Baker,
F. R. S. concernmg a very cold Day, and
another a very hot Day, in June and July
1749 and of the near Agreement ^/’Ther-
mometers in London and at Tooting.

p. 208

VI. Account of a Bas-relief of Mithras found
^York, explain d hy the Rev. Dr. Stukely,
F. R. S. communicated to the Royal Society ,
by Mr. Francis Drake of York, F- R. S .

p. 214

VII. Part of a Letter from James Mounfey,
M. D. Phyfcian to the Czarina** Army ,
to Mr. Henry Baker, F. R. S. concerning
the Ruffian Caftor, the Baths at CarHbad,

the

The CONTENTS.

the Salt-mines near Cracau, and various
other Notices. p. 2 1 7

VIII. The Cafe of a Lady , who was delivered

of a Child , which had the Small-Pox Up-
appeared in a Day or two after its Birth ;
drawn up by Cromwell Mortimer, M. D.
Secret . R. S. p. 233

IX. Some 'Accounts of the Foetus in utero

being differently affeSled by the Small Pox.
By W. Watfon, F. R. S. p. 235

X. The Cafe of Nicolas Reeks, who was born

with his Feet turned inwards, which came
to rights after being fo?ne time ufed to ft
crofs-legged. Tranfmitted from William
Millner, Fjq\ at Poole, to Sir Peter
Thompfon, Knt. F. R. S- p. 239

XI. A Letter from Mr. James Short, F. R. S.
to the Prefident , with the Defcription and
Ules of an Equatorial Telefcope. p. 241

XII. An Eclipfe of the Moon , obferved at

Mr. Graham’ s in Fleet- ftreet, by John
Bevis, M. D. and Mr. James Short,
F. R. S. p. 247

XIII. An Account of an extraordinary Me-
teor feen hi the County of Rutland, which

refembled

The C O NTE NTS.

refe7nhled a Water-Spout, communicated to
the Prefident by Tho. Barker, Ejq; p. 248

XIV. An Enquiry into the original State and

Properties of Spar, and Sparry Productions,
particularly the Spars or Cryftals found
in the Cornifh Mines , called Cornifh Dia-
monds. In a Letter to Emanuel Mendez
da Cofta, Efq\ F. R. S. fro?n the Rev. Mr.
Wm. Borlace. . p. 250

XV. A Defcription of the Great Black Wafp,

from Penhlvania, as communicated from
Mr. John Bartram to Mr. Peter Collinfon,
F. R. S. p. 278

XVI. An Obfervation of an Eclipfe of the
Moon> Dec. 1 2. 1 749. made at Earith, near
St. Ives, in Huntingdonshire, by Mr. Wm.
Elftobb, jun. com?nuicated in a Letter to
Martin Folkes, Efq\ Pr. R. S. p. 280

XVII. A Catalogue of the Eclipfes of Jupi-

ter’s Satellites^?' the Tear 1751. by James
Hodgfon, F.R.S. and M after of the Royal
Mathematical School in ChrifPs-Hofpita],
London. p. 282

XVI II. A Letter from the Widow of the late
Mr. John Senex, F. R.S. to the Prefident,
concerning his large Globes . p. 290

[ *93 ]

L A Defcriptlon of an extraordinary Rain-
bow obferved Tilly ic, 1748. by Peter
Daval, Efa Sec . R. S.

Read oa. 26, y y P o N Monday the 1 8th of July
1748. about a Quarter before Seven
in the Evening, the Weather being temperate, and
the Wind about N. N. W. as I was walking in the
Fields, beyond Iflington, 1 faw a diftant Rainbow
which appeared to take in a large Portion of the
Heavens ; but had nothing remarkable, and vanifh’d
by degrees.

Continuing my Walk, about twenty Minutes after
the Difappcaring of the firft Rainbow, a rainy Cloud
crofs’d me, moving gently with the Wind, which
exhibited to me a more perfect and diftinft Rainbow,
chan I had ever before fe.cn wherein I could plainly
diftinguifh all the fecondary Orders of Colours taken
Notice of by the late Dr. Langrjuith in his Letters to
Dr. Jurtn publifhed inthePhilofophicaiTranfa&ions*,
that is, to fay, within the Purple of the common
Rainbow, there were Arches of the following
Colours.

1. Yellowifh Green, darker Green, Purple,

2. Green, Purple.

3. Green Purple.

*Vld. Phil. Tranf. N°. 375. from Page 241 to 245. Ab, Tranf.
(Eames and Martin) Vol. 6. p. 122, 123.

B b This

[ *94 ]

This innermoft arch Dr. Langwith calls faint va*
nifhing Purple, and I likewife found, that it fome-
times appear'd and difappear’d alternately ; but during
about two Minutes it feem’d to me to be as perma-
nent as any of the other Colours.

I flood (fill, and look'd attentively at this Appear-
ance, during the wholeTime of its Continuance, which
was near eight Minutes, and could for the greatefk
Part of that Time difeern all the above-mention'd
Colours, except the innermofl Purple in the upper
Parts of the Bow ; but could not diftinguifh any of
them in thofe Parts of it which were near the Ho-
rizon, tho’ they were extremely vivid, as was likewife
the outer Bow, in which the Colours appear'd as
bright, tho’ not fo well defin'd, as in mod inner
Rainbows I had feen.

As I had read Dr. Langwitti s Letter a fhort time
before I faw this beautiful Appearance, and as I com-
pared his Account with what I had feen, the fame
Evening, and again the next Morning, I can the
better be afiur’d of the exadl Agreement of our Ob-
lervations.

On my firffc feeing this Phenomenon, I was fur-
pris’d, that the Diameter of the Bow appear’d to me
very fmall, compar’d with that I had feen a little
before. The Occafion of this 1 think muft have been,
that the Legs of the firft-mention'd Bow appeared
to me to terminate at diftant Places : Whereas in the
latter Appearance I could plainly fee both Ends of
the inner and outer Bows terminated in the neigh*
bouring Fields, at a very fmall Diftance from each
other : Hence, and from my being involv’d in the
Shower which occaflon'd this Rainbow, I conclude

it

[ *95 ]

it was verv near me ; which might be one Caufe of’
the great Yividnefs of its Colours, and of my diftin-
guifhing the inner Arches. But whether this was the
only Caufe of thole Appearances, or whether they
might not be owing to fome particular Difpofirion
of the Atmofphere at that Time, 1 muchqueftion :
As well bccaufe I have often feen Rainbows which
have been very near me, and oppofed to a bright
Sun, wherein I could notdifccrn thefe inner Orders
of Colours, as that I have heard from fome intel-
ligent Perfons, that fome very bright Rainbows were
feen foon after the Solar Eclipfe which happened on
the 14th of July 1748. particularly that an unufually
vivid and diftind Rainbow was obferv'd at Twick-
enham three or four Days after that Eclipfe, which
agrees with the Day on which I faw the above-men-
tion'd Appearance.

Bb 2 ’ II. A

[ »96 ]

II. A Letter from Mr. Henry Baker, F. R. &
to the Prefid ent, containing an ExtraB of
a Letter from Mr. William Arderon,
F. R. S. to Air. Baker, giving an Ale-
con t of the prefent Conditio ?i of the Ro-
man Camp at Caftor in Norfolk, with a
P i an of it j and alfo a Reprefentation of
an Halo or Mock-Sun obferved by the
fame Ge?ttleman July i r, 1749.

SlRy Condon, Oftoler 26, 1 749.

Read Nov. z.'i'TAKE the Liberty to Jay before you
X an Account lately fern me by my in-
genious Correfpondent Mr. William Arderon-, F. R. S.
of the prefent Condition of the Roman Camp at
Cajlor , in the County of Norfolk , together with a
Plan or Drawing of the fame, taken by himfelf upon
the Spot, in the Month of June laft : At which
Time he went thither on purpofe to examine it. As
this Camp is a remarkable Piece of Roman Anti-
quity, and I have always found Mr. Arderon ex-
tremely accurate in his Obfervations and Defcrip-
tions, they may I hope be thought deferving your
Notice. I take likewife this Opportunity of pre-
fenting you the Account and Reprefentation of an
Halo , or Mock-Sun, feen by the fame diligent Ob-
ferver on the nth Day of July laft.

Permit

[ 197 ]

Permit me, at the fame Time the Honour of af-
furing you that I am with the greatcft Refped,
SIR ,

Tour moft obedient humble Servant-,

H. Baker.

The Extrall of a Letter from Mr. Ardcron to
Mr. Baker.

Dear Sir ,

TN Confequence of my Promife to you I have been
at Caftor , to view the prefetit Condition of that
celebrated Roman Camp, whole venerable Ruins ap-
pear there ; and I now fend you the bcft Defcription
of it my Obfervations can furnifh out. Indeed when
I made fuch Promife, I little thought how difficult
a Task I had undertaken, and how cafily the moft
skilful in thefe Matters may be miftaken, amidft
ruinous Heaps and Veftigia nearly effaced by Length
of Time. However, lean allure you, no Care or
Caution has been wanting, and the plain Truth fhall
be related with all the Exadnefs poffible.

The Town of Cafor is at prefent in a very low Con-
dition, containing no more than between twenty and
thirty fmall Cottages. It ftands about four Miles
South- weft of Norwich, and by Tradition, and fome
learned Authors, is fuppofed to have been a confi-
dcrable City, out of whofe Ruins Norwich took its
Rife. Skinner fays, in his Etymologicon, “ Caftor
“ in Com. Norf. olim VENT A 1CENORUM :
“ ex cujus Ruin is orta eft Norwich civitas.” How-
ever, at this Day (excepting the Camp) not the
leaft Trace or Footftep of any-thing remarkable is left
remaining.

The

[ J98 ]

The Camp itfelf lies near, a Furlong South-weft
from the Town of Caftor , and leads you by a gen-
tle Dcfcent down to the little River lVentfumy which
fwiftly glides clofe to the End thereof, and no Doubt,
at the firft forming of the Camp was defigned to be
Part of the Fortification on that Side, as well as to
fupply the Army with Water, and to bring up fuch
Things as they wanted from the Sea, if fo be their
Communication by Land fhould at any Time be im-
peded. What confirms me in this Opinion, is a large
Staple and Ring of Iron, which I myfelfhave feen
on the Side of the Tower that ftands near the River ;
tho’ now I find that curious Monument of Antiquity
is taken away. However, on my Suppofition, this
River muft have been much larger at that Time
than it is at prefenr, or it could have been of little
Ufe for Water-carriage, from the Smallnefs and
Shallownefs of its Stream.

This River by fome is called Taus} or Tefe : But
I imagine it did not formerly take that Name until
it approached the Roman Camp at Tefeburgh , three
or four Miles higher.

We are told by Tradition, as well as by fome learned
Authors, that the Sea came up to this Camp j and
indeed every intelligent Obferver muft confefs, that
the Marine Bodies found in every Part of Norfolk ,
on the higheft Hills, as well as in the loweft Pits and
Valleys, are indubitable Proofs, that at fome Time or
other the Sea muft have covered this whole County :
But then we may be allured, by the prefent Condition
of this Camp, that the Sea hath not exceeded the
Level of it fince it hath been in Being, which, if we
credit feveral of our antient Hiftorians, it was up-
wards

[ 199]

wards of 1700 Years ago. It may therefore ferve
to prove, that the Sea ftnce that Time has not ex-
ceeded thefe Bounds, and that the Foffils dug up
above this Level are more antient than it, tho’ we
have no proper ‘Data to difcovcr how long before,
the Sea had palled this Height.

I have been pretty exaft in examining the Situa-
tion of this Camp, imagining the two Sides had
pointed due Eaft and Wed, and the two Ends North
and South : But I find they differ from it full ten
Degrees, after allowing for the Variation of the
Needle : Whence it is plain the Meridian of the
Place mud have altered better than half a Degree
each Century to the Weft ward, provided the Situa-
tion of the Camp was placed due North and South
when it was firft formed. But polllbly the Romans
might not be exadl as to the Points of the Compafs,
or perhaps this Variation was at firft difpenfed with
to accommodate the Camp to the natural Declivity
of the Ground. Thefe Difficulties however may bet-
ter be cleared up, if fome ingenious Gentlemen would
take the Trouble to examine fome other Roman
Camps in different Parts of this Kingdom, to difeo-
ver whether the Romans paid a ftrift Regard to the
difpofing of their Camps with their Sides to the four
cardinal Points of the Compafs, which I think it will
nearly amount to a Demonftration that they did, if
they are found to agree with this Camp at Caftor
in its Variation from due North and South.

The Figure of the Camp is not a Square (as it is
deferibed by moft Authors who have writ upon it)
but a Parallelogram, whofe two longeft Sides are
each 440 Yards, and its Ends or two fhorter Sides

360

[ 200 ]

360 Yards each. Thefe arc its Dimenfions without-
iide the Rampart and Ditch ; but within-fide the
faid Ditch and Rampart the Length is 392 Yards,
and the Breadth 264. I meafured the Breadth of
theFofle and Rampart, which I found in fome Places,
where it remains moll perfect, to be 48 Yards, tho'
in others not above 3c. And according to my
Computation the whole Ground taken up, including
the Ditch and Rampart, is 32 Acres, 2 Rood, and
3 6 Pole ; or the Area within the Ditch and Ram-
part 2t Acres, 1 Rood, 21 Pole.

At about three or four Furlongs Ncrth-weft of the
Camp rifes a Ridge of Hills, appearing fomething
like a fecond Rampart, and defending gradually to
the Camp. Thefe Hills add greatly to the Prolpedt,
and mud have been no little Advantage to the Safety
of the Place, as a conftant Watch might be kept
thereon to prevent any Surprize ; nor could an Enemy
advance nearer than the Summit of thefe Hills
without being expofed to the View of the whole
Camp.

Three Sides only of this Camp have been fortified
with a Rampart, whofe upper Part was faced with
a thick and ftrong Wall made of Lime and Flints,
of which Wall there are ftill Remains in feveral
Places of the Rampart, befides a very deep Ditch
that feems to have been moft confiderable on the
Eaft and South Sides.

The Wall on the North Side appears to have
been built at two different Times ■, that is, it feems
to have been raifed higher than it was built at firft,
at fome Diftance of Time afterwards 5 for a Parting
may be obferved at a certain Height running from
End to End.

The

[ 201 ]

The Ruins of two old Towers dill remain, one of
which (food on the North Side, and the other at th«
Weft End ; the laft of which is at prefent the mod
confidcrable of the two. They were both built in
a manner perhaps peculiar to the Romans at that
Time, and which it may not be improper to dc-
feribe. They began firft with a Layer of Bricks laid
flat as in Pavements ; on that they placed a Layer
of Clay and Marie mixed together, and of the fame
Thicknefs as the Bricks ; then a Layer of Bricks,
afterwards of Clay and Marie, then of Bricks again,
making in the whole three Layers of Bricks and two
of Clay : Over this were placed Bricks and Lime
29 Inches, the Outfide being faced with Bricks cut
in Squares (like the modern Way of Building in fome
Parts of Norfolk ), then Bricks and Clay again Stra-
tum fuper Stratum , as high as the old Ruins now
remain (landing.

The Mortar is found cxtrcamly hard at this Day :
It is a Compofition of Lime, Sand, and Afhes,
and fo compact that 1 could by no Means break a
Piece of it of an Inch Diameter from the Bafe of
one of the Towers at theEaft Gate, but on ftriking
it with a {harp Flint it flew off in Duft.

The Roman Bricks which I examined, were made
of two different Sorts of Clay mixt ; when burnt
one appears red and the other white : At the Time
of my viewing them they were exceeding hard and
folid, and far fuperior to any thing of the Kind
now made with us. Perhaps they are little worfe
than when they were firft laid down.

Thcfe Bricks were made without the Afllftance
or Addition of Sand, as is too much th£ Practice at

C c prefent

[ 202 ]

prefent here in Norfolk : For when Sand enters the
Compofition in any confidcrabie Proportion, it ren-
ders the Bricks friable, fofr, and rotten, fubjed to
be broke or ground to Pieces with the lead Motion
or Prcffiire.

I took the exad Dimenfions of feveral of thefe
Bricks, and found their Length to be 17 Inches,
or a Roman Foot and Half ; and their Breadth
it -!■ Inches, or prccifely a Roman'Foox : which I
think may ferve as fome Proof that the Roman
Meafures handed down to us by feveral Authors are
right, and may likewife inform us of the propor-
tionable Stature of Man at that Time. The Thick-
nefs of thefe Bricks is 1 T-§ Inch.

The great Number of Roman Medals that have
been, and are dill found in and about this Camp,
are to me a Matter of great Wonder. One Lady
who lives near the Place, has (I am credibly in-
formed) picked up at lead an hundred with her own
Hands, and feveral are daily gathered up by Boys,,
and fold to Strangers who come to vifit the Place.

That thefe Pieces have been ufed as Money I think
exceeding clear, from their different Degrees of Per-
fection, fome being worn almod quite fmooth,
others having imperfed Buds without Letters, and
others again having both the Buds and Infcriptions
fair and legible, which could not happen, I think,
but from their different W ear as Money. But then
how fuch Quantities of them fhould become fcat-
tered, as if fown, in this and other Roman Stations,
is a Difficulty I mud leave to thofe better verfed in
thefe Matters to refolve.

I fend

[ 2°3 ]

I fend herewith a Plan of the Camp in its prefent
Condition, [Tab. I. Fig. i.J that my Defeription
may the better be underftood ; and I fend along
with it the Appearance of a particular kind of Halo,
which was obferv’d at Norwich, on the nth of
July lad, at y o’Clock in the Evening : the Colours
were exceeding vivid, and the Centre of it, con-
trary to what I ever yet favv, was not in the Sun,
but in the Zenith.

The Sun's Rays fhone through the Clouds at the
fame time, as they frequently do when the Sun is
near the Horizon. In fhort, the Drawing [Tab. I.
Fig. 2.] which reprefents the Whole, makes any
farther Defeription of it needlcfs > and 1 (hall only
add, that I am.

Dear Sir ,

lour mo (l humble Servant,

Norwich , Aug. 28.

1749-

William Arderon.

III. Part of a Letter from Leonard Euler,
‘Prof. Math, at Berlin, and F. R. S. To
the Rev. Mr. Cafpar Wetftein, Chaplam to
his Royal Highnefs the Prince ^ Wales, con-
cerning the gradual Approach of the Faith,
to the Sun. Tranfated from the French, by
S. T. M. D. F. R. S.

Berlin, June 28. 1749.

Read Nov. 2- "\ /T Onfieur le Monnier writes to me,
jy/Jk that there is, at Leyden, an Ara-
bic Manufcript of lbnjounis (if I am not miftaken

C c 2 in

C 204 ]

in the Name, for it is not diftinctly wrote in the
Letter), which contains a Hiftory of Aftronomicat
Obfervations. M. le Monnier fays, That he infilled
ftrongly on publifhing a good Tranflation of that
Book. And as fuch a Work would contribute
much to the Improvement of Aftronomy, 1 fhou'd
be glad to fee it publifh'd. I am very impatient to
lee fuch a Work which contains Obfervations, that
are not fo old as thofe recorded by Ptolemy . For
having carefully examined the modern Obfervations
of the Sun with thofe of fome Centuries paff, al-
though I have not gone farther back than the fif-
teenth Century, in which I have found Walt her’ s
Obfervations made at Nuremberg-, yet I have obferved
that the Motion of the Sun (or of the Earth) is
fenfibly accelerated fince that Time ; fo that the
Years are fhorter at prefen t than formerly : The
Reafon of which is very natural ; for if the Earth, in
its Motion, fufrcrs fome little Refinance (which can-
not be doubted, fince the Space through which the
Planets move, is neceffarily full of fome fubtile Mat-
ter, were it no other than that of Light) the Effed
of this Reiiftance will gradually bring the Planets
nearer and nearer the Sun 5 and as their Orbits there-
by become lefs, their periodical Times will alfo be
diminifh’d. Thus in Time the Earth ought to come
within the Region of Venus , and in fine into that
of Mercury , where it would neccflarily be burnt.
Hence it is manifeft, that the Syftcm of the Planets
cannot laft for ever in its (prefent) State. It alloin-
conteftably follows, that this Syftem mud have had
a Beginning : For whoever denies it, mud grant me,
that there was a Time, when the Earth was at the

Diftance

[ 2°5 ]

Difhnce of Saturn , and even farther; and confc-
quently that no living Creature could fubHit there.
Nay there mud have been a Time, when the Planets
were nearer to fome fixt Stars than to the Sun; and
in this Cafe they could never come into the Solar
Syftcm. This then is a Proof, purely phyfical, that
the World, in its prefent State, mull have had a Be-
ginning, and muff have an End. In order to im-
prove this Notion, and to find with Exactitude, how
much the Years become fhorter in each Century ; I
am in Hopes that a great Number of older Obfer-
vations will afford me the necelfary Succours.

I beg you will prefent my Refpectsto the Royal
Society 5 and am,

Tours, &c. L. Euler.

IV. Part of a Tetter from Mr. Benj Cooke,
j P. R . S. to Mr. Peter Collinfon, 'F. R. S.
concerning the Ejfe&s of the Mixture of
the Farina of Apple-Trees; and of the
Mayze or Indian Corn : And of a Child
born with the Jaundice upon it , received
from its Father ; and of the Mother take -
ing the fame Diflemper from her Hufba?idy
the next Time of being with Child.

Read Nov. 2. I TTHEN the Farina of one Apple
‘.49- VV impregnates another's Bloflom of

differing Species, we fee the Change in * the Fruit i
but whether any lading Impreffion is left on the

Bough.

* See thefe Tranladions No. 490. p. 622.

[ 206 ]

Bough which bore it (as Teems to be in Tulips and
Tome other Flowers), is not To eafy to determine, Ex-
periments of this Tort being not to be made at all,
but catch’d at diftant Opportunities; and till this
Point is fettled, the Diftcmper of my good Friend’s
Tree muft reft unexplained.

Artificial Helps of Sight have added to former
Difcoveries the explofive Manner of the Farina’s
Attion ; but what may be the Effect of the incon-
ceivcably fine fubtile Matter emitted from its Glo-
bules, and continually wafted about in great Plenty
and Variety in the Summer Air, not only on vege-
table Productions ( where on different Subjects it
may not improbably have oppofite Effetts) but other
Matters not yet fu fpetted to be To much under its
Influence, remains a Field of Inquiry for future

Ages. -However, to what Mr. Lorgan hath vefv

juftly obferved ( TranfaB . 44.0.) on the Manner of
Impregnation of the Seeds in Mayzc — I can add this,
that if the Seed and whole Species of Mayzc be plan-
ned about two Yards Diftance from each other, there
will be a Mixture of red and white Grains in the
Ears of each Plant, and you may with Pleafure ob-
ferve the Filament in the white Plant, which hath
been ftruck with the red Farina, difeovering its alien
Commerce by a confcious Blufh, and by counting
the Threads they ftained, foretell how many corref-
ponding Seeds will appear red, at the opening of the
Ear, when ripe.

A Man of about 22 Years married a healthy
young Woman, much of the TameAge. — Soon af-
ter he went to America, and at the End of feven
Years returned cachettic,anafarcous, and deeply tinged

with

C 207 ]

with the Jaundice, endemicalin hot Latitudes. — In a
few Months after his Return his Wife became preg-
nant (with her firft Child) of which fhe was deli-
vered in due Time. The Child was born with a
jaundice upon it, and died about fix Months after,
under afcitical and icterical Symptoms, of which the

Mother had not the lead Impreflion. Soon after

this (and before the Husband, tho’ much better, was
quite cured) fhe became again with Child, and after
about three Months Pregnancy turn’d yellow, and
was the whole Time of her going with Child, and
fome Months after her Delivery, deeply affe&cd
with the Jaundice : But the Child was born quite
fair, white, and healthy, without any thing of that
Diftemper on it ; and is ftill living, and the laft bom,

1 make no Application You muft impute this

Length of your Trouble to the wet Weather. I am
mod fincerely,

‘Dear Cotifln ,

Tour mo(l obliged

And mo(l affectionate

B. Cooke*

V. A

[ 208 ]

V. A Letter frotn the Rev. Henry Miles,
D. D. and F. R . S. to Mr . Henry Baker,
F. R. S. concerning a very cold Day, and
another a very hot Day, in June and July
1749 and of the near Agreement of Ther-
mometers in London and at Tooting.

O

Read Nov. 16. T' Now fulfil my Promifc made to you

1749 X L)me time ago, in fending you au
Account of the two Days which were fo remarkable,
the one for Cold, the other for Heat, this laft
Summer.

On the iothof June , fufpetting a Prod that Night,
I fat a China Saucer full of Water upon the Grafs-
plot, in the Garden ; and the next Morning, a little
before Sun-rifing, I found the Water frozen over,
of fuch a Confiftcnce, as that I forced a Hole thro’
the Centre of it with my Finger, without breaking
it clfewhere, and carried the Cake of Ice into
the Houfe, where it remained a good While not
difl'olved. Wind was N. W On Ionic foliowing
Days there were fcveral confiderable Frofls, the Wind
continuing the fame way; the fatal Eife&s of which
arc fufficiently known throughout the Kingdom.

July 2d, at 1 2h 20/ my Thermometer of Faren-
heit's Scale, in the fhaded Air, flood at 88 — , and
at 2h p. m. at 87. At which laft Number two others
of the fame fort flood cxa&ly, at that Hour, in
London.

Having agreed with my ingenious Friend Mr. John
Canton of Spit at- Square, to make Obi'crvations of

the

[ 209 ]

the Temperature of the Air here, and in London ,
at a Bated Hour : We procured Thermometers,
made exa&ly alike, by that accurate Workman Mr.
Bird ; and having found, by hanging them firft to-
gether a fufficient Time, that they perfe&ly agreed,
we began our Obfer vat ions in Aprily and have con-
tinued them ever fince.

The Thermometers are of the fmaller Size, the
Bulbs being but about ot an Inch Diameter, and
are immediately affetted with any Mutations of
the Air ; fo that I have frequently been entertained
with obferving, in fome Circumftances of the Wea-
ther, that the Mercury has not been ftationary, but
has fucceflively rifen and fallen for a good While \
and Mr. Canton has informed me, that he has feve-
ral times obferv’d the fame.

I have annexed a Paper, containing an Extract
from my Journal of the Weather, in which I have
fet down the Extremes of the Barometer and Ther-
mometer, obferved at ih p. m. for Six Months ;
and Mr. Canton has been lo kind as to communi-
cate a like Extract from his Journal 5 which is like-
wile put into your Hands.

It appears by a more general Comparifon which
we have made, as well as by this particular one,
that the Difference in the Temperature of the Air,
as to Heat and Cold, is very little between this Place
and Spit al- Square. Sometimes my Thermometer

has been higher than his 5 more times upon an Equa^
lity, but mod times lower — And I have Reafon to
think the Difference, many times, may have been
owing to accidental Caufes : For Mr. Canton has
informed me, that he has found two Thermometers,

D d when

[ 210 ]

when removed but a few Yards from each other,
have differed 2 or 3 Deg. for which no apparent Caufe
could be afligned. So that upon the whole, it may
reafonably enough be concluded, that the Difference
between the Temperature of the Air in the two
Places, is imperceptible to Senfe. I am,

"■Dear Sir ,

Tooting, Nov. 1 3. Your, and the Royal Society's

1 749. Mojl obedient humble Servant

H. Miles.

P. S.

Upon my having obferved that the Days, in
which my Thermometer and Mr. Cantons flood at
the Extremes, in fome Months did not coincide, I
was dcfirous of knowing, how much the Thermo-
meters differed, when the Extremes did nor happen
on the fame Day : But, upon a Comparifon, the
Difference was never considerable, except on the
4th Aug. at 2. p. m. when my Thermometer was
about 6 Degrees higher than Mr. Canton's. This
being fomewhat remarkable, he, upon hearing ir,
had Recourfe to his Rcgifler, and found, that at
the Time of Observation a heavy Shower of Rain
fell j whereas we had none here : But about Six in
the Evening came on a Thunder Shower attended
with Rain ; fo that it fhould feem the falling Rain
had fo great an Effeft upon the Air as to render
it cooler, by the Degrees mentioned : And perhaps
the Difference between the two Inflruments, at
other Times, may have been owing to the fame,
or a fimilar Caufe, rather than to a Jlated different
Temperature of the Air, in the two Places.

EX-

[ 2?J ]

EXTRACT from a Journal of the Weather ,
made at Tooting, in Surry, in which the Ex~
tremes of the Barometer and Thermometer are
noted at 2h p. m. equal Time , for the Months
of May, June, July, Auguft, September, and Oc-
tober, this prefent Tear 1749.

MAY.

1749-

AUGUST.

1749.

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

14

higheft
3°. °4

17

higheft

-

*5

higheft

30,02

22

higheft

t

Day| Bar.

Day

Ther.

Day

Bar.

Day

I

Ther.

24

loweft

29.t5

3

loweft

5<>

2

loweft
29, 20

. 1 : '

3 1

loweft

JUNE.

U49.

•

SEPTEMB.

*. jj j r 9

1749.

Day

Bar.

Day

TherI

Day

Bar-. - |Day

Ther.

8

higheft

28

higheft

26

higheft

5

higheft

30, 10

79

3°. 37

71

Day

Bar.

Day'

Ther.

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

17

loweft
. 2.9,_25

3

loweft

46

17

loweft
29. 3

1 2

loweft

JULY.

T

749-

OCTOS. 1

749.

Day

B AR.

Day

Ther.

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

8

higheft

'2

higheft

10

higheft

4

higheft

29. 95

87 *

3°. 44

7

61 *

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

Day'

Bar.

Dy

Ther.

20

| loweft

30

loweft

28

loweft

27

loweft

2Z1-

' 29,44

62 f-

29. 5 1

43

f Being abfent Aug . 22d, at 2 p. m. I could not

D d 2 obferve

t 212 ]

obferve the State of the Thermometer 5 bat am
well fatisfied that Day was the hottefl in the Month,
from the Obfervation I made at other Times of
the Day, and particularly from the Account I had
from my Priend Mr. Canton., of the State of his,
which flood at 80^ at 2. p. m.

It may be proper to obferve, that the Barometer
made ufe of ftands or more, lower than others
of the fame Conftrudtion (which is the common
upright Make) during the warmer Seafon of the
Year, and ufually as much higher than they do in
the colder s but is made ufe of (as it has been for
more than 10 Years) becaufe I have always found
it to rife and fall fooner than any other I have com-
pared it with, and in particular than a very good
one, made by the late Mr. Sijfon, which has always
hung by it, and is conftantly compared therewith.

EX-

[ 213 ]

EXTRACT from a journal of Obfervations ou
the Barometer and Thermometer, made in Spitai
Square, London, in which the Extremes of each
are noted , at 2 ‘ p. m \equal Time, for theMonths
of May, June, July, Auguft, September, and Oc-
tober, this prefent Tear 1 749.

MAY.

]749*

AUGUyi

1749-

Da^

Bar

Dai

■ Ther.

Dai

r Bar.

Da's

r| Ther.

higheft
33> 2.3

13

higheft

76L

*5

higheft
30, 25

22

higheft

8°f

Dai

Bar.

Dai

Thbr.

D All

Bar.

Da 1

rj Ther.

25

loweft

loweft

loweft

/ 4

loweft 1

29, 33

4

59

29, 41

/ 4

59f

JUNE.

^49-

SEPT.

1749.

Day

l

Bar.

Day

Ther,

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

27

higheft
30, 32

28

higheft

80

26

higheft
3 O’ 44

5

higheft j
7°i j

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther. j

17

loweft
29, 30

3

• loweft
48!

*7

loweft
29* J7

2

loweft

54f

JULY.

1749.

OCTOB.

I

749-

Day

»r

Bar.

Day

Ther.

Day

Bar.

Day|

Ther.

1 8

higheft
3°’ 55

2

higheft

87

10

higheft
3°» 49

7 l

higheft

61

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

Day

Bar.

Day

Ther.

1 24

loweft
22, 66

8.30

31

loweft

641 ,

28

loweft
29’ 43

27

loweft /
43 1

VI.

[ lr4 ]

VI. Account of a Bas-relief of Mithras found
tf/York, explain'd by the Rev. Dr. Stukely,
F. R. S. communicated to the Royal Society ,
by Mr. Francis Drake of York, Antiquary
and F R. S.

York , Oflober 2$, I 749.

Read Nov. 23. A $ York was undoubtedly the Roman>
1/49 FnperialCity ofBritain: Soisitftill,

cafually throwing up Remains of its antient Grandeur
and Magnificence: Even down to our Time. About
two Years ago, in digging the Foundation of a large
Houfe, fince built, in our Trans Tyberim Street ,
called Micklegate , quaji Muckle , or Great Street ,
the Workmen went much below any former Foun-
dation that could be obferved on this Spot. And at
the Depth of ten Feet, came to a Stone, which
upon taking up, appeared to have Figures upon it,
but miferably defaced. Upon my viewing of it
foon after, I confefs, I was at a Lofs what to make
of.it; but judged it fome Reprefentation of an
Heathen Sacrifice, or Game, and therefore fent as
jufi: a Drawing of it, as could be taken, to my very
learned Friend Dr. Stukely , who according to his
deep Knowledge in the Learning of theAntients,foon
after returned me the following fhort, but curious
Explanation of this uncommon Piece of Sculpture.

“ The Drawing (fee Tab. II.) you fent me, of the
“ Bas-relief, dug up in a Cellar in Micklegate , anno
“ 1747. is a. great Curiofity. Tis a Sculpture of Mi-
“ thras, as ufual, lacrificing a Bull. He has on, the
“ Ferfian Mantle, called Candys , and the Phrygian

“ Bonner,

[ 215 ]

« Bonnet, called Tyara. He rcprefents the Archt -
“ magus , performing the great annual Sacrifice, at
“ the Spring Equinox : According to the Patriarchal
“ Ufage.

“ Thefe Ceremonies to Mithras , were generally
“ celebrated in a Cave of a Rock 5 therefore, this
“ Sculpture was found fo deep in the Earth."

There is, commonly a Figure on each Side of him,
habited in the fame manner, (landing crofs-legg’d :
The one holds a Torch up, the other down : Here
is only the latter, in your Sculpture 5 the other is
imperfect.

‘ Underneath, is the Figure of an Horfe, inti-
‘ mating thereby, the Sun’s Courfe ; For in time,

‘ when the old patriarchal Cuftoms became profaned

* and defecrated into Idolatry 5 they made Mithras
‘ to be the Apollo , or the Sun. Whence thefe
‘ Sculptures had a Number of Symbols, relating to
c the folar Circuit of the Year, thro’ the twelve Zo-
e diacal Conftellations.

* The two Figures attending on the Archimagus?
‘ are inferior Officers to him. There is a Myltery
‘ in their (landing crofs-legg’d, like our Effigies of
‘ Croifaders in Churches, and it means the fame

* thing : For the Crofs was one Part of the Mithriac
‘ Ceremonies. Thefe two, by the different Attitude

* of their Torches, reprefent Day, and Night, as

* Mithras reprefents the Sun. The Figure imper-

* feftly drawn, at the Tail of the Horfe, is I believe,
‘ a Genius, twilled round with a Snake ; which
4 means the Vitality, imparted to all Things, by the
‘ folar Power, and Circle.

The

[ 2i6 ]

4 The other Figures are too imperfeCf, to trouble
4 you with Conjectures about them } but they all
4 regard the fame Defien. They are officiating
4 Pricfts, and dreft in fuch a fymbolic manner, as
4 intimates the Sun's Influence, and annual Motion.

4 The Mithriac Ceremonies, as hkewife the My-
4 fteries of the Antients, were but the expiring Re-
4 mains of the antienr, patriarchal Religion } and
4 Worffiip of the true God : As it were, (wallowed
4 up by Pagan ilm, and the Devil’s Inventions. For
4 indeed the Patriarchal Religion was no other than
4 Chriflianity antedated.

4 For in the Mithriac Ceremonies, and Myfteries,
4 they had plainly, the two Chriftian Sacraments :

* Initiation by Baptifm : And the fublime Comma-

* nion by Bread, and Wine. Mithras is but another
4 Name of a Mej]iahy in his prieftly Character : It
4 fignifies Mediator.

4 Thus writes Tertullian , c. 40. fpcaking of the
4 Devil perverting the Rites of true Religion : ‘4 (He),
44 the Devil perfuades thofe that are initiated into the
44 Mithriac Ceremonies, to believe an Expiation of
44 their Sins by their being baptized : And they are
44 crofled on the Forehead, as his faithful Soldiers.
44 And likewife they there celebrate the breaking of
44 Bread.” But they did not take thefe Ceremonies
4 from the Chriftians ; they are of a much antienter
4 Date ; perhaps from the Beginning of the World.

4 The Romans became extremely fond of the
4 Mithriac Sacreds, whence here you find this Sculp*

4 ture in the Imperial City. I faw an Image of
4 Mithras at Chefler , and no Doubt there are many
4 more in Britain } either deftroy’d, or undifeover’d.

44 St.

r 217 3

“ St. Jerom, in his Epiftle to Leeta, writes, A
“ few Years ago, your Cozen Gracchus , a Name of
“ ‘Patrician Quality, when he was Prxfed of the
“ City, deftroy’d, broke, and burnt the Cave of Mi-
“ thras.” This was at Rome, and about the Year
378. Not long after, we may well imagine, your
Roman Prxfed of Tork followed his Example, and
demolifhed the fubterranean Temple in Micklegate ;
where this Sculpture of him was found.

Stamford, July 30, 1747. ^ M. STUKELEY.

VII. Part of a Lettet * from James Mounfey,
M. D. Phyftcian to the Czarina’* Army ,
to Mr. Henry Baker, F. R. S. concerning
the Ruflia Caftor, the Baths at Carlfbad,
the Salt-mines near Cracau, and various
other Notices.

Head Nov. 23.
,7+9*

I

‘Dear Sir , Risa> l> *749*

AM highly fenfible of the Honour the
Royal Society does me, in taking No-
tice of what I communicated to you, and onlywifh
I were as capable as I am zealous to contribute any
thing that might be fatisfactory and acceptable to
that illuftrious Body, for which I have the greateft
Veneration.

I cannot as yet perfectly anfwer your Enquiries
concerning the Rujjia Caftor which is not all from
the fame Animal, fome of it being the Proftatre ,
Te/ies, and Kidneys of the Beaver, gathered in the
Spring ; but the true Sort comes from quite a different

E e Creature,

[ *i« 1

Creature, which refembles a wild Goat, juft by whofc
Navel the Caftor is found like two Glands. This I
am allured from People who have feen it on the
Spot; but as they are quite unacquainted with natural
Hiftory and Anatomy, we mud not truft to them too
much : I hope foon however to procure an Account
that may be depended on. In the mean time, as
you encourage me to write to you freely, I will in-
form you of what I judged the moll remarkable in
the Coutfe of my laft journey.

The Kingdom of Bohemia is a fine fertile Coun-
try, rich in Metals and Minerals of all Sorts. The
Frontiers all round are very high Mountains : The
inward Parts of the Country are hilly, with Plains
and rifing Grounds intermixt, that have the Appear-
ance of being the remaining Bafes and Ruins of for-
mer Mountains, the Soil being a Compofition of
decayed Rocks mixed with fomc vegetable Earth.
The Rocks on the higheft: Mountains are an aggre-
gate Stone of Lap ides Calcarii , Spati, §puartz-i.
Mica-, &c. The Plains arc covered with the leaft
diflolvable Parts of fuch Rocks. Their fineft: Cryftals,
and precious Stones, are gathered behind the Plough ;
many (till retaining the fame Figures they had re-
ceived at their Formation in the Veins and Hollows
of the Rocks. I found on the Tops of Mountains
decaying Rocks, which, when mixed with a little
vegetable Earth, made cxa&lythe fame Soil with that
in the rifing Grounds and Plains below.

There are feveral Places in this Kingdom where
the Mountains are wholly of Lapis Scijffilis , which
breaks into Rhomboids ; and I obferved for many
Miles the Shelves of this Stone running through

different

t «9 ]

different Mountains in the fame Direction, facing the
South-eaft, with an Inclination of the Shelves of
about 3f Degrees. The Soil here in the Plains is
clayey.

Not far from the Frontiers of Saxony , in the
Mountains, are the famous hot Springs of Carlsbad ,
the Tin-mines of Schlachtenwald, and Mines of
pyrites, where they prepare Sulphur and Vitriol. As
I fend you Specimens of the Minerals I met with in
thefe Places, I fhall give you alfo the beft Account
I can of what belongs to their Produ&ion.

Of the hot Springs at Carlsbad.

CARLSBAD is a fmall Town, fituated in an
Hollow between two high Mountains : A fmall
River called Toeple runs through it from S. E. to
N. W. The principal Fountain rifes on the North-
eaft Side, about twenty Paces from the River, and
about five or fix Feet higher than the Surface of the
Water. This Spring rifes through afquareTube of
Wood, whofe Diameter is about feven Inches, with
a confidcrable Degree of Violence : Whence it is
ealled the Sproudle, or Furious Fountain* It comes
from the Mountain on the other Side, and pafles
underneath the River, where the petrifying Quality
of its own Water has formed for itfelf an Aque-
duct of Tophus, through which it is conducted to
this Place. Sometimes this AqueduCt is fo filled and
choaked up with the Tophus , that it burfts into the
River, and puts the Inhabitants to a confiderable
Expence for repairing it. But to prevent this, they
bore and clean it every Year near the Fountain. It

E e 2 * forms

[ 220 ]

forms Rocks of Tophus along the Rive-hide, com-
pofcd of Strata of fevcral Colours, according as the
Water has been impregnated with different Matter,
or perhaps from the Difference of Heat or Cold, or
the Impreflions of the Air at the times of forming the
Lamella. ?. This Tophus is hard, and receives a

good Polifh, and of it they make Snuffboxes, Heads
of Canes, and other Toys. Some Years ago, in
digging to lay the Foundation of a Church, forty
or fifty Paces higher up the Hill, they found vaft
Quantities of this Tophus , which was in many Places
fo decayed and rotten (refembling very foft Clay),
that they were obliged to dig fcveral Fathoms deep,
before they could find a folid Foundation. Here
they threw out great Quantities of the Tifolithus , of
the Kinds I fend you, which are compofed of the
fame Matter as the Tophus , though of a very dif-
ferent Conftru&ion : The Tophus being made up of
Plains joined together, whereas the ‘ Tifolithi arc glo-
bular, and compofed of fevcral fpherieal Shells. Some
Globules are found above an Inch in Diameter, but
more commonly about the Bignefs of white Peas,
and decreafing gradually in Size till they become as
fmall as fine Sand, and at laft common Tophus .

The feveral Shells which compofe thefe Globules
differ in Colour as the Lamella of the other Tophus
do : But thefe Shells fcpaiate more cafily than the
Lamella , and (hew that the Colour often confifls
in one very thin Shell between two thicker ones.

Such kind of Tophus , with Tifolithi , is found at
other Places j but I have never yet met with any
body who could give a fatisfa&ory Account of its
Formation. Some think th zTiJblithi are Drops of

Water

[ 221 ]

Water petrified, as they are found commonly near
Falls of Water which is impregnated with the like
flony Matter : And as the fmallcft fcattered Drops of
Water fly farthcfl from the Centre, they fo account
for the gradual Diminution in Magnitude of the
‘ Pifolilhi . Others affirm they grow from the Vapour
of this petrific Water, though they cannot tell how.

Amidft this Uncertainty, I derermined, whilft I
was on the Spot, to fpare no Pains to icarch after
(and difeover, if poflible) the manner how thefe re-
gular globous Bodies are produced. I have already
told you, that the Waters of thefe hot Springs at
Carlsbad are fo replete with tophaceous Matter, that
where- ever they run, Mafles of 'Tophus are formed j
aud when thefe Waters are cold, a Scum (like the
little Scales of the fame Matter) rifes on the Top,
fomc of which I fend you, and I believe you will
think it, on Examination, littie or nothing different
from the Subfiance of the component Matter of the
Pifolithi, or from that which forms the common
Tophus, which 1 fuppofe to differ from the Tijohthi
only in Appearance.

Firft of all, I obferved in the Chinks and Hollows
of the ordinary Rock-ftone very fmall Molecule
loofely adhering; 1 found alfo Clufters of Tijolithi
in the like Places, and cn breaking up a Piece of the
Rock by the Side of the River, where it had been
burft by the Water, I difeovered Mafles of Tifolithi
lying in the Chinks, and many loofe ones twirling
round and played about in the bubbling Water.
My Suppofition therefore is, that the Stream de-
scending from the Body of the eppofire Mountain,
pafling beneath the River, and afterwards burfting

out

[ 212 ]

out on the Side of the Hill with aconfiderable Force,
could not fail to form Caverns in the Side of the
Mountain, and to change its Current as the Pafiages
became choaked up with the tophaceous Matter :
And as I found vaft Numbers of Molecule like Grains
of Sand in the Chinks where Water patted, thefe being
wattied off might ferve for Nuclei to the Pifohthi, and
being kept in continual Motion by the Vortex or
Whirling of the Water, would acquire a globular
Figure, and by receiving new fheliy Coats, from
time to time, would increafe in Bulk, fo long as
they were fuftaincd, and whirled about in the W ater.
And as in this Cafe fome would be precipitated fooner,
and others later, a Difference in Size mutt confe-
quently happen, and their Arrangement mutt be ac-
cording to their Proportion of Surface and Gravity-,
till the Place becoming full of fuch Matter, the
Water was obliged to feek out a new Paflage. At
the Formation of this Kind of Tophus in the
Caverns, fome intervening Accidents from the Mo-
tion of the Medium, the Influence of the Air, and
other concurring Caufes, have fometimes fo far
prevented a compact and firm Conjun&ion of the
component Particles, that in feveral Places it feems
in a decaying State ; and is even foft as Clay. In
the Air indeed it grows again fomewhat harder, but
then it is porous and light : And they call it Sproudle
Sand. The Inhabitants of a Houfc near the Church
have a Hollow, out of which they take this, and
fell it for the fcouring and polifhing of Silver, &c.
In this Hollow it is very warm and fuffocating, efpe-
cialiy in rainy Weather, and then there rifes from
it a ftrong Vapour.

On

t 223 ]

On the other Side of the River, at the Foot of
the Mountain, are a good many Houfes, and a broad
Street } crofs under which the Stream runs, and in
the Winter no Snow lies on the Place where it pafies.
Some Rooms in a Houfe built here are always warm
like a Bagnio, and in one of the Cellars may be heard
the Noife of the Water running under Ground. Along
this Side of the River arc feveral hot Springs, which
differ in Quality from one another, as well as from
the Water of the Sprondle. The Principal of thefe
is called the Mill-Fountain (from its being near a
Mill) which is much ufcd, and reckoned milder than
the Sproudle. It is not near fo faturated with the
limy Matter, and forms fcarce any Tophus.

Thefe Springs either have different Origins, or
elfe the great Stream divides in the Body of the
Mountain into feveral Branches ; which, according to
the Nature of the Paffages they run through, or
from the different Thicknefs of their Columns, and
the Velocity they move in, are impregnated with
different Matter, and when cold precipitate more or
lefsCalx; but their Salts are the fame, nor is there
much Difference in the Quantity they yield. The
Sprondle is fo full of the ftony Matter, that any
thing laid into it is covered over with a thick To-
phus in a few Days. When the Water is taken up,
and let Band a little in the Air, it incrufts the Vef-
fels that contain it, and its Surface is covered with
a Scale, like Lime-water, which is made Ufe of as
a Dentifrice.

I don’t propofe to inform you of the medical Vir-
tues of thefe Waters, nor to enter into phyfical Ac-
counts of their Origin : 1 have only in view to fa-
tisfy you about the Formation of the Specimens I
fend you.

[ 224 ]

Moft of the Rocks about Carlsbad are an Aggre-
gate of Spatum , Mica , Quartzumy Rubrica> cum
Matrice Lapidis Calcariiy and cleave into Rhom-
boids. The Soil on the Side of the Mountain is
made by the Difi'olution of fuch Rocks intermixed
with fome vegetable Earth ; and the whole Surface is
covered with the leaft difl'olvable Parts, often ad-
hering together in Mafl.es by the Intervention of a
limy Matter like incruftcd Spatum. And I found
higher up the Mountain fome Rocks moundering
into fuch Soil.

The Carlsbad Waters give a good deal of neutral
Salt by boiling and cryftallizing. From 1080 lb. cf
Water xxii Ounces of pure Salt. I fend you fome
which I prepared myfelf, fufpe&ing the Apothecary
might adulterate it to increafe the Quantity.

My Thermometer being broke, I procured one of
a Friend : But not knowing of what Conftrudion it
was, I tried it in the following manner : In melting
Ice the Mercury fell to 28 -f of its equal Parts, and
by the Heat of my Body it rofe to 66 of thofe Parrs.
This Thermometer held into the Sproudle Fountain
rofe by its Head to 96, and in the Mill-Fountain
to 67.

About twenty Miles from Carlsbad to the South-
weft near the Town of Eyra , is a cold Spring of
Mineral Waters, much in Ufe in thefe Countries.
This gives alfo a Salt much of the fame Kind. To
the South from Carlsbad about twenty five EngliJ). ;
Miies are likewife feveral cold Springs : One of
which is much richer in this fame Kind of Salt than
the former. It belongs to the Monaftery of Toe pie.
In the Winter, when they boil this Water, from x lb.

of

[ 225 ]

of Water they get fometimes above an Ounce of
Salt. They prepare here a neutral Salt, by adding
a mineral Acid, or perhaps fome other neutral Salt
(but the Preparation they keep a Secret) which makes
it fhoot into beautiful Cryltals. It is called Sal
Medium Toeplicenfe , and is fold in many Places of
Germany. I fend you Specimens of all thefe. On
expofing thefe Salts fome time to the Air, they fall
into a Magnefiay but diffolving and cryftallizing
them again recovers them ; thoJ the oftener they are
diflolvcd, the Cryflals fhoot the fmallcr.

About feven Miles South-weft from Carlsbad , at
Altfettley are Mines of black Schijhts , and formerly
they made a great deal of Alum and Vitriol from
it ; but it is now neglefted, as they find in the fame
Mines Plenty of GlebaP)riticofay from which they
diftil Sulphur. Six hundred Weight of this Pyrites
give one of Sulphur : And the Oven makes from
one to two hundred Weight pet Week. The Rc-
fiduum being thrown in great Heaps in the open
Air, takes Fire, and conftantly fmokes. This Mat-
ter they throw into large Rcfervoirs of Water,
which afterwards they let run off into the Boiling-
Houfe, and fo make Copperas.

About nine Englijh Miles to the South from Carlf-
bad , are the Tin mines of Schlachtenwald. They
reckon this Mine has been wrought near yoo
Years. There are five Entries, four whereof
are provided with Machines for hoifting the Barrels
with the Tin Stone : The fifth is for drawing the
Water out of the Mine. The Number of Miners
who work below Ground are 90 : Each Man deli-
vers 2y Barrels of this Stone per Week, and receives

F f fome-

[ 226 ]

fomcthing lefs than Haif a Crown Wages. They
have different Inventions, in the Mine for fplitting
the Rock, but the mod effe&ual one is binding it
with Gunpowder. The whole People employed in
thefe Mines are about geo. The main Body of the
Mine is nearly 700 Feet in Diameter, and from this
go feveral Ead and Wed ; for fo the Mineral runs.
The broaded of thefe Ways is about two Feet, and
the Mineral in thclc Veins is richer than what is
found in the main Body of the Work, whofe greateft
Depth is 6yo Feet. The Tin-done is fird burnt in
Kilns, which they fay betters the Tin confiderably,
and makes it much more cafy to damp. After this
Preparation it is broughr to the Stamp mills, where
by damping it becomes like grey River Sand, which
they walh and feparate the Tin from in the follow-
ing Manner. They throw it by Shovel's- full into
Bafons where there paflls a Current of Water, and by
keeping of it ftirring it runs over by a broad Con-
duit defeending by Steps, which are covered with
coarfc Linen C.oth ; and by this Operation the Sand
is wafhed away, and the Tin remains on the Cloth
in Form of a black fcaly Powder, and dried is fit for
Melting. One hundred Weight of the Stone gives
only three Ounces of Tin ; and 1 yo lb, of the clean-
wafhed Tin-mineral give 1401b. of Tin. There
are ten Melting Ovens, each whereof can melt nine
or ten hundred Weight in twenty-four Hours ; the
Breadth of thefe Ovens within fide is eight or nine
Inches, and from ten to twelve Feet long, blown
by two Pair of Bellows. The Proportion of Char-
coal to the Metal is near an equal Weight. They
are thrown into the Oven by Degrees, alternately :

The

[ 227 ]

The Refiduum they melt three times over, which
always yields new Metal. They make here
about 800 Center % per Annum, which is fold from
fifty-three to fifty-fix Imperial Gouldens per Center.
They find fometimes the black and fometimes the
white cryftal Mineral in Nefts, or Clutters : The
Stannum Toledrozi Nigrum is a very pure and rich
Tin Ore -: They fay the white is rich alfo, but 'tis
fo hard and difficult to melt, that the Tin is burnt
to an Afh before it can be brought to Fulion.

Near Geffries, mBarezth, they boil Vitriol. The
Mineral from which they make it, is a black Schiftus ,
fome of it too is brown. It has fcveral fmall Veins
of Pyrites in it. \Y hen firft taken out of the Pits it
has no Tatte, but after it has been expofed fome
Time to the Weather, and begins to moulder, it
acquires a very fharpe Tatte. It is laid in great
Heaps, under which there are Citterns for receiving
the Water that runs from it after Rain, or that they
pump upon it when the Weather is dry. This
Water is conveyed by Conduits into the Boiling-
Houfe, where there are two Leaden Kettles, in which
it is boiled to a ftrong Ley, and then let off into
Receivers where ic {hoots. Thefe two Kettles make
from eight to nine hundred Weight per Week,
which is all wrought by two Servants : It not having
been found neceffary to add any new Mineral to the
Heaps thefe fifteen Years patt, as they affured me.
But as the Quantity of the Mineral confumed in that
Time is not known, it is impoflible to determine
how much of this Salt has been fupplied by the Air.
They only add to the Quantity half an hundred
Weight of Iron, which is confumed in the Kettles

F f 2 - every

[ 228 ]

every Week, and makes it fhoot into Copperas j
but in Place of this, if they add Copper, it makes
blue Vitriol. Formerly they made Alum here like-
wife from the fame Ley, only inftead of Iron or
Copper they added Pot-Alh and Urine : But the
Expence of the firft, and the Difficulty of getting the
other in fufficient Quantity, has made them leave
off making Alum here for fome Years paffi

Of the Salt-mines near Cracau.

NEAR Cracau in Toland are famous Salt Mines,
of which I ffiall give you a fhort Account, as
well as of the moft remarkable Things 1 found there.
The Town is fituated near the Foot of a vaft Chain
of Mountains, and from it, palling by Hills and
riling Grounds about two German Miles Southward,
I came to the Mines of Vilitzca. Thefe arc in a
Hill flat and irregular above, furrounded with Hol-
lows and Vallies, and to the South there is a
neighbouring Hill much higher. The Mine has
ten Entries, which are provided with Horfe- En-
gines, whereof feven are for hoifting up the
Salt, and the reft for drawing Water from the Works,
and for the Defcent and Afcent of the People.
I entered the Mine by winding Stairs of 4S4
Steps, which brought me to the firft Story. The
Defcent into the fecond is by ftrait Stairs of
133 Steps. Into the lowermoft Story there are
no Stairs, but eighteen Ladders from different
Floors, which make togerher 300 Feet > and the
computed Depth of the Whole is about <joo Feet
perpendicular.

The feveral Strata of the Earth are as fallow.—
On the Surface is a common clayey Ground, next is

pure

[ 229 ]

pure Clay, and then a Bed of foft, moift, black, (limy
Earth ; and below this are Hills of a Kind of Earth
without any Mixture of Grit or Sand. * Here are firft
found Particles and Veins of Salt 5 and, descending a
good Way through this and Some Salt Rocks, we
enter into the firft Story, where there are a great
many Alleys and Crofs-ways (which are run out to
conftdcrable Diftances), and many large Caverns, out
of which Salt has been cut. Here the Floor, Walls,
and Cielings, are Solid Salt Rock. As the Religion
of the Country is Roman Catholic, there are Several
large Chapels, with Altars adorned with Columns,
Crucifixes, Statues of Saints, and other Ornaments
in that Way, hewed out of the Salt Rock, and well
wrought in different Orders of Architecture. Some
of thefe, which are of the purer Salt, and not much
Smoked with the Torches that the Workmen uSe in
the Mine, have a very beautiful EffeCt. In Some Places
the Sides of the Alleys, and Some of the great Vaults,
are lined and doubled withTimbers, where they thought
the Pillars of Earth or Salt left for Supporting the
Superior Weight might prove too weak. I observed
in one Place, that a Sinking of the Earth Some Years
ago had crufhed Some of the Baulks almoft flat, and
made a Rent in the Salt Rock on the other Side,
about nine Inches wide.

Notwithftanding there is no Remembrance or Tra-
dition of any remarkable Accident by the Falling-in
of thefe Mines, yet they have lately discovered a
Wooden HouSe, which muft have been Swallowed
in very long ago. Thefe Mines were on Fire in the
Year 1644.. but this Accident muft have happened
long before that time j for they have a Plan of thefe
Works, taken about 200 Years ago, with Pvcmarks

[ 23° 1

of every thing that was curious in all three Consig-
nations; but no mention is made of thisHoufe, nor
is there any-thing in the Regiftcrs of thefe Works
that fhews it to have funk in fincc. The Wall of
this Houfe is feen at the Side of one of the CrofT-
ways : They have found Plates, Spoons, ■ and fome
other Things of Metal ; but they make no farther
Search, as the Pains would exceed the Profit : So it
is left as a Curiofity.

Notwithftanding the Salt Rocks arc on all Sides,
and the Earth that is among them is full of Veins and
Particles of Salt, there is a Spring of very good frefh
Water, which is the Drink of the thirfly Workmen,
and of the Horfes employed below-ground. This
Source comes from above ; but directly over that
Place, on the Surface, there is no Well, nor lpringy
Ground, only it is hollow.

They find in thefe Mines Alabafter, G’acies Marr<e>
Gvpjum , and fometimes Pe&ines, or final 1 Sea fhellsr
But the moft remarkable Thing of all is, in the Mid-
dle of a vaft Salt Rock, a large Tree is found, with
all its Branches incafed in it, lying horizontally. I
fend you a Piece of it, which I hewed out of the
Rock myfelf. It feems to be a Beech-tree, of which
there grow Plenty in thefe Countries at prefent.

From the upper Story the Rocks grow broader
like Cones, and the deeper they go, the Salt is al-
ways finer, and lefs mixed with Earth : But it is not
yet known how deep they run. They do not how-
ever find it turns fo much to Account to work the
lowcrmofi Story, though it is all pure Rock, the
Hoifling being more expenfive than the running out
Crofi-ways, and working the upper Stories. The

Rocks

[ 23l ]

Rocks have Roots or Veins, which fhoot into the
Earth on all Sides, fomc in Prait Lines, others in
Zigzag, even to the DiPanceof Seventy Feet; where-
by the Miners are often dire&ed to the Body of the
Rock. Thcfe Veins are jvery white and clear, yet
they make no UTe of what is found in them, being
impure, and mixt with other Salts: It likewife dil-
folves much eaficr than the true Salt. Sal Gemmg
is found in Veins and Nells in fevcral Places of the
Mines, but ’tis often very troublefome to hew, and
get it out of the other Salt Rock. Here are no
Wells of Napktka , but there arc forne Cavities where
the Air is fo inflamable, that fome, by going rafhly
into fuch Places with a Light, have been damaged
by the Fire, and even run the Rifqueof their Lives.
This only happens in Places where the Air has no
free Admillion; for in all the main Streets and crofs
Ways there is a confiderable Draught of Air thro'
the Ten Entries: And, in the Winter, while it is a
Prong Froll, and quite calm Weither, there reigns a
very Prong Wind in the Mines: But Pormy Weather
makes no Alteration ; and in the Summer there never
happen any fuch Changes.

From the feveral Ways are Entries into the Cham-
bers or Vaults where they work. They hew the
Sides of the Wall into large fquare Columns, the
Height of the Room, and about Two or Three. Feet
thick. By driving their Wedges in behind thcfe Pil-
lars, they make them rend from the Rock, and their
Fall on the Floor makes a very great Noife. The
Workmen are fo accuPomed, that by the Sound of
their Blows they know the InPant it is going to fall,
and get out of the Way accordingly. Sometimes

they

[ 232 ]

they hew the like Pieces from the Floors. Thefc

Pillars are again hewed into Blocks, from Three to
Six Feet long, according to their Thicknefs. They
are drawn up, and tranfported in fuch Pieces, and the
fmall in Barrels.

The Quantity of Salt dug here yearly, comes to
about 120,000 Centeners of Vienna : and the whole
Expenccs for Officers, Workmen, Materials, fyc.
amount to about 100,000 Dollars. The Number of
Workmen of all Sorts make about 600 Perfons :
They are very healthy and long-lived, not fubjed to
the Scurvy, or any particular Diftempcrs. The Of-
ficers on the contrary are very lubjed to Difeafes of
the Breaft, and Confumptions, which is probably
owing to the frequent Changes of Air they meet
with, their Bufinefs obliging them to ftir about much,
both above and below Ground, where the Air is
very different.

Thefc, Sir, were the mod material Oblervations
I was able to make in the Progrefsof our long March,
amidft my daily Cares and Fatigues in the Duties of
my Profeffion. 1 fhall from time to time give you
Accounts of whatever I think remarkable, and if
you, or any Gentleman of the Royal Society (hall
favour me with any Inquiries concerning the Pro-
dudions of this Country, I will return the molt
fatisfadory Anfwer in my Power. I hope to hear of
your receiving this, and am,

Sir ,

Tour moji humble Servant,
James Mounsey.

VIII.

f 233 3

VIII. The Cafe of a Lady , who was delivered
of a Child , which had the Small Pox ap-
peared in a Day or two after its Birth ;
drawn up by Cromvyell Mortimer, M. D.
Seer. R. S.

THIS Gentlewoman had never had the Small
Pox that fhc knew of, and was accounted by
her Relations likewife not to have ever undergone
that Diftempcr. In Feb. 1700-1. fhe was big with
Child, and within about a Fortnight or three Weeks
of her full Reckoning, when the following Accident
happened. A poor Widow Woman, who lived in
a lonely Cottage in the Neighbourhood, was feized
with the Small Pox, and had nobody to aflifl or
nurfe her; the Country People, as much afraid of this
Diftemper as of the Plague, would neither fend her
Neccflaries, nor fuffer. her to come to their Shops to
buy : Wherefore in this Extremity fhe made fhift to
get to this Lady’s Houle, who was noted for her
Goodnefs to the Poor, efpecially for giving them
Medicines when lick: Her BufineL to entreat
the Lady to defire her Husband to ufe his Authority*
with the Overfcers of the Poor to appoint a proper
Nurfe to attend herl; for that other wife fhe muft cer-
tainly perifh for want of Necdfariesj for even the
Par ilh- Officers \7ould nor- go near her. She exprefied
a very earneft Defire to fpeak to the Lady herfelf,
who confented to go to a Window, and fpoke to
her crofs a Courtyard at 30 or 40 Feet Diftance,
thinking herfelf fafi from Infe&ion in that Situation.

G g She

[ 234 ]

She look’d upon her without any Surpuizc,but thought
the Sight very difagreeablc, the Woman having her
Face and Arms full of a large diftind Sort, in the
State of Maturation. About a Fortnight after, viz-
Feb. 27. 1 700- 1. the Lady was brought to bed of
a fine jolly Boy : In a Day or two there appeared an
Eruption all over his Skin, which was at firft taken
by the Nurfe for the Red-Gum, tho’ the Appear-
ance was earlier than that Diforder ufually attacks
Children 5 but in a Day or two more it fhewed itfelf
to be the confluent Small Pox. The Child was im-
mediately removed from its Mother but theDiftem-
per proved to be of the very word Sort, fo that the
Child died before the Turn : The Mother took no
Infedion, and lived to the Year 173d. without ever
having the Small Pox.

It is very furprifing and wonderful to confider the
different Manners, in which Children, while in their
Mothers Wombs, are affeded by various Accidents
happening to the Mothers. How the Imagination
only, affeded by the Difagreeablenefs of the Sighr,
fhould convey the Infedion to this Child in the Cafe
above recited, is, I own, what I am not able to .ac-
count for 5 efpecially as there was no Fright or Sur-
prize, and that the Mother was under no Apprehen-
fion of Danger. ^

The above Account is what I lately took down
in Writing from a Daughter of the Gentlewoman.
Indeed many Years ago I have heard the Lady hcr-
felf mention the Accident ; but I did not commit it
to Writing •, but I think it was with this Difference
that fhe was furprifed, and that the Child was
born with the Small Pox upon it, in the eruptive
State.

IX.

[ 235 ]

IX. Some Accounts of the Fcetus in utero
being differently affedled by the Small Pox .
By W. Watfon, F. R. S.

Read Dec. 7. HAT the human Species fhould
17+9 JL °nly once ln their Lives be liable
to the Small Pox, has long, been obferved with Sur-
prize, both by Phyficians and Philofophers : Nor is
it lefs extraordinary, that the Child before Birth,
which in every Circumftance is equally fupported by
its receiving and circulating its Mothers Fluids,
fhould be fo differently affc&ed by that Diftemper.

From the Diffe&ions of thofe who have died of
the Small Pox, we find that the Vifcera arc (ubjedt
to the variolous Abfceffes as well as the Skin j but
that the Foetus does not always partake of the In-
fection from its Mother, or the Mother from the
Foetus , is the Subject of this Paper.

About four Years fincc I attended a young Man,
a Servant to a Carpenter, who had a very putrid and
offenfive kind of Small Pox ; of which neverthelcfs
he recovered. His Miftrefs, during his Illnefs, came
frequently into his Room, and fometimes continued
there a confiderable Time. She was then about
feven Months gone with Child, but had had the
Small Pox herfelf many Years before. At the ufual
Time fhe was delivered of a Girl, whom I faw very
foon after its Birth: and there appeared very plain-
ly the Marks of about forty Pnftules, in different
Parts of her Body. From this Appearance I then in-
form’d the Parents, that I apprehended the Child

G g z would

[ 236 ]

would hereafter be very fecure from the InfefUon :
But as about a Month ago the Parents thought pro-
per to have a little Boy of theirs inoculated, I re-
quefted that they would permit the before-mentioned
Girl to be inoculated likewife. As I defired, they
were both inoculated, from a Child of my own,
who had, from Inoculation, had a favourable Kind.
Upon the tenth Day afrer the Operation the Boy
fickened, and had the Small Pox, very favourably:
About the fame Time the Girl grew pale, and loft
her Appetite. This Indifpofition continued for two
or three Days, and then (he recovered.

In both thefe Children, the Incifions, which were
made only in one of their Arms, were extremely
fuperlicial, and inflamed in both as ufual : That in
the Boy produced the variolous Fever and its Atten-
dants, as is before-mentioned ; but in the Girl occa-
floned only a Palenefs and Lois of Appetite without
a Fever, and one variolous Abfccfs in one Part of
the Incilion, fuch as is fometimes feen in Nurfes,
and inthofe who have attended Perfons in the Small
Pox, who have had it themfelves before. This one
Fuftule was a fufficient Argument of the variolous
Matter taking Place, and endeavouring to excite the
ufual Symptoms.

Dr. Mead in his learned Treatife concerning the
Small Pox takes Notice of a Woman’s attending her
Husband, who, a fhort Time before fhe expefted
her Delivery, was ill of the Small Pox. As fhe had
undergone the Diftemper herfelf a confiderable Time
before, fhe felt no Inconvenience therefrom ; but
upon her Delivery the Child was found dead, and
its Body covered with the Small Pox,

Thefe

[ 237 1

Thefe two Hiflories evince, that the Child before
Birth, though clofeiy defended from the external Air,
and enveloped by Fluids and Membranes of its own,
is not fecure from the variolous Infection, though
its Mother has had the Diftemper before. They de-
monftrate the very great Subtility of the variolous
Effluvia; as we find them capable either from their
floating in the Air, and by their being taken in by
the Inspiration of the Mother, or by penetrating the
abforbent Velfels upon her Skin, and thus mixing
with her Blood, of exerting their Effafts upon the
Child : And we may obferve further from the fir ft
of thefe Cafes, that it is pofflble for the Child to live
through the Small Pox before its Birth j as well as
that after that Period under the before-mentioned
Circumftances it is not liable to the Infection a°;ain.

The following Hiftory is equally remarkable with
the preceding.

A Lady of high Birth and Quality now living,
well known to feveral Members of this learned Bo-
dy, had the Small Pox to a great Degree when
feven Months gone with Child notwithftanding
which fhe went her Time and was delivered of a
Son, who did not appear to have upon his Body
any Marks of the Diftemper. As this Lady had been
feverely handled by the Small Pox, it was judged
that her Child would never after be liable thereto s
nevertheless when about four or five Years old, he
was attacked with the Diftemper, but got very well
through it, and is now alive.

A Cafe in fome refpefts refemblingthislaft is taken.
Notice of by Mauriceau *, who delivered a Woman

of

* See Mauriceau fur les maladies des femmes grcjfts, Cafe 576,.

[ 238 ]

of an healthy Child at her full Time, who during
the fifth Month of her Gefhtion had had the Small
Tox to a great Degree ; although the Child, from
any Marks ol its Body, did not appear to have been
affected with the Diftemper.

Thefe Cafes are the very Rcverfe of the former $
where though from Inoculation the moft minute
Portion of Lint, moiftened with the variolous Mat-
ter and applied to the flightly wounded Skin, is ge-
nerally fufficient to propagate this Diftemper; yet
here we fee that the whole Mafs of the Mother’s
Blood, circulating during the Diftemper through the
Child, was not fufficient to produce it.

It generally happens, as we are informed by medi-
cal Writers, and as I myfelf have feen in Pra&ice,
that if Women are delivered during the Courfc of
the Small Pox, the Diftemper of the Child does not
keep Pace with that of its Mother, but is fubfequent
thereto. Thus the Child of the Lady, mention’d by
the learned Dr. Mead*, who was brought to bed on
the eleventh Day, when labouring under a very ma-
lignant Small Pox, was born without any Appearance
of the Puftules; but on the fourth Day after its Birth
the Child was feized with Convulfions, and died at
the Eruption of the Small Pox. And in a Woman,
whom I attended, and who was delivered of an ap-
parently healthy Child upon the ninth Day of a di-
ftindt Small Pox, the Child was not feized until the
eighth Day after its Birth, which is about the Time
that the Infection would have taken Place, if it had
been received from any other Quarter, independent
of its Mother’s having the Diftemper before its Birth.

From

* Vide Traft. de Variola , pag. 66.

C 239 ]

From thcfc Hiftories it- appears, that the Child be-
fore its Birth ought to be confider’d as a feparate, as
a diftinft Organilation ; and that, though - wholly
nourifh’d by its Mother’s Fluids, with regard to the
Small Pox, it is liable to be affe&cd in a very diffe-
rent Manner, and at a very different Time, from its
Mother.

X. The Cafe of Nicolas Reeks, who was
horn with his Feet turned inwards, which
catne to rights after bei?ig fome time ufed
to fit crofs-legged. TYa?iJmitted from W m .

Milner, Efq\ at Poole, to Sir Peter
Thompfon, Knt . F . R. S.

Read Dec. ~ATlcoIas Reeks was born in the Town
7' 1 749- l V Gf ‘Poole, 1724. with both his Feet
turn’d inwards. His Mother carried him to a Sur-
geon, who upon Examination gave it as his Opi-
nion that he was incurable. The Boy, as he grew
up, was with great Difficulty able to walk, but al-
ways on the outward Edge of his Feet and Heels,
fo that he frequently fell down in walking, one Foot
ifriking againft the other.

His Parents being poor, in 1735'. the Parifh put
Irim Apprentice to Mr. Richard Mockety of the fame
Town, Taylor, apprehending it the only Trade he
could be fit for as a Cripple. His Shoes were made
in a peculiar manner to lace on to his Legs, the

Mufcles

[ 24° ]

Muffles of which were much fmaller than thofe of
Boys of his Age. He lived with his Matter, and
worked at the Trade, till about 174.1. when they
began to perceive a manifefl Alteration and Turn in
both of his Feet} which was brought on without the
Attiftance of any manner of Art, Application of
Plaiftcrs, Oils, or Bandages, till both Feet were
turned to their right and natural Situation. He was
able to wear his Mailer’s Shoes, the Mufcles of his
Legs grew larger, his Feet and Legs like other Peo-
ples of 'his Age ; if any Difference, they turned
outwards more than others do. In March 174-f.,
he ran away from his Mailer, entered on board a
Ship of War as a Marine, and is now living at
! Tortfmouth .

Nov. 1. 1749*

4 I Richard Mockett , having read over the fore-
* going Cafe, do hereby certify, that Nicolas Reeks
4 was a Cripple, as therein deferibed, when I took
4 him an Apprentice} and that he was cured, whilft
4 he lived with me, without any Advice, Affiflancc,

4 or Application of Medicine, or Bandage whatever :

4 And I am of Opinion the Cure was performed by
4 his fitting crofs-lcgg’d on the Shop-board } as wit-
4 nefs my Hand, in Toole , ill Nov. 1749.

4 Riel/. Mockett

4 We whofe Names arc hereunto fubferibed, do
4 well remember, that Nicolas Reeks, mentioned in*
4 the foregoing Certificate, and formerly apprenticed
4 to Mr. Richard Mockett, was born hurl-footed in
;4 both Feet, and a Cripple } and do know, that he

4 was

k

[ 241 ]

4 was cured, and well able to walk, before he left
4 his faid Matter ; and do believe it was performed
4 wirhout any Art or Aflittance whatever, than as
4 exprefs'd above ; as witnefs our Hands,

4 Mabella Glover.

4 Eliz . Glo ver .

4 Sufannah JaJper , the
4 Boy’s own Aunt.'

The foregoing Account of the Cripple Nicolas
Reeks was drawn up in fuch Terms as were moft
agreeable to the Apprehenfions of the Perfons who
have certified the Truth of the Faff, and to whom
it was firtt read : And I am well fatisfied in the Cre*
dibility of their Tcftimony, and that many other
Perfons of Reputation might be called on, who
would fign the fame.

Cujlomhoufe, Poole, W. MlLNER.

Nov. i r. 1 749.

XI. A Letter from Mr. James Short, F.R.S.
to the Frefident , with the Defcription and
Ufes of an Equatorial Telefcope.

SIR ,

Read, Dec . 7. "T" Send you along with this the Defcription
1?49’ X anc* Ufes of the Equatorial Telefcope,
as alfo a Drawing of it ; which you defired of me
fome time fince, in order that it might be laid before
the Society. I have made three of thefe Inftru-
ments, one of which was bought by Count Bentink

H h for

C 242 ]

for the Prince of Orange ; the other two I have ftill
by me, one of which I (hall {hew to the Society. I
do not pretend to any-thing new in the Combination
of thefe Circles, of which this Inftrumcnt confifts,
the fame Combination having feveral times been
made before me, by way of a Dial: But I believe
the putting fo large a Telefcope upon this Machinery,
and applying it to the Ufes which I have done, is
fome what new. I am,

Sir,

Surryjireet , 7 th Tour mo ft obedient humble Servant,
Dec- J a. Short.

‘ Defcription and Ufes of the Equatorial Telefcope ,
or Tor table Obfervatory.

HIS Inftrument confifts of two circular Planes

or Plates, mark’d AA in the annexed Drawing,
Tab, III. which are fupported upon four Pillars; and
thefe are again fupported upon a Crofs-foot,or Pedef-
tal moveable at each End by the four Screws BBBB :
The two circular Plates AA are moveable, the one
above the other, and are called the horizontal Plates,
as rcprefenting the Horizon of the Place ; and upon
the upper one are placed two Spirit-Levels, to render
them at all times horizontal : Thefe Levels are fixed
at Right- Angles to one another: This upper Plate is
moved by a Handle C, which is called the Horizon-
tal Handle, and is divided into 360% and has a No-
nius Index divided into every three Minutes,

Above this horizontal Plate there is a Semicircle
DD , divided into twice 90*} which is called the Me-
ridian Semicircle, as reprcfenting the Meridian of the

Place,

[ 243 ]

Place, and is moved by a Handle E, which is called
the Meridian Handle, and has a Nonius Index di-
vided into every three Minutes.

Above this Meridian Semicircle is fatten'd a circu-
lar Plate, upon which are affixed two other circular
Plates FF, moveable the one upon the other, and arc
called the Equatorial Plates ; one of them, reprefent-
ing the Plane of the Equator, is divided into twice
12 Hours, and thefe are fubdivided into every io
Minutes of Time. This Plate is moved by a Handle
G, called the Equatorial Handle, and has a Nonius
Index for fhewing every Minute.

Above this Equatorial Plate there is a Semicircle
HH, which is called the Declination-Semicircle, as
reprefenting the Half of a Circle of Declination, or
horary Circle, and is divided into twice 90°, being
moved by the Handle K, which is called the Declina-
tion-Handle. It has alfo a Nonius Index for fubdi-
viding into every three Minutes.

Above this Declination -Semicircle is fattened a
Refk&ing Telefcope LL, of the Gregorian Con-
ftru&ion, the focal Length of its great Speculum be-
ing 18 Inches.

In order to adjuft the Inftrument for Obfervation,
the ttrtt thing to be done, is to make the Horizontal
Plates level or horizontal, by means of the two Spi-
rit-Levels, and the four Screws in the Crofs-Pedcftal.
This being done, you move the Meridian Semicircle,
by means of the Meridian Handle, fo as to raife the
Equatorial Plates to the Elevation of the Equator of
the Place ; which is equal to the Complement of the
Latitude (and which, if not known, may likewife
be found by this Inttrument, as (hall be afterwards

H h 2 (hewn).

C 244 1

fhewn). And thus the Inftrument is ready for Ob-
fervation.

To find the Hour of the T)ay , and Meridian of
the Tlace .

Firft find, from aftronomical Tables, the Sun’s De-
clination for the Day, and for that parricular Time
of the Day; then fet the Declination-Semicircle to
the Declination of the Sun, taking particular Notice
whether it is North or South, and fet the Declina-
tion-Semicircle accordingly.

You then turn about the Horizontal Handle, and
the Equatorial Handle, both at the fame time, till
you find the Sun precifely concentrical with the* Field
of the Teiefcope. If you have a Clock or Watch
at hand, mark thatlnftant of Time; and by looking
upon the Equatorial Plate, and Nonius Index, you
will find the Hour and Minute of the Day, which
comparing with the Time fhewn by the Clock or
Watch, fhews how much either of them differ from
the Sun. In this manner you find the Hour of the
Day.

Now, in order to find the Meridian of the Place,
and confequently to have a Mark, by which you
may always know your Meridian again, you firft
move the Equatorial Plate, by means of the Equatorial
Handle, till the Meridian of the Plate, or Hour-line
of n. is in the Middle of the Nonius Index; and
then, by turning about the Declination-Handle till
the Teiefcope comes down to the Horizon, you ob-
lerve the Place or Point which is then in the Middle
of the Field of the Teiefcope ; and a fuppofed Line
drawn from the Center of this Field to that Point in

the

[ 245 ]

the Horizon, is your Meridian Line. The belt time of
the Day for making this Obfervation for finding your
Meridian, is about three Hours before Noon, or as
much after Noon. The Meridian of the Place may
be found by this Method fo exaCt, that it will not
differ at any time from the true Meridian above io"
of Time ; and if a proper Allowance be made for the
Refraction at the time of Obfervation, it may be
found much more exaCt. This Line thus found will
be of Ufe to favc Trouble afterwards ; and is, indeed,
the Foundation of all agronomical Obfervations.

To find a Star or Tlanet in the ^Day-timey even
at Noon- day.

The Inflrument remaining as rectified in the laft
Experiment, you fet the Declination-Semicircle to
the Declination of the Star or Planet you want to
fee; and then you fet the Equatorial Plate to the
Right Afcenfion of the Star or Planet at that time,
and, looking throJ the Teiefcope, you will fee the Stat-
or Planet ; and after you have once got it into the
Field, you cannot lofe it : For, as the diurnal Motion
of a Star is parallel to the Equator, by your moving
the Equatorial Handle fo as to follow it, you will at
any time, while it is above the Horizon, recover if,
if ir be gone out of the Field.

The eafieft Method for leeing a Star or Planet in
the Day-time is this : Your Inflrument being adjufted
as before-direCled, you bring the Teiefcope down fo
as to look directly at your Meridian Mark ; and then
you fet it to the Declination, and Right Afcenfion, as
before-mentioned.

By this Inflrument mofl of the Stars of the firft
and fecond Magnitude have been feen even at Mid-
day,

[ 246 ]

day, and the Sun fhining bright; as alfo Mercury ,
Venus , and Jupiter: Saturn and Mars are not fo
eafy to be feen, upon account of the Fainrnefs of their
Light, except when the Sun is but a few Hours above

the Horizon.

And in the fame manner in the Night-time, when
you can fee a Star, Planet, or any new Phamomenofi,
fiich as a Comet, you may find its Declination and
Right Afccnfion immediately, by turning about the
Equatorial Handle, and Declination-Handle, till you
fee the Star, Planer, or Phenomenon; and then,
looking upon the Equatorial Plate, you find its Right
Afcenfion in time ; and you find, upon the Declina-
tion-Semicircle, its Declination in Degrees and Mi-
nutes.

In order to have the other Ufes of this Inftrument,
you mud make the Equatorial Plates become parallel
to the Horizontal Plates; and then this Inftrument
becomes an Equal Altitude Inftrument , a Tranjit
Inftrument , a Theodolite, a Quadrant , an Azimuth
Inftrument, and a Level. The manner of applying
it to thefe different Purpofes is too obvious to need
any Explanation.

As there is alfo a Box with a magnetic Needle
fattened in the lower Plate of this Inftrument, by it
you may adjuft the Inftrumenr nearly in the Meridian ;
and by it likewife you may find the Variation of the
Needle: If you fet the Horizontal Meridian, and the
Equatorial Meridian, in the Middle of their Nonius
Indexes, and direct your Telefcope to your Meridian
Mark, you obferve how many Degrees from the Me-
ridian of the Box the Needle points at ; and this Di-
ftance or Difference is the Variation of the Needle.

XII.

I

[ *47 1

XII. ^ Eclipfe of the Moon , obferved at Mr,
Graham’* Fleet-ftreet, John Bevis,
M.D, and Mr. James Shorty F.R. S.

[ Read Dec. 14. 1749.]

I749. By the Clock.
Vec 11. 23 56 155

12. 6 43 o

6 47 20

7 1 2(5

7 3 12

7 4?S

8 33 37
8 34 50

8 36 9

9 9 5
9 13 3°

5 53*
12 20 2

13. 23 56 46

App. Time.

h '

6 4 6 3 <5

6 50 56

7 5 1

7 6 47

7 8 13

8 37 11
8 38 24

8 39 +3

9 12 38

9 17 3

The San pafs’d the Meridian.

A fenfible Penumbra.

Eclipfe begins.

Shadow touches Tycho.

Tycho half covered.

Tycho covered.

Tycho begins to be uncovered.
Tycho half uncovered.

Tycho quire uncovered.

Eclipfe ends.

Penumbra gone.

Moon’s Center pafs’d the Meridian.
Sirius pafs’d, his Mean Right Af-
cenfion being 98° 31' 38".

The Sun pafs’d the Meridian.

The Appulfes of the Shadow to the Spot Tycho
were obferved with a Refleding Tdefcope, which
magnified about 40 times, and may be ierviceable
for geographical Purpofes. The Beginning and End
of the Eclipfe were eftimated by the bare Eye, and
a Retracing Telefcope of a fmall magnifying Power 3
larger Powers being apt to dilute the Shadow too
much, and thereby render thefe Phafes more un-
certain.

Apparent Time,

A Computation by Dr. Halley’s Tables) ... . ‘

gave the Beginning - - - -1*5*

gave the Beginning

End

9 14

XIII.

f M ]

XIII. An Account of an extraordinary Me-
teor feen in the County of Rutland, which
refembled a Water-Spout, comjnunicated to
the Prefid ent, by Tho. Barker, Efq\

Read Dec. 14. C< £ T T. if. 1 749. a remarkable Me-
^ teor was feen in Rutland , which I
lufpcdt to have been of the fame kind as Spouts at
Sea ; being much like the Account of two feen at
Hatfield in Jorkfbire ; Rhil. Tranfi No. 281. p. 1248.
and No. 2 84. p. 1331.

It was a calm, warm, and cloudy Day, with fome
Gleams and Showers ; the Barometer low and fall-
ing, and the W ind Sourh, and fmall. The Spout
came between f and 6 in the Evening j at 8 came
a Thunder Shower, and Storm of Wind, which did
Mifchief in fome Places 5 and then it cleared , up
with a brisk N. W. Wind.

The earlieft Account I have was from Seaton. A
great Smoke rofe over or near Gretton , in North-
amjjtonfbire , with the Likenefs of Fire, either one
fingle Fiafh, as the Miller faid, or feveral bright Ar-
rows darting down to the Ground, and repeated for
fome Time, as others fay. Yet fome who faw ir,
did not think there was really any Fire in it, but
that the bright Breaks in a black Cloud looked like
it. However, the Whirling, Breaks, Roar, and
Smoke, frightened both Man and Bead. Coming
down the Hill, it took up Water from the River
Welland, and pading over Seaton Field, carried
away feveral Shocks of Stubble j and eroding Glaif-

ton}

[ 249 ]

ton , and Morcot Lordfhips, at Pilton Town’s End,
tore off two Branches, and carried one of them a
good way. In a Hedge-row in the Meadow, at
Right Angles to the Spout’s Courfe, flood an Oak
and anAfh iy Yards afunder ; the Oak a young found
one, 1 6 Inches thick, it fplit two Yards down, and
one Half fell to the Ground, but was not quite
parted from the other j the Afh, about 8 Inches thick,
was tom off in the Middle, and carried io or 12
Yards. Between and on each Side of thefe Trees
were other fmaller ones, which were not hurt: I
heard of no Harm it did after,' but breaking and
fcattering a few Boughs. I faw it pafs from Pilton
over Lyndon Lordfhip, like a black fmoky Cloud,
with bright Breaks j an odd whirling Motion, and a
roaring Noife, like a diftant Wind, or a great Flock
of Sheep galloping along on hard Ground ; it was
divided into two Parts all the Way it went, and tho'
there -was no Wind, moved apace from S. by W. to
N. by E. As it went by a Quarter of a Mile Eaft
from me, 1 faw fome Straws fall from it, and a Part,
like an inverted Cone of Rain, reached down to
the Ground. Some who were tnilking, faid it came
all round them like a thick Mill, whirling and part-
ing, and, when that was pad, a flrong Wind for a
a very little while, though it was calm both before
and after. It then palfed off between Edithwejlon
and Hambleton , but how much further I do not
know.

li

XIV.

rV>'.

[ 25° ]

XIV. An Rnquiry into the original State and
Properties of Spar, a?id Sparry Product ons,
particularly , the Spars, or Cryftals found
in the Cornifti Mines , called Cornifti Dia-
monds. In a Letter to Emanuel Mendez da
Cofta, Efq\ F, R.S. from the Rev. Mr. Wm.
Borlace.

Read Dec. 14, 1749.
May 3, 1750.

S'.

SIR >

N C E among your Searches
into Natural Hirtory, you think
it worth your while to be particularly inquifitive
after our cryftallized Spars, commonly called Cornijh
Diamonds '■> I will give you the beft Information I
can concerning them, alluring myfelf, that you will
make proper Allowances for the want of fuch Af-
fiftances as are not to be had in my prefent Situa-
tion.

I {hall confide, r Spar here, as the Genus, at the Head
not only of all the Species of common Spar, and In-
cruftations of what Colour foever, but of Cryftals and
Gems, which are here underftood only as finer and
purer Subftances of the Spar Kind (1).

' . . r> There

(1) The Properries of Cryftal affigned by a late Trsacife {Mr.
Hill’r Nat. Hiji. of FoJJlls ), fuch as keeping itfeif unaffected
by Acid Menftrua, remaining unaltered in a moderate Fire, and
giving forth Sparks of Fire by Collifion (whereby that Author dif-
tmguifhes it from Spar), are here reckoned, rather to be accidental
and claffical Differences, owing to a purer ftony Juice, lefs friable

and

s

t *-s* j

There arc fcveral Sorts of thefe fparry Productions,
'which are carefully to be diftinguifh’d from each
otherj but they may all be confidered, flrfl:, with
regard to their original State, or what they have
been} and, in the next Place, as to what they now
are, that is, as to Form, Size, Colour, Hardnefs,
Texture of Parts, and Dire&ion of their Shoots in
the Mines or Quarries. Thefe Particulars, feparatcly
difejafled, may poflibly lead ,us to fcveral probable
Conje&ures concerning the Original and moll diflin-
guilhing Properties of thefe Bodies, fuch as may af-
ford fome Light to this perplexed and intricate
Subject.

S E C T. I.

That all Spar has been, at one time or other, in a.
State of Fluidity* may be maintained, I think, with great
Rcafon-,. as well a $ fuppart^d by; the Authority of
fome of the mod eminent Naturalifts (2). In fome
Spars are found Straws, and other light Bodies} and
we may therefore as juftly- conclude them to have
been once fluid,, as the Amber that inclofes the Bee.

In fome Stones, whereon were fparry Concretions,

■ -1 . ■ :: ; . - . . i'J \ 1 ■. *

and terrene than that of the common Spar, than to any effential and
radical Difference in the Principia of thefe Bodies, There is in
“all Spar more or left 'of' CryfVnl.” Wdodviard’s Nat. Hi ft. Fojftls , 158.]
For many Spars that are, which are opaqua, and yet in the fame
hexagonal Fortn as Cryftals} vyh^nce jt appears, that Spar andCryftal
do npt differ in SubfUnce andNature, but inTranfparency, Colour,
and different Dej/rees'df Purit/i Spars much the fame with Cryft
t{ tals, fays Dr. P/or, Oxf. p. 9 8. §. 52.” Atid Boetius doubts nor,
but they {viz. Spars) are of the fame Matter with Gems, ib. §. 5 3.

(2) iVoodward’s Catal. of Foff. Vol. 1. p. 151, and 157. No. 78.
alibiqu e pajjim.

' /3td ' I i 2 Dr. -

[ 252 ]

Dr. Woodward found Fragments of Shells, and Pel-
licles of the Ova of Fifhcs; a certain Evidence, that
this fparry Production was not anterior to the De-
luge ; for the Stone mrft have coalefcecl and hardened
upon the Shell, before the fparry Concretion could
have fixed upon the Surface of the Stone; and as I
apprehend, tire Learned are now very well fatisfy’d,
that Inch extraneous FofTils as are mentioned above,
a:e not the Lufus Nature ; but die Exuviae of Ani-
mals brought where we find them by the Waters of
the Deluge. — Where-evcr any Number of the (hotter*
Spars occur, there may be feen fucceflive Incrufta-
tions and Cryftals fixing on other Cryflals, fome
Incruflations broken off, and fhewing their concave
Eafe, fhapedby the Cufpis or Apex of the Diamonds
on which they were once fattened ; which fhews,
that there has been a Sti'cctttion of feparate and dif-

tindt Indurations. In feveral Places we find wavy

Procefies * fprmed in thin Plates, on the perpendicu-
lar Sides of the Rocks, by the Spars flowing down
in the fame Manner, as one Wave fucceeds another
on the Sea- Shore-; to which we may add, the fre-
quent Formation of fparry Efflorcfcencies, Accre-
tions on Walls, and Staladfites hanging dawn from
the Vaults and Caverns of deferred Mines, Evidences
fufficicnt of the modern Date of fuch Productions.
That we may the eafier apprehend this Truth of
Spars having been once a Fluid (upon which much
depends), it may here be obferved, that fomething
very like this Procefs, (I mean Liquors hardening
mto Stone) is commonly feen in the Effedts of pe-
trifying Waters; yvhere as foon as the ftony Juice

* See Tab. V. Fi*. 22.

meets

t 2 S3 3

meets a proper Nidus of Wood, Reed, Grafs, or the
like, it will forfake its State of Fluidity, and become
a folid Stone : Why then fhould it feem more un-
accountable or difficult, to conceive that the fame
Alteration fhould happen in the Bowels of the Earth,
and in larger Mafles of Matter? For as the fame
Caufe will in like and equal Circumftances produce
the fame Effect, fo to produce a greater Effedt [viz.
an Alteration of Form or Motion in a greater Quan-
tity of Materials), there is need only of a propor-
tionably greater Force in the Caufe ; it being as eafy
for a powerful Effort to produce a Rock, or a Moun-
tain, as for a fmaller Force to congeal a Pebble, or
form the fmalleft Gem. If it were poffible, there-
fore, for us to be as attentive Witneffes of the
Changes which happen under the Surface, as we
are of thofe which appear on the Banks of every
petrifying Spring, we fhould difeover many new
Stones produced every now -and -then, which by
their Firmnefs appear now to have been as old as
the World (3). It is indeed a vulgar Miftakc to
imagine, that Time has added, or fhall add, to the
Firmnefs of a Spar ; or becaufe it is fo hard and
compadt a Body, that it cannot therefore but be as
old as the firft: Formation of Things 5 for Spar be-
comes as hard at the firft Time of its confolidating,
as it will be ever after, as we find by the exa<ft

(3) Since the Writing of the following Treatife, Mr. 1 ii/l {Nat.
Hijl. of Fojfih, p. 157.), by a curious chemical Inveftigation of the
lapideous Contents of Water, fays, “ That Stones and Minerals,
“ formed of Cryftal and Spar, need not be fuppofed all of them as
£‘ old as the Creation or Deluge 3 but may be, and unqueftionably
“ are, formed to this Day.”

Shape,

t 25+]

Shape, and the fmooth Sides which Gornijh 'Dia-
monds make in Incruftations, and ali after and fe-
condary Concretions. This fparry Liquor is ftiff and
fluggifh, and apt to harden j but it is a Liquor how-
ever, before it becomes a Stone. Nor is this

Opinion Angular, but adopted by many of the Mo-
derns as well as Antients. Tliny (4), from the Re-
femblance that Cryftals have to Water, carried this
Hypotheiis much too far, and thought them to be
nothing more than Water congealed by exceflive
Cold j and Diodorus efteems them no better than a
Concretion of pure Water, affigning however a dif-
ferent Caufe, concluding them harden'd by a divine
Heat. Agricola makes the Succits lapidefcens the
original Matter of which Stones are formed, fome
by the Heat, others by the Cold (7) they meet with,
during the State of Fluidity (6). Mr. Geoff’roy’s Hy-
pothefis fuppofes Cryftal to be formed of thin 1
equable Plates, that Water is the Vehicle of cry-^
ftalline Parts $ and when thofe Parts meet together
in any Quantities, the Water eafily evaporating leaves
the Cryftals to form themfelves into hard, pellucid”
Bodies. Mr. Boyles Opinion was, that thefe Bodies

were originally in a fluid State (7). ' /

■ . • J" i n *i ■ ‘j j };. L

. — ■)■>

(4) Lib. 37. t. 2.

(5) C( Utroque enim modo effici potefl Lapis? Ag. de Ort. Subt.
Lib. 4. Bafif. Edit. p. 57.

(6) lb. p. 56.

(7) See Boerhaave’s Theory of Chemiftry, by Shaw, Not. 120.

Sect.

[ 255 ]

Sect. 2.

Whence this Fluidity.

Tis Water that firft occafions, and afterwards
maintains, this Fluidity ; and the Reafon why we find
none of this fparry Mafs in its fluid State, nor ever fee
this lapideous Juice, is, becaufe that whilft it remains
incorporated with theWater, it is not to be diftinguifli’d
from the Liquor in which it fwimsj and as foon as
ever it is deferted by theWater that circulated it in
the Bowels of the Earth, and othef neceflary Cir-
cumftanccs concur to produce that Change, it be-
comes Stone : By Water it is that the fparry Atoms
are wa(hed forth 6tit of their Repofttories (8), col-
lected into a thick, tranfparent, or opaque Juice
(the flony Particles attracting each other as much as
the intermediate W ater will give leave) ; and as foon
as the redundant Water is drained off, or evaporated,
the lapideous Parts (now more at Liberty) accede to
a clofer Union, and are aflifted greatly therein, as
well by the condenftng Nature of Cold, which com-
prefles the Parts, and forces them nearer one to the
other, as by fudden evaporating Heats ; and thus the
Stone forms itfelf, fo much Water refling in the Pores
and Interftices of the Parts (in proportion to the
Number and Magnitude of thofe Pores), as is nccef-

(8) Woodward’s Nat Hid. of the Eaith, 2d Edit, p.189.

‘c Water is the only Agent that educes the Matter, of which they
c‘ (viz. Spar and Cryftai) confift, out of the Strata, and complies
tC and forms it in the perpendicular Fiflfures” Woodward's N. H>Jl.
of F off. Vol. 1. p. 150.

fary

C 256 ]

fary to fix it into a Confiftency ; for, as I apprehend,
there is no compound Body, but by means of the
Chemift's Fire will yield fome Water j but as foon
as all the Water is thrown off, the Body lofes its
Hardnefs and Continuity, and turns to a Calx and
Powder.

Here, Sir, I beg Leave to propofe a few Queries
to you.

1 fl lottery, Whether Spar is not the univerfal Glu-
ten of Stones, diftinguifhed from each other by the
various Mixtures of earthy, mineral, or metallic
Particles, but all united by the fparry Liquor? Of
this I fhould be glad to have your Opinion ? for it
feems to me, that there is fcarce any Sand, Nodule,
Stone, or Ore, which either by the naked Eye, or
Glafles, may not be difeerned to have a certain Por-
tion of Spar, clear, or opaque, in its Compofition.

2 d Query. Whether it is not reafonable to be-
lieve, that Stones in all Ages have been, and are dill
forming in the Earth, in fome fuch Manner as is
here mentioned, whenever the necedary Materials
and Caufe concur with proper Incidents?

3 d Query. Whether this Hypothefis is not better
adapted to account for tedaceous, and other extrane-
ous Bodies, found inclofed fo often in Mades of
Stone, than Dr. Woodward’s Suppofition, that all
Stones were reduced into a duid Mafs by the W aters
of the Deluge; which Waters being thofe of the
Ocean, we cannot allow to have any fuch didolving

Power

[ 257 1

Power inherent in them, and therefore they could
produce no fuch EfteCt?

4 th Query. Whether there are not Quarries of
Stone, which when left idle, or unwrought for fome
Time, yield a frefh Supply of Stone in the Chanels
and Hollows of the laid Quarries, which had been
before thoroughly cleared by the Workmen (p) ;
and whether this will not confirm the Suppofition,
that Stones formed ftnee the Deluge, in Places where
Shells, Teeth, and the like Bodies, were depofited by
the Waters, inclofed them in their Subftance?

You will excufe this Digreffion.

Sect. 3.

\ Different Appearances of Spar.

Our Cornijh Spars are either plain, fimple, and
unfigured, or figured into various and rectilineal
Shapes.

All fparry Liquor is in itfelf ftiff and fluggifh, and
covets no Shape ; but, being intimately mixed with
Water, which is the reftlefs Agent, to difperfe, coi-
led, and renew all fubterraneous Nature, it moves
as a Fluidby the Rules of Gravitation, that is, from an
higher to a lower Pofition, till meeting with a reten-
tive Bed, the Water no fooner retires, and leaves it
expofed to a drier or colder Air, than it dries, and
hardens into Stone, in Shape and Size, as the At-
traction and Quantity of its own Parts determine, or

(9) See Addifoits Travels into Italy , and Bp. Burnet.

K k

the

[ 258 ]

. tiie .circumambient Bodies will give it Leave to fix
and extend itfelf.

* Plain Spars.

Sometimes we find the (parry Liquor fpread into thin
Plates on the horizontal or oblique Planes of Rocks ;
fometimes we trace it in Sheets down the Sides of Fif-
fiirps 5 and where it paects with Impediments of
Gravel, or Stone, it will refemble branched Limbs, Clay,
Boughs, and Stumps of Shrubs j lometimcs it drops
from Vaults, and Roofs of Caves, whence it has the
Name of StaldEiites (10). In all thefe Cafes it is
plain, that the Juice had no other Motion, whilft a
Juice, nor appears in any. '-other Shape now a Stone,
than what its own Weight or Gravitation, during
its State of Fluidity, inclin’d it to. In thefe unin-
form’d rude Productions, it is very plain, I think,
that the Juice wanted thofe active Principles (what-
ever they be), which enable it at other Times to
fhoot into regular Forms.

Fig. i. Tab. IV. (u). is a Spar Pebble, its Sur-
face about the Roughnefs of the Peach-skin, in-
cloled in Part of its Socket, which is alfo of Spar,
angular, and puculated (which latter Property is rareiy
niet with) : The Coat or Socket is mixed with folid
white Mundic, and Cockle,- which laft (or the fame
Principle, which throws Cockle (12) into this oval
Figure) feems to have determin’d this Spar to its
iingular, viz. orbicular Shape 5 for it is obferved,

that

(10J It alio veins or granulates, or both, every Kind of Scone i and
is oftentimes found to compofe whole Loads or Veins, without any
metallic or mineral Mixture, or any particular Shape, more than the

FifTure in which it refted comprelTcd it inR7.

(ix) N.B. The following Figures, referral, to, ar, ^intermixed in
Tabb. IV. and V.

C 259 ]

that where Cockle is plenty, Spar-Nodules round as
Musket Balls, and black, in Sockets of the fame

Colour and Subftance, are frequently found. But as

this Pebble was not black, as Cockle always is j it
may therefore be queftioned, whether the Shape of
it may not be owing to fome metallic {viz. Iron or
Copper) Principle, rather than to Cockle, and whe-
ther Cockle itfelf be not more probably indebted to
other Powers for its orbicular Nodules, in fuch
Sheaths, than derive them from any inherent Acti-
vity of its own. — The Exterior of the Shell or Socket
has a thin Incruftation of gritty cinereous Mundic. —
It came out of JVheal Royal Mine, in the Parifh of
Cambron , Cornwall.

Of Incntftations.

The next Appearance of Spar Bodies, which I
(hall here take Notice of, is that of Incruftations ^
thefc fometimes make one continued Sheath, Lump,
or Mafs, and inclofed in them we find Cormjb
' Diamonds , Grains of Tin, and other adventitious
Bodies, plainly of a different Texture and Colour
from the Crufts which furround them 5 fo that In-
cruftations muft be cautioufly diftinguiftied from the
entire Sheaths, or Lamina;, which compofe the Co-
lumn of hexagonal Cryftals, and which are really
form'd at the fame time with that Column (13); where-
as Incruftations are additional, and after Concretions
made on the before fettled originalGrains andColumns,
(14) fometimes thefe Incruftations, are but Sprink-

(12) Cockle is a black, fliining, light Stone, free of all Metal,
different from Mock-Lead, common in the Tin Mines of Cornwall.

(13) See p. 274. Note 2 6.

[ 26o ]

ings of the cryftal Drops, without any Continuity,
or mutual Conta&j and in this Calc, when the
pearly Drops are tnemfelves bright and tranfparent,
and the Stone they fix on, of an Agate Colour, or
any lively Oppofition, the Incruftation is exceedingly
beautiful. On one Ihotten blifter’d Spar, I find the
Incruftation white, not pellucid, flowing in parallel
Threads by each other (Fig. 2. Tab. V.), in feveral
Places palling from one Tubercle to another, with-
out touching the interfpers’d Hollows 5 by which I
conclude, that this Spar was fixed on the perpendi-
cular Side of a Fiflure ; that the Juice of this In-
cruftation was of the St a la Bites Kind, and, proceed-
ing from the fame Caufe, defeended in a fimilar Di-
rection.

Fig. 3. Tab. V. Is a Bunch of femi-pellucid Spar,
fhot into reclined Cones, making an Angle of 30
Degrees, with the Surface of the Stone ; the Sides
of thefe Cones are a very curious Fretwork of
little Spires or Briftles, many of them fharp as the-
fmallcft Needle, and pointing nearly in the fame Di-
rection, as the Cone on which they rife. The Sur-
face of thefe Shoots is of a ferrugineous Tint, but
their inner Subftance pellucid, very little fhort of
that Spar, which for its Clearnefs is called Cryftal,

and

(14) Incruftations are fo many evident Proofs of Scones not being
formed all at the fame Time } for many Corni/b Diamonds^ and columnar
Shoots of Tin, Cubes of Mundic, and Grains of Lead are often
broke off from thefe their Inclofures ; but the angular Cavities, with
their ftrait Edges and fmooth Sides, ftill appear in the Incruftation ;
which plainly fhews, that the Diamonds and Tin Shoots, &c. were firft
form’d and harden’d, and then furrounded and united into one Lump,
by a fucceffive Induration of thefe Cryftal or Spar Crufts.

[ 26i ]

and more tranfparcnt than many hexagonal Shoots ;
’tis the only one I have feen of its Kind.

Fig- 4. Tab. V. Is an Afterisk of the cleared
Spar; its Shoots or Rays arc hexagonal, fweliing,
or gibbous, in the Middle; their Sides not plain,
or of one level Surface, as our Cornijh ’Diamonds
generally are, but ridg’d near the Edges, and fome-
\v hat hollow, but not uniformly, in the Middle; the
Points or Terminations were entire and fharp, but
not to that Degree aculeated as the former conic
Spar; but it is very plain, that thefe Spires never had
any hexagonal Apices : The undermoft Shoots fpread
horizontally ; but the other rife gradually, making a
greater Angle, till the middle ones make nearly a
right Angle with the Bafe, which has a ferrugineous
circular Spot in the Middle, from whence the Rays
regularly proceed on every Side. Fig. 5. Tab. V.

Thefe are fome of- the mod lingular Spars which -
have reach’d my Obfetvation ,* but the general Shape
of our figur’d Spars is hexagonal ; and thefe Hexa-
gons either confift of a Shaft or Column, and a
Point with the fame Number of Sides correspondent
to the Column {Fig. 6. Tab. IV.) or are only Points,
that is, pyramidal Hexagons ftuck on at their Bale, upon
the Surface of their ftony Beds. Fig. 7. Tab IV.

In a thin Cake or Lump in my Poffelllon,' one
Half of the Spar fhoots from one Side, the other Half
from the other; and fo incrufis the Planes of both
Sides with hexagonal 'Apices. Fig. 8. Tab. IV.

Here the Spar fas appears by the Tendency of its
Fibres, when the interior Texture is examin’d) ftrug-
gled to form Stems or Stalks to thefe Cufpides ;
but either the Effort was not vigorous enough, or,
through the Impurities of the Juice, the fparry or
2 cryftallinc

[ 26l ]

cryftalline Principles had no room to extend or pro-
trude themfelves into the Shape they feem inclinable
unto ; fo they lie blended, and their Lineaments
fcarccly to be diftinguiftfd from the general Mafs.

Some Spars rife out of the general Surface, into
large orbicular Bliftcrs, thick fet with hexagonal
Points diverging, as Rays from a Center. Fig. 9.
Tab. IV.

Thefe Blifters or Protuberances are in other Spars
lubdividcd into Numbers of other fmall, orbicular
Excrefccncies, and the Cnfpides very fmall, but, like
the pointed Shoots of moll Cornifb Spars, hexagonal.
Fig. 10. Tab. IV.

At the Root, or where they join to the Rock,
thefe globular Malles fhew in what Direction the
Juice exerted itfelf, fpringing commonly, as from
one general Center, and extending itfelf equably on
every Side. When the Juice is ftmple, and of one
Sort only, the Rays are continued from the Center
to the Extremities } as Fig. 11. Tab. IV. But when
the Juice is of two or more different Mixtures
and Impregnations ( which will generally appear
from the different Colours and Degrees of Tranfpa-
rency),then theEffort is various and fucceflive,protrud-
ingtheJuiceaccording,and in proportion to the different
Activity of the Stamina , of which itconfifts; and in
both thefe Cafes I find the coarfeft and moft terrene
Part of the fparry Lump next the Center, and the
moft tranfparent and pureft fhot forth, to form the
pyramidal Cufptdes of the Circumference. Though
the Effort is various and multiple, the fcvcral Juices
preferve a Parallelifm to each other, and to the Ex-
tremity, each juice proceeding no farther than its

own

[ 263 ]

own Impregnation would carry it ; and therefore
fettling in parallel Lifts or Lines behind each other,
and their Angles lefs and lefs perfeft, that is, becom-
ing more obtufe, till you come to the Rock, or
lifelefs Lump of Spar, which the Effort had no Power
to move, and thro’ which the impregnated and
purer Juices cfcaped, according to their Degree of
Mobility : The Bafe of one of thefe orbicular Lumps,
which has feven d iftin£b Lifts or Fillets one within
the other, befides letter Lifts, mark'd (h)‘t will explain
what is here fuggefted. Fig. 12. Tab. IV. £

Thefe hexagonal Points do not always fit clofe to
the Body of the Rock, but are' as often found
mounted upon columnar Shoots of the fame Num-
ber of Sides ; and thefe are what are commonly
called Cornifh 'Diamonds : They are generally found
larger fomewhat at the Bafe, where they fatten on the
Rock, than at the Top, where they fupport the Cuf~
'pis. Fig. 15. Tab. IV.

Some of thefe Shoots have alfo hexagonal Points
at each End, as Fig. 14. Tab. IV. and are fome-
times found fingle, that is, detach'd, and without a
Root, as the Naturalifts fay, but I have them £lfo in
Lumps fixed Side by Side, but in no parallel Direction.
Fig. if. Tab. IV. (if).

This

t a. The cleareft Cryftal. f. Small Fillet of purpled Spar.

b. Sup-pellucid, inclining to 1 g. Flock-white.

purple. . ' v. Lifts of Spar lefs diftindt. ‘

c. Flock-white, not pellucid. Tnac Side on which the Ef-

d. Large Fillet of purpled Spar, fore was faint, and the Shoots

e. Flock-white. fcarce perceivable.

(15) Thefe Shoots are not always ftrait, but are found fometimes
bent or crooked j but as this Deformity is owing to fome accidental

inter-

[ 264 ]

This is the general and mod common Appearance
of our Cornifh figur’d Spars and Cryllals, fuiz. cither
hexagonal Points on the Rock, or common Spar, or
fixed on Shoots or Columns of the lame Figure ;
but we mud not imagine, that Spar afi'umes no other
Shape, but what has been here mentioned. There
are alfo trigonal and cubical Spars ; but of thefe Sorts
I have not yet feen any in Cornwall ; however, as our
Obfervations in this inquifitive Age are daily grow-
ing more extenfivc, it is very probable, that new and
undeferibed Shapes of Spars may often fall under our
Notice: What I have here mentioned feem molt
worth notice 5 but to pretend to number them all,
would be very extravagant j for they are varying
every Day upon our Hands, and new Mines throw
forth new Forms, according to the different Combi-
nations of their Solids, and the Impregnation of their
Waters.

Sect. 4.

Whence the hexagonal Shape of Spars .

It has been obferved before, ( p . 257.) that Water
and the fparry Juice, confidered Pimply, without
any other Aid, will produce only the irregular,
fhapelefs Malles of Spar, incapable of any Activity,
or Struggle towards Shape and Figure, and deter-
mined only by the common Principle of Gravita-
tion, to that Pofition in which we find it : We mult

call

interpofing Force orObftruffion, during the Time of forcing, it will
not, I apprehend, make the Body of a different Species, as long as all
the other common Properties are continued.

[ 2?S ]

call in therefore the Afliftance of fome other Prin-
ciple, to account for the re&ilineal regular Phacno-
mena of thefe fparry Productions.

As the general Appearance of our Cornifh Spars is
hexagonal and uniform, there mult be fome one ge-
neral Principle to which this great Uniformity is to be
referred. If thefe Spars owed their Form to any
metallic Principle, that Metal would be found,
when the Fluor was thrown off by Fire : But the
contrary is apparent, the cleared: Spars yielding no
Metal. And, indeed, it may here be obferved, that
when the (tony juice meets and coalefces with any
metallic Particles, that Juice fhoots not into its na-
tural Form, but by Tin is forced into Prifms, and va-
rious Speculum s ; by Lead, into Cubes; and by other
Metals into other Forms: So that it never retains its
hexagonal Shape, but when free of Metals. As
therefore there is no Metal in our regularly-figur’d
Spars, we mud have recourfe to another Origination ;
and Salt, as I take it, is mod likely to be that aftive
Principle, by whofe Force the Fluid in which it is
mix'd, be it pure Water, or lapideous Juice, is made
to fhoot forth into regular redilineal Malles, agree-
able to the original Shape and Figuration in which
thefe Salts were fir ft created. 'Tis by the Force of
Salts that liquid Bodies are thrown into all the geo-
metrical Planes, Angles, and more compounded
Shapes, the Variety of which is no ltfs furprifing,
than the Conllancy and Uniformity of each particu-
lar Species ; the fame Salt fhooting hill into the fame
Figure (as is plain from all artificial Cryftallizations),
when not (heightened in Room, or otherwife deter-
mined by heterogeneous Mixtures. To produce Salt

L 1 from

[ 266 J

from any liquid Body, two things arc requifite : Firft,
that the redundant Liquor, in which the faline Par-
ticles arc kept too difperfed and remote to attract
each other, be difeharged (which is ulually performed
by Evaporation), and that the Remainder be expofed
to a colder Air This ftmplc plain Procefs will pro-
duce all the Varieties of Cryflallization ; the Salts
contained will fhoot into their peculiar Forms, point-
ing forth their Darts, regular Planes, or Spires, into
fuch Figures as are proper either to their native or
compounded Salts. From this cafy and incontcftable
Procedure of Liquids into figur'd and folid Bodies
(to which nothing more is required than Heat and
Cold), may it not appear probable, that fomething
like this has happened, and does ftill happen, among
our Spar-Loads in the Mine? For Inftance : When
the Juice of Spar, impregnated ftrongly with Salts,
which have been from time to time imbibed, is fuf-
ficicntly drained from the Water (which not only col-
lected the fparry Mafs, but kept it in a fluid State),
cither by natural Heat, fo common in Mines, or by
the Water’s running off into Crevices, where the
ftiffer Stone-juice cannot follow it; in other Words,
when the Water deferts the Spar; the Spar, as foon
as a colder Air fucceeds (16), fhoots, and is protruded
into Figures by the Salt which it contains (17) j and

thus

(16) Cc Cryjf alius eft foccus, quern frigus intra ten am cotiglutinavit ”
Agric- p- 2S2.

(17) Mr. Boyle's Opinion is, that fuch Stones (viz. Spars and
Cryftals) were originally in a fluid State; that the Figure of them is
determinate and geometrical, like the Cryftals produced by Alum,
Nitre, Vitriol, in Water j and their Texture like the Congelations of
Salt produced in Cryflallization by Cold.

Grew

C 267 ]

thus it happens that we have fuch figur’d Codies from
the Spar, which, without thofe Salts, would fhew
us no fuch Shoots as we call Cornifh Diamonds, but fix
quietly into Sheets, and even Plates, or drop down
where-ever its own Weight would carry it.

What fort of Salt it is, which inclines Spar to this
hexagonal Form, is the next thing to be inquired into ;
and mod probably will appear to be that of Nitre, if
we confider that the Rcfemblance betwixt the Figure
of what we call Cornijh Diamonds, and that of the
pure unmix’d Nitre, is fo great, that no two things
can be more exactly alike. “ The known Figure of
“ Nitre, fays Grew ( Cofmol . p. if.) is a fexangular
“ Prifm.” tc Particulas nitri Lijierus deprehendit
ec fexangulas, tenues, longas, lateribus parallelo-
“ grammis, & ex altera parte in pyramidale acumen
“ definentes.” Fhyf. Cler. 8w, tert. Edit. p. 150 .
This exa& Rcfemblance is lufficient to 'make us con-
jecture, that thefe fparry Productions may owe their
general Figure to a nitrous Salt, which exerted itfelf
at the time when the Juice of Spar became Stone ; and
I fhall endeavour to fupport this Conjecture only by
one Authority, which is that of the curious, and, in
the Studies of Natural Hiftory, indefatigable Linnaus,
which he favoured me with in Anfwer to fome Que-
ries, jointly with the Opinion of the prefent Dr. 'John
Frederick Gronovius of Leyden. “ The Origine of
“ thole Crvftals (18) is a moft intricate thing j but
“ you may conclude — quod otnnis cryftallizatio a

LI 2 . “ f ale.

Grew ( Cofmol . p. 14.) after talking of the Regularity of Forms, and
the Salts of Bodies, proceeds thus : ‘c Arguing (fays he) that the Atoms
cc of the lapidific, as well as of the faline Principle, being regular, do
<c therefore concur in producing regular Stones.”

(18) Cor?iijb Diamonds, fent to Dr. Gronovius from Cornwall.

r 268 ]

“ [ale, quod cry [l alii gaudent figitra nitri, quodque
“ omncs gencrcntur in cavo : Hi (viz,, cry ft alii) quo
“ magis Jim) lice s, eo magis puri & pellucidi : Hmc
“ mtro origmem debent , quemadmodum gemma ifta ,
“ qua / njmaticam nitri figur am exhibent."

As Nitre may be reafonabiy conjefrured to give the
ordinary and general hexagonal Figure to Cryftals, it
may be as juftly inferred, that when they depart from
this Uniformity, it isowing to fomc mineral, earthy,
or metallic Mixture, fome heterogeneous Salt, which
impedes the Nitre in its fhooring, and turns it into
trigonal, cubical, conic, or other unufual Figures.

Sect. y.

Of their Size.

The next thing to be confidered, is the Caufe to
which the different Size in which thefe Bodies do ap-
pear may be owing, Some Cryftals are faid to be
a Cubit high : Livia Augufta dedicated one in the
Capitol of fifty Pounds Weight (1 9) 5 and Dr. Ifaac
Lawfon, late Phyfician to the Army in Flanders ,
informed me, that he faw a Cryftal in a foreign
Mine, with irs Edges well preferved, which lie be-
lieved might weigh about 200 Pounds. Dr. Wood-
ward reckons, among his Cornifo Diamonds, a fingle
Column or Shoot very large, if it be three Inches in
Length, and one Inch and half in Diameter near the
Bafe. The largeft 1 have yet feen in Cornwall weighs
fomewhat more than three Pounds, is about ten Inches

in

(19) Tlbiy , lib. 37. c. 2. Sir Hans Sloane has one Block of Cryf-
ral which weighs between 40 and 50 Pounds, and another about 20,
quite clear and regular. C. M.

(20) Catal. 158./. 98.

[ 269 ]

in Girt at the largeft End, and more than (even high;
from which Size there are ot’ all Degrees, down to
the Bignefs of a fmall Pin. As the Size of this 1 aft-
mentioned is very unufual, I have given a Drawing
of it, Fig. 1 6. Tab. V.

The largeft proceed out of a large Courfe or Load of
Spar; but the (mailed of all from fmall Bits or Lumps
of Spar ; and the fmall pyramidal apices are generally
ftuck on upon the Side of the large ones, fometimes
in diftant Spangles, other times in thin and broken'
Incruftations. Now the Caufe of thefe different Sizes
feems to be this : Whcre-ever great Mafies of the fparry
juice have happened at the fame time to be in a State
of Fluidity, the exuberant Water drained off fud-
denly, and confequently left Cavity fufficient for the
Salts to extend themfelves, there the great Quantities
of nitrous Salts mixed with the lapideous Juice in-
cline it to fhoot vigoroufly, and form large Cryftalliza-'
tions ; and from proportionally lefier Mafies, whilft
they are indurating, proceed lefler Diamonds. If the
whole Mafs be impregnated with nitrous Salts, the'
whole Surface of the Rock {hall rife into Points or
Spires (21), according as the Mafs is more free or
more ftubborn to comply with the Agitation. If the
nitrous Salts are not intimately mixed, but fwim in
Clouds and Bunches, thofc Lumps only, where the
Nitre is, fhall be fhot, and the reft be plain. This is
the Cafe when the fparry Juice gets into its proper
Nidus , or refts in its Fiflure. But where fmall fcat-
tcr’d Quantities of this ftony Jutce circulate in the

fubter-

(21) See Fig. 4. and Fig. 3. Tab. V. and Fig. 8." and 11. Tab.
IV.

[ 27° ]

fubterraneous Waters, fome trickle down the Sides
of Stones and Fiffures, and already-formed Diamonds,
and, (licking in little Globules, form a Cruft by Juxra-
pofition, whole Points are fcxangular, their Columns
fhort, fometimes crooked and unfinifh’d. At other
times Water, charged with thefc fparry Juices, falling
from higher into lower Parts of the Mine, cannot
but be dafhed and difperfed about the Cavity in all
Dire&ions ; and thus it is, perhaps, that the diftant
Spangles, like the Dew or Mift that rifes from a Caf-
cade fprinkled on the Surfaces of all Bodies in their
Reach, are there congealed, and fhot by their Salts.

Sect. 6.

Of their Colour.

Spars are of different Colours, and different De-
grees of Tranfparency ; fome yellow, fome reddifh,
brown, green, purple, black, fome of a cloudy fleecy
white, fome freckled with little Specks of various
Colours and Magnitudes, and others of a Water not
inferior to the pureft Cryftals. The Yellow is fup-
pofed to be indebted for its Tinge to Sulphur and
Iron, or Lead, or both ; the Red to Iron, and per-
haps Goffan, that general Companion of Copper;
Green, to the Solutions or Ruft of Copper ; Copper
will alfo probably impart its Purple (for of that Co-
lour we find fome of our moft beautiful Copper Ores)
to the Juices near it : Black may poflibly be indebted
to Copper alfo of like Colour, to Tin, or the Par-
ticles of Coal ; but the moft tranfparent owe that
Advantage to the Purity and Simplicity of the Juices
of which they are formed. What this Purity is owing
2 to,

[ 27i ] '

to, cannot be fo eafily determined. Some think to
Percolation, or (training through the Pores of other
Codies, the lapidcous Juice depofiting the Sediment
and Impurities, which it may have contracted in its
PafTage. Now, it is not impodible but that the Water,
and that liquid Spar, of which thefe Bodies are prin-
cipally formed, palling by their own Weight thro’ a
fofr, porous, fandy Stone in the Oxford , Bath , and
other-like Quarries, may undergo a Change for the
better, and acquire a greater Degree of Tranfparency ;
but it cannot be fo with our Spar, on which we find
the Cryftals above mentioned : For, befidcs that thefe
Cryflals are found on both Sides the Stone (22)
(which, in the Procedure of Percolation, could never
happen), and in very large Shoots, our Spar will no
more tranfpire or exude than Glafs, it is of fuch Con-
fiftency and Hardnefs : So that whatever Filtration
has happened to thefe Cryflals, mufl have befallen
them during a former Percolation, before they refled
in their prefent 'Beds, not from any fweating thro’
that Bed in which we find them, as Dr. ‘Plot ima-
gines- (23).

Cryflals therefore, it is certain, owe their Tranf-
parency and Purity to the iimple State of the Juices
that form them ; but to what that State and Condi-
tion is owing is uncertain. Whether it may be to fome
purifying Mcnftruum or Spirit, that precipitates every
kind of Sediment, I do not prefume to fay: I (hall
only obferve, that in Cornwall the cleared Diamonds
are for the mod part found in a dry, lax, fandy Soil,

where

(22) See Fig. 8. Tab. IV. *

(23) Oxford])), p. 98. zn^Ramundus in Alonzo Bar ba> p 3 6.

[ 272 ]

where no dirty or dark- colour'd Loam, Mineral, or
opaque Stones prevail : So we may conclude in gene-
ra!, that if, during the Fluidity of thefe Bodies, no
metallic or mineral Fume, no Drift, Clay, or Sand,
was imbibed, the Water and lapidcous Juice make up
a clear pellucid Mafs. If the Cafe was other wife,
whatever Impurities the Waters contracted, and had
not at the time of forming difeharged, are ftill to be
feen in the Stone.

Sect. 7.

Of their Hardness.

As to the Hardnefs of our Cornij), ) Cryftals, all I
have to obferve is, that they cut well into Seals, when
they have no Flaws: Their natural Points alfo will
cut Glafs 5 but not freely or deep ; in which Particu-
lar they fall much fhort of the true Diamond.

Conjectures relating to the Properties of the true

j Diamond .

Of this I fhall not pretend to aflign any other
Reafon, than that the true Diamond feems to have
more lapideous Juice included, and more intimately
and congenially united under an equal Surface, than
any other Body in the World. It has alfo very little
Salt in it, as Dr. Grew obferves ( CoJ'mol . p. 14.) 5 and
his Opinion is confirmed by its being found in fuch
fmall Mafies; and by its great Weight it can have little
Water; both which Obfervations arc fupported by
its great Refiftance, and almoft Immutability in Fire :
So that the true Diamond has little Salt, and little
Water, confiding almoft intirely of ftony Juice con-
creted ;

[ 273 ]

creted j to which Properties its great Hardncfs may
therefore be attributed : Whereas in our Diamonds
there is much Salt, and much Water (comparatively
fpeaking); which two Ingredients, mix'd with the
iapideous Juice, may incline thofe Bodies to be more
friable and tender, and deprive them of that Hardncfs,
which a lefs-reduccd lapidific Juice would certainly
have had. This ferns to me the real Caufe of the
true Diamond’s Hardnefs, and of our falfe ones fall-
ing as much fhort of it in this Particular, as in Luftre :
But I muft acknowlege, that, for want of fufficient
Experiments relating to both, I cannot decide per-
emptorily. However, by weighing the Cornijh Dia-
monds in Water, I find they are generally to the
Weight of our common Watter, at a Medium, as
io -i is to 4 5 and I apprehend, that if they had more
Iapideous Particles, they would weigh more, as they
find the true Diamond really does *. I find alfo the
cleared and brighteft Cornijh Diamonds weigh much
heavier than the other which are more fhady and
opaque. That they have much Salt alfo, may be con-
cluded from their being projected fometimes into
fuch large, regular, hexagonal Columns.

Sect. 8.

Of the Texture of Cornifh Diamonds.

There are fome little Varieties in the Texture of
our Cornifh Diamonds, which are fometimes to be ob-
ferved in their broken Sides and Edges ; but always,
and more diftin&ly, in their Bafe. Some are uni-
form, of one Colour and Tranfparency throughout ;

M m fome

* The Weight of Cryflah to Water is as 2 f to 1. of D iamoyds as
3 1 to 1. See thefe Tranfadtions, No. 488. p. 451. C. M.

[ 274 ]

fome have hexagonal Sheaths defcribed one within
another, as in Fig. 17. Tab. V. In the firfl Cafe, the
fhottenjuice was of one and the fame Nature and Con-
fiftency, equally impregnated, and the Produdion of
one Effort; in the latter Cafe, where the Sheaths are
one within another, 'tis alfo the Product of one Effort
or Shoot, the Concretion of one and the fame time,
as the tremulous Undulations upon the Surface of
Water, on throwing in a Stone, are ail the Offspring
of one Force, tho’ the flrd he ftrongeft, and the red
gradually fainter and lefs diflind : But the juices being
differently mix'd, gave way to the Effort in proportion
to their Senfibiiity of the impregnation, the mod agile
flying off to the greated Didance from the Center,
and the mod mix'd, coarfed, and mod opaque, re-
maining neared the Center (24.). That this is he true
Procefs, and that thofe different Sheaths are the Pro-
duce of one Effort or Birth, and not formed at dif-
ferent times, and in Succeflion, as Steno and Aldro-
‘ vandus , and fome others, fay (2f), is plain, I think,
from the two following Obfervations (26). If the
juice which forms thefe Sheaths was impregnated and
fhot at different times, it would not form in Sheaths
round what appears to be the Central or Mader-fhoor,
but would projed itfelf into its natural hexaedral Fi-
gure. If it were not impregnated, but mere Spar
only, without Nitre, or any other adive Principle, it
would form itfelf, as the Staladites, in a pendulous
undulating Diredion, Drop or Wave upon Wave;
and in this Cafe thefe Sheaths could never furround,
in that neat and exad manner, the central Shoot ;

but

(24) See TTg. 12. Tab. IV. and its Defcription, p. 263.

(253 See Plot's Oxf. p. 98. (26) See p. 259. Note (13)

[ 275 ]

but would be found only on the under Part of that
Shoot, where its own Gravity would inevitably carry
it : For it would be obferved immediately, that thefc
Diamonds in the Mine point forth in all Directions 5
which mud confequently prevent every unimpreg-
nated | ulcc from hardening into a regular uniform
Sheath.

It is alfo to be noted, that thefe Sheaths are often
found broke and interrupted : But this cannot be
owing to their being Gemma inchoata & non per-
feEta (27), for the above-mentioned Reafons, but to
the Infufficiency and Want of Juice, or to fomc ac-
cidental Impediments of Stone, Earth, or Sand, which
make thofc Breaks, and prevent it from forming a
complete Sheath.

Sect. <?.

Of their Direction in the Mine.

Not long fince I went with a Friend or two into a
Mine called Pillion Erth, in the Parifh of St. Juft,
on purpofe to furvey the Cornijh Cryftals in their na-
tural Situation. The Cave, to which we were intro-
duced, was not much larger than a common Baker’s
Oven, and much of that Figure. We had two Candles
with us, by means of which we faw the Roof, which
might, in the Middle, be about five Feet high from
the Floor ; in the other Parts not fo much. The
Roof was the mod furpriflng Piece of Fretwork ima-
ginable, and confided intirely of Spar fhot into Cormfh
Diamonds, of which the large one (Fig. 16. TabV.)
was a Part. I could not difeern any coveting a Poftion

Mm2 exactly

(27) As Tiot-) ibid, ut fupra.

[ 276 ]

exactly perpendicular to the Horizon ; but in every
indifferent Direction they pointed forth very plenti-
fully of feveral Sizes; fometimes in Groupes and
Cluders, fometimes fingle, now eroding each other,
and now (landing by each other with parallel Sides :
Some were fmooth, fhining, and clear, others rough
and opaque; fome vcin’d with red, like Porphyry;
others fpcckled thick with the fmalleft Spots of deep
Purple, and a bluifh Cad : But the fined of all jwere
thofe which had innumerable little Diamonds or
Sparks (of the cleared Water) duck upon their Sides,
and, by means of the Candle, had a Ludre not to be
conceived. We gazed here in this incommodious,
but beautiful little Cave, till we could no longer
hold up our Heads ; and then crept out as we came
in, upon our Knees.

Now, among the great Numbers of fparry Pro-
ductions which 1 faw in this Mine, I could not ob-
ferve, but that they pointed indifferently in all man-
ner of Directions ; which 1 fuppofe owing to the
great Unevennefs of the Surface on which the Bafes
of thefe little Columns were fix’d ; and for the fame
Reafon I doubt not, but in all concave Beds the Points
converge, as in all convex they turn the contrary
Way, and diverge, as from a Center : So that the
natural Caufe of thefe different Directions is pro-
bably no other than the accidental Form of that ge-
neral Mafs from whence thefe Shoots proceed. I
would fay, that as the Figure and Regularity of the
lapidific impregnated Matter happens to be when
drained of all fuperfluous Moidure, and by the Cold,
Heat, or Dryth, difpofed to (hoot, fo will the Ten-
dency of the Shoots, both Column and Point, be. If

the

[ 277 ]

the concave Part (for Inftance) of the Volitta of the
Cornu- arnmonis be fet with Cryftals, their Points muft
tend inwards to the Center, where the Tail ends,
being thereto compelled by the regular Contour of
the Shell 5 and indeed they are fo in Faff, as fee Fig.
18. Tab. V. But if the Cryftal Juice chance to hx
on, or proceed from a convex Bed (to which its
Nidus , and other Caufes, may contribute), or be itfelf
an orbicular Lump, and equally impregnated on all
Sides $ then will the Fibres fpring as from one com-
mon Center, and at their Extremities point forth
their Cufpides in a circular Figure, as in Fig. 19. *
Tab. V.

If there be a thin Plate of Spar equally expofed to
Cold on each Side, and having equal Room and Force
to (hoot, it will throw forth its Points on each Side ;
and the Line from whence the Fibres began to fpring
fha!l be exa&ly in the Middle of fuch Plate of Spar,
and the Figures (halt cut the faid Line at right
Angles, as in Fig. 8. Tab. IV. whence it feems rea-
sonable to conclude, that the Dirc&ion in which thefe-
fparry Produ&ions fhoot forth is generally re&angu-
lar, or very near it, to the Beds or Mafles from which
they proceed ; and that all the Teeming Confufion in
Pointings of the Cornifh Diamonds in Pillion Erth,
was owing to the great- Variety of Planes and Sur-
faces, into which that large Body of Spar was harden-
ing, when thefe Diamonds (hot from its Extremities.

1 am , Sir ,

obedient Servant,

Wm. Borlase.

Ludgvan, Oct 18. Tour moft
1749.

* See Fig. 5. p. 261.

XV.

[ * 278 ]

XV. A Defcription of the Great Black Wafp,
from Penfylvania, as communicated Jro?ji
Mr . Tohn Bartram to Mr. Peter Collinfon.
K R. S.

Read Dec. 2
>749-

"S'

OME Time ago. Tome Gentlemen
rv^>r prcfent at a Meeting of the Royal
Society *, were pleafcd to give a favourable Reception
to an Account of a particular Species of fmall Black.
Wafp, that fabricated its Neft with Clay, in it de-
pofited an Egg, and then Ruffed it full of Spiders for
the Maggot to feed on, Tranf. No. 476.

This that I now have the Pleafure to lay before
you, has fomething analogous in its Nature, but is
a much larger Infefr, and rarely met with in the
Province of ‘Penfylvania . The following Obferva-
tions 1 have colle&cd from my ingenious Friend
John Bartrams Letters.

You will fee by the Specimen (Tab. IV. Fig. 20.),
’the Size of this Great Black IVafp ; it fupplies itfelf
with Food, by roving about the Meadows, catching
Grafhoppcrs, and other Infedts; on thefc it feeds, and
not on Fruits, as other Wafps do.

But what is more remarkable, is the Method of
making their Neds, and providing for their young.

With great Pains and Induftry they fcratch an ho-
rizontal Hole, near an Inch Diameter, and a Foot
lonu, in the deep Side of a Bank of loamy Earth j
then away the Wafp flies, and catches a large

Green

* April 25. 1745.

2

[ 279 ]

Green Grafhopper, and lodges it in the farther End
of her Neft ; then (he lays an Egg, and then goes and
catches two more, and depoftrs them with the other,
then plaifters up the Hole. The Egg foon produces
a Maggot. Thefe Grafhoppers, by marvellous Inftindl,
are provided for its Food, until it changes into its
Nymph State, in which it lies for a certain Period,
and then eats its Way our, and flies away, Peeking
its Mate.

But what may deferve our farther Attention, is the
wonderful Sagacity of this Creature, not only in catch-
ing thefe large Grafhoppers ( See Tab. IV. Fig. 21.),
which are very like ours, and are very ftrong and nim-
ble, as mod may have obferved that take them up : But
their peculiar Skill is to be admired in difabling them,
either by Bite or Sting, fo as not to kill them ; for
then they would foon putrify, and be unfit for
Nourifhmenr. Life fufllcient is left to preferve
them for the time the Maggot is to feed on them.

The three Grafhoppers in the Glafs-Cafe were all
taken alive out of one Neft; but they had loft their
Agility : Being fecured in a Cavity in the Earth,
may be a Means to keep them living : When expofed
to the Air, they died in a Day or two.

The Sting of this Wafp is painful, but does net
fwell like others.

XVI.

[ 28o ]

XVI. An Obfervation of an Eclipfe of the
Moon, Dec. i 2. 1 749. made at Earith, near
St. Ives, in Huntingdonfhire, by Mr. Wm.
Elftobb, jun. cojnmunicated in a Letter to
Martin Folkes, Efq\ Rr. R. S.

Read Dec. 21
1 749*

at Night the Umbra came on

At 7

the lower Limb of the Moon, aj-
moft dire&ly under the Spot called Tycho, in Keil’s
Map of the Moon.

At 2 Min. | after 7, the Penumbra overfpread
Tycho.

At 6 Min. after 7, the Umbra approached the
lower Part of Mare Humorum , and Tycho immerged
into the Umbra.

At 21 Min. after 7, Mare Humorum totally im-
merged into the Umbra.

At 41 Min. after 7, the lower Part of Mare Nec-
taris immerged into the Umbra.

At 57 Min. after 7, the North-Eaft Limb began
to evolve itfelf •, and that Part of the Limb below
the Spot called Grimaldus , began to appear brighter,
than when the Penumbra covered it.

At 9 Min. after 8, the upper Part of Mare Hu-
morum emerged from the Umbra.

At 21 Min. after 8, Mare Humorum totally
emerged.

At 4y Min. \ after 8, Tycho emerged from the
Umbra.

At 51 Min. 1 after 8, the Penumbra left Tycho.

At

[ 28. ]

At 5*4 Min. f- after 8, Mare Nettdris emerged
from the Umbra.

At 9, the Penumbra left Mare Neffaris.

At 4 Min. | after 9, Mare Fecunditatis emerged
from the Umbra.

At 16 Min. after 9, the Umbra left the Moon a
little below Mare Fecunditatis.

At 18 Min. after 9, the Penumbra went off, and
the Eclipfe ended.

At the Time, of the greateft Obfcuration, the Edge
of the Umbra pafled below Grimaldus ; approached
the lower Part of Peninfula Fulgnrum ; palled over
the upper Part of Mare Neffaris, and eroded about
the Middle of Mare Fecunditatis. The Edge of
the Umbra did not feem to make one regular Curve,
but looked like two Curves, meeting in a very ob-
tufe Angle near Peninfula Fulgurum. And that Part
of the Moon, immerfed in the Umbra, was not
vifible.

N n

XVII.

[ 28t ]

XVII. A Catalogue of the Immerfions and
Emerfions of the Satellites of Jupiter, for
the Year 1751. of which there are 172 of
the Fir ft, 87 oj the Second, 62 of the Third)
and none of the Fourth , by reafon of its
great Latitude ; in all 321. Computed
to the Meridian of London from the Flam-
fceedian Fables : Corn elded by James Hodg-
fon, F. R. S. Mafter of the Royal Ma-
thematical School in Chrift’s-Hofpital.

Eclipses of the firfl Satellite of Jupiter.

Emerfions.
O. H. M. S.

January.

1 11 58 f6

2 6 16 58

7 0 75 4

6 19 2f 17

8 13 Ji 35

io-8 19 52
22 2 48 if

13 21 1 6 40
15 if 4? <>

27 10 3 41

Emerfions.

19 4 42 14

20 23 10 49

22 17 39 31
24 12 8 12

2 <5 6 3 6 f6

28 o f 46

29 19 2 f 3f

31 J4 3 27

February,
2 8 32 2f

4 3 1 1 7

Emerfions.

7

21

3°

17

7

*7

59

18

9

IO

28

20

11

3

77

27

12

23

26

37

14

17

77

41

16

12

24

73

.18

6

74

01

20

I

23

14

21

19

72

3°

23

14

21

74

27

8

7i

1

D. H. M. S.

D. H. M. S..

C 283 3

Eclipses of the firft Satellite of [ u p 1 t e r„

Emerfions.

D.

H.

M. S

27

3

20 20

28

21

49 4°

March.

2

16

19 0

4

10

48 19

6

5

■7 38

7

23

46 f9

9

18

16 20

11

12

4f 40

!3

7

if 2

*7

1

44 22

1 6

20

13 47

18

14

43 f

20

9

12 2 f

22

3

41 38

23

22

10 41

2f

16

39 .4°

Immerfions.

24

18

f 2 fo

26

J3

21 11

28

7

49 23

3°

2

1 7 44

Immerfions.

D. H. M. S.

31 20 49 S9

June.

Immerfions.

2

17

14

23

4

9

42

20

7

7

IO

46

7

22

39

1 2

9

*7

6

70

1 1

1 1

37

0

13

6

3

7

15

0

31

21

16

18

79

29

18

*3

27

42

20

7

74

4 6

22

2

23

77

23

20

72

7

27

17

20

7

27

9

48

31

2 9

4

16

44

3°

22

45

2

■

July.

2

17

i3

21

4

I I

41

39

N n

2

Immerfions.

D. H. M. S.

6 16 10 4.

8 o 38 28

9 18 6 ^3

11 13 35” 21

13 8 3 4!>

13 2 34 10

1 6 21 o 5-1
18 if 29 2 f
20 9 f8 9

22 4, 26 39

23 22 5*5 20

25 17 24 3
27 1 1 f 2 4 6
29 6 21 27

3f ° 7° if

August.

1 19 19 3

3 r3 4*7 73

f 8 16 46

7 2 47 39

8 21 14 32
10 if 43 29

12 10 12 30

14 4 41 26

15

C 284 ]

Eclipses of the firft Satellite (?/Jupiter..

Immerfions.

Immerfions.

Immerfions.

D. H. M. S.

D. H. M. S.

D. H. M. 5.

if

23

10

29

17

J7

39

3°

19

12

S

33

21

6

37 i6

23

1

6

4°

24

19

3f 49

26

14

4 f 3

28

8

34

0

3°

3

3

7

5i

21

32

13

September.

2

16

1

if

4*

10

3°

29

6

4

f9

32

7

23

29

24

9

17

f7

44

1 1

12

26

f 2

13

6

ff

f7

if

1

2 f

2

16

19

f4

9

18

14

23

12

20

8

f 2

14

2 2

3

21

19

23

21

f°

19

2f 1 6 19 1 7
27 10 48 20
29 5 17 18

3° 23 46 17

October.

2

18

if

9

4

1 2

44

7

6

7

13

0

8

1

4i

f3

9

20

10

3S

1 1

14

39

27

r3

9

8

17

if

3 36

57

1 6

22

f

39

'18

16

34

21

20

1 1

2

f6

22

f 3i

32

:4

0

0

f

2 f

18

28

38

27

1 2

i7

7

29

7

2 f

40

31

1

f4

6

November.

1 20 22 55

3 H 4
f 9 19 27

7 3 47 ^

8 22 if 24
10 16 43 53
12 11 11 42 .

r4 f 39 f4
16 o 7 f6

O V <p
Emerfions.

21 9 40 59

23 4 9 10

24 22 37 32

26 17 4 9

28 11 32 5 o
30 6 o 51

December.

2 o 28 42

3 18 58 48
S 13 24 34

7

[ 3

Eclipses of the firft Satellite of Jupiter"

Emerlions.

tmernons.

J

D.

H.

M.

S.

D.

H.

M.

S.

7

7

f2

22

1 6

4

12

3

9

2

20

43

17

22

40

1

10

20

48

26

ip

17

8

10

12

if

if

47

21

1 1

3f

f8

14

5?

44

10

‘23

6

3

57

Emcrfions.

dTTT- ~m7 S‘

2f 0 21 f7

26 18 59 55
28 13 28 58
3° 7 75 59

Eclipses of the fecond Satellite of Ju piter.

Emerfions.

D. H. M. S.

January.

1 20 6 o

f 9 2? *4
8 22 40 48

12 11 58 24
36 1155-6

19 14 34 20
23 3 52 36

26 17 11 1

3° 6 29 38

Emerfions.

D. H. M. S.

February.

2 19 48 12
6977
9 22 25 01

13 11 45 04
[7148
20 14 23 43

24 3 43 5

27 17 2 22

March.

3 6 22 14

Emerfions.

D. H. M. S.

6 19 41 36
10 9 14

13 22 20 42
17 11 40 30
21 o 59 51
24 14 18 56

May.

Immerfions.

23 22 2 48

27 11 19 37
31 o 36 50

June.

[ 286 }

Eclipses of the fecond Satellite of J u p i t e r,"

I miner lions.

D. H. M. S.

June.

3 5 2

3 7 11 31

io 16 30 o

14 5 46 11

1 7 *9 4 27

21 8 20 f 2

24 21 38 16
28 10 ff 39-

}ULE

2 O 14 I
f 13 30 24
9 3 48

12 l6 f 36
16 f 23j If
19 8 41 2

23 7 f9 f

26 21 1 7 9

30 10 3>- 19

August.

2 23 54 11
6 13 12 21

Immcrftons.

D. H. M. S.

10 2 31 16

13 12 51 4

17 f 9 7

20 18 28 1

24 7 46 58

27 21 64

31 10 2 f 6

September.
3 23 44 10

7 13 °3 9

11 2 22 11

14 of 41 10

18 15 42 if

21 18 19 f

7 37 77

28 20 f 6 36

October.

2 10 15 24

f 23 33 I6

9 12 22 14
13 2 IO 43

16 1 <5 38 f 6
20 4 37 1

23 18 4 f 6

Immcrfions.

D. H. M. S.

27 7 22 45
30 20 40 40

November.

3 9 f8 16

6 23 15 12
10 12 32 37
14 1 49 26

Emerdons.

T7 17 42 51
21 6 f9 4+

24 20 17 2

28 p 33 14

December.

1 22 49 58
f 12 06 40
9 1 23 45

[2 14 40 6

16 3 56 48

19 1 7 13 40
23 6 30 28

26 19 47 10
3a 9 4 19

January.

[ 2S7: J

Eclipses of the third Satellite '^/’Jupiter.

D.

H.

M.

S.

January.

4

f

16

•

46

I

4

7

27

2

E

1 1

9

16

f9

I

1 1

1 1

27

1 1

E

18

J3

i7

29

I

18

if

27

37

E

25

17

28

42

I

25

19

28

46

E

February.

1

2 1

20

41

I

1

23

3°

41

E

9

1

23

10

I

9

3

33

14

E

16

f

26

1 2

I

1 6

7

3<S

20

E

2 3

1 1

40

f3

E

March.

2

if

43

17

E

9

19

47

23 ’

E

16

23

fo

S7

E

24

3

f+

24

E

. H. M. S.

May.

P vf7 1
13 cf<* 47, I
10 44 E

June.

*7 ff 27 I

20 10 II E

21 54 12 I

0 9 22 E

1 52 44 I

4 8 • 20 E

June.

>5 51 28 I

• ® ‘ • 7 \ 32 E

July.

9 So 44 I
J2 6 54 E ;
*3 5° ip I

K) 6 37 E

17 50 21 I

20 6 49 E

J>

20

27

27

3

3

10

11

18

18

25

25

2

2

9

9

16

16

4

[ 288 ]

Eclipses of the third Satellite of Ju piter.

D. H. M. S.

23 21 si S3 I

24 o 7 29 E

31 1 ‘51 54 1

31 4 8 34 E

August.

7 s Sz 22 I

7 8 11 10 E

14 9 S3 49 i

21 13 5? 38 I

28 17 S7 44 1

September.

4 21 59 54 I

12 2 1 f8 I

19 6 3 f8 I

26 10 s J8 I

D.

H.

M.

S.

October.

3

14

7

14

I

10

1 8

8

* 5

1

17

22

10

53

I

*5

2

8

48

I

November.

1

6

8

38

I

8

10

7

*3

1

15

14

5

21

I

22

20

33

42

E

3°

0

3 1

35

E

December.

7

4

2 9

26

E

14

8

27

20

E

2 1

1 2

25

19

E

28

16

22

24

E

Now, inafmuch as, in the Beginning of this Year,
the Latitude of the fourth Satellite is greater than
the Breadth of the Shadow of Jupiter , the Satel-
lite will pafs wide of it, and there will be no
Eclipfe of it till the Middle of June in the Year
1752.

r

It

[ 289 ]

Tt is to be obferved, that, for about a Month be-
fore, and a Month after the Conjunction of Jupiter
\vi h the Sun, by reafon of the Proximity of
Jupiter to the Sun, the Eclipfes cannot be ob-
Crved. And this is the Reafon that no Notice has
been taken of them in the Catalogue between the
25th of March and the 24th of May following.

The Times here fet down are according to the
agronomical Way of reckoning, which fuppofes the
Day to commence at the Noon of each Day, or
when the Sun is upon the Meridian ; and counting
the Time on in a iucceflive Order, without the
Diftinttion of Morning and Afcernoon, til the Sun
returns to the Meridian again the next Day at Noon.
Thus, for Example, in the preceding Catalogue, the
firft Emcrfion of the lecond Satellite is faid to happen
on January 1. at 20 Hours 6 Minutes ; that is, ac-
cording to the Civil Way of reckoning, on Jan. 2.
at 6 Minutes after 8 in the Morning.

O o

XVIII.

[ 29° ]

XVIII. A Letter from the Widow of the late
Mr. John Senex, F.R.S. to Martin Folkes,
Efq\ Prefident of the Royal Society, con-
cerning the large Globes prepared by her late
Hufband , and now fold by her f elf , at her
Houfe over-againfi St. Dunftan’s Church
in Fleet-ftreet.

SIR ,

Read Jan. 19 f |'VrIE Royal Society being lately acquainted
1748-9. with fome Improvements that were laid

to have been made upon the Globes at Nuremberg , and de-
fired to encourage and recommend the fame, I am obliged
to return you my moll grateful Acknowledgments for your
kind rnterpofition in behalf of mine. It is fufficiently known,
that Works of Art, made in our own Country, have, for
the moft part, a Degree of Exadlnefs much fuperior to
chofe of foreign Countries: And I hope I may be allowed to
fay in particular, and without Difparagement to the Per-
formances of others, that my Globes will be found, upon
Examination, as truly made, as accurate, and as well
adapted for the Purpofes of Geography and Aftronomy,
as any now extant. For (not to mention that the Terrejirial
rs formed from the beft Maps that could be made or pro-
cured, and contains no material Error in the Situation of
any Places where Obfervations have been really and truly
made) the Celeflial , upon the niceft Examination, will be
found to have this Advantage above all others, that the
Figures of the Conjlellations there given, were originally
delineated by a Gentleman, whofe Skill in Performances
of this Nature was very well known and allowed ; under
the Diredtion of the great Dr. Halley , to whofe Kindnefs
my late Hufband was upon all Occasions particularly in-
debted*

[ 291*3

debced. And befides this, to each Star are added Bayers
Letters of Reference *, a Circumftance extremely ufeful,
either for the tracing out the Path of a Comet, or for de-
fending any new Phenomenon in the Heavens.

It may be further obferved, that Celeftial Globes, as they
are commonly fitted up, are adjufted only to one particular
Year-, though indeed they may ferve without any fenfible
Error, during the Life of any fingle Perfon whereas
mine,, particularly the two greateft, viz. of 17 and 28
Inches in Diameter, have this further Advantage, that
they ferve indifferently for any Age paftor to come. For
by means of a Nut and Screw, which will be hereafter
deferibed, the Globe is made to turn round an Iron Axle i
whereby the Pole of the Equator (though fixed in common
Globes) is made here to revolve about the Pole of the Eclip-
tic, and reprefents the flow Motion forwards obferved
among thefixed Stars, but really owing to the flow Motion
backwards of the Equinoctial Points.

Upon this Account it is, that theConftellation of Aries is
got into the Sign of Taurus, and the Conftellation of Taurus
into that of Gemini , and fo of the reft. Hence likewife it is,
that Stars which rofe or fet at particular Seafons of the Year
in the times of Hejiod , Eudoxus , Virgil , Pliny , &c. by no
Means anfwer at this Time to their Defcriptions -, but by
the Improvement I am here fpeaking of, my Globes
(allowing for the Preeejfon of the Equinox , as it is called,
i. e. one Degree in feventy-two Years) may, without’ any
Trouble, be adjufted to the Accounts given by any of
thofe Writers.

By this means likewife, every one may judge' of the
Truth of ancient Obfervations without the Labour of a
tedious Calculus , which fome are not able, and others are
not willing, oratLeifure, to go through. By this means
likewife, fome Paflfages in thole ancient Writers may be
corrected, when Manufcripts afford no Afiiftance. For
thefe frcqueutly fuffer by the Hands they go through,
whilft the Heavens remain invariably the fame.

As

of Courfe altered, yet by the Help of this Contrivance ail
may be reltored, and the Age of an Author, in fomefjrt,
beafeertain’d.

The famous Aftronomieal Argument likewife of Sir Ifaac
Newton , mh\s Chronology, p.§6,%j, &c. may hereby bemore
particularly enquired into, and confidered ; all which Ufes
will be fpeedily fhewn and demonftrated by a regular Series
of Propofitions, in a Treatife, as 1 am well aflured, chat
is preparing for the Prefs, by the Reverend and Learned
Mr. George Coflardy Fellow of Wadbam-College , in Oxford.

Thefe, Sir, are fame of the great Advantages of my
Globes over others; and I therefore hope they will mer.t
the Encouragement of a Society founded for promoting
real and ufeful Learning ; and that the Importation of any
Globes from abroad may be rendered lefs neceflary, if not
entirely ufelefs* "l am,

No. 492. In the Contents Art. XIV. and p. 162. Art. XIV.
for Mr. Richard Mafon read Charles Mafon, D. D.

No. 493. p. 213. 1. I. for ou read on.

With all Gratitude and Ref peel.

SIR ,

London, Jan. 17.
1748-9.

Tour mofi obliged ,

Hujnble Servant ,

MARY SENEX.

Errata.

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS,

GIVING SOME

ACCOUNT

O F T H E

Prefent Undertakings, Studies, and Labours,
O F T H E

INGENIOUS,

IN MANY

Confiderable Parts of the WORLD.

LONDON:

printed for C. Davis, Printer to the Royal
Society, over-againfi: Gray s- Inn-Gate in Holbourn .

M. d c c. L i.

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TAB. n

P/u/vj Tra/ur ^ V. °4J4

Kfutnb. 494.

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS.

Por the Months of January , February , March, and
Part of April , 175-0.

I. Remarks upon an antient Roman Infcription,
found in that Fart of Italy, which formerly be-
longed to the Sabines ; and now in the PojjeJJion
0/* Richard Raw linfon, LL.D. & F.R.S. By Mr.
John Ward, Prof. Rhet. Gref. & F. R. S. p. 293 .

II. Eiiflola a Rev. Patre P. Auguftino Hallerftein,

S. jf. M. Collegii Aftronomici Pekincnlis Pratfide,
ad Cromwell Mortimer, M. P). Secret. R. S.
mijfa , Una. cum Obfervatmihus Comerae vifi Pe-
kim 1748. Nova: Conftellationis •, Occult at ionis
Martis et Lunse P)ec. 6. 1747. ConjunSlionis Mar-
tis et Veneris menfe Mart 10 1748. & Congrefjus
jovis & Veneris Jan. 1. 1748. ibidem quoque
faff is. p. 307.

III. Obfrvatio Cometre, Anno 1748. cum aliis ali-
opuot Obfervationibus afronomicis a Rev. P. P.
Antonio Gaubil e Soc. Jefu ad eundem tranf mijfa ;
in Refidentia PP. Galior. Soc. Jefu Pekini. p. 3 1,6.

IV. An Account of an Aurora Auftralis, feen Jan.

23. 1 749- 50. at Chelfea, by John Martyn, F.R.S.
Prof.Bot. Cantab, communicated by Martin Folkes,
Efqi Pra:f. Reg. Soc. " p. 319.

Tiie C O NTE NT S.

V. A Letter from Mr. Chriftopher Maire to the

\ Trefidenty containing Obfervations made at Rome
offheEzYvpk of the Moon, Dec. 23, 174.9.; and
of that of the Sun, Jan. 8. 1770. /. 321.

VI. Some Obfervations on the Dragon-Fly 0r Li-
bella of Penfylvania, collected from Mr. John Bar-

' tram "s Letters > communicated by Peter Lollinfon,
F.R.S. /-323-

VII. Alberti FI alien Archiatri & Confil. Aid. Reg.

Medic, in Acad. Gottingenf. Rrof & Reg. Soc.
Lond. Sodal. Experimenta aliqiue ad Refpiratio-
nem pertinentia . p. 32^.

VIII. A Letter from Father Anthony Gaubil, Jefuit ,

to Dr. Mortimer, Sec. R . S. containing fome
Account of the Knowlege of Geography among
the Chinefe, and of Raper-Money current there.
Tranflated from the French by T. S. M. D. and
F.R.S. - p. 327.

IX. A Catalogue of the Fifty Riant s from Chelfca
Garden , prefented to the Royal Society by the
wor (hipful Company of Apothecaries , for the Tear
174.7, purfuant to the Direction of Sir Hans

. Sloane, Bart. Med. Reg. & Soc. Reg. nuper Praef.
by ]ohn Wilmer, M. D. Hort. Chelf. Rrrefebf.
et Rraleci. Botan. p. 331.

X. A Letter from the Rev. Henry Miles, D. D.

and F. R. S. to Mr. Henry Baker, F. R. S. con-
cerning the green Mould on Fire JVood ; with
fome Obfervations of Mr. Baker’j upon the Minute-
nefs of the Seeds of fome Rlants. p. 334.

XL An ObJ'ervation of the Eclipfc of the Sun on
Jan. 8. 1750. N. S. taken at the Obfervatory at

Berlin,

The CONTENTS.

Berlin, by M. Grifcow jun. and M. Kies. Trans-
lated from the French. p. 339.

XII. Alberti Halleri, Archiatri et Confil. Anl. Reg.
in Acad. Gottingenf. Mediants Frof. necnon R. S.
Lond. Sodalis, Obfervationes de Viis Seminis.

A 34o.

Xm. A Letter from John Martyn, M. D. Prof.
Botan. Cantab. & F. R. S. to the Frefident , con-
cerning an Aurora Borealis feen February 16.
1749-V0. p. 345.

XIV. A Letter jrom the Rev. Henry Miles, D. D.

and F. R. S. to Henry Baker, F. R. A. concerning
an Aurora Borealis/^w ]an. 23. p. 34 <5.

XV. A Letter from Mr . William Watfon, F. R. S.

to the Royal Society, declaring that he as well
as many others have not been able to make Odours
pafs thro Glafs by means of Electricity ; and
giving a particular Account of Frofeffor Bofe at
Wittembcrg his Experiment of Beatification, or
caufing a Glory to appear round a Alans Head
by Electricity. p. 348,

XVI. Fart of a Letter from Mr. Frofeffor Euler
to the Reverend Mr. Wetftein, Chaplain to his
Royal Highnefs the Frince , concerning the Con-
traction of the Orbits of the Planets. 'Iranfated
from the French by T. S. M. D. and F. R. S. p-$f6.

XVII. A Catalogue of the fifty Riant s from Chelfca
Garden, prefented to the Royal Society, by the
worjbipful Company of Apothecaries fir the Tear
1748, purfuant to the Direction of Sir Hans
Sloane, Bart. Med. Reg. et Societat. Reg. nuper

Pra?f.

The CONTENTS.

Prref. by John Wilrner, M. D. Clariff. Societat.
Pharmaceut. Lond. Soc. Hort. Chelfean. Prrefefr.
et Praeled. Botan. p.

XVIII. An Account of a furprifing Inundation in
the Valley of Sr John's near Kefxvick in Cumber-
land, on the 2 2d Day of Auguft 1749, in a
Letter from a young Clergyman to his Friend ;
communicated by John Lock, Efcp, F. R. S. p.362.

XIX. An Account of an extraordinary Fire-ball
bitrfting at Sea, communicated by Mr. Chalmers.

p- $66.

XX. Extrait of a Letter from the Abbe Nollet,

F. R. S. &c. to Charles Duke of Richmond,
F. R. S. accompanying an Examination of certain
Phenomena in Eleftricity, publijhed in Italy; by
the fame, and tranfated from the French by Mr.
Watfon, F. R. S. p. 3 <5S

XXI. An extraordinary Cafe of a Fraclure of the
Arm ; communicated by Mr. John Freke, F. R. S.
Surgeon to Sr. Bartholomew’s Hofpital. p. 397.

XXII. A further Account of the Libellas or May-
Flies, from Mr. John Bartram <?/Penfyl vania; com-
municated by Mr. Peter Collinfon, F. R. S. p. 400.

I. Remarks

[ 293 ]

I. Remarks upon a?i antient Roman Infcri-
ption, found in that part of Italy, which
formerly belonged to the Sabines ; and now
in the poffeffion of Richard Rawlinfon,
LL. D. &> F. R. S . By Mr. John Ward,
Prof Rhetor . Grefh. SP F. R. S.

/Wjan. n. I S infcription is cut in a fmali

| brafs plate, which together with a
draught of the fame dimcnfions accompany this
paper. See Tab. I. Fig. i. The words of the infcri-
ption, as they hand on the plate, with fome account
how and where it was found, were formerly publifh’d
by Fabretti a. But as what he fais is very fhort, I fhall
take leave to tranfcribe the whole of it, which is as
follows.

FLORAE

T I P L A V T 1 V S D R O S V S

MAG II
V- S* * L: M-

. j j ■ * f i

Minucius Felix b, La&antiufque c, Floram inter
propudiofa gent Hit at is numina collocant. Vindicat
autem hanc infamiam Ouzelius ad Minucium, pag.
233, ubiex Varrone et Ennio probat Romulo anti -

a Infer ipt. Antiq. Cap. X. pag. 742.
b Fag. 28. edit. Ouzel, quarto.

* Inf it. Lib. 1. cap. 20.

P -

[ 2 9+ ]

quiorem fuijfe Florae cultum , et famines ei datos.
Veflighim igitur hie remanet in Sabinis primum
Floram coli coeptam ; cum e Sabino agro in lamella
aenea infchptio haecnuper eruta fuerit apud Licen-
tiam, Urfiriorum oppidum , quod Digcntia rivo alltii -
tur. Licentia quippe a Digentia detortum nomen
facile quis ere det. ' /

O * *<C\ v* * T

The plate row before us, arid the infeription upon
it, fo exactly agree with this account of Fabretti ,
as to leave no doubt of their being the fame with thofe
deferibed by him. The prelent polfcfior of the plate
purchafed it at Rome, in January 1720. N. S. At
which time a fmall brafs label was fixed to it, con-
taining the following words cut in capital letters,
EXREGIIS CHRISTINA THESAVRIS;
which is alfo here exhibited, with a draught of the
* fame form and fize fubjoined to that of the in-
feription. It is probable therefore, that this plate
might have been depofited among the other curio-
fities of that princefs, foon after it was dug up ; and
afterwards have fallen into other hands, who affixed
that label to it ; till at length being expoled to fale,
it was bought by the Dodtor at the time above
mentioned. For Queen Chrijlinn died at Rome, April
the 19, 1689, where fhe had reftded from the year
i6y8, after her return thither from France <h The.
year following a catalogue of her Greek and Latin
medals was printed at Rome c, and Fabretti pu-

* Morert , Ditfiop. Hiflor.

* Nummi antiqui in thefauro Chriflinae reginae Suecoru’n , Fomae
ajfervatij a Francifco Camclo, ejufdem Majeftatis antiquario. Romae

*6gp

blilhed

C 295 ]

blifhed his large and elaborate collection of Antient
inferiptions there in 1702. In which he fais, thaC
this plate, at the time he wrote his account of ir,
nuper eruta fuerit. But as he wrote this very pro-
bably fome years before the publication of his book,
the plate might have been found befote the death
of that princefs, and been in her poffeflion ; and af-
ter her deceafe come into fuch hands, as might oc-
cafion the diipofal of it, at the time, and in the
manner, here recited.

But I fhall now proceed to confider the words
of the infeription ; which may, I prel'umc, be read
at length, with the proper fupplements, in the fol-
lowing manner :

Florae Tiberius Rlautius Drofiis, pagi magijler

anni Jecundiy votum folvit hbens merito.

, •; 1 : - 1

The godefs FLORA was thought by th z Romans
to prefide over feilds and trees, and therefore they
addreHcd to her to favour them with profperous and
fruitful feafons. Hence Varro fais : I?ivoco Ruhr-
gum et F lor am, quibus propitiis „ neque rub /go fru •
menta atopue arbores corrumpit , neque non tewpe-
jlive florent. It aque public ae Robigofenae Rob /ga-
ll a, Florae ludi F lor alia Junt in flit at i f. But it ap-
pears from other paflages of that writer refered to
by Fabretti , that fhe was firft a Sabine deity, and
introduced at Rome by king Tatius in the time
of Romulus , many ages before the inftitution of the

* De R. R, Lib. i. cap. i.

P p 2 Flora -

[ 296 ]

F lor alia . For that feflival was not obferved till the
year of the city 5* *13, when the expenfe of it was
ordered to be paid out of the fines levied on thole
perfons, who had converted the public lands to
their own ufe, for feeding their cattle 3. The
memory of which is yet preferved on a coin (truck
that year, having on one fide the Genius of Rome :
and on the other a fheep, as an emblem of the
manner, by which that money was raifed ; with
the legend M POBLIC1VS MALEOLVS,
the name of one of the aediles, who had the care
of the coinage11. And the fame year alfo he with
his brother Lucius Foblicius , the other aedile, creeled
a temple in honour of the godefs l lor a , near to
the great circus'. However the Floralia were not
afterwards conftantly obferved, but only when the
fealon was bad, and feemed to threaten a fcarcity
of provifions. But in the year 580 k, by a decree
of the fenate, they were ordered to be celebrated
annually, upon the fourth of the kalends of May,
and the three following days f which ended with
the firfl of that month.

TI, the two firft letters of the praenomen of the
perfon mentioned in the infeription, are the ufuaL
abbreviation of Tiberius j as a fingle T is of Titus™.

6 Ovid. Fafi. Lib. v. v. 279.
h See Vail! ant Fam. Rom. in Poblicia, num. 1.

* Tacit. Anna l . Lib. ii. cap. 49.
k See Pighii Annaks ad ann. 513, 580.

1 Ovid. Fafi. Lib v. v. 327, 183.
m Ta ct. Prob. de not. Roman.

PLAY-

[ 297 ]

PLAVTIVS, which follows, denotes the
mily name , and often occurs in Roman writers, as
alfo upon coins, where it is fometimes wri.cn Plo-
tius, and at other times Tint ins n.

DROSVS, the ccgnomen , I do not remember to
have feen fo fpelt clfewhcrc ; but I make no doubt
of its being the fame as ‘Drufus, which we frequent-
ly meet with. For thus, as was juft now obferved,
his family name is writen three feveral ways,

! Tlautius , Plotius , and Plutius. And Suetonius ,
fpeaking of the Claudian family, fais : NotiJJimum
eft Claudios omnes , excepto CP. Clodio, optimates of-
fer tore fque dignitatis ac potentiae patriciorum fem-
per fuiffe °. So likewife Poblicius , the name of
the aedile above mentioned, is fometimes fpelt
Tublicms. Thefe inftances indeed all relate to the
family name 5 but the fame is true likewife with
regard to the cognomen. So the name Poblicola,
firft given to Publius Valerius, the collegue of Bru-
tus, but retained afterwards by the family, is gene-
rally writen Publicola p. And as to DruJ'us, Sueto-
nius acquaints us with the original of that name.
Drufus, fais he, hofiium duce Draufo cominus tru -
cidato, fibi pojlerifque fids cognomen mvemt q. His
other uames were Marcus Litvins , and the a&ion
here refered to was in the year of the city 470 r.

" See Vaillant Fam . Roman, in Plautia.

0 In Tiber, cap. 2

v Liv. ii. 8. vii. 32.

* In Tiber, cap. 3.

1 See Tighii annates , ad an. 470, 471,

U

[ 298 3 .

It therefore feems very probable, that this cognomen
being (o antient, might by fome of the dcfctndents
of that family be writcn 'Drofus , and afterwards
more generally Hrufus. For as the Romans endea-
voured gradually to improve their language, and
foften its pronunciation, they changed au into 0,and
again o into u} for the. more agreable found. This
appears not only from the .examples given already,
but likewife from many others, which m:ght be
be produced, as well of common words as proper
names. Of the former fort are codex from can-
dex , corns from caurus , lotus from lautus , and Jo-
rex from fanrex s and of the latter, mulius from
molt us, rubigo from robigo , vulgus from uolgus,
V ’ilc anus from Vole anus, and the like.

) f v * * -

MAG. II. according to the explication given
above, arc an abbreviation of the words magijler
fecundi , which (land for pagi magiftcr anni fecundi ,
was the whole to be exprellcd at length. The word
pagus dignities a diyifion or large portion of land,
not much unlike what we call a fbtre or county.
Hence Caefar in his hiftoty of the Gallic war fais :
Omnis civitas Helvetia in quatuor pagos divifa
cjl s. And again lpeaking of the Sue-vi , who were a
very large nation : Hi centum pagos habere dicun-
tur c5 tho 'pagus is fometimes ufed by the poets in
a more reftrained fenfe, for a ftngle village. So
Mandela is deferibed by Horace , as rugofus frigore
pagus v. And Virgil reprefents the rural fports, as

* Lit. i. cap. 12.

* Lit. iv. cap. i.

y Epijt. Lib. i. xviii. ie>$.

performed

[ 299 ]

performed pages et comp it a circum *. As to the
title magijier , it always denotes fome prehemincnce
and authority, and is ufed in a variety of fenfes, as
majier is with us. So Fefius fais : Magijtri non
folum do ft ores art turn ; fed etiam pagorumi j'oeie-
tatum> 'uicorum , collcgiorum, e quit urn dicuntur $ quia
omnes .hi magis ceteris pojfunt Of theic
magijier pagi was a vfery antient officer -among
the Romans, appointed by Numa ft* ompilim\ the
immediate fucceffor of Romulus , as we 'learn from
ftdiony jius of HaUcarnajfus. 11 For Numa (as he
“ fais ) firft divided the whole country into fuch
“ portions, as they call ^ r<xyvn over each of which
“ he appointed an officer, whom he calls do^ovTa.,
ic e7rtax.o7rov , and TrtfiroXov) that is, a prefident or
“ majier, infpe&or, and furveyor. His bufinefs was
“ to furvey the lands, and take an account in wri-
“ ting, whether they were well or ill cultivated j
“ which accounts he laid before the king ; who
u commended thofe husbandmen, who had been
<f diligent, and tieated them courteoufly ; but re-
“ proved and fined the indolent, in order to excite
„ them to greater diligence V’ The Roman territories
at that time were confincd.within very narrow bounds;
but in after ages, as they inlarged their dominions by
conquefts, many of the countries, which they fubdued,
were given to the foldiers, as a reward for their fervice.
And as a certain quantity of land was alloted to each
foldier, the diftribution was made by perfonsfent with
them for that purpofe ; and thofe fettlements,or colo-

x Georg. Lib. ii. 582.

7 In voc. Magifterare.
z Ami Rom. Lib. ii. cap>.j6.

ales.

C 3°° J

nics, were divided into feveral diftrids, or pagi , which
were confidered as diftind communities. And be-
caufc differences would fometimcs happen among
them afterwards about the limits of their poffellions,
the magiftri pagorum were impowered to ad juft
them, and prevent ali incroachments of that fort.
For which end alfo public proceftions were made
at certain times, accompanied with iacrifices and
other religious ceremonies a, in honour of the tute-
lar deity of the place, the expenle of which was
born by contributions of the inhabitants; as was
fhewn in a former paper, which I had the honour
to lay before this Society b. Thefe officers had
likewife the care of the roads, which led from
one town or village to another, within their refpe-
dive jurifdidions, to keep them in good repair c.
And another part of their duty was to provide ac-
commodations for the armies in their march, as alfo
for the governors of provinces, and other great per-
fons, in palling thro their feveral diftrids upon pu-
blic affairs Horace feems to refer to this, when
he fa is :

Hue venturiis erat Maecenas , optima ; atque
Coc cents, mijfi magnis de rebus uterque
Legati ; averfos foliti componere arnicos.

And loon after :

Proxima Campano ponti qii£ villula tettum
Praebu:ti et parochi , quae debent, ligna falemque e.

4 Siculus F/accui, pag.cf, 25, edit. Gocf.
b See Fbilof. Tranfad. uum . 486.

c Sicul. Flacc. ubi J'upr a. Fra g, Magov. et V<sg. pag 255,
d Sic. F lac. pag. 25.

* Serm, Lib. i. Eclog. v. v. 27,45.

Where

[ 3GI ]

Where by parochi ( fo named from vra^eiv to
provide ) may be meant an inferior fort of offi-
cers, appointed by the majler to provide all ne-
cdfarics for Grangers, included here in the words
ligna falemque f

But as the title magijler was common to fo
many officers of different characters, it may be
expeded, that fome rcafon fhould be alleged ftm
affigning it to the magijler pagi in this inferi-
ption, where no other word is added to determine
the particular fenfe of it. And indeed I cannot
pretend to offer any dired proof for this; but the
reafons, which induce me to think fo, are thefe
which follow. Both the defign and form of the
infeription feem to fuit him beft. For the purport
of it being the performance of a vow to the godefs
Flora , very probably for a profperous and fruitful
ieafon, as the effed of their addreffes to her ;
by whom could that fo properly be done, as by
this officer, who prefided over the religious as well
as civil affairs of the inhabitants ? Bcfidcs, I cannot
but think from the name cDrofis , which clfewhere
is always fpelt ‘ Drujits , that this infeription was wri-
ten before fevcral other officers were appointed,
who afterwards bore the title of magifter--, which
might render any explanatory word unneceffary at
that time, efpecially in the place where he had his
refidence. There are indeed two inscriptions pm
blifhed, one by Gruter g,and the other by Rinejiusk,

r See Budaei Armot. in Pandecf. p. 262.
g Pag, xxvi. num. 9.
h &aJF- Jext ■ num- LXXII.

[ 3°2 ]

in which the word PAGI is added to M AGISTER;
in the fame manner as we meet with magifier
collegii , 'via, and the like. But the former of thefe
was as late as the reign of Tiberius-, and the time
of the latter uncertain, fo that nothing can be con-
cluded from it. And there are likewifc fcverai
infcriptions, in which MAGISTERand MAGISTRI
hand alone, without the addition of any explana-
tory word. But then it appears either from the
defign of thofe infcriptions, the number of per-
fons mentioned, or fomc other circumftance rela-
ting to them, that their office was of a different
nature ; fome few inftances of which I fhall pre-
fently have occafion to mention. From thefe con-
Bderations therefore I have been led to conclude,
that the fenfe here affigned to the word magifier ,
as it refpefts this infcription, is the mod probable.

That the characters II. Band for anni fecundi ,
the date of the time, during which this T)rofus
had then held that office, is confirmed by feveral
infcriptions publifhed by Gruter. In one of which
we have MAG. ANNI. V i$ in another MAGI-
STRI. ANNI. VI k; and in two others MAG.
ANNI. PRIMIl, where the word denoting the
time is expreffed at length. As thefe different ways
therefore of expreffing the time relate to perfons,
who all bore that title, tho not the fame office.

* Pag. liv. num. i.*
k Pag. xxxvi. num. j.

1 Pag. xxxni. num. io. xxxv. 5.

as

[ 3°3 ]

as appears by the inferiptions ; they plainly (hew
in what fenfe thofe characters are to be taken here.

The concluding letters V. S. L. M. which (land
for 'votum fol-vit libens merito , contain the ufual
form of dedicating votive monuments.

But the thing dedicated is not mentioned here,
which was moft probably a ftatue or an altar ; and
1 rather think the latter, from the number of fuch
inferiptions in Gruter-, and other collectors of an-
tient monuments, taken from altars. Whereas we
hear of few images of any fort relating to this deity.
Fliny indeed mentions a ftatue of Flora at Rome ,
which was made by Fraxiteles m. And Montfaucon
has given the draughts of three or four others, which
have been thought to reprefent that godefsn. Her
head alfo is found upon two coins, one of the Clan -
dian °, and the other of the Serviltan family p. How-
ever thefe are but very few, comparatively with
what we meet with of other deities. Befides, the
age of this infeription ( which feems further con-
firmed by its brevity and ftmplicity ) as likewife the
place where it was difeovered, fuit much better
with an altar; for altars were erected in all parts
of the country, and very early. I fuppofe there-
fore, that this plate was fixed into the front of fome
altar confecrated to Flora ; for which purpofe both

m Nat. Hijf. Lib. XXXVi. cap. v. §. 5.
n L. Antiq. expliq. Tom. i. par. 2. chap. 30.
0 See Vaillant Fam. Rom. num. 13.
f Ibid. num. 17.,

Q.q 2

the

[ 3°4 ]

the (hape of ir, and the angles at each end, Teem to
be very well adapted. The town, where it was
dug up, is by Fabretti called Licentia ; which he
fuppofes to have taken its name from the rivet Hi-
gentia , that runs by it. Horaces farm therefore was
probably not very far from thence, fince he fpeaks
of it as near that river, when he fais:

Me quotiens rejicit gelidns Higentia rivus
Quern Mandela bibit , rugofus frigore pagus:
Quid fentire ■put as , quid credis, amice, precar i q ?

The antiquity of this infeription, together with
its fmgularity, made me think it not unworthy the
notice of this learned Society. For tho we meet
with two inferiptions, one in Gruter, r and the other
in Rtne(ius*, to the honour of Flora jointly with
other deities ; yet this is the only one I can find,
which is addreffed to her alone. And as to the
manner of explaining the feveral parts of it, that is
left to every one to judge of, as he pleafes.

G. C.

Decemb. 20, 1 749-

John Ward.

’ E pifi. Lib. i. XVIII. 103;

1 Fag. cxxi. nuvi. 1.
s tr,m- mm- CCXXXIII.

II. Epi~

C 305 ]

II. Epiflola a Rev. Rat re R. Auguftino Hal-
Jerftein, S. J. M. Collegii Aftronomici
Pekinenfis Prtzffde^ ad Cromwell Morti-
mer, M. D. Secret . R. S. miff a, ana cum
Obfervationibus Comets vifi Pekini 1748.
Novas Conftellationis Occultationis Martis
et Lunas Dec. 6. 1747. Conjuntfionis Mar-
tis & Veneris menfe Martio 1748. Con-
grejffus Jovis &* Veneris 'Jan. 1. 1748.
ibidem quoque faSiis.

ClariJJimo V iro Domino Cromwello Mortim e r

S. P. D.

Collegii Pekinenfts PAT RE S Societatis Jefu.

Read Januajy T* "T tJmanillimas tuas, vir clariflime,
l8 i749‘ !l"JL cluas Nonis Februarii 1746 ad nos
dedifti Collegii Pekinenfis Socios, fub initium No-
vcmbris hujus anni 1748. cum magna voluptate ac-
cepimus. Neque enim non poteramus nobis maxi-
mopere gratulari honorem, quo nos clariflima Socie-
tas veftra dignata eft, obfervationes noftras aftrono-
micas qualefcunque requi bonique confulendo, atque
etiam continuationem commercii literarii a nobis ef-
flagitando.

Fuerunt illae Obfervationes fa&as a deceflbribus hie
noftris PP. Jgnatio Kogler, et Andrea Pereyra, qui

cum

[ 3°6 ]

cum ambo ad meliorem vitam abierunt, fuccefiimus
illis Ego, et P. Antonius Gogeift, qui non deerimus
pro modulo noftro aequiftima; poftuiationi vcftrte re-
fpondere. Et quas quidem impr^fentiarum promp-
tas habcbamus obfervatiunculas noftras hujus anni,
ante dies bene multos tradidi Patri Antonio Gaubil
eafdem a me efflagitanti, ut eas ad fuos in Galliam
tranfmittere pollet ; acceptis autem humaniflimis tuis,
vir clariflime, cum eas nondum expediviftet, expof-
centi mihi recepit fe eas refta ad te miflurum una cum
hac Epiftola noftra.

Vobis certe, Viri clarifllmi, atque inclytaa Socie-
tati veftra:, plurimum obftridta eft Aftronomia hie
noftra, ut quibus maximo adjumento funt, doftif-
fimx lucubrationes clariflimoru na virorum veftra-
lium Nevvtoni, Gregorii, Flamftedii, aliorutnque.
Juftum igitur et xquum nobis vifum tibi, vir clarif-
iime, tuorumque defideriis morem gerere, dum vos,
viri clariflimi, pergatis nos lucubrationibus veftris
erudire, et favoribus profequi.

Atque cum impradentiarum nobis pluribus non
liceat, prolixiores anno venturo daturos nos pollice-
mur. Valete.

Dabam Pekini, in Collegio Societ. Jefu.
VI. Iduum Novembris 1748.

Augustinus Hallerstein, S.J.M.
Collegii Aftronomici Przefes.

[ 3°7 ]

Via, & Ephe metis Comet a viji Pekini S inarum,

1748.

Ifus nobis ifthic hoc anno Cometa, fane quam

triftis et infelix, praeterquam enim quod lu-
mine luccret admodum obfcuro et maligno, via in-
ceflit tam deferta, [vid. Tab. I. Fig . 2-] coelo tana
parum favente, ut non nifi raro, cum paucis aliquot
ftellulis, nec iftis fcio, quam fuo loco pofttis com-
parari potuerit.

Die 26 April, mane Tub horam tertiam primum
vifus eft illis, qui ex officio in fpecula aftronomica
hujus regiae excubant ; notaturque illius locus armil-
la zodiacali rudiufcule fcilicet in 180 X cumLat. bor.
270 ncmpe in pe&ore Pegafi fub ftellis a et ^ , caput
aequalis ftellae tertii ordinis, cauda longa quaft uno
gradu.

Sequentibus diebus nulla diligentia obtineri po-
tuit, ut cum aliqua fixa accuratius compararetur ;
itaque craffiufcule folum determinata illius aliqua
loca per configurationes cum circumvicinis ftellis,
quae ut calculi rigorem non ferant, viam faltem quam
Cometa teneret, indigitarent 5 nimirum.

Die 27 Aprilis mane circa 2k Long. X 210 20' cum
Lat. bor. 31° 35'.

Die 28 Aprilis man. fub idem tempus ^ 25-° 17'
cumLat. bor. 36° o'.

Die 29 Aprilis man. fub idem tempus X 29*10
cum Lat. bor. 40° o'.

Die 30 April. & 1 Maii, pernubes nihil vifum.

Die 2 Maii mane comparari dcmum potuit Co-
meta cum ftellula lucidiufcula media inter 5 ftellu-
Jas, quse funt in flexu catenae Andromeda, notatur-

que

[ 3°8 ]

que ope micrometri 8c penduli 2k 31' 49" t. v. Co*
meta orientalior ftella i' ^o1' penduli, eademque bo-
realior jj1 S'.

Die 6 Maii mane comparatus Cometa cum ftel-
Jula qux in Cat. Britannico Flamft. ponitur in con-
ftellarione Cafliopese ordinefexta, per difFercntias de-
-clinationum et diftantias, co quod ob coelum non
fatis ludum, tardum motum, et malignum lumen Co-
mets tranfitus ejufdem per horarium etiam inter plu-
ra fecunda penduli definiri non poflet j nimirum zb
3' 57'' t. v. erat Cometa borealior Bella 44! 8", cap*
taque illico diftantia erat yo' fo'.

Scquentibus diebus comparatus Cometa cum va-
riis ftellulis, fed ignotis; unde nihil de iliius loco
ilatui potuit.

Die 17 Maii vefperc circa nonam (momentum
cn.m temporis per oblivionem noratum non eft) vi •
fus Cometa inter duas ftellulas, a qtiarum propiore
diftabat in auftrum (fitu redo, non inverfo) n' 3"
et a remotiore in boream 79' yS". Videbatur etiam
Cometa orientalior propiore 1' penduli. Hx dux
ftcllulx ponuntur in Cat. Brit. Flamft. in confielia-
tione Calliopcx fub linem borealior quidem, eaque
propior in n 40 49' 7" cum lat. bor. 58° 6' 56",
auftralior autem eademque remotior in n 30 lS' 11"
cum lat. bcr. 57° ii' 10", nempe ad annum ilium
1690.

Die 1 6 Maii comparatus Cometa cum hefterna-
rum borealiore, nh i' 59'' nodis erat orientalior
ftclla 18' 26" penduli, eaque borealior 2 6' 4".

Die 19 Maii comparatus Cometa cum ftella qux
in Catalogo fixarum J, Hevelii illo ad annum 1700
ponitur lextx magnitudinis in Cipheo, vocaturque

fub

C 309 3

fub fafcia feqtiens, cratque ioh 23' 29" nod is Co-
mcta in eadem afcenfione reda cum della : cerre nun-
quam notari aliqua potuit remporis differentia inter
utriufque tranfitum pro horarium j erat autem Co-
meta boreaiior della 48' 14".

Inde vilus per fequentes dies nihil certi de loco
Cometas conflituturr.

Die 29 Maii vifus Comcta juxta ccmplures dellu-
las, fed ignoras, fcilicet moto paulum tubo apparuit,
nempe quam Hevelius in Catalogo fuo fixarum illo
ad annum 1660 ponit in condellatione Camelcpar-
dali, vocatque Supra ter gam, five in cufptde pedis
finijiri Cephei fas magnit. Cum autem hujus della;
parallelus longius didaret a parallelo Cometa;, quam
ut immediate cum ilia comparari poller, compara-
tus ed mediante dellula intermedia, notaturque Co-
meta nh 211 if' nodis orientalior dida della 16'
if penduli, eademque audralior iQ 37' 22".

Inde quia juxta viam Cometa; nulla; erant, neque
future videbantur della; cum quibus comparari pof-
fer, longius ere fcilicet petenda; erant : itaque fequen-
tibus diebus comparatus ed cum y Cephei, a cujas
parallelo non multum aberar. Ergo telefccpio pro-
be firmato,

Die 1 Jun. vefp. 30' 53'' ^Cephei ad horarium.

2 Jun. mane 3h 24' fi" Cometa ad horarium
boreaiior della 2 6' ^9’'

Die 4 Jun. vefp. 8h 28' 5-8" ^Cephei ad horar.

5 jun. mane 2h4i/ 9" Cometa ad hor. audra-
lior della y 8/ 20".

Die 5 Jun. vefp. 8 h 23' 23" y Cephei ad horar.

6 jun. mane 2k4i/ if Cometa ad horar. au-
dralior della 20' 12 '.

R r

Di*

[ 3io ]

Die 7 Tun. vcfp. 8h f' 3"^Cephei ad horar.

8 Jun. mane 2h 32' 51" Cometa ad horar. au-
ftralior ftella.42' fi".

Die 8 Jun. vefp. 8h 3 i' f9’' y Ccphei ad horar.

9 Jun. mane 4' 38’' Cometa ad horar. au~
ftralior ftella f f‘ 34".

Die 12 Jun. vcfp. cum jam vix fpes effet videndi
ultra cometa;, vidi ilium tamen parvum jam obfeu-
rum, veftigium aliquod cometa; verius quam come-
tam. Adde clarorem Luna; et nubiluginem ab eadem
colluftratam, qua; omnia difficilem, dubiam, et pa-
rum tutam faciunt obfervationem, praefertim acci-
dente etiam lumine laterna; ; nihilominus, ut potui,
comparavi eundem cum ftellula, quam poftea reperi
in una Mappula et Catalogo Dni.de la Caillcintomo
Mcmor. Acad. Reg. Scient. Parif. 1742 anni occa-
fione cometa; illius anni dete&am, et notatam cum
afcenfione re&a ad id tempus 910 21' et dec), bor.
730 49', fignatamque litera A , itaque 9** 33' 6" A ad
horar. turn 9* 45' 23" Cometa ad hor. borealior ftella
46' 34".

Die 13 Jun. vefp. pb 13' 11" A ad horarium 9*
29' 43 Cometa ad horarium borealior ftella 3 6’ if".

Die I4jun. vefp. £h if7 44" A ad horarium 911
36' 4' Cometa ad hor. borealior ftella 2f' 47'’. Turn
vifa 9h ff' dimenfx diftantia; Cometa; a ftellis
Iif' 97
£38 39

*43 3

Stabat autem Cometa juxta ftellam j^qua; flellac om-
lies loco citato notata; funt.

Die 15 et 1 6 Junii per nubes obfervarc nihil Ii-

cuir.

Die

C 311 ]

Die 17 et 18 me domo abeunte obiervavit P. Ant.
Gaubil fie.

Die 1 7 fun.vefp. 9* 26' go'' A ad horarium.

f3 3f R ad horarium.

9k ff' if" Cometa ad hor. in eod. parallelo cum A .
Die i8Jun. vefp. 9? 52' 14," A ad horarium.

10 19 21 K ad horarium.
ph 24/ fo7 Cometa ad hor. auftralior ftella A 16' 30".

fiella 10 :o

Eft autem ftella: R afc. reda 98° 6~ et decl. bor.

73° 43 '•

Tempora obfervationum omnia funt vera, et Tatis
corretta.

Obfervationcs porro fad® funt tubo 6 pedum, cui
infprtum Micromctum Anglicum.

Nova Conftdlat 'to.

Ut ne pars h®c folii vacua abiret, uddaiw conftcl-
latiunculam qu® 29 Maii cometam tubo venanti oc-
currit ; ca eft, qualis in Tab. I. Fig.^. apparet, quarum
ftellularum, diftantia erant a a j3 12' 19", /3 a y 16'
4f', y a J' 10' 2", <f ab g 16' 45", * a £ 19' 53",
«T ab £ 28' 17", y a 0, qu® eft ipfa Camelopardaii Ju~
pro, tergum 58' 16"; 4 ab eadem fo' 3". Sed has
ipfas diftantias aliis accuratius dimetiendas relinquo.
Eft autem fitus hujus afterifmi redus, non inverfus.

Rr i,

Occul -

[ 3>2 3

Occiiltatio Martis a Luna obfervata Tekini Sinarum
1747. menfe <Decembris die fexta vefp.

* / n

4 52 i7

5 3 9
.12 47

9 38
5 18 26

28 2

9 3 6
5 34 3+

H8 9

6 3 31

4 23
58

6 1 1 36

17 22

18 12
46

<3 diftabat a Jimbo lucido Luna: 50' 4".
Turn <3 obfervatus, et comparatus cum ftel
la 1 . vt fie :

<3 ad horarium.

1. adhorarium borealior quam <3 41' 6"
Differentia temporaria.

<3 ad horarium.

1. ad horarium borealior quam <? 41' 2"
Differentia temporaria.

<3 ingreflus fub liilibum obfeurum <£ totus
difparuit,diftans a cornu boreo C 23' 28."
Illico dimenfa diameter <T erat 32' 53''
Pars autem lucida <T erat 7' 39’'

Interea dum <3 poft £ latcret, obfervata et
comparata C cum ftella 0 vr fic :

0 ad horarium.

Limbus lucidus £ ad horarium.

Cornu boreum £ ad horarium.

Cornu auftrinum £ ad horarium.

Eratque limbus auftrinus G auftralior ftella
0 34' 27"

Iterum

0 ad horarium.

Limbus lucidus £ ad hojarium.

Cornu boreum <1 ad horarium.

Cornu auftrinum £ ad horarium.

Erat autem limbus auftrinus £ auftralior
ftclla G 3 1; o''.

Tcrrio

C 313 3

fc f « Tertio
6 23 22 G ad horarium.

29 26 Limbus iucidus <C ad horarium.

30 1 7 Cornu boreum <T ad horarium.

52 Cornu auftrinum <T ad horarium.

Erat autcm limbus auftrinus C auftralior
della G 27' 48".

6 38 52 Erat quaedam parvula ftellula appropin-
quans limbo obfcuro <T , cumque fubin-
grefiura diftabat a limbo lucido <T 41'
23". Turn

6 46 2 primo apparuit prodiens de fub di-

ftanfque a cornu boreo 29' 24.".

7 2 23 Supradida parva ftellula fubingrefta limbum

obfcurum C diftans a cornu boreo C to-
tidem 29' 24;/. Denique
7 12 24 Diftabat d a limbo lucido 11' 30".

Temporum momenta funtvera, etcorreda
per altitudines correfpondenres.

Phafes omnes obfervatas tubo fex pedum,
cui infertum micrometrum Anglicum.

A

1 2 24"'

1.0 2.0 Sfi An Sfi (Z\

C 3H -3

Conjunflio Martis et Veneris, obfervata Pekini <5V-
narum nienfe Martio Anne 1748,

bus De la Caille.

C 6, eadem via ex Observation ibus.

'D <?, eadem via ex Ephemeridibus Bononien -
fibus D. Manfredi.

Obfervationes porro Ec habent :

k / // ° / ir

Martii die 12. 6 27 52 <7 orientalior 1 48 48
eaque borealior 5-3 4 6.

Martii die 13. 6 43 # orientalior $ o 8

eaque borealior 27 26.

Martii die 14. 6 10 33 6 orientalior 5 o 29 34
eaque borealior 14 36.

Marti!

» I

/

V

[ 315 3

1/

Martii die if. 6 28 4 d orientalior 9030

eaque borealior 130.

Marriidie 16. 6 27 13 6 occidentalior 9 o 23 48
eaque auftralior 10 41.

Marriidie 17. 6 2f 14 <? occidentalior 9 o fo 38
eaque auftralior 23 24.

Martii die 19. 6 29 f 2 occidentalior 2 1 44 47
eaque auftralior 48 14.

Omnes hx differentiae determinate funt ex rcpctitis
operationibus, tubo 6 pedutn cum micrometris.
Tempora item vera, et corretta per altitudines cor-
relpondentes.

Ut folium hoc impkatur, addenda vifa

Obfervatio corigreffus Jovis cum Venere, Anno 1748,
1 Januarii vefpere.

5* 41'' diftabat HaS i° 3' 4*//. Tuna

5 22 14 % ad horarium.

2f 6 9 ad horar. auftralior ¥e fo' 35"

2.f2

Iterum f 26 36 V ad horarium.

29 32. 2 ad horar. auftralior Ve ^0' if"

2 56

Tertio f 30 35 V ad horarium.

33 34 $ ad horar. auftralior Ve 4^' 37'/

2 ^9

1

III.

[ 3 16 ]

III. Obfervatio Co?netce , Anno 1 748, cum aliis
aliquot Obfervationibus aftronomicis a Rev.
CP. P. Antonio Gaubil e Soc. Jefu ad eun-
dem tranfmiffa ; in Rejidentia PP. Gall or.
Soc. Jefu Pekini.

DI E 27 April, mane 3h 30' vidimus comctam
in medio ftellarum Pegafi (3 A n.

2 Maii comparavimus etiam cometam cum ftellis
de quibus agit P. Hallerftein in Flamftedio 1690.
Stella in T" n° 26' 45" . Locus comets idem ferme
eoncluditur feu ex noltra feu P. Hallerftein obferva-
tione.

3 Maii 3h mane a et Calliopes in linea reda cum
cometa. a eft in medio fat prscise.

4 Maii mane 411 j cometa occidentalior 3* ftella in
Cailiop, apud Flamftediiim 3 p, cometa auftralior
iQ 1'.

f Maii nihil exade obfervari potuir.

•6 Maii mane 2h 51' linea per a et (3 Calliopes
paululum ad auftrum comets, diftantia [3 a ftella y. =
diftantis [3 a cometa.

io Maii vefpere, 9h 14' minima altit. comets vera
200 48' 5%" cometa occidentalior orientali ftella (com
ponitur ex duabus) 27' 12"} in Flamftedio ftella in
Tauro 2 et aliquot min.

1 j Maii comparavimus etiam cometam cum llcllis
P. Hallerftein. Comets altir. mcrid. vera p. m. 25° 5V
30'' ioh 12'. Cometa auftralior ftella 8' 5 altii. mcr.
ftells boreal. 25° 5*9' 30L Non bene obfervavimus
differentiam afc. reds.

1 6 Maii

[ 3i7 ]

1 6 Mai. p. m. vera altir. merid. cometx i6° \6*
32"; in reticulo ioh 22': cometa orientalior ftella
P. Hallerftein i° 41'.

17 Maii p. m. io‘ 40' vera altid. minima cometx
26° 4 6' 34'.

Vs Cephaei ad horarium 7* 54' 58''.

Cometa ad horar. ioh 41' 43''.

Via cometx videtur borealior via ftellas 38' 20".

In fchedulis non reperio fat multas obfervationes
fadas ufque ad 7 Jun. Sed ex comparatione cometx
cum Heveliana ftella, de qua infra, et aliis non ita
bene cognitis mihi, videor pofle concludere, a die 2d0
Jun. ad 7mum cometx afc. redam crcvifle 6 grad,
et minut. aliquot, declin. vcro decrcvifte ff'.

7 Jun. mane 1 h 1 5-' ftella ad horarium 3o''poft
cometam. Stella borealior i° 30' fat. dubie obfcr. *

9 Jun. ofc 4f/ cometa ad horarium.

o* 49' 1 o'' ftella ad horarium A . §

Cometa berealior iQ 30’.

Ufque ad 12 Jun. nihil fat exadi fuit obfervatum.

13 Jun. p. m. 9fc 30' diftantia cometx a ftella 1 1[
io' 20".

Cometa borealior 4' 2 5''.

Cometa eft orientalior.

17 Jun. p. m. oh 26' 30" A ad horar. ? ,

5-3 3 f R ad horar. J '

55 15 cometa ad hor.

Cometa et R in eadem declin.

* Hevelii ftella ad ann. 1660. afc. recta 2° 24/ 39", Dift. a
polo 1 20 42' 1 7''.

§ Stella A in Fig. D de la Caille in Ad. Parif. 1740.

|| Stella I in Fig. D de la Caille. Ad. Parif. 1742.

t A . R, ftellarum not* in Fig. D de la Caille, Ad. Acad. Parif.
4742.

S f 18 Jun.

[ 3*8 ]

i8Jun, p. m. 9k 52' 14" A ad horar.

10 19 21 R ad horar.

24. 57 cometa ad horar.

Cometa auftralior A 16' 30"
auftralior R 10 20.

Diebus fequentihus tubo 7 pcd. et amplius, cujus
apertura = i° o' 24", obfervatus efc cometa cum ftcl-
Ja2) in Fig.B. La Caille Adt. Acad. Parif. 1742. Nul-
lum fere fucceflum habuere multae ex illis obferva-
tionibus : refero tantum duas, qua; non mihi videntur
omnino exattae.

27 Jun. p. m. ftella T> intrat in tubum 9* 23' 10"

exit ex tubo 9 36 o

cometa intrat 9 40 28

exit 9 5-2 16

Cometa concluditur borealior 19' 40''.

29 Jun. D intrat 11* 1' 40" p. m.

exit 11 14 51

Cometa intrat 11 23 54,

exit 11 36 o

Cometa concludit borealior 12' aut forte 13'.

Non facile videbatur cometa 29 Jun. fuere nubes
diebus 30 Jun. 1 et 2 Julii, nec deinde qua;fttus eft
cometa.

/• %

En, domine illuftriifime, obfervationes aliquot
eometae.

Pekini, 8 Nov. 1748.

Ant, Gaubilj S. J.

Obj.

difiat a limbo occidentali 2 1' 29".

Obf. aliquot Eclipf. Sat ell. Jovis.

13 O&ob. p. m. tempore vero 9“ 40' 30" ima Em.
31 fatell. V. tub. iy ped.

15- Ottob. p. m. tempore vero 81* 37' 26" Emerf. 1 i
fatell. eod. tubo.

20 Ottob. p. m. tempore vero io* 7' 56" Imm. total.
31 fatell. eod. tub.

21 O&ob. p. m. tempore vero 5h 52' 12" Emerf. 2&m
fatell. eod. tub. dubie.

28 Odtob. p. m. tempore vero 8h 29' 20" ima Em.
2^i fatell. eod. tubo.

7 Nov. p. m. tempore vero 8h 52' 5-9'' ima Emerf.
ii fatell. eod. tubo.

IV. An Account of an Aurora Auftralis,
fern Jan. 23. 1749-50, at Chelfea, by
John Martyn, F. R. S. Prof. Bot. Can-
tab. communicated by Martin Folkes, Efq\
Praef. Reg. Soc.

Eye accidentally toward a Window which looked
to the S. S. W. I thought I fa w a reddifh Light about
the Planet Venus , which then fhone exceedingly
bright. Being fufpicious of fomeFire in the Neigh-
bourhood, I went immediately to a Window on the

4 N- 23. at about half an Hour
after five in the Evening , cafting my

S f 2

Stair-

[ 320 ]

Stair-cafe, where I faw a reddifh Light, which fhone
with fuch exceeding Brightnefs, that the Luftre
of the fine Conftellation of Orion was almoft ef-
faced. I then went to a Window facing the N.
N. E. where I prefently faw a very broad Band of
Crimfon Light, like that which I obferved from the
fame Window, March 18. 1738-9; an Account of
which is printed in the Phil. Tranf. N° 461. But
in the former the red Band was bounded on the N.
by Streams of a greenifh Blue ; whereas the Band
now obferved was entirely of a deep Crimfon Co-
lour, being of a much darker Red than the former.

Thence I withdrew into my Garden, where I plain-
ly faw a Band or Arch, of a very deep Crimfon
Colour, in Appearance about if° broad, the South-
ern Edge of which palled juft above Canis minor ,
and the Shoulders of Orion . It was terminated to
the Weftward, near Venus , then about 20° high;
but it extended to the Ealhvard as far as I could fee,
and the farther it went that way, the deeper was
the Colour, and the broader the Band, About a
Quarter before Eight, there was formed a Crown
about 30 Degrees to the Southward of the Zenith ;
for I could plainly perceive the Pleiades , which had
then juft: palled the Meridian, very near it, when
the Light was faint. From this Crown a great
many Rays darted to the E. S. and W. but not to-
ward the N. where only fome whitiQa Streaks were
to be feen, but very faint. Prefently after this, the
Part of the Arch extending to the Eaft feemed to
be fuddenly kindled, as if fome Train had been
fired ; grew extremely bright and vivid 5 and as if all

[ 321 ]

the red Matter had been then confumed, put an
End to the Phenomenon before Eight.

During the reft of the Evening, a pale Light
covered the South Part of the Heavens, as if the
Moon had fhone.

V. A Letter from Mr . Chriftopher Maire
to the Prefdent , containing Obfervations
made at Rome of the Eclipfe of the Moon,
Dec. 23. 1749 3 and of that of the Sun,
Jan. 8. 1750.

Honour'd Sir ,

Rtad Febr. 1. Herewith fend you my Obfervation of
17 49* ^ the two late Eclipfes, to be communi-

cated, if you plcafe, to the Royal Society. The 23d of
December, on which happened that of the Moon, was
fo boifterous a Day, that I defpair'd of being able to fee
it, and for that Reafon negleded to put my Microme-
ter in Order. My Clock had likewife been altered
without my Knowlege, on which Account I betook
myfelf too late to the Obfervation, as will appear
by the following Detail. The Place of both Ob-
fervations is in the Latitude of 410 54' o'1, four Se-
conds of Time Eaftward of St. Peter's. For I take

it

[ 322 ]

it for granted that the Therm# Dioclejian £ arc, ac-
cording to Bianchini' s Determination, in the Lati-
tude of 41 ° 54/ 2 7".

Eclipfe of the Moon, ’Dec. 23. 1749.

Chord of the Part eclipfed 1 3 Min. as was

deduc’d from the Map of the Moon - 7*1 47' 18 '
Hence Beginning of the Eclipfe - 7 40 53

The Shade to Tycho and Capuanus - 7 54, 3
Tycho inticely covered - - 7

Shade to Fracaftorius - - - 8 28 43

Fracaftorius quite hid - - 8 30 24

Tycho intirely difengaged - - 9 30 24

End of the Eclipfe, as far as could be

perceiv'd thro" a thin Cloud - - 10 o 16

I judg’d the Eclipfe to be fomewhat lcfs than
five Digits.

Solar Eclipfe, Jan . 8. i7fo.

Beginning by a Reflettor of Mr. Short ,

J™. 7. 2°h 34'

The firft Spot covered - - 20 49 yo

The reft could not be obferved for the
Clouds -

Quantity of the Eclipfe 7 Dig. 48. Min. 21 49 4
Again more exadlly - 7 - 43 - 21 fi 28

-The Sun appears for a] Moment $ Horns

nearly horizontal - - - 21 56 iy

4a Two

37‘

2} 3 4,2

23 II 32

t 323 3

Two Digits remain eclipfed - -

One Digit cxadtly -
End of the Eclipfe - -

The Obfervation was made with a 7 Foot Tube,
261 o Parts of the Micrometer juft clafping the Sun’s
Diameter.

I am, with all poflible Refpeft,

Honoured Sir,

Rome, Jan. 14. 1770.

Tour moft Obedient*
Humble Servant
Christopher Maire.

VI. Some Obfervations on the Dragon-Fly or
Libella of Penfil vania, colleSled from Mr* ,
John Bartram’s Letters , communicated by
Peter Collinfon, F. R. S,

Read Feb. i. a Bout the Beginning of May I obferved
I749'5°* many deformed Water-Infeds, by Na-

turalifts called Hexipodes , creep up out of the Wa-
ter, and fix themfelves on the Shrubs and Rufhes; in
this Situation they continue but a few Hours before
their Back fplits open; and from this deformed Cafe
creeps out a beautiful Fly, with fhining tranfparent

W ings ;

[ 324 ]

Wings : At its firft Appearance there is only what
one may call the Rudiments of Wings; but it is a molt
entertaining Sight to obferve how they {hoot out, and
expand themfelves : Thus, in lefs than an Hour, they
have attained their complete Dimcnfions. During
all this Operation the Creatures are immoveable, and
fo continue, until their Wings are dry ; and then they
fly fwiftly away, roving about the Sides of Ponds
and Rivers, feeking their Food, being Infers of
Prey, arc very voracious, and, like the Hawks among
Birds, are very fwift of Flight, and nimbly fccurc
their Prey, which is moftly Flies, and fmall green
Grafhoppers: They delight in Sunfhine ; in cloudy
Weather they are rarely to be feen ; but feek Pro-
tection under the Leaves and Boughs of Trees.

Towards the End of May the Female is ready to
depofit her Eggs : She then feeks the warm quiet
Sides of Ponds and Water- courfes, continuing in
a hovering Pofture, dodging up and down in the
Water : In this Action the Male feizes her, and
with the End of his Tail catcheth faft hold by the
Back of her Head, and flieth away with her. It is
uncertain how long they continue in this Pofition
before the Female bends the End of her Body, fo as
to penetrate the Part between the Belly and Bread

of the Male. In this Angular and furprifing

manner fhe is impregnated ; then fhe repairs again
to thofe flill fhallow Waters, whofe Bottoms are
covered with Mofs, Sticks, and,. Weeds, which may

be a Security to the little Grubs. Here fhe in

a hovering Pofture depofits her Eggs in the Water,
which immediately fink, and find a proper Nidus

in

[ 325 ]

in the aquatic Mofs, &c. The Eggs are Toon
hatch'd ; the young Reptiles creep amongft the Stones
and Weeds, &c. and fo continue Water - Animals
the grcatcft Part of the Year, until thcSeafon comes
round for their Appearance in that beautiful Fly
before you, which is different from our European
but their Procefs I think well agrees with ours, as
it is curioufly deferibed and delineated by that Ex-
cellent Naturalift Mr .Reaumur. They have a great
Variety of this Tribe of Infects in America , as well
as we have in Europe.

VII. Alberti Halleri Archiatri ConJiL
Aid. Reg. Medic, in Acad. Gottingenf.
Prof. & Reg. Soc. Lond. Sodal. Expe-
rimenta aliqua ad Refpirationem perti-
nent! a.

Read Feb i. Ontroverfia dc refpirationis modo nu-
1 749-'5°- per exorta eft, cu;us hiftoriam hie re-

cenfere nihil adtinet. SufHciat contraxiffe experi-
menta in duo capita, qux ad rem perfkiendam lpec-
tant.

Dubium primum fuir, num mufeuli intercoftales
inter ni elevent coftas, ut primus vefter Mayovius
invenit; an deprimanr, ut olim Galenas , turn Fran-
eifeus Bayley et alii.

Dubium alterum fuit, an aer elafticus reperiatur

T t inter

[ 326 ]

inter pleuram ct pulmones, an omnino pulmones
pJeuraD continui ftnt.

Scxaginta fere viva animalia incidi, prjetcr alia ex-
pcrimenta. In iis rcpertum eft, quod nunc vobis
ILLUSTRES VIRI, propono, rogatofque volo,
ut repeti pericula jubeatis, atque, ft omnino mcis
confentiunr, finem inponatis controverfta:.

Ad primam quseftionem. Cani rcligato nudentur
mufculi pedoris, cute remota, in fuperiori maximc
parte, ubi res evidentior eft. Removeatur prazrerca
pedoralis uterque, et aeftruatur tanrum de exteriori-
bus intercoftaiibus, quantum fuffidt ad obfcrvandani
conditionem et adionem internorum.

Utile fuerit animal cogere, ut quam vehemcn-
tiflime infpiret : quod fiet inpiimis pedoris altera
parte foramine pertufa, ut acr iubire, ct alterum pul-
monem in utile m reddere poftir. Ita cnim animal
pulmone fuperftite, quam maximo cum conatu uri-
tur. Non tamen necefle eft pleuram perforare, et
irritatus canis, etiam abfque ea vi valide refpirat, ft
alcohole vulnus tangatur.

Adparebit ita, in infpirando, coftarum intervalla
quam proxime ad fe invicem accedere, ut ultra me-
dium ftbi propiora ftant, mufculos internos laborare
vehementer, tumcre, durefeere, coftas adfeendere
omnes, prima excepta, quas tantillum movetur, ro-
tari omnes circa pundum imaginarium, quod eft in
appendice cartilaginea haud longe a fterno, ut coftx
pars fterno conmifla defeendat, pars a fterno remota
adfeendat, et extrorfum vertatur.

In expiratione defeendunt cofta: omnes, iterum
prima excepta, qua: parum nutat; intervalla, in vchc-
menti expiratione, longiora fiunt, et tenduntur, ct

qui-

[ 327 ]

quiefcunt interni mufculi. Hxc ad primam qux*
ftionem.

Ad alteram.

Sumatur animal quodcumque vivum aut mortuum,
mergatur fub aqua, et Tub aqua prudenter, nc pul-
monem lxdas, pertundatur pleura. Si aer elafticus
eft inter pleuram et pulmonem, bullx adfeendent
per aquam. Si nullae adfeendunt, nullus adeft aer.
Id me re&ius noftis, et ex principiis paret.

Scd repetita fatis experimenta feci. Bullx nun-
quam adparuerunt in ullo experimento, et videor
mihi nihil prxeipitis couollarii inde deducere, ft inde
conclufero, nullum adeo elafticum aerem inter pleu-
ram ct pulmonem cfl'c.

D. Gotti ngx, d. 6. Jan. 1749.

VIII. A Letter from Father Anthony Gaubil
fefuit , to Dr. Mortimer, Seer, R. S. con-
taining fome Account of the Know lege of
Geography amorig the Chinefe, and of Pa-
per-Money current there. Fran fated from
the French by T. S. M. D. and F. R. S.

Peking Nov. 9. 174s.

SIR,

Read^ Feb. i. Y T is now fome time fince I received
j[ from M. de Life Part of a Map of
the World, found among the Papers of the late
Dr. Keempfer. In this Map were feveral Chinefe

T t 2 Cha-

[ 3>8 1

Characters, fomc well, fome ill written, which
the late Profeffor Bayer had attempted to decypher.

In my Anfwer to Monf. de L’ijle , I informed him

that it was by no meins a Chinefe Work *; that it
could be of no Service to a lc.trned European , fuch
as he or you were; and that Mr. Bayer’s Explana-
tions were full of Faults. I fuppoie that M. de
L’ijle has already writ you my Thoughts concerning
it from Betersbourg. You have poftibly feen in fc*
vcral Books, what the Chinefe know, and have fet
down, concerning foreign Countries: And there is
no Monument extant to prove, that before the ar-
rival of the Jefuits in this Country, they had Charts
or Maps of the World, any way refembling that,
which you found among Kampfers Writings.

It is now above fixteen’hundred Years fince they to-
lerably well knew the Northern and E after n Coun-
tries of India , and thofe which lie between China
and the Cafpian Sea. On thefe different Countries
their Hiftory affords feveral Informations, which are
not to be fonnd in the Greek, Latin , or other
Hiftorians. They had fome, but very confufed,
Notions of the Regions beyond the Cafpian Sea;
fuch as Syria , Greece , Egypt, and fome Parts of
Europe . I do not fpeak of the Times of Gentchif-
kan and his Succeffors; for then the Chinefe were
made acquainted with Rujfia , Boland, Germany ,

* Doubtlefs it is the Work of an Europra who was giving fome
Notion of Geography to a Chinefe or jr.panefe ; or perhaps that
of a Chinefe or Japa?icfe from Memory ot what he had heard from
Europeans, or of the Map which he might have feen with them.

Hungary,

[ ?29 1

Hungary , Greece , from Accounts given by

their own Countrymen who followed that Prince,
his Sons, and Grandfons : But the Monuments that
remain of this their Knowlege arc very confufed.
As to the Countries to the Eaft of China, there are
Proofs remaining in Books, that, above feventeen-
hundred Year ago, the Chinefe were well acquaint-
ed with the Eaflern Part of Tartary as far as the
Sea, and the River Ameur , Corea , and Japan.
Their Books fpeak alfo in general, and without
fufficienrly entering into Particulars, of many Coun-
tries to the Eaft and to the North of Japan. With
regard to the Monuments of the Cap of Good Hope,
which have been mentioned by fome, there are none
in China j and if there have been any, they are
now loft. It was from the Europeans , that the
Chinefe have learnt the Name and the Situation of
the Cape: [and you will foon fee a Diflertation,
wherein all this Affair will be circumftantially
treated].

I herewith fend you two Paper Money-Bills ;
do me the Favour to accept them. Next Year we
may poftibly fend fomething to Canton , either for
you, or for your illuftrious Society.

I am, with great Refped,

SIR, Tours, &c.

A. Gaubil.

An

[ 33® ]

An Account of the above-mentioned Bills .

TWO Paper Money-Bills of the Reign of Hong-

-*■ von.

The Year of Chrift 1368. was the Firft of the
Empire of Hongvou, Founder of the Dynafty of Ming.
During the Dynafty of Yuen ( who were Mogul
Tartars) which Hongvou deftroy’d, there was a
great deal ofPapcr-Money.There had alfo been fomc,
140 Years before, under theDynafty of Kin (orien-
tal Tartars) who reign’d in the Northern Provinces
of China , and in Tart ary. The Tuens deftroy’d
this Dynafty, as well as that of the Song’*, who
wer t Chinefe, that reign’d in the Southern Provinces
of China. We find no Paper Money of the Dy-
nafties of the Yuen’s and Kins ; and that of Hong-
vou is fcarce. The Bonzes and Chinefe Empirics
fuperftitioufly fay, that this Paper-Money laid upon
Children brings them good Luck.

Thefe two Bills are the fame with thofe, the
Figures and Explanations of which are to be feen in
Father du Halde’s 'Defcription de la Chine, Tom.
II. pag. 168.

I fend you the Two,* bccaufe probably you have
none of that Sort.

The late Father TYentrecolles formerly fent to
France an Account of the Chinefe Money, antient
and modern : And fome Notes and Remarks on

this Sort of Money were of late Years fent hence to
Yeterjbourg.

One of which I prefented to the Royal Society. C. M.

IX. A

C 331 3

IX". A Catalogue of the fifty Plants fro??i
Chelfea Garden , prefented to the Royal So-
ciety , hy the worfhipful Compa7iy of Apo-
thecaries for the Tear 1747, purfuant to the
DireSlion of Sir Hans Sloane, Bar1. Med.
Reg* & Soc. Reg. nuper Praef. hy John
Wilmer, M. D. Hort. Chelf. Prcefetl. et
PrceleSl. Botan.

Prefented 12f 1 A Lchimilla Alpina; Quinquefolii

Feb.8.1749. ,£jl FoJ.fubrus argenteo. l.R.Hy 08.

1 2 5*2 AlyfTo. des incanum folii linuatis. Injt. R. H.

2J 8.

125*3 AJyflon Creticum 3 foliis angulatis ; flore vio-
laceo. T. Cor. 1 5*.

1254 Alyffon Creticum faxatile; foliis undulatis in-
canis. T. Cor. 1 5*.

1 2 y 5* Afarum. ‘Dod . Pempt. 35-8. Officin. 54.

12 y6 Aftragalus luteus annuus Monfpeliac. procum-
bens. Mor. Hift.

125*7 Borrago Conftantinopolitana 5 flore reflexo cx-
ruleo, calycc Vefic. T. Cor.

1 25*8 Bugloflum Creticum verrucofum perlatum qui-
bufdam. H. R. Par.

1259 Campanula minor annua foliis incifls. Mor.
Hift. 2. 458.

1260 Caryophyllata montanaj flore lutco nutante.
H. R. Tar.

1261

[ 33* J

1261 Cataria, qua: Nepeta minor; foliis Meliflae Tur-
cica:. Hort . Cath.

1262 Chondrilla, Sonchi foliis, flore purpurafcente,
major. Tourn. 47 f.

1263 Clutia foliis petiolatis. Lin. Hort. Cliff.

1264 Euonymus vulgaris ; granis rubentibus. C. B.
428.

1265- Euonymus latifolius. C. B. 428.

12 66 Eryfiacum Orientalc, foliis Sonchi; flore ful-
phureo ; filiquis longiflimis Boerh.

1267 Fritillaria lutca; foliis Polygonati; fruflu brc-
viore. Boerh. 2-139.

1268 Geranium latifolium ; longiflima acu C.B.% 19.

1269 Helianthemum Salicis folio. T. 249.

1270 Hcrmannia frutefeens; folio oblongo ferrato.
T. 676.

1271 Hefperis fylveftris inodora. C- B. 202.

1272 Hefperis exigua lutca; folio dentjto anguflo.
Borh. 2.20.

1273 Hefperis maritima, anpuftifolia incana. T. 223.

1274 Hefperis caule ramofiflimo; folds lanccolatis
fa:pius dentatis. Lin. Hort. Cliff.

1277 Hefperis flore albo minimo; filiqua longa; flo-
re profunde dentato. Boerh. Ind.

12 76 Lychnis Crerica parvo flore ; calyce flriaro pur-
purafccntc. T. Cor. 24.

1277 Lychnis lupina Sicula, calyce ampliflimo ftria-
to. T. 337.

1278 Leucoium Hefperidis folio. T. 22 r.

1279 Mcfpilus Canadenlis, Sorbi torminalis facie, T.

642.

1 280 Myrrhis major, vel Cicutaria odorata. C.B.160.
Officin. 321.

128 1

[ 333 ]

1 2 S i Omphalodes Lufitanica, Lini folio. T. 140.

1282 Padus Theophrafti, Dalechampio. Lugd. 312.

1283 Pavia. Boerh. lnd. Alt. 2. 260.

1284 Polygonatum latifolium ; Hellebori albi foliis.
C.B. 303.

1285’ Pulmonaria maxima; foliis quafi faccharo in-
cruftatis. Tluknet.

1286 Pulfatilla folio]crafliore ; et majore flore. C.B.

128/ Ranunculus montanus ; foliis Plantaginis. C. B.
180.

1288 Scrophularia Hifpanica; Sambuci folio glabro.

T. 166.

1289 Scropularia maxima Lufitanica 5 Sambuci folio
lanuginofo. T. 166.

1290 Scrophularia peregrina. Cam. Hort. Tab. 43.

1291 Sifymbrium Orientale ; facie Barbare# ; foliis
Plantaginis. T. Corr. 16.

1292 Smyrnium. Matth. 773. Officin. 457.

1293 Smyrnium peregrinum ; folio oblongo. C.B.
if4-

1294 Sorbus fativa. C.B. 41 y. Officin. 464.

1295 Symphytum majus ; tuberofa radice. C.B. 476.

1296 Tordylium minus; limbo granulato; Syriacum.
Mor. Umb. 37.

1297 Trifolium Clypeatum argenteum. Alp. Exotic.
307.

1 298 Trifolium montanum; fpica longiflima rubente;
C. B. 328.

1299 Turritis annua verna; flore purpurafeente. T.
224.

1300 Vella. Lin. Gen. 654.

Uu

X. A

[ 334 3

X. A Letter from the Rev. Henry Miles,
D. D. and F. R. S. to Mr. Henry Baker,
F.R.S. concerning the green Mould on Fire-
IVood y with feme Obfervations of Mr.
Baker’ j upon the Minutenefs of the Seeds
of feme Plants.

"Dear SIR ,

Head Feb. 1 5 . TT offer you a fhort Account of a Mi-
1749‘ crofcopic Object, together with a

Specimen of the fame, for your own Obfcrvation,
at leifure.

Some Days ago, happening to take Notice of a
Quantity of what we commonly call Mould *, on
the Bark of fome Fire-Wood, 1 had the Curiofity
to view it with a Lens, of about an Inch Focus, which
I carry about me, when I found ic to confift of Num-
bers of minute Fungus’s , whofe regular Appearance
invited me to examine them in the Microfcopc,
with a good Magnifier ; upon which their fpherical
Heads feemed as if they had been nothing elfe but
Globules of Seeds j at the fame time, I obferved
fevcral Seeds adhering to the tranfparcnt Footftalks,
which fupported the Heads, and many fcattered on
the Glafs-Plate, whereon the Subftancc was placed,
in order to be viewed. And here I had an Oppor-

* Of a br'gbt verdegrife Colour.

tunity

t 335 ]

tunity of feeing many dlfcinCt Seeds, which appeared,
nearly, of an oval Form, but feveral times larger
than the Seeds of common Mufhrooms, even when
fecn with the fecond Magnifier, and the latter with
the firft.

I pretend not to any Skill in Botany ; fometimes,
and, indeed, but feldom, 1 look into an Author on
the Subject, as an Amufement and Relief to my
Mind ; therefore it would ill become me to attempt
the referring this Plant to the proper Clafs. Mi-
cheli , in his Nova plant a) urn genera , has given us
the Draught of fome, which well reprefent the Fi-
gure of them, as they appear, when much magni-
fied, Tab. LXXXII. Fig. i. and in page 200. of his
excellent Work, deferibeth them, under this Title,
Fungoidajlri femine in fuperna parte donati : But
then his Figures are fuch as the Plants appear to
have, to the naked Eye (as we may prefume), fince
he does not fay any thing to the contrary; not to
mention that there are other different Character if! ics
in his Defcription. The fame celebrated Writer de-
feribes another Species, p. 2iy. under the follow-
ing Title, Mucores pcdxulo donati, which in re (ped
of Size, the Subftance, and fome other Characters,
correfpond with thefe I am fpeakingof, well enough :
But as he refers to Dr. Hooke's Micrographia, Tab.
Xil. for an elegant Figure of them ( befides what he
has himfelf given us Tab. py. ), both Dr. Hooke's
and his own Figures reprefent the Heads, as quite
fmooth, on the Surface ; and the Doctor, in his De-
fcription of them p. 126. expreflv fays they are of
a fmooth Surface. Whence 1 conclude this muft be
a different Species. However what the ingenious

U u 2 Author

[ 336 ]

Author of the Micrographia reflaurata fays of the
Seeds of thefe diminutive Bodies, p. ip. is put out
of all doubt.

Permit me to add, that having often viewed the
Heads of a fmall kind of Fungus , which are about
Y Inch Diameter, of a coriaceous Subftance, I have
ever found the Seeds which are produced on the
Gills) much larger than thofe of any Mufhrooms I
ever examined, tho’ rather Ids than thofe produced
by this unregarded Plant.

Now, that a Body whofe Form is not to be di-
ftinguifhed by the unaffifted Eye, fhould produce
Seeds feveral times larger than another of the fame
Genus does, which exceedeth it many Millions of
times in Bulk, mufc fuggeft thofe Thoughts to one’s
Mind, which, I know, I need not point out to you:
I fhall therefore only beg Leave to allure you, that
1 am,

‘ Dear Siry

lour very much obliged

and obedient humble Servant ,

Tooting, Jan. 31.

>749*5°.

H. Miles.

Some

C 337 ]

Some Obfervations on the above-mentioned Plants
and Seeds By Henry Baker, F. R. &

IHavc carefuliy examined the Plants and Seeds fent
me by Doctor Miles , in order to determine their
real Bignefs ; and, taking the fungous Heads of the
middle Size (fome being larger and others fmaller),
I find, according to my Micrometer, that three of
them take up the Side of a Square, 70 of which
Squares make an Inch in Length, and confequently,
that 3 times 70, or 210 of thefe Fungi arc required
to make a Line whofe Length is one Inch } or, in
other Words, that the Diameter of thefe fungous Bo-
dies is, at a Medium, the 210th Part of an Inch.

The Seeds are oval} and I find, by the fame Mi-
crometer, that 10 of them laid by one another the
fhorteft Way of their Diameter, or 8 of them the
longeft Way, fill up the Side of a Square, 270 of

which Squares make an Inch in Length. Taking

therefore 9 at the Medium, 270 times 9, or 2430
of thefe Seeds will be required to make a Line of
an Inch in Length 5 or, in other Words, each Seed
is the 2430th Part of an Inch in Diameter.

And according to thefe Calculations 44,100 of
the fungous Heads, or 5,904,900 of the Seeds may
lie by one another in the Surface of an Inch fquare.

Yet minute as the Seeds of this little Fungus are.
Dr. Miles obferves, very juftly, that they are larger
than the Seeds of fome Mufhrooms, which exceed
it many Millions of times in Bignefs. As to which,
I beg Leave to take Notice, that the Proportion, in
Size of the Fruits or Seeds of Trees or Plants, to

the

[ 338 1

the Size of the Trees or Plants that bear them,
comes under no Regulations that correfpond with
our Conceptions. For the vaft Bulk of fome forts of
Timber-trees (the Beech and A(h, for Inltance) is
produced from a Seed (mailer than that of the com-
mon Garden Bean. The towering and mighty Oak
produces for its Fruit only a little Acorn, whereas
the Pumpkin (fome whereof weigh above an hundred
Pounds) is the Produ&ion of a feeble creeping Plant,
unable to fupport itfelf, and much lefs its enormous
Fruit. The Vanilla (a Plant that rifes to the Height
of feveral Feet, by clafping about whatever it finds
near it) produces, in long Pods, Seeds fo final!,
that their Diameter is not more than the iooth Part
of an Inch. Supposing therefore the Cavity of the
Pod to be equal to a cylindrical Tube of ~ of an
Inch Diameter, and the Length of the Pod to be fix
Inches (which Dimenfions are taken with great Mo-
deration) the Number of Seeds contained in one
finale Pod will be more than 47000. Mod Kinds
of Fern, of which fome are pretty large Plants, bear
Seeds fo extremely minute, that they appear to the
naked Eye only like a fine Duit ; while Seeds of a
confidcrable Bignefs are produced by Plants of a
great deal fmaller Size. But many of the Gentle-
men here prefent are fo much better acquainted with
thefe Matters than I can pretend to be, that I fhall
only prefume to add, with how much Zeal I am

The Royal Society’s

'Ltindon, Feb • 7 •

1749-5°.

Mojl devoted and obedient

humble Servant

H. Baker.

[ 3 39 .1

XI. An Obfervation of the Eclipfe of the Sun on
Jan. 8. 1750. N. S. taken at the Obfer-
vatory at Berlin, by M. Grifchow jun.
and M. Kies. Tranfated from the

. French.

**■ I #

Read Feb. 15.

1749-50. h ' "

THE Beginning was at 8 5-9 19- true Time.

The End of the Eclipfe at 1 1 20 5-4

The whole Duration 2 20 4 6

The Obfervations were made with the greateft
Exa&nefs, the Weather being as favourable as could
be wifhed, the whole Time.

M. Euler obferved in his own Houfe, which Bands
a little to the Weft of the S. W. of the Obfervatory,
at the Diftancc of 190 Rhinland Yards ( Verges ) in a
ftrait Line, that

h < "

The Beginning was at 8 y8 30trueTime,

And the End at - 11 19 yo

The whole Duration 2 21 o

That is, 34" more than at the Obfervatory.

The Diameter of the Umbra was 6~ Rhinland
Inches.

XII.

[ 34® ]

XII. Alberti Haller, Archiatri et Confil. Aul.
Reg. in Acad. Gottingen f. Medicince Prof,
necnon R. S. Lond. Sodalis , Qbfervationes
de Viis Seminis.

noninutilia videantur,ea Vobis, Sodales Iliuftres, con-
fidcranda propono, quorum amccedoribus pene ante
centum annos Claudius Uberius aprugni tedis fabri-
cam dicavit Phil. Tranf n. 42.

Tedium quidem filamentofa fabrica ex flavefeen-
tibus vafeulis compada, padim nota ed. Ea vero vafa
qua: femen confedum in iis vafeulis exportant, et ad
cpididymidem convehunt, ca quidem femper dubia
fuerunt.

Solus hadenus Regnerus de Graaf ad veritatem
cominus acceflit ; recentiores fcriptorcs infra ejus in-
venta fubditerunt.

Rcpleatur ergo epididymis per dudum deferenrem,
lente et prudentcr, argento vivo, fubfidendo fubinde,
aut in calidam mergendo teftem, ut fenfim vafa cx-
panfa cedant; nam fubita rcpletio facillime mediam
aut fummam cpididymida rumpir.

Ita mihi duodeciesaut ultra adparuit, epididymidem.
quidem per totam longitudinem fuam, qua tedi ad-
hseret, capitc excepto, unicum fubtilem canalem efle,
qui explicari queat, et ex plicis per cellulofam revin-
dis refolvi. Rede hoc vidit, quern laudavi Graafius
de part, genit. <vir. p. T. 1. f. 2.

In fuprema parte epididymidis, quam caput vocavir,
(Tab. 11. Fig. i.d ) et qua; validius albug ineameditur.

U M in tedium veficularum fabrica
aliqua mihi contigerit invenide, qua:

fabrica

C 341 ]

fabrica alia eft : Ibi enim unicus ifte canalis finditur in
deccm, duodecim, forte plures canales, qui nonnun-
quam valde fubtiles, alias autem ipfo dudu, qui epi-
didymidcm complicatus fuit, multo cralFiores funt.
Hos canales vocabimus, brevitatis caufa, Vafa effe-
rent i a femen (F. 1. eeeee ).

Singulum plicatum et in conum congeftum pro-
prium fafciculuin efficir, et retrogrado dudu verfus
inferiorem partem tcftis redir, intraque albugineum
in teftis partem vcnit, qua; media eft inter fumraam
partem imamque, qua etiam parte epididymis ab al-
rero latere libera, ab altera unice adhxret. Haec val'a
conofque fatis rede reprxfentavit idem R. de Graaf,
T. 3. f. 3. T. 11. f. 1. In icone noftra diduda ex-
primuntur (F. 1 . f f). Fa vafa fenfim in teftis fu-
perficic, qua: albuginea; continua eft, cxporriguntur,
et fibi parallelaet conjunda rete efficiunt. (F. 1.^)

Ex ea conjundionc fir, ut non raro uno vel duo-
bus tantum vafculis efterentibus ab epididymide re-
pletis omnia turgeant, et argentum vivum manifefto
per eavafa, qua; argentum receperunt, retrogrado me-
tallo etiam in ca parte, qua; tefti proprior efr, reple-
antur. Hoc rete ca fere longitudine eft partis femi-
liberre dudus epididymidis. Solus cam vidit Graa-
ffis et depinxit T. 4. f. 4. ut tamen parallela nimis
vafcula, neque mediis ramis conjunda, aut pingat
aut defcribat. Nimis etiam longa et paria fere tefti
fecit. Reliqui Anatomici omnes aut pro dudu uni-
co, aut pro cxca membrana habuerunt.

Ab eo rete in teftis carnem mufculolam cum fin-
gulo cellulofo fepto, fingulum vafculum venit, et ad
earn teftis divift provinciam defeendit. Hrec vafcula
abfquc plicis funt ampliora multo quam crederes, et

X x quam

[ 342 ]

quam epididymidis, magis vafculum tenera, ut a pon-
derc argenti vivi facile rumpantur. A reditudine
retta 'vafcula tejlis voco.

H$c recta vafcula inferta fibi recipiunt 'vafcula te-
ftis ferpentina flavefcentia, quae adeo pulchre in ca-
pillos refolvebat Ruyfchiu s. . Aliquoties contigit, ut
fluidum metallum etiam ha:c tenerrima vafcula fub-
iverit, ut omnino cavos canales efie minime dubi-
tari poflit.

Ea eft adeo teftis fabrica, ut in fer pent inis •vafcu -
Us femen flavefcens generetur, id deponatur in vafa
reffa, inde in rete fub albuginea pofitum, tunc per
’vafcula ejferentia tortuofa in epididymidem veniat.

Ex epididymide duplex via eft feminis, altera re-
condita, de qua nunc dicendi locus eft, altera vulgo
nota ad veficulas.

Illam argento vivo immiflo nunc ter omnino detexi.

Vafculum unicum, nec enim plura vidi, de media
epididymide decedit, in reditudinem exporrigitur,
una cum vafis teftis adfeendit, nunquam ad finem uf-
que a me dedudum, fed proculdubio ad lymphatics
vafa pertinens, quae faspe in funiculo vaforum fper-
maticorum humano vidi. Haze funt vafcula minima
in abdomine, qua: per vas deferens replcbat in le-
pore, Ruyf chins Catal. Muf p. if2. Nam etft
unicum hadenus vidi, minime repugno plura dfe.
Reforbendo humori, adeoque craftiori reddendo fe-
mini, deftinari valde probabile fit.

Altera via manifefta eft, qua ad veficulas femina*
les femen duciturj in ca Mercurius injedus aliqua
etiam nobis patcfecit.

Non quidem valde urgebo dudum deferentem
reda in urcthram continuari, huic ad angulum valde

acutuin

[ 343 ]

acutum infer! dudum cxcretorium veftculae feniina'
lis, qui dudu urethrico minor eft: (Fig. 2. op)-, et
tamcn liquores injedos in dudu deferente facile in
veficulam fubirc. Hxc enim vulgo nota funt.

Neque monebo fufe ex dudu deferente, cujus pars,
qux veficx fubjicitur, in cdlulas plicatur, argentum
vivum in urethram facile delabi, quod non ita de
feminc obfervatur unquam, ut in vivo homine po-
tentiam aliquam efle necefle fir, qux extra tempora
venerei ceftri coerceat femen, neque finat in urethram
fani hominis venire, quin prius in veficulam adfeen-
derit. Ea potentia poteft in ipfa denfitate conpri-
mentis proftatx poni, vel in alia caufa, nobis ignota.

Sed id inprimis volo, veficulam fcminalem quam-
libet unicum efle inteftinulum, cui miiltx cxqx ap-
pendices inferantur. Id adparet, quando Mercurio
vel cera rcpleta veficula refolvitur, difledis patienter
telis cellulofis, qua: ct princeps inteftinulum, et cx-
cas appendices religant. Sxpe prxparavi, multum in-
veni in appendicibus diverfitatis, in longitudine, fim-
plicitatc, diredione, diametro. Hxc tamen commu-
nia funt. Inteftinulum princeps veficula: (/ /) in
crafium obtufum cxcum conum terminatur. In hoc
inteftinulum odo, decemve inferuntur appendices
{mm Tin), quarum primx folent ramofx efle (ut
m n ), non tamen conftanter; ultima: potius fimpli-
ces funt (ut mm). Aliquid fimile et Leal. Lealis vi-
dir, et Henri cits Baffius, Obferv. Anat. Chir. Dec.
1. n. V. T. 1. f f', fed ille nimis breves appendicu-
las fecit, turn ifte, anulumque is prxterea addidit, quem
certo novi plicam efle, non verum circulum. Unice
addo, adeo magnas et compofitas appendices me vi-
difle, ut qux truncus fit, qua: appendix, non facile
definires.

X x 2

ICO-

[ 34+ ]

ICONUM EXPLICATIO.

TAB. II.

Fig. i . Teftis Mer curio repletus.

a Da&us deferens, fenfim complicatis vafis,
b Pars ima, ubi contra feipfum adfeendere incipit
cum epididymidis nomine.
c Epididymis tota repleta ex ferpentino vafculo com-
pofita.

d Caput epididymidis diffolutum.

€ e e e e Totidem coni vafculofi, in quos caput epi-
didymidis refolvitur.

f f Vafcula efferentia femen ex conis orta, pauca
notavi literis, ne iconem corrumperem.
g g Retc teftis.

h h Aliquot dudtus reftilinei. Rcliqui globuli dif-
foluti iunt ab argento vivo, per rupta aliqua vaf-
cula effufo, quos volui expreffos, ne quidquam ve»
ritati iconis decederet.
i Caro teftis nuda.

F I G. 2.

a a Vefica urinaria.

b Fibrarum longitudinalium planum pofterius.
c Proftata.
d d Ureteres.
e Arterite veficularum.
f g Dudtus deferentes in cellulofo fine fuo.
h Veficula feminalis dextra, non mutata.
i Du&us feminifer, qui proftatam perforat.

I Veficula feminalis finiftra ccra repleta et expedita.
Diffolutis corniculis hinc multo iongior.

m m

[ 345 1

m m Ccecx appendices veficulx, quae in hoc cada-
vere breves fuerunt.
n n Appendices aliqux ramofx.
o Du&us fcniinifcr per profratam euns.
f Duftus veficulx excretorius ipfi infertus.

XIII. A Letter from John Marty n, M. D.
Prof. Botan. Cantab. & F.R.S. to the Prefi -
dent) concerning an Aurora Borealis feen
February 16. 1749-50.

SIR , Chelfey, Feb. ai. 1749*50.

Read Feb- 22 /r^\ N Friday the 16th there was a bright
1 / +9-5°* Aurora Borealis, the Northern Part

of the Sky being intirely filled with a pale Light, in
which frequent Corufcarions were vifible. Befides
thefe Lights, there was a perfect uniform Arch, ex-
tending from Eaft to Weft : the Colour of it was the

fame with that of the Aurora ; with which however
it did not feem to have any Communication, being
placed feveral Degrees to the Southward. The Shoul-
ders of Orion were vifible thro’ this luminous Arch,
in the Weftern Part of it, and Cor Leonis in the
Eaftern Part. I did not happen to fee it till about
a Quarter before Ten ; and at Ten it difappeared.
The Weather was then, and has been ever fince, ex-
ceedingly warm for the Seafon. The Walls are
covered with Blofioms ; and the Hyacinths, Daffodils,
&c. are blown before the ufual time. I am, with
the greateft Refped,

SIR ,

Tour moft humble Servant ,
John Martyn,

[ 346 ]

XIV. A Letter from the Rev. Henry Miles,
D . D. and F. R.S. to Henry Baker, F. R . S.
concerning- an Aurora Borealis feen Tan.
23* *75°-5*'

Dear Sir ,

"Read Feb. 22. /^\ N Tuefday , 23d of January laft, I
1,49 was called out, about Six in the

Evening, to fee a ftrange Appearance in the Sky, in
the Weft. Sufpecting it to be an ordinary Aurora, I
did not make great Hade — When f came out, I law
a Cloud (not large) of an obfeure red Colour, but
much deeper than any I had ever feen before, which,
I was informed, role from the S. W. it was then
advancing apace to the N. E. and quickly reached
the Zenith, when, it being intercepted by the Houfe,
I haftened to the other Front, which regards the N E.
by which time there appeared a luminous Zone, about
the Breadth of the Gaiaxy, its Edges regularly defined,
compafling the Hemifphere, from the Horizon in the
N. E. to the Zenith, in the fame Direction, in which
the above-mentioned Cloud had paffed (as far as I
faw its Courfe) from the S. W. The Colour was
much fainter, and more luminous, refcmbling the
ufual Colour of an Aurora , and the Lamina or
Streamers foon appeared — upon this, not being well
fenced againft the Wind, which blew brisk, 1 went
in, to purfue my Intention of viewing the two
beautiful Planets, Jupiter and Venus, with a reflect-
ing Telefcope, made by my ingenious Friend Mr.
Short of Surrey-ftreet (the greateft magnifying Power
of which is about 200 Times) 5 and after I had

viewed

[ 3+7 ]

viewed them to my Satisfaction, and (hewed them
to fome Friends, when I was about to put up the
lnfrrument, a Cloud, of near the Size of the firft,
but not fo deep a Colour, appeared, riling up from
the S. W. which proceeded in a Line with the
Planets, and, in a little time, furrounded both :
Venus appearing full, to the naked Eye, in her full
Luftrc, 1 immediately viewed her with the Telefcope,
without altering the Focus , and faw her much more
didin&ly than ever I had done, on that Evening, or
on any other, and of the fame Opinion were all my
Friends as to the Sight they had of her, on that Oc-
cafion : We all faw her Spots plain, refembling thofe
in the Moon 5 which I was never fo happy as to have
a Sight of before— and this, while the Cloud feemed
to furround ir, as much as ever : But whether the
Vapour might be really rarer near the Planet, than
it was at fome Didance, no Judgment could be made,
becaufe of her too powerful Light.

Many have obferved the fixed Stars to appear thro*
the Vapour with an undiminifhed Light oftentimes :
And our great Dr. Halley tells us, in his Account of
that remarkable Aurora , which was feen in March ,
1715-- 1 6. that he obferved “ one of the Laming
“ pafs fucceffively over all the Stars of the litte Bear,
“ without effacing the fmaller ones, in the Tail, of

the fifth Magnitude ; fuch was the extreme Rarity
“ and Perfpicuity of the Matter whereof it confided.”
Phil. Tranf. N° 34 7.

I had the Honour this Week to receive a Letter
from Dr. Short of Sheffield, the Author of an Account
of feveral Meteors, in the Phil. Tranf. N* 4,59. in
which he favs, “ The 23d pad, at Six at Night, the

Sky

C 348 ] -

“ Sky being overclouded, all the Clouds over the
c< Hemifphere, turned of a fudden to a deep b!ood-
“ red Colour, for fifteen Minutes 5 then fucceeded red
“ Streamers for half an Hour."

footing, Feb. 1 6.

1 749-5°.

I am your , and the

Royal Society’s ,
mojl obedient Servant ,

H. Miles.

XV. A Letter from Mr, William Watfon,
F. R. S, to the Royal Society, declaring
that he as well as many others have not bee?i
able to make Odours pafs thro ’ Glafs by
means of Electricity ; and giving a parti-
cular Account of Profejfor Bofe at Wittem-
berg his Experiment of Beatification, or
caufrag a Glory to appear round a Man s
Head by Electricity.

Gentlemen,

Read Mar. i . ^ 8 ^ H E Inquiry into the Nature and
I/49'S°* Properties of EIcCtricity has been,

within thefe few Years, the Purfuit of many excel-
lent and ingenious Perfons ; and mod of its extraor-
dinary Phxnomena, which have been made to appear
in one Place, have, with proper Attention to the
requifite Circumftanccs, appeared in others : But

there

[ 349 ] -

there have happened two very remarkable Excep-
tions to this Rule. The firft is, that the Odours of
odoriferous Subftanccs do not only pervade, from
FriCtion, the Glafles which contain them, but that
thefe Odours were carried along with the Current
of Ele&ricity into fuch non electric Bodies as were
defined to receive them, and manifefted themfelves
in thofe Bodies by communicating to them their
Smell, and other Properties. Thefe, and other things
yet more extraordinary, were faid to have been per-
formed by Mr. pivati at Venice, and to have been
repeated by Mr. Winkler at Leip/ick ; but, though
no Care or Expence has been (pared, either by Abbe
Nollet at Paris, Mr. Jallabert at Geneva, Mr. Bofe
at Wittemberg, Pere Garo at 'Turin, and by myfelf
at London , to bring about the fame Etfcfts, they
have hitherto been unfuccefsful. For which Reafon
the Truth of thefe Relations has been greatly que-
ftioned by many 5 as Mr. Buccamare , in a * Treatile
ft nee publifhed, fays, that Mr. Pivati donfefled to
thofe, who add refled themfelves to him to fee the
Experiments, that more efpecially made withBalfam
of Peru, that it never fucceedcd but once, and that
he could never repeat it. I likewife received Yefter-
day a Letter from our worthy Broiher Abbe Kollet ,
who is juft returned to Paris from Turin and Italy .
He fays, that his firft; Care was to inqurc into the
Truth of thofe Wonders in Eledricity, of which we
have heard fo much for almoft three Years, and which
have not fucceedcd either with himfelf or me : And
he imagines the Royal Society would be glad to

* Tentamen de vi Eleffric. &c. p. 183.

Yy

know

[ 35° ]

know what they really were : For which Reafon he
has juft now fent a Memoir to the Duke of Rich -
mond, in which will be feen the moft circumftantial
Account he has been able to procure of them at
Turin , at Venice , and at Bologna. For his own Part,
he thinks that there has been a great deal of Preju-
dice, Credulity, and Exaggeration ; to which may be
added, very little Care and Caution in making thefe
Experiments. He is now forry he has loft fo much
time in attempting to make them; and thinks Mr.
JVinckler has been too hally in alfcrting, that he had
repeated thefe Italian Experiments: But why fhould
he call them Italian , when the Nation he fays will
not allow the Appellation, and except three Pcrfons,
he finds there no Defender of what has been laid to
be done ; and adds, that there is not a Philofophcr
of Repute there, who believes them any more than
himfelf?

This Experiment then feems not to arrive at what
we have been told; but, for further Information, we
muft wait till the Reception of Abbe Nollet's
Memoir.

The other is, an Experiment called by Profefibr
Bofe at Wittemburgy the Apotheojis or Beatification.
The making this Experiment, in the Manner men-
tioned by this Gentleman in his Writings, has been
attained to by none. He fays, if in ele&riling you
employ large Globes, and place a Man upon a large
Cake of Pitch, by little and little a lambent Flame
arifes from the Pirch, and fpreads itfclf around his
Feet; from hence by Degrees it is propagated to his
Knees, his Body, and at laft to his Head: That then
by continuing the Elcftrifation the Man’s Head is

fur-

[ 351 3

furroundcd by a Glory, fuch a one in fome meafurc,
as is rcprefented by Painters in their ornamenting the
Heads of Saints: That in this State if the ele&rifed
Man is touched by one that is not, the Pain felt by
both is very fevere, reaches from the Finger to the
Shoulder, and remains a long time. Profedbr BcJ'e ,
in another Part of his * Writings, fays. That the
Beatification indeed does not always fucceed with
him } that fometimes, when other Circuftances have
been very favourable, a Man will be beatified by one
Sphere in two Minutes; at other times, two or
three Globes will not do it under fix or eight Mi-
nutes; and even at fometimes after twenty Minutes,
when five or fix Globes were made ufe of, no Luht
has been vifible : That under the fame Circumftances,
when one Perfon was capable of being beatified,
another was not. This is a Ihort Account of Pro-
fclfor Bofe s Beatification, given in his Writings, in
which, neverthclefs, nothing of what he fays eflential
to the Operation is omitted.

This Experiment, which was not only a defirable
Thing to be fecn, but as it feemed to communicate
to non-eleftric Bodies a greater Quantity of Elec-
tricity than any other did, that of Leyden excepted,
1 was very defirous of repeating : But though I omitted
no Trouble, and varied not the lead Circumftance, that
could any ways conduce thereto, I was difappointed.
I tried the combined Force of many Globes, of dif-
ferent Machines, in the bed Weather, and with dif-
ferent Perfons, but no Radiation in the manner before-
mentioned. When I underwent this Operation my-

*

De Eledtricit. comment, novus, pag. xvi.

Y y 2

felf3

[ 352 ]

felf, fupported by folid Eledrics per fe of more
than three Feet high, and as much diftant from the
Sides of the Room as poflible to prevent the efcaping
of the eledric Matter, I found in my felf, as feveral
others did, a tingling upon the Skin in my Head, and
in many Parts of my Body fuch a Senfation as
would be felt from a vaft Number of Infeds crawling
upon our Bodies at the fame time but I conftantly
obferved this Senfation to be greateft in thofe Parts
of my Body which were neareft any Non-elcdric;
but Bill no Light upon the Head, though to make
the Eye more ready to obferve it, this Experiment
was made in the Dark for l'ome Continuance. The
Senfation of the Snaps in this State were very acute.
If the Hand of a Byftander was brought near the
Back of the Hand of the Perfon eledrifed, the Hairs
thereupon fent forth a great Number of luminous
Points 5 and if a Bunch of fine Lace Wire was
placed upon his Head, you faw a great deal more of
the fame Appearance; but this was always moft
brilliant in thofe Parts neareft the Non-eledric, and
ftill more, when the Ncn-cledric was brought to a
proper Diftance. But this was vaftly fhort of that
mentioned by Mr. Bofe , not only in its Luftre, but
as it never was general, hardly ever fhewing itfelf
in two Parts of the Body at the fame time. This
want of Succefs after many Trials, as I by no means
doubted Mr. Bo/e’s Veracity, induced me to con-
clude, that either fome very efiential Part of the
Apparatus had been fupprefied by the Author,
or that the Air of Germany , being upon the
Continent, was more dry, and more fit, than that
of our Ifland. It was difficult indeed to allow this

latt.

[ $53 1

laft, as the Experiment had failed here, after the
long Continuance of a very dry Seafon. This want
of Succefs occafioned many Perfons here, well verfed
in thefe Matters, to conclude, that the Experiments
in Eic&riciry had been carried further in Germany
than in England.

However, fometime after, I found that this Ex-
periment, in the Manner before mentioned, had been
made no-where upon the Continent, Wittemberg
excepted; and our worthy Brother Mr. Jallabert at
Geneva, in his excellent * Treatife upon Eleftricity,
fays, That he had likewife attempted it ; but inftead
of Beatification, he faw from the Hair of the Head
of the Perfon ele&rifed, efpecially from the back
Part thereof, a great Number of luminous Points.
Thefe, he fays, were likewife obfervable upon his
CJo2ths, which were made of a Mixture of Thread
and Cotton, more efpecially upon their Borders.
When the Perfon ele&rifed changed his Situation
upon the Pitch, upon which he hood, the Place he
left appeared luminous. What this Gentleman
mentions befides is very near alike to what I myfelf
experienced, and what I have juft now related. He
fays likewife, That he believes Mr. Bofe had been
the only Perfon, who had made the Beatification
lucceed.

A Perfon here however, that we fhould not even
feem to be outdone by our Neighbours, exhibited
to the Public the famous Experiment of Beatification ,
found out, as he fays, by a German Profeffor. Whe-
ther he knew how this Experiment was faid to be

done.

* Experiences fur l’ Eledricit/. p. 50.

[ 354 ]

done, or whether it was with him as with many of
the Difcovcrers of the Longitude, and of the Qua-
drature of the Circle, I do not determine ; but thus
it is, that his Experiment has been exhibited as Mr.
Bofe’ s for two or three Years.

I am unwilling to be thought to detrad from the
Merit of this Experiment, which I think a very
beautiful one ; but I take upon me to fay, that it
differs as eflentially from every Part of that, faid to
have been made by Profeflor Bofe , as any two elec-
trical Experiments foever.

In a Letter, 1 wrote the Beginning of laft Year,
to my Correfpondent Mr. Bofe, among other things,

I acquainted him of my not being able to make the
beatifying Experiment fuccecd j and that, as far as I
had yet heard, nobody any-where had been able to
do it, fo that the Power of feeing this extraordinary
Phenomenon was yet with himfelf alone. I dcfired
of him further, that if any material Part of the Pro-
cefs had been omitted in his Writings, he would
communicate it; for that fome People here were
not quite fatisfied of its having ever been made. To
this he was fo obliging as to fend an Anfwer nearly
in the following Words, “ As to my Beatification,
“ I am highly obliged to you for writing to me fo
“ freely and candidly about it; and I will difeover
“ to you my whole Artifice without any Retention,
“ though I concealed the fame from all my Friends
tl and Correfpondents: Bur, Sir, it is true, that I
“ have cmhellifhed a little my Beatification by my
“ Stile and Expreflions ; but it is alfo true, that
“ the Bafts of the Phenomenon is conftant. I
“ found in our Armoury at Leipzig, a whole Suit

[ 35 5 ]

“ of Armour, which was decked with many Bullions
“ of Steel; fome pointed like a Nail; others in
“ Form like a Wedge ; others pyramidal. In the
“ dark, you well know, that not all, but very many,

“ of the faid Bullions will fparklc and glitter with
“ Tails like Comets: And it is clear, that when the
“ Eleftricity is very vigorous, the Helmet upon the
“ Head of the Perfon eleftrifed will dart forth Rays
“ like thofe round the Head of a canonifed Saint ;

“ and this is my Beatification. You arethefirft, Sir,
“ with whom I truft my Myttery, which if you
“ communicate to the Royal Society , I hope you
“ will take care of its being inferted in the Philo-
tc fophical Tranfaffions, that the Beatification did
“ not fuccced until I communicated my Method.
“ Many People have imagined this Experiment
“ of mine to be extravagant and falfe. If the
“ Armour is not ornamented with Steel Bullions,
u I believe it will not fucceed. If the Armour is
“ well enriched with Bullions, and well polifhed,
iC the Comets appear twice, once in the Air, and
“ once by Reflexion from the Armour. A Sto-
“ macher, or a Doublet, fet with Nails or Needles,
“ will exhibit a fmall Degree of Beatification."

Thus far Mr. Bofe , to whom 1 am very much ob-
liged, for the Difcovery of his Procefs; I cannot but
be forry for his having, as he fays, embellifhed his
Relation by his Stile and Expreflions. The Language
of Philofophers fhould not be tainted with the Li-
cence of the Poets; their Aim in the communicating
their Difcoveries to the World, fhould be ttmple
Truth without defiling to exaggerate; as we con-
ftantly fee enough to raife our Admiration every

Step

[ 356 ]

Step \vc take in inveftigating the Operation of
Nature.

The ele&rifing a Man in polifhed Armour, with
feveral Globes, muft exhibit a very beautiful Pheno-
menon, by the Electricity running off from feveral -
of the Points 5 but I cannot but fay, it muft fall
greatly fhort of the general Radiation promifed and
expected from the preceding Accounts.

This, Gentlemen, is the Information I have been
able to procure, concerning thefe two Experiments,
of which we have heard fo much, and which I ap-
prehended would not be unacceptable to be laid be-
fore you. I am glad of every Opportunity of
certifying the Regard, wherewith I am

Tour mo [l Obedient

March 1. 17+9. Humble Servant ,

W. Watson.

XV7 1. Part of a Tetter from Mr. Profejfor
Euler to the Reverend Mr. Wetftein,
Chaplain to his Royal Highnefs the.Prince ,
concerning the Contraption of the Orbits of
the Planets. Pranfated fro?n the French
by T. S. M. D. and F. R. S.

Berlin, Dec. 20. 1749.

Read March 1 . ~\T OU have done me much Honour
»749- in communicating an Extraft of

my laft Letter* to the illuftrious Royal Society, Ko-

* See PbiloJ. Tranf. No. 493. p. 203.

v ember

[ 357 3

Tember 2. 1749. I am ftill thoroughly convinced
of the Truth of what I advanced therein, that the
Orbs of the Planets continue to be contra&ed, and
confequently their periodical Times grow fhorter.
But in order to put this Faft out of Doubt, we
ought to be furnifhed with good ancient Obferva-
tions, and alfo to be very Hire of the Time elapfed,
fince thofe Obfervations, to this Day: Which we
aft nor, with regard to the Obfervations that Ptolemy
has left us. For Chronologifts, in fixing the Mo-
ments of thofe Obfervations, run into a Miftake,
by fuppofing the Sun’s mean Motion to be known;
which ought rather itfelf to be determined by thefc
fame Obfervations. Now, if we reduce the Days
marked by Ptolemy to the Julian Kalendar, we run
the Rifque of committing an Error of a Day or
two, in the whole Number of Days elapfed, from
that to our Time ; becaufe the Courfe of the 'Julian
Years, according to . which every fourth ought to
have been Biffextile, has been frequently interrupted
by the Pontifices ; cf which we find fome fine
Marks in Cenforinus and 'Dion CaJJius. Wherefore
it might well happen, fince the Times mark’d by
Ptolemy , that there has really been a Day or two
more than we reckon, and confequently, that
Ptolemy' s Equinoxes, ought to be put a Day or twTo
back; which would lengthen the Years of thofe
Times. I was in hopes, that the Arabian Obferva-
rions would .not be liable to this Inconvenience
bccaufc the Julian, Kalendar has not been interrupted
for thefe lalt paft twelve hundred Years. The late
Dr. Halley had alfo remark’d, that the Revolutions
of the Moon are quicker at prefent than they were

Z z in

[ 358 ]

in the Time of the ancient Chaldeans , who have
left us fome Obfervations of Eclipfes. But as we
meafurc the Length of Years by the Number of
Days, and Parts of a Day, which are contained in
each of them j it is a new Queftion, Whether the
Days, or the Revolutions of the Earth round its Axis,
have always been of the fame Length. This is una-
nimoully fuppofed, without our being able to pro-
duce the leaft Proof of it: Nor indeed do 1 lee, how
it could be poflible to perceive fuch an Inequality,
in cafe it had really exifted. At prefent we meafurc
the Duration of a Day by the Number of Olcillations,
which a Pendulum of a given Length makes in this
Space of Time: But the Ancients were not ac-
quainted with thefe Experiments, whereby we might
have been informed, whether a Pendulum of the
fame Length made as many Vibrations in a Day
formerly as now. But even tho’ the Ancients had
a&ually made fuch Experiments, we could draw no
Inferences from them, without fuppofing, that Gra-
vity, on which the Time of an Olcillation depends,
has always been of the fame Force : But who will
ever be in a Condition to prove this Invariability in
Gravity? Thus, even fuppofing that the Days had
fuffered conftderable Changes ; and that Gravity had
been altered fuitably thereto, fo that the fame Pen-
dulum had always completed the fame Number of
Vibrations in a Day; it would ncvcrthelefs be Bill
impoffible for us to perceive this Inequality, were it
ever fo great. And yet I have fome Reafons, deduced
from Jupiter' s Adlion on the Earth, to think, that
the Earth's Revolution round its Axis continually
becomes more and more rapid. For the Force of

Jupiter

[ 359 ]

Jupiter fo accelerates the Earth's Motion in its Orbit
round the Sun, that the Diminution of the Years
would be too fenfible, if the diurnal Motion had
not been accelerated nearly in the fame Proportion.
Wherefore, fmee we hardly at all remark this con-
fderable Diminution in the Years, from thence I
conclude, that the Days fuffer much the fame Dimi-
nution; fo that the fame Number will anfwer nearly
to a Year.

XVII. A Catalogue of the fifty Plants from
Chelfea Garden , prefented to the Royal So -
ciety , by the worjhipful Company of Apo-
thecaries for the Tear 1748, purfuant to the
DireSlion of Sir Hans Sloane, Bar1. Med.
Reg. et Societat. Reg. nuper Prsef. by John
Wilmer, M. D. Clariff. Societat. Phar-
maceut. Lend. Soc. Hort. Chelfean. Pre-
fect. et Prseletd:. Botan.

Read March 8.^01 A Butilon, Lavatera! flore, frudhi
1,49 criftat o.Hort.Elt.

1302 Acetofa rotundifolia repens Eboracenfis, folio
in medio deliquium patiente.

1303 Agrimonoides Column. Ec. 1. 14^.

1304 Alyfiiim fruticofum incanum. Turnfort.

1305 Ananthocyclus, coronopi folio. Vail.

1306 Anonis purpurea, fpicata, aiopecuroides major
Boerh,

H°7

Z z 2

[ 360 ]

1307 Afarina caule ercdo ramofo, foliis oblongis
acutis feflilibus, floribus eredis.

1308 Aflragalus annuus, anguftis floribus, pcdiculis
longis. T.

1309 Aftragalus oricntalis altiJT. Galegx foliis. T. 602.

1310 Aflragalus luteus, perennis procumbens vul-
garis five Sylveftris.

1311 Brunella major, folio non difledo. C.B. 260

Off. 386.

1312 Brunella folio laciniato. C. B. 261.

1313 Buglofifum Crcticum majus, flore coeruleo pur-
pura nte. H. R. Bar.

1314, Campanula minor, foliis incilis. H. L. B.

1315- Cataria minor Alpina. T. Inji. 202.

1316 Cerinthe minor, flavo flore. C. B. 25-8.

1317 Chenopodio-morus minor. Boerh. lnd. 91.

1318 Ciflus ladanifera Hifpanica, flore albo macula
punicante infignito.

1319 Commelina radicc Anacampferotis. Hort. Elt.
Tab. 79.

1320 Cornus foliis lanceolatis acutis fubtus incanis,
umbellis minoribus.

1321 Coronilla leguminibus terctibus articulatis ercc-
tis FI. Leyd. 387.

1322 Cynogloflum Creticum argentco folio. C.B.

1323 Hclianthemum foliis Sampfuchi, capitulis valde
hirfutis. J. B.

1324 Hieracium amygdalas amaras olens, flore fuave
rubente. C. B. 127.

1325” Hypecoum latiore folio. T. 230.

1326 Jacea cinerea laciniata, flore purpureo. Trium-

fit-

1327 Jacea Spinofa Cretica. Zanon .

1328

f 36’ ]

1^28 Lathyrus tubcrofus arvenfis repens. C. B.

1329 Lilium cbnvallium, florc pleno variegato, Di-
dac. T. 77-

1330 Linaria triphylla minor, lutea, floris vexillo et
calcari purpur^o. B.

1331 Malva Alexandria Alchimillac folio. Sherard.

, 1332 Malva, vifcus arborefcens, flore miniato claufo.
Hort. Bit.

1333 Marrubiaftrum limbo atro'-purpureo, &c.

1334, Mefpilus Virginiana, Apii folio, vuigari fimilis,
major.

1 3 3 5^ Mollugo foliis verticillatis, cuneiformibus acutis.
Hort. Upfal.

1336 Myagrum, filiculis obverfe ovatis, lateribus de-
prellis. FI. Litgd.

1337 Myrrhis lutea daucoides. Mor. H R. BlejJ'.

1338 Ornithopodium portulacas folio. T. 400.

1339 Polygoaatum caule purpurafcente. Rail Syn.
2. 148.

1340 Primula veris flore rubro. Ger.

1341 Pieudo-acacia. T. 649.

1342 Rapiflrum maximum Cornuti. 147.

1343 Rcfeda foliis infcrioribus integris, fuperioribus
laciniatis.

1344 Sambucus folio laciniato. C. B. 4y6.

1345: Sambucus humilis, five Ebulus. ib. Off'. 180.

1346 Scutellaria foliis cordato-lanceolatis, ferratis, pe-
dunculis multifloris.

1347 Sherardia cDillenii. Cat. Giff. p. 96.

1348 Sonchus maritimus anguftifolius. C. B. P.

1349 Trigonella leguminibus pedunculatis congeftis,
&c. Hort. Upfal.

1370 Viola Martia arborefcens purpurea. C. B. 199.

XVIII.

[ 362 ]

XVIII. An Account of a furprifing Inunda-
tion in the V alley of St. John’s near Kef-
wick in Cumberland, on the 2 2d Day i
Auguft 1749, in a Letter from a your,
Clergyman to his Friend ; communicated by
John Lock; Efq\ F. R. S. '

Feb. 12. 174 <7.

SIR,

MMarchTN order to give you a diftind Anfwer
I/+9- ^ t0 your Queries in relation to the In-
undation at St. John’s, I took a Ride to the Place
to fatisfy my felt of the Matter of Fad, bccaule the
Accounts which were given me were very different.

This remarkable Fall of Water happened at 9
o’Clock in the Evening, on the 2 2d of Auguji laft,
in the Midft of the moll terrible Thunder, and in-
ceffant Lightning, ever known in that Part in the
Memory of the oldeft Man living, the preceding
Afternoon having been extreme hot and fultry. And
what feems very uncommon, and difficult to account
for, the Inhabitants of the Vale, of good Credit,
affirm to have heard a ftrangc buzzing Noile like
that of a Malt mill, or the Sound of Wind in the
Tops of Trees, for two Hours together, before the
Clouds broke.

I am not fo much a Phi'ofophcr as to find out
what could occafion fuch a vail Colled ion of Clouds
or Vapours, particularly at that Time and Place; but
am fatisfy ’d from the Havock it has made in lo ffiort
a time (for it was all over in lefs than two Hours),

that

[ 363 ]

that it mud have far exceeded any Thunder-fhowcr
that we have ever feen. Mod probably it was a
Spout or large Body of Water, which, by the Rare-
faction of the Air, occafioned by that incedant
Lightning, broke all at once upon the Tops of thefe
Mountains, and fo came down in a Sheet of Water
upon the Valley below.

This little Valley of St. John s lies Eaft and Wed,
extending about three Miles in Length, and half a
Mile broaJ, doled in on the South and North Sides,
with prodigious high, deep, rocky Mountains : Thofe
on the North Side, called Lcgburthet Fells , had
almod the Whole of this Catarad ; for I do not find
that any remarkable Quantity of Water was obferved
from thofe on the South, notwithdanding the Didance
from the Tops on each Side cannot be a Mile. It
appears likewife, that this vad Spout did not extend
above a Mile in Length; for it had Effed only upon
four fmall Brooks, which come trickling down from
the Sides of the rocky Mountains. But no Perfon,
that docs not fee it, can form any Idea of the
ruinous Work occafioned by thefe Rivulets at that
time, and (what feems almod incredible) in the
Space of an Hour and half. At the Bottom of
Catcheety Gill, which is the Name of the greated,
dood a Mill and a Kiln, which were entirely fwept
away, in five Minutes time, and the Place where
they formerly dood, now covered with huge Rocks,
and Rubbifh, 3 or 4 Yards deep. One of the Mill-
dones cannot be found, being covered, as is fuppofed,
in the Bottom of this Heap of Rubbifh.

In the Violence of the Storm, the Mountain has
tumbled fo fad down as to choak up the old Courfe

of

[ 364 ]

of this Brook ; and, what is very furprifing, it has
forced its Way through a fhiverv Rock, where it
now runs in a great Chafm, four Yards wide, and
betwixt eight and nine deep.

In the Courfe of each of thefe Brook's, fuch
monftrous Stones, or rather Rocks, and fuch vaft
Quantities of Gravel and Sand, are thrown upon their
. little Meadow-fields, as render the fame ablblutcly
ufelefs, and never to be recovered.

It would furpafs all Credit to give the Dimenfions
and Weight of fome Rocks, which are not only
tumbled down the fteep Parts of the Mountains,
but carried a conftderablc Way into the Fields,
feveral thrown upon the Banks larger than a Team
of ten Horfes could move. Near a Place called Lob-
vvath, I had the Curiofity to meafure one carried a
great Way, which was 676 Inches, or near 19 Yards
about.

The Damage done to the Grounds, Houfcs, Walls,
Fences, Highways, with the Lofs of the Corn and
Hay then upon the Ground, is computed varioufiy,
by fome at 1000/. by others at 1500/.

One of thefe Brooks, which is called Mofe or
Mofedale Beck , which rifes near the Source of the
others, but runs North from the other Side of
Legburthet Fells , continues fiid to be foul and
muddy, having, as is luppofed, worn its Chanel fo
deep in fome Pair of its Courfe as to work upon
fome mineral Subftance, which -gives it the Colour
of Water hufhed from Lead-mines, and is fo ftrong
as to tinge the River T)ervjent (into which it
empties itfelf) even at the Sea , near 20 Miles from
their Meeting.

Thefe

[ 365 ]

Thcfe are mod of the Particulars I could colled
concerning this wonderful Inundation. 1 {hall only
add Mr. N ,’s Philofophical Account to his philofo-
phical Friend.

Uefday Align ft 22. 1749. was the beft Hay-day

we had here that Sealon, but at Eight o'clock
“ at Night it began to Thunder, firft Weft wards
tc from Cockcrn.outh , then in a few Minutes Eaft-
“ wards from Penrith. Thcfe Thunder-clouds,
“ with equal Force, and contrary Direction, met
“ together upon the Mountains above the Valleys
“ of St. Johns and Threlkeld , as at or about the
“ Great Dod and Coca Pike , and mull of confe-
“ quence hover on or about them, and thereon
“ vent IVater-fpouts (but not fo on the Valleys,
“ otherwife than by the violent Courfe of the
“ Brooks and Rivulets, from the one down to the
“ other) ; which would incrcafc and perpetuate the
“ Lightning, fo fvvift in Motion, and viftble to our
<c Eyes, but retard and obftrud the Undulations of
<c the Air, which are far more flow in Motion, and
“ later in coming to our Ears.— For any two fuch
“ Bodies as thick Clouds, driven by contrary Winds,
“ and meeting together with equal Force, and con-
“ trary Diredlions, cannot impel each other back-
“ wards or forwards, but muft remain at or about
<£ the Place where they met, and there exert their
“ Vigour : which, in this Cafe, muft be the Reafon
“ of fuch Watcr-fpouts upon thefe Mountains, and
“ not in the Valleys 5 and alfo why the Sight of

SIR,

A a a

“ the

[ 366 ]

“ the Lightning was more terrible to our Eyes than
“ the Sound of the Thunder to our Ears. --Like to
“ this is the Cafe of Whirl-puffs”

Tours , &c.

J. R.

XIX. An Account of an extraordinary Fire-
ball burfling at Sea , communicated by Mr.
Chalmers.

Read March "\JOvember 4. 1749. in the Latitude of
22. 1749. I V 42° Longitude, 09° 03' the Lizard
then bore, N. 4i°05/ about the Diflancc of 5 ’69
Miles. I was taking an Obfervation on the Quarter-
deck, about ten Minutes before 12 o’Ciock : One of
the Quarter-mailers defircd I would look to Wind-
ward, which 1 did, and obfcrved a large Ball of
blue Fire rolling on the Surface of the Water, at
about Three Miles Diflancc from us: We immedi-
ately lowered our Topfails, and had our Fore and
Main Clew-Garnets manned to haul up our Courfes 5
but k came down upon us fo fail, that before we
could raife the Main Tack, we obferved the Ball to
rife almoft perpendicular, and not above forty or
fifty Yards from the Main Chains : It went off with
an Explofion as if Hundreds of Cannon had been
fired at one time ; and left fo great a Smell of Brim-
flone, that the Ship feemed to be nothing but Sul-
phur. After the Noife was over, which I believe

did

[ 367 ]

did not laft longer than half a Second ; we looked
over head, and found our Maintopmaft (battered
into above an hundred Pieces, and the Mainmafl:
rent quite down to the Heel. There were fome of
the Spikes, that nail the Fifh of the Mainmaft, drawn
with fuch Force out of the Mart, that they (luck in
the Main Deck fo faft, -that the Carpencer was
obliged to take an Iron Crow to get them out :
There were five Men knocked down, and one of
them greatly burnt, by the Explofion. We believe,
that when the Ball, which appeared to us to be of
the Bignefs of a large Millftone, rofe, it rook the
Middle of the Main Topmaft, as the Head of the
Malt above the Hounds was not fplintered : We had
a very hard Gale of Wind, from the N. by W. to
the N. N. E. for two Days before the Accident,
with a great deal of Rain and Hail, and a large
Sea : From the Northward we had no Thunder nor
Lightning, before nor after the Explofion. The Ball
came down from the N. E. and went to the S. W.

This Account was given by Mr. Chalmers , who
was, when the above-mentioned Accident happened,
on board his Majefty’s Ship the Montague^ under the
Command of Admiral Chambers.

A a a 2

XX.

[ 368 ]

XX. Fxtratl of a Letter frotn the Able
Nollet, F.R.S. &c. to Charles Duke ^Rich-
mond, F. R. S. accompanying an Exami-
nation of certain Phenomena in Electricity,
publifed in Italy, by the fame , a?id tranfated
from the French by Mr. Watfon, F. R. S.

Paris, March 5. 1750.

May it pie afe your Grace ,

Read March V F your Grace fhall have done me the
2 9 ‘ 1/:>0' Honour to have perufed the Treatife i
fent, intituled, Recherches fur les Caufes particnlieres
des Fhenomenes eleffriques, your Grace will have
feen my Doubts touching the Reality of certain
Facts publifhed in Italy , and which have not fuc-
ceeded any-where cite. I will not diflcmble, that
the Defire of knowing how far thefc Things were
true, has been one of the principal Motives of my
Journey j and if your Grace has been defirous to
nave learned the Fruits of my Inquiries in this
refped, you need only look over the Memoir fent
herewith, which I beg your Grace afterwards to
prefent to the Royal Society. 1 well know how
much that learned Body intcrefts itfelf in relation to
the Subject of this Memoir ; and, as one of its
Members, I think it my Duty to communicate the
Refult of mv Labours. As I correlpond with Mr.
Watfon , who is well verfed in thefe Matters, it may
not be difagreeable to him to put thefe Papers in a
Condition to be laid before the Royal Society. I

have

[ 369 ]

have made the whole Tour of Italy , which has
enabled me to make many Obfervations relating to
Natural Philofophy. 1 have made fome Experiments
at the Grotto del Cani > near Naples , which rake off
a good deal, in my Opinion, of the Marvellous of
that famous Phenomenon. I propofe to myfclf the
Honour of tranfmitting them upon fome future Oc-
cafion, as my Letter is already too long. The
Eructations from Vefuvius were very great when I
was there, and were the Prelude to three Earthquakes,
which happened juft after my Departure, and which
I was fortunate enough not to be Witnefs of.
The Lagiines of Venice , and the Waters of the
Mediterranean Sea, appear luminous every-where
in Summer, in dark Nights : I have difeovered, that
this Light proceeds from a very lmall Infect, which
multiplies prodigioufly. I have heard all my Life,
that the Water of the Ocean appears fometimes
luminous : It may poflibly proceed from the lame
Caufe, and I fhould be very glad of a particular
Inquiry into this Faff. I have the Honour to be,
with the molt inviolable Attachment,

My Lord Duke,

Tour Grace’s

Moft humble and obedient Servant ,

The Abbe Nollet.

An

C 37° ]

An Examination of certain Phenomena in Elec-
tricity, publifhed in Italy, by the Abbe Nollet,
Fellow of the Royal Society , of the Royal Aca-
demy of Sciences at Paris, and. of the Academy
del Inftituto at Bologna, co?nmunicated to the
Royal Society by his Grace Charles cDuke of Rich-
mond, &c. F. R. S. Tranjlated from the French
by W. Watfon, F. R. S.

ELeclricity, after having excited every-vvhere the
Emulation of the Ingenious, after having filled
us with Wonder by an infinite Number of Pheno-
mena more lingular and more admirable one than
another, feems, within thefe few Years, to have
fhewn itfelf equally furpriling, but more ufeful, in
Italy, than it had done in England, France Germany ,
&c. where, for thefe twenty or five-and-twenty
Years, fo great aProgrefs had been made. We have
heard of nothing Ids than the Cure, or the almoft
fudden Relief, of Diftempers of every Kind, and of
purging all Sorts of Perfons in a manner of all
others the mod proper to avoid the Repugnance and
Difguft we naturally have to medical Potions.
Even thac Difeafe which we arc mod defirous of
concealing, was not by thefe means without its
Remedy ; the Mercury being volatilized, and carried,
by the eleflric Matter, into the Body of the Patient,
tinged his Skin of a leaden Colour, and procured
him a certain Cure by a copious Salivation.

The Manner in which this was done was not
lefs to be wondered at than the thing itfelf ; Per-
fons affli&ed with inveterate Gouts, Rheumatifms,
Fiuxions, Tumours, &c. were relieved therefrom
1 by

[ 37i ]

by being eleftrized for a few Hours, and often a
lefs Time was fufficienr. Sometimes the rubbing a
Glafs Tube only, or at other times a Glafs Tube
lined with fome Medicine appropriated to the Difeafe
of the Patient, was employed. Thcfe Medicines,
to exert their Operation upon the Patient, pafled
thro' the Glafs ; and this they were very certain of,
as they faw them fenfibly diminifh in their Quantity,
although the Glafs containing them was hopped as
clofe as though feaied hermetically. To promote
Stools, it is only neceflary that a Perfon fhould be
elettrized for fix or eight Minutes, holding in his
Hand a Piece of Scammony or Gamboge ; the Ef-
fects were as certain, as though thefe Drugs were
taken internally. Eefides, if a Perfon was defirous
of being perfumed from Head to Foot, nothing
more was neceflary than being cleftrized with a Glafs
Vdl'el lined with Balfam of ‘Tern, Benjamin , or fome
fuch Drug; and from this Electrization the Odours
were perceptible for two or three Days, even fo much
as to incommode thofe to whom thefe Smells were
difagreeable.

Effects no lefs wonderful than thefe were publifhed
every Day, by Writings printed, and printed again *,

or

* The firft of thefe Works is a Letter of M. Pivati , an Advocate
at Venice. Ic was firft printed at Lucca in 1747. and fome time after
reprinted at Venice , always with the fame Tide, Della Elettiicitay
Lettra del chiarifjimo Signor Francifco Pivati-, See. This Letter was
tranflated into French , and printed at Paris. In 1748. there appeared
another Treatife, printed at Bologna, intituled, Observations fijico-v se-
diche intorno alia Elefiricita, da Gio.Giufeppe Vcrati publ. profejf. nella
univerjita e nella Academia delle Scienze del i'ujlituto academico Be-
nedettino. In the fame Year 1748. there was primed at Verona a

little

[ 372 1

or by particular Letters and Memoirs in Manufcript
addreflcd ro the Ingenious .all over Europe. They
were alio confirmed by refpe&able Wirnefles, and by
Inch as were capable of impofing them upon Pcrfons
the mod; guarded againft the Exaggerations, which
never fail accompanying the Relations of interefting
Novelties.

The Importance of the Faffs themfelves, and the
Appearance of Authenticity which attended them,
demanded that they fhould be confidered ; and indeed
they roufed every* where the Attention of thofePhilo-
fophers, who had for any time turned their Thoughts
to rhefe Enquiries. Every one of them was dcllrous
of repeating what Mr. Pivati faid had been done
at Venice , Mr. Verati at Bologna , and Mr. Bianchi
at Turin } and to begin them, as the Experiment
ieemed more fimple, they attempted at firft theTranf-
mifllon of odoriferous Subftanccs through the Pores
of the Glafs, the firft Foundation of Intonacatores f,
fo called by Mr. Pivati ; and which we fhall, in the
Progrefs of this Paper, call medicated Glafles ; and

they

little Treadfe concerning medical Eledbicity, intituled, Lettra del
Si galore Canonico Brigoli Jopra !a Machina Elettrica. Afterwards, in
1749. there was publilhed at Venice a new Treatife, conliderably
larger than the firft, in which we find not only the Author’s own
Experiments, but alfo thofe of Mr. Biancbi of Turin, and of
fome other Perfons who had taken Pains with this View. This la ft
Work is intituled, Reflefftoni fijice fopra la Me die in a Elettrica. It is
principally in this Volume that the Facts of which we are now treat-
ing are mentioned.

f Mr. Pivati has given this Name to the manner in which he
prepares hollow Cylinders of Glafs in filling them, or lining them,
with fome Drug, the Virtue of which, he pretends, will tranfude
with the eledtric Matter.

[ 373 ]

they endeavoured to purge Perfons of all Ages, and
of both Sexes, by making them hold in their Hand,
while they were electrized, Scammony, Gamboge,
Aloes, and fuch-like. But it was very extrordinary,
that of all the Perfons who were engaged in thele
Experiments, no one could fuccced ; and, from a
fort of Shame, each of them expected, that fome one
would complain of his Want of Succcfs : But this
was retarded, as yet, by the Hade with which Mr.
IVinkler * fent to the Royal. Society, and to fome
ingenious Men in France , the Rcfult of his own
Experiments, which well agreed with thofc of Italy ,
and upon the Credit of which he had made them.

For my own Part, I will fpeaic without any Rc-
ftraint: When I found my Attempts were fruitlefs, I
without any Difficulty communicated it to all the Phi-
fofophers with whom I corrcfponded : I deli red them
to let me know if they had been more fuceefsful
than my myfclf, and to acquaint one how they had
proceeded, that I might conform myfelf thereby. I
was much more willing to confefs my Inability, and
to learn from others the Method which mult of Nc-
ceffity be cbferved, than to be deprived longer from
feeing thofc Phenomena which ought to refult there-
from. Indead of Indructions, which might con-
dud me to the Succefs I wanted, I received nothing
but fuch Confeffions as mine : From thefe I faw,
that all Methods had been tried; and that nothing
remained to be done, but either to believe every
thing upon the Faith of others, or to doubt, without

Hopes

* A celebrated ProfefTor of Philofop'hy at Lerpfick, v/ho has writ-
ten a good deal concerning Eledricity.

B bb

C 374 ]

Hopes of being better informed. The firft of thefe
two Cafes was directly oppofite to the Law I had de-
termined to abide by, when I firft engaged in the
Study of experimental Philofophy ; and the other
was patting a great Violence upon myfclf. But from
this Moment I formed my Project of travelling; and,
among the different Motives which made me under-
take the Journey to Italy, I muft confcfs one of the
mod preiling was, the Dcfire of feeing fucceed, in
the Hands of thofe who had faid they had, thofe Phe-
nomena in Electricity, towards the Verification of
which I had made fo many fruitlefs Efforts. I formed
to myfelf a great Pleafure in feeing Baifam of Bern,
Benjamin , Camphire, Cinnamon , &c. pervade an
electrized Glafs, which I had taken care to ftop my-
felf; to fee People purged by the Palm of their
Hands; to fee an old gouty Man, as the Bifhop of
Sebenico *, clap his Hands together, ftrike the Ground
with his Feet, and walk freely, after an Electrization
of two Minutes : But what ftill more piqued my
Curiofity was, to learn, if pofiibie, why the Ita-
lia?i Eledtricity fhould enjoy thefe Prerogatives, to
the Exclufion of that of every other Country. If this
Singularity was as real as it appeared to be, it was a
new Wonder more difficult to be explained than any
other; and of which I propofed to ftudy attentively
the Circumftances, to endeavour to find out the
Caufe.

If I have had the Trouble of paffing the Alps, to
fearch out the Truth, it is neither to conceal it, nor
yet lefs to disfigure it with Falfhood ; and 1 will re-

* See Mr. Pivati's Letter, printed at Lucca} p. 3 7.

late.

[ 375 ]

late, with a Liberty truly philofophical, all th at
have heard, and all that 1 have feen : But if, in do*
ing this, I fhall find myfelf obliged to contradid fome
of the Fads publifhed by fome Perfons known in the
Republic of Letters, I proteft that it is without Pre-
judice, on my Part, to the advantageous Idea I may
have of their Candour or Abilities; and I fincerely
wifh, that the Reader may confider them in the fame
manner. If he is judicious, he will willingly con-
cur with me; becaufc, in an Enquiry fo obfeure as
this of which we are now treating, an ingenious
Man, with a very juft Intention, may take what is
falfe for that which is true.

I arrived at 'Turin about the Beginning of May
1749. and one of my firft Cares was, to vifit Mr.
Bianchi, a celebrated Anatomift, and the firft Au-
thor of purging by Eledricity. I related to him ail
that he had written to me upon this Subjcd; and I
begged of him, that all the Experiments, which had
neither fucceeded with me, nor a great many others,
might be repeated between us, and under his Di-
rection. His Complaifancc cafily granted what I de-
fied : We fet about it; and Pcre Garo, a Minim ,
and Profeflor of Philofophy in the Univerfity, caufed
to be carried to the Place where we determined to
make our Experiments his eledrifying Machine ; which
is exactly like that which I have deferibed in my
Eflay, Page 19. Fig . 2.

The Experiments of the Firft T)ay.

Upon the 21ft of May , about Four o’CIock in
the Afternoon, the Weather cool, but uncertain, Mr.
Bianchi having procured a Lump of Scammony, and

B b b 2 another

[ 376 ]

another of Gamboge, each of which was about the
Size of an Hen's Egg 5 I took the former in my
Right-hand, and having applied my Left near the
Surface of the Giafs Globe, and (landing upon a Cake
of Refin, I was clechized.fiftecn Minutes without In-
terruption. This Day the Electricity was indifferndy
ftrong.

After me, a young Man, aged Twenty-two, and
of a pale Complexion, was electrized ; whom, a few
Days before, I had taken into my Service.

They then electrized a young Woman of about
Sixteen or Seventeen, of a weakly’ Conftitutioh; but
who, at that time, was tolerably well.

After that M. Beccari, ProfdTor of Philofophy in
the Univerfity, aged about Thirty-five, of a dry Ha-
bit, was electrized.

They then electrized a Servant belonging to the
Houfe where they made the Experiments, aged about
Twenty-four, who did not appear to be indifpofed.

They alfo made the fame Experiment upon another
Servant, a itrong Man of Forty, or thereabouts 5 and
each of thefe Pcrfons was cleCtrized the fame time as
I had been; that is, fifteen Minutes fucceffively.

I did not perceive in myfelf any EffeCt, which I
could attribute to the Electricity ; no extraordinary
Motion or Pain in my Bowels 3 and it was the fame
with M. Beccari , with the Servant aged Forty, and
with the young Woman.

But the young Man of Twenty-two, being inter-
rogated after the others, faid, that he had had in
the Night two Stools, and fome Complaints of the
Colic. The Servant of the Houfe, who was asked
the fame Queftions, declared, that he had had a very
large Stool, as though he had taken a Purge.

Thefe

[ 377 ]

Thefe two laft Depofitions were, as the others,
taken upon the Spot; and I began to confiaer them
as important, when I learned, from the Confeflion
of the laft, that he had taken, for fome Days, a De-
co&ion of wild Succory, for an Indifpofition which
he. had not fpoke of till then. The young Man who
laid he had had two Stools, rendered his Teftimony
more than fufpicious, by certain Singularities* which
he was delirous of adding fome Hours after; and
lincc that time he has conducted himfelf in fuch a
manner, as to prevent my having, any Confidence
upon what he faid.

_ What 1 have juft now mentioned to have found
in thefe two Servants, one of which kept me igno-
rant fome time of his having taken Broth with Suc-
cory ; and the other having tcfiified fuch a Love for
the Marvellous, that one ought in Prudence to fuf-
pc<ft every thing he faid ; This, I fay, made me very
delicate in the Choice of the Perfons who 1 was de-
firous fhould be admitted to our Experiments. I de-
clared that I was not willing to receive thereto either
Children, Servants, or People of the lower Clafs ;
but only that reafonable People fhould be admitted,
and of an Age fufficient to leave nothing to be feared
of the Truth of what they might depofe.

The

*This young Man made himfelf very happy in relating ro every
body, that he had been ele&ri'z.ed ; and that he had been purged
thereby, as though he had taken Phyfic : And added, that, an Hour
after his Eledtriiation, having had the CurioEty of vifiting his Wife,
to fee what would be the Confequence, he had communicated this
le&ricity to her, and chat fhe had been purged as well as himfelf.

E • ; !

[ 37« ]

The Second Experiment.

The Day after we had made our firft Set of Ex-
periments I was again electrized fifteen Minutes fuc-
ceflively, as I had been the Day before, holding in
my Hand a large Piece of Scammony j and after me
there went fucceffively through the fame Trial Dr.
Scherra a Phvfician, Mr. Verne Demonftrator of
Anatomy, the Marquis of Sine, the Abbe ‘Porta
a Profeffor in the Univerfity, die Preceptor to the
Children of the Marquis <rD'Ormea , and the Pre-
ceptor to the young Mefileurs P)'Oja. This Day the
Electricity, was indifferently ftrong.

Of all thefePerfons who were electrized, notone
felt any Pains in his Belly, no one had any Evacu-
ation which could be attributed to the electrical
Power 3 but to fay fcrupuloufly all that came to my
Knowledge, after feveral Questions, the Preceptor to
young Mefiieurs D’Ormea declared, thar he had
parted with more Wind than he had ufually done,
and he believed allb with more Urine. Thus of
feven Pcrfons there was but one who fufpeCtcd the
Operation of Electricity to have had any fenfible
EffeCt upon him, and this Sufpicion, as we fee, was
a very flight one.

The Third Experiment.

The of May, the Electricity being more
ftrong than the preceding Days, we chofe a Piece of
new * Scammony, very ftrong in its Flavour, and

which

* M. Biamki fufpeefted, that the Drugs we had made ufe ol in
our firft Experiments had left their moft fubcile Parrs, only capable,
as he laid, of being introduced with the eledtric Matter.

[ 379 ]

which weighed four Ounces : The Marquis rD'Ormea>
Dr. Allion, a Phyfician, the two above mentioned Pre-
ceptors, Pere Garo , Count Ferrero , and myfelf,
held, one after the other, this Piece of Scammony,
and each was electrized fifteen Minutes, as had been
done in the former Experiments.

Two Days patted, and abfolutely none of thefe
Perfons perceived any thing, that could be attributed
to the Eledricity.

The Fourth Experiment.

The fame Day we endeavoured to repeat an Ex-
periment, which M. Bianchi had wrote me word
of fome Months before, and which had not fuc-
ceeded wiih me at Baris. This Experiment was
the Tranfiniffion of Odours along a Chain, or an
iron Bar electrized. One of us prepared and applied
a little Piece of Linen, covered with Balfam of
Bern, upon the iron Bar, which received the Elec-
tricity from the Globe : We fattened to this Rod
the End of an iron Chain,- which was electrized by
Communication ; and we expeCted, that the Odour
of the Balfam would be tranfmitted to the other
End of the Chain, to which was hung a Bali of
Metal. But this was expeCted in vain ; nobody could
perceive the flighreft Sign of this Tranfmittion.

M. Bianchiy feeing, as I did, that the R.efult of
all thefe Experiments did not agree with thofe,
which he had believed to have taken place before,
told me, that this Difference might arife from our
having employed an EleClricity too ftrong : becaufe
that which he had experienced with Succefs had al-
ways appeared more 'weak. I fubmitted to this

Reafon,

[ 3So 3

Rcafon, having no other to give him more plaufible ;
and to bring the whole Operation, as near as might
be, to its did Circumdances, we met together, to
the Number of fourteen, at M. Bianchi’S, where we
were expeded -y and we were eledrized, one after
the other, by him, as long a time as he judged
proper, fometimes with Scammony, and fometimes
with Gamboge, which he himfelf had chofen.

The Machine ufed this Day was the fame, with
which M. Bianchi had always made his own Ex-
periments. It confided of an hollow Glafs Cylin-
der, three Inches in Diameter, and fomething moie
than half a Foot in Length * *, mounted between two
Supporters upon a Board, which was fattened to a
Table with Screws. This cylindrical Veflel was
turned round, without any other intermediate Ap-
paratus, by an Handle, which was at lead four
Inches in its Radius ; fo that the Hand, by which
this Machine was turned, revolved with greater Ve-
locity than the Surface of the Glafs Cylinder, which
was thereby put in Motion.

This Machine had this Convenience, that one
Perfon. only might turn the Handle with one Hand,
and rub the Surface of the Glafs Vedll with Ins
other : But there is no Difficulty in comprehend-
ing, that the Eledricity could not but be always
very weak with fuch a Cylinder, and from fuch
Fridion ; fo that, in the Experiments of this Day,
we were fcarce able to perceive any Snaps, in touch-
ing the iron Chain, by which the Eledricity was
•>. r com-

t t i 1 w' - L 0 - • - • - r ' 1 A

* The Author here means the F rerxh Foot.

j

[ 3Sl ]

communicated, or from the Perfon ele&rized ; but
this was precifely what was defired.

Thefe Experiments were made on Thurfday , May
29, between Four and Six o’Clock in the Afternoon,
in a very hot and fercnc Day : on Sunday Evening,
all the Perfons who had been eledtrized, being in-
terrogated, anfwered without Hciitation, and in a
manner abfolute in ail refpedts, that they had per-
ceived nothing which could be attributed to thefe
Experiments : thefe Perfons were the Marquis de
Stria, Count Ferrero , the Marquis TD'Ormea, Mon-
lieur deTignola, an Officer of Artillery, Pere Bec-
cari , Pere Garo, Dr. Allion , Monfieur Verne , Dr.
Scherra , the Abbe Porta , the two Preceptors, the
young Woman, whom I mentioned before, and
myfelf.

The Night following, that is to fay, that between
Sunday and Monday , I was troubled with an In-
digeftion, and felt Pains of the Colic ; but I at-
tributed them much lefs to the being ele&rized the
preceding Thurfday , than to feme Roots I had eaten
the Day before at Dinner, and to a very large Glafs
of iced Lemonade, which 1 had drank fome time
after, and contrary to my ufual Cuflom. Ncver-
thdefs, as fome Perfons were defu ous of faying, that
the electrizing had purged me, and that I had
not the Candour to fpeak of it, I thought it my
Duty to add here for my juftiheation, that during
my whole Life I have had a weak Stomach; that I
could never take Ice, nor Liquors very cold, with-
out a good deal of Circumfpc&ion, and always at
the Hazard of being incommoded therefrom ; and
that thefe Roots, which are called Ravanelle in

C c c Piedmont 3

C 3g2 ]

"'Piedmont, notwithstanding my Attention to eat
fparingly of them, had oftentimes difturbcd my
Digefiion, during my Stay there, and at times when
I had no Concern in electrical Experiments. Befidcs,
the not being incommoded for three Days, and
more, was fufficient to prevent my attributing what
happened to me to the eledtrical Power.

The extreme Circumfpection, with which I was
defirous of choofing the Perfons for ail our Experi-
ments; the Difficulty of procuring and moving fuch
Pick People, who were in a Condition and Difpofition
to leave nothing to be feared on their Parrs from
their Prejudice, and their heated Imagination ; that
of reconciling my Time with that, which a Phy-
feian of great Practice could grant me ; thefe
Obftacles, I fay, prevented my attempting with M.
Bianchi fuch Cures, as he believed to have been
brought about by means of the eleclric Virtue, either
by its own Adlion, or by joining thereto Medicines
appropriated to the Condition of the Sick, and con-
tained in Glafs Veffels electrized by Eridlion. But
I teftified a great Defire of feeing thofe Perfons who
had been cured, or confiderably relieved, by this
Method before this time. I asked, for this Purpofe,
the Gentlemen of the Profeffion, who had been
Witneffes of the Experiments, and who were yet in
a Condition of feeing every Day fome of the Per-
fons, cited in a Manufcript which I had of M.
Bianchi s; and of whom the cxa& Hiftoiy is men-
tioned in the ninth Chapter of a Treatife of M.
Pivati * : I went myfelf to the Shoemaker, in

whole

* Reffleffiom fijiche fop- a la Meduina elettrica , p. 149.

[ 3 83 ]

whole Shop the young Man of twenty one Years of
Age worked, mentioned in the noth Page of the
above Treatife, and in Page 419 of my Recherches *.
The Obligation of faying the Truth, to which Phi-
lofophers ought to facrifice every human Regard,
will not permit me to dilfemblc that my Enquiries
made with all poflible Diligence, and without any
other Interefl: than that of knowing the Truth, have
made me fee fufficicntiy clear, that thefe Fads have
been greatly exaggerated. I am willing to believe,
that it is the Fault of the Sick, who, being prejudiced
perhaps by too great Hope, and poiTefled by a kind
of Enthtifiafm, have faid themfelves, and made others
believe, more than really was the Cafe. One might
have Examples enough to cite of fuch Illufions ; but
be that as it will, I cannot help believing, that a
great Part of the eledrical Cures of Turin have
been no other than temporary Shadows, which have
been taken with a little too much Precipitation, or
Complaifance, for Realties.

I carried with me to Venice the fame Curiofity,
and the fame Defire of being intruded, upon the
Subjed of the Tranfmiflion of Odours from, medi-
cated Tubes, and of the Cures, or of being relieved
from Diforders almoft fuddcnly, by the eledrical
Power. One of my firft Cares was, to find out
fome Friends or Acquaintance of M. Rivati to ac-
quaint him of my Arrival, and to obtain of him
the Favour of being admitted into his Laboratory j

and

* They have tranflated Hatter , inftead of Shoemaker , in taking
the Italian Word Calcetario for that of Calzola:e: which was fuf-
ficiently legible in the Manufciipt.

C C C 2

[ 384 ]

and that he would have the Complaifance to
fatisfy my great Defire of feeing him caufc Odours
to pervade the Sides of a well ftopped Glafs, or by
electrifying to diminifh fenfibly any Subfiance there-
in contained. Mr. Angelo Quirirri, a Venetian
Gentleman, a great Friend to the Sciences, and
one always ready to afiift thofe who apply them-
felves thereto, did me this Service among many
others, for which I am indebted to his Fricndfhip
and Politenefs. He accordingly acquainted M. Ti-
•vati ; and on the ift of Auguft , 1745?. we waited
upon him, and found there a large Company, among
which were fcveral Perfons of Diftinction : Among
others were Mr. Antony Mo/Jinigo , heretofore Em-
bafi'or in France , Abbe Horter , &c. At the Sight
of this great Aflembly I believed (and I had feme
Reafons for believing it) that my Curiofity had been
* fufpeded of Disbelief, and of an Obftinacy to
doubt ; this Company therefore was called together
to be an Evidence of my Conviction. I would have
been willing to have bought at this Price the Pleafure
of feeing a Phenomenon, for the verifying of which
I had taken fo much fruitlefs Trouble. The manner
of making it fuccced had been without doubt fome
Novelty to me, as curious itfelf as the EffeCt which
fhould have refulted therefrom. But how great
were my Surprize, and my Regret, when M. Tivati

declared

* I had been acquainted, that my Arrival at Venice had been
notified by Letters from Turin, which had deferibed me as a Man fo
prejudiced againft Fadls, that the ftrongeft could not make me
believe. In this they did me great Injuftice j unlefs they took for In-
credulity on my Part the Precaution I took, againft Illufion, and faille
Appearances.

*V

[ 385 3

declared frankly to me, in the Prefence of this whole
Company, that he would not attempt to fhew me
the Tranfmiffion of Odours i that that Phenomenon
had not fucceeded but once or twice, as he had faid
in his firft Letter printed at Lucca , although fince
that he had made many Attempts to repeat that Ex-
periment, with the fame as well as with other Glades ;
that this Cylinder had been ftnee broke ; and that he
had not fo much as kept the Fragments of it !

But at lead, I told him, I might fee hjm ufe one
of his medicated Tubes, and weigh it before and
after electrifying, to fee, with him, the included
Matter diminifh fenfibly. This Fad, he told me,
had fuccecded with him a great many times ; but
that now there was too much Company ; that it
was too hot, and, in confcquence, that the Elec-
tricity would be too weak for it. He might perhaps
be in the Right : But why did he call together fo
numerous a Company?

I then asked him concerning the Cures related in
his Works, and cfpecially concerning that of 'the
Bifhop of Sebenico *. He avowed to me (and in
Part I knew it already), that the Prelate was not
cured ; and that, fince the Electrification, he had
been as he was before.

I took my Leave of M. Livati-, and acquainted
him, that I propofed to continue about a Week in
Venice ; and I very earneftly begged of him to col-
led together his belt Velfels, to renew the Subftances
therein,, and to let me know, that, if they fucceded,
1 might wait upon him, that I might be able to pub-
lic

* See Page 374. fupra.

C 386 ]

lilli them as an Eye-witnefs ; and I fpoke to him with
a .good deal of Sincerity. M. Pivati promifed me
he would ; but, as I heard nothing from him after-
wards, I prefume that he had nothing to fhew me.

Dr. Sommis , of the Faculty of Phyfic at Turin,
being at Venice a little while after me, had alfo the
Curiofity of vifiting- M. Pivati in Augufl laft, and
to fee, under his Management, the Effects attributed
to the medicated Tubes. The following is the Letter *
he wrote me upon this Subjed, Nov. iy. 1749.

“ Here is, kind Sir, in a few Words, the Ac-
<c count of what I obferved in Venice , at Signor
tc Pivati' s , during the Month of Auguji laft. The
<f 25th Day, after Dinner, he ele&rified me, make-
tc ing ufe of a Tube of the Length of about five
<c Inches, and a little more than two in Diameter,
<c caufing me to hold in my Hand an Ounce of
<£ Scammony. There were prefent at this Experi-
“ ment his Excellency the Abbate Barbarigo , the
tc Fathers Bertinelli and Magrini, J efuits. Dr. Gram-
“ pint, and feveral other Perfons. I found not any
<c Change in myfeif either that Evening or the fol-
<c lowing Day. The 29th of the fame Month I
<c returned again to Signor Pivati , where 1 found a
‘e Gentleman of the Houfe of Sorantvo , two Sganifh
“ Officers, two other Venetian Gentlemen, a Phy-
u fician, and fome others; and he cauLd a Tube to
“ be lined [or plaiftered within] for the Experiment,
“ which was reprefented by him in a dangerous
l< Light ; but which was not fuch however as to hinder
“ my telling him, that I defired that the Experiment

“ might

* This Letter is tranflated from the Italian.

[ 387 3

“ might be made npon myfelf. He began then to
“ electrize me at 3 y Minutes after Five in the After-
“ noon, and made an end, becaufe the Line of the
“ Wheel tangled, at 57 Minutes after Five. Having
“ then new-fitted the Line, he began again at five
“ Minutes after Six, and continued rill 14 Minutes
“ after, making again this time the Sparks to iflue con-
“ tinually from my Forehead. This Tube was nearly
“ of the fame Length and Size as the former. The Ex-
“ periment being over, I then prayed him to tell with
u what Materials the Tube had been lined 5 and fo
“ much the rather, as he had let fall inDifcourfe with
“ the Spanijh Gentleman, that they might havefeen
“ me fieep ; and he anfwered me, that the Tube was
“ lined with two Ounces and fix Drams of Flowers of
<c Benjamin, and two Drams of Opium, Having heard
<c him mention the Opium , I prayed him to take
“ the Trouble of making another Experiment, his
“ Excellency Signior Abbate Pietro Barbarigo, and
“ myfelf alfo, having with us an Ounce and Half of
“ Opiums and he complied with my Defire. He
“ therefore ele&rified his Excellency, making hjm
“ hold the Opium , that is to fay, the Quantity of
“ half an Ounce of it, in his Hand, and the Sparks
“ bluing from his Hand for half an Hour toge-
“ ther, beginning at 18 Minutes, and finifhing at 48
“ Minutes, after Six. In this fecond Experiment he
“ made ufe of the fame Tube which he had ufed the
“ Monday before, the zyth of the fame Month : But
*c neither his Excellency nor I flept more than ordi-
“ nary. Thefe are the Experiments which I made
“ at Venice with Signor Bivati. In my Return
home, palling thro' Tlacentia> I here fpoke with

Dr,

C 388 ]

“ Dr. Cornelius, who affured me, in Prefence of
“ Dr. Riviera , that he alfo had tried a great many
“ times to purge others by electrifying them ; but
“ that it had never fucceeded with him but once,
“ which was upon a Maid-Servant, to whom he had
“ given fome Rhubarb to hold in her hand. Not-
<c withftanding which, finding it never to have pro-
<c duced the fame Effect in any other Perfon, it ra-
“ ther feemed to him, that fome other Caufe might
“ have occafioned what happened to his Maid.
“ Pleafe to let me know, if 111 any thing elfe I can
“ obey your Commands, and you fhall ever find me
“ ready, to the belt of my Ability,” &c.

We fee then from this Letter, and from the Ac-
count I have before given of my Vifit to M. ‘ Pivati ,
that I have not been able to verify at Venice any of
thofe Facts, in which my Curiofity was interefted.
I might add alfo (and I ought, without Doubt, fincc
I have engaged to mention exactly every thing I have
been able to find out from my Enquiries upon this
Subject), that of all the Perfons of the Country,
who have been with M. Pivati, to be certified of
the Truth of his Experiment from ocular Demon-
flration, and whom 1 was able to interrogate, I found
but one who attefted them, as having feen them :
This was a Phyfician, a Friend of M Pivati, whom
I found at his Houfc, and who had, as he laid, al-
moft always aflifted him in his Experiments.

From Venice I went to Bologna, where I became
acquainted with Dr. Verati , a Member of the Aca-
demy T)e I’lnftitut. From the frequent Conven-
tions I had with him, I was convinced that he was a
learned; wife, and candid Man, as I had heard before.

I

[ 389 1

I laid before him, without Scruple, the Doubts I had,
touching the Tranlmiflion of Odours, the Effects of
lined Tubes, purging by electrizing, as well as the
alrnoft hidden Cures.

Dr. Verati anfwered me, firft, ic That he had
tc made many Experiments, from theRefult of which
“ it feemed to him, that (he Odour of Balfam of
“ Fern pervaded from within to the Outfide of a
“ Glafs Cylinder which he fhewed me." This Tube
however, at this time, would not convince us of its
having been done, although we rubbed it with our
Hands very ftrongly. But upon my reprefenting to
him, that as the Glafs was clofed only with wooden
Stoppers, which could be taken off at P.eafure, to
put in or take out the odoriferous Subfta ices, it
might happen, that, the Odours, agit teci by the
Hear, might have paff.d through the Pores of the.
Wood ; he anfwered me, “ That this wa? polTible;
“ and although Appearances had inclined him to be-'
“ lieve the Tranlmiflion of thefc Odours through
“ the Pores of the Glafs, he had nevertheiefs fuf-
“ pended his Judgment upon this EffeCt, as well as
“ upon that from lined Tubes, until new Proofs,
“ made with more Precaution, fhou d have entirely
“ diflipated his Doubts. Secondly, with regard to the
“ Purging by Electricity, he had in hisHoufe a Man
“ and Maid-Servant, who had been purged in this
“ manner: That at lead thefe two Perfons had felt
“ the fame Effects as chough they had taken Phyfic ;
u after having been electrized in M. Bianchi s man-
“ ner : That this Effect having no other apparent
“ Caufe than the preceding ElcCtrizarion, the great
<c Number of Faffs of this kind , rji'hich had mani-

D d d ufeftcd

[ 39° ]

i( f eft ed themfehes at Turin, had determined him
“ to believe, that what happened to his two Ser-
<( vants was the natural Confcquence of this Eleftriza-
“ tion : That, with regard to the reft, he propofed
“ to try the Experiment again upon a lufficient
<* Number of Pcrfons of another Sort ; and if this
“ Method of Purging was not conftanr, accord-
“ ing to the Idea he had had thereof, he would cor-
“ red, with great Freedom, what he had publifhed
<e thereupon in his Works, printed in 1748.”
Thirdly, Mr. Verati aflured me, “ That the ten
** Cures, related in his Work juft mentioned, were
a exadly made in the manner they are deferibed
And they are related with a good deal of Prudence,
and with a Simplicity which characterizes the Truth.
The fifth of them was told and certified to me by
the Perfon himfelf, one Day when I vifited Father
Trombelli , Abbot of the Houfe in which he lives.
Thefe Cures are not fuch as give me Difficulty to
believe them: We fee, at leaft, that they are made
with Speed : We fee that the Diforder, if I may be
allowed the Expreffion, defends itfelf againft the
Remedy, and does not give place but by little and
little 5 and that Nature makes no fudden Tranfition
from one State to the other abfolutely different, by the
means of an Ele&ricity fcarce fenfible. Thefe Cures,
I fay, give me no Trouble to believe them 5 becaufe
it appears to me natural enough, and I have faid it
a great while ago *, that a Fluid, adtive as the eledtric
Matter, and which pafles into our Bodies with fo

much

• In a Difcourfe read to the Royal Academy of Sciences juft after
Eajler 1746.

C 391 ]

much Eafc, may produce therein, in time. Altera-
tions either * falutary or pernicious.

I learned nothing in the other Cities of Italy y
which did not ftrengthen my Doubts in relation to
thofe eleftrical Phxnomena, which I had a Defire to
verify in the Courfe of my Travels. Perc La Torre ,
Profeflor of Philofopby at Naples ; M. T) 2 la Garde ,
Dirc&or of the Coinage at Ilorence, one who has
been much engaged in thefe Inquiries 5 M. Gua-
dagni , Profeflor of experimental Ph iofophy at Pifa ;
the Marquis Maffei , at Verona ; Dr. Cornelto , at
Placentia Per c Garo, at Turing all ihete, I fay,
with very excellent and w ll-contrived Machines,
and with a great Df fire of fucceeding, have attempted
many times to tranfmit the Odours, as well as the
Powers of Drugs clofed (carefuly) in Tubes or
Spheres of Glafs, by ele&rizing them : Ail thefe have
attempted to purge a Number of Perfons; and, ac-
cording to the Accounts they gave me, have never
gained their Point ; or the little Succefs they had,
appeared too equivocal to draw therefrom Confe-
quences conformable to thofe M. Pivati had be-
lieved to have feen in his Experiments.

I am now then, as it were, certain of what I be-
gan to believe aft Year, when I printed my Treatife,
intituled, Recherches fur les Caufes particulieres
des Phcenomenes Eleffriques :■ l am, I fay, as it
were certain, that M. Pivati has been deceived by
fome Circumftance to which he had not given fuf-
ficient Attention 5 and what makes me believe it
more than ever is, that he allured me himfelf, that
this Transfufion ot Odours, and of Drugs, through

D d d 2 ele&rized

* See thefe Trarf. No. 476. p. 479. C. M,

[ 392 ]

cle&rized Glafs Veflels, had never manitefted itfelf
to him bat once or twice dire&ly j I mean by a fen-
fible Diminution of Bulk, and by fuch Emanations
as the Smell was capable of perceiving.

Since I have underftood Italian, I have been fur-
prifed not only to find this Confeflion in a Letter
printed at Lucca *, but alfo to fee, that it had not had
all the Effect it ought to have had upon the Minds
of thofe, who have been in a Situation to be in-
ftructed : For my own Parr, had I known it earlier,
I might have faved myfelf a great Part of the Trouble
I have taken in verifying the Fa£t $ and l am aftonifh-
ed, that they fhould be defirous of building upon
fuch very {lender Foundations.

It is however upon this pretended Tranfmiflion,
and with a glafs Tube, which was cracked from one
End to the other , as M. Pivati tells you himfelffj
it is, I fay, upon this Fa£t, than which, in my
Opinion, nothing can be lefs certain, that they have
eflablifhed the Ufe and Effe&s of lined Tubes , of
which they are willing to abate nothing. But how
can we reconcile thefe two things, the almofl never
failing Operation of lined Tubes , upon fo many
Diftempcrs which are faid to have been cured, or
confiderably relieved, on one Parr, and on the other
the Tranfmiflion fo very feldom to be perceived of
the Odours of the Drugs inclofed in thofe Glaffes,

with

* Page 28. Utt tale dileguamento fuccedutomi in un cylindro , non
mi e pot veramente fucceduto in altri , di quali mi fon fervtto per vane
guarigioni.

-j- Si con/umo la materia interna a fegno , c he ft ridujfe non of! ante Fejfere
quaji ermetic ament e ferato alia fotti/iezza di un delicato fogtio di carta ,
e come un capo morto, cbe ne tenea piu odore ni fapore, e fino il vetro
medefimo quafi confunto ft apri da fe Jlejfo in piu fijfure per longo.

[ 393 ]

with which you eledrize ? If it is truly the 'Peru-
vian Balfam, the Benjamin, Camphire, &c. which,
being animated by the eledric Matter, have brought
about fo many Cures, as M. Pivati has given us in
his Writings, why do not thefe ftrongly-fcented Sub-
ftances fend forth their Effluvia copioufly, and always,
in thofe Places where the Experiments are made?
And why do they not communicate themfelves by
their Odour to all Perfons, who are penetrated
thereby, by means of Eledrification ? Will they fay,
that the Eledricity, fpecifically operating upon their
medical Virtue, feparates it from their odoriferous
Quality? Miferable Subterfuge ! Which does not
merit to be oppofed ferioufly 5 and the more fo, as
it is by the Transfufion- of their Odours, that they
pretend to be allured of the Efficacy of their lined
Pubes.

I am difpofed to believe, that the Eledricity may
have cured or relieved diftempered Perfons 5 but I
do not find the . Proofs of M. Pivati fufficiently
firong, or fufficiently certain, to make me conceive,
that the lined Glajfes have contributed to thefe good
EfFeds. I think, and M. Verati himfelf appeared to
me pretty much of the fame Opinion, that if any
one has been fo happy as to cure Diftempers by
eledrifying with Glades containing Drugs, all that
can be faid in Favour ot' thefe Subflances is, thac
they have not hindered the Operation of Eledricity.

M. Pivati appears by his Converfation an honed
and difinteicfted Perfon, and one capable 01 in-
ducing me to be oDhis Opinion- But among the
Fads which he colleds in his Wi icings to fortify his
Proofs, I find l'ome that do not do much Hot our to

his

[ 39+ 1

h!s Delicacy in choofing ; and which may make him
fufpcCted of too great Credulity. Would one believe
with him for Example, that the eleCtric Virtue was
capable of fetting a Watch a going, which was
flopped; and, by its means, of regulating its Motion,
When fo difordered as to be impracticable to be
done by the Hands of the Workmen*? Would one
believe with him upon the Faith of a Letter void
of Authority, and without haying tried it, “ that an
“ Ounce of Mercury had been entirely evaporated
“ through the Pores of a Glafs Veflel, with which a
il Man was electrized, which had made his Skin of
<c a leaden Colour, and which had been followed
“ by a copious f Salivation ?” This FaCt, which was
faid to have been done at Naples, interefting as it is,
had there made fo little Noife, that I was not able
to find any Traces of it during my Stay in that City,
after the printing and publifhing of the Book, in
which it is cited.

If any one fhould think fit to fay, that it is from
Humour, or from fome perfonal Intereft, that I am
fo obftinate in disbelieving the FaCts publifhed in
Italy , which are the Subject of this Memoir, I
flatter myfelf, that fo unjuft an Imputation will make
no Imprcfiion upon reafonable People, by whom I
have the Honour of being known, either pcrfonally,
or by my Writings. Have not I received and pub-
lifhcd in France all the Wonders in Electricity,

which

* RefleJJioni fipebe fopra la medicina ellettrica , p. 103. La fubita
efpcacia ( della ellettricita ) in dar giujlo movimento alle mojlre. di ore-
l agio, 0 feme, 0 reflie , 0 ritardanti fanza r medio.

t Ibid. p. 153.

[ 395 ]

which have manifeftcd themfelves in England , in
Germany , and in Holland , as foon as I have been
able to be allured thereof by a Repetition of them ?
Have not I Ipoke and written concerning the Cure
of the Paralytic of Geneva, as a Man truly perfuaded
of the Truth of the Fatt, fince it had been fo juftly
authenticated * ? By what Caprice then am I made
more difficult of believing what palfed in Italy than
in other Countries, if the Phenomena, which are
pretended to have been feen there, could have been
repeated j or if the Teftimonies, which they offered
me, were not confiderably weakened, or entirely
abolifhed, when, being in the Places themfelves, I
was in a Condition of knowing their juft Value ?

Had I only conlulted my perfonal Intereft, to
whom would it have been more convenient than to
me, to have adopted thefe Novelties ? If they were
real, they would have been fo many evident Proofs
of a Principle f, by which I have endeavoured to
account for the ele&rical Phenomena : A Principle,
which as yet has fufficiently well ferved me, and
which, having offered itfelf to Mr. Watfon as well
to myfelf, has enabled him likewite to give fome
Inferences exceedingly probable concerning them :
Would not Odours, would not medical Subftances,
carried through the Pores of Glafs, prove, without
Doubt, that the effluent eleftric Matter ferved them
for a Vehicle ? If purging Subftances were forced to

pafs

* See my Eflay fur fehtfricitd des corps, at Fans, 17+6,

and my Recnerches fur les Caufes par tic alter es des Ph<£nomene> electn~
ques, 17+9.

f Effai fur tEttricite des Corps , p. 148. et luiv.

[ 396 ]

pafs into the Hand, and into the Body, of an elec-
trized Perfon, could one doubt of their being in-
troduced there by the effluent Matter, which came
to the electrized Body ? If the Ele&ricity reftores
Health to a fick Perfon, in delivering him from
fome vitious Humour, might not I fay with great
Probability, that this Effect is brought about by the
Effluence of the electric Matter ? Efpecially as I have
demonftrated by Experiments, made with great Care,
that this fame Matter, in going from the Body
electrized, accelerates, and confiderably augments,
the infenfible Tranlpiration of Animals, and, in
general, all organized Bodies, replete with Fluids.

I have then fet apart my own Intereft to follow
the Truth j and if Prejudice has tended to lead me
affray, it would be in inclining me to receive rather
than call in doubt the Facts, which are the Subject
of this Paper. It is only becaufe I cannot confider
them as true, that I refufc to believe them ; and this
even with Regret, as they favour my Syftem : This
indeed is of no great Importance ; but what makes
me more defire their Reality, is, the great Good
which would refult to Society. Could any good Sub-
ject, pofTcfied of the Art of healing by Electricity,
as M. Tivati pretends to be, fpend his whole Time
better than in devoting it to the Relief of a great
Number of' h'Oma'n Creatures, afflicted with great
Variety of Maladies? I am induced to believe, that
the Greatnefs of this Idea has impoled upon thofe,
who liave~pubtrfhcd, without- Doubt, with a little,
too much Precipitation, this new Medicine : The
great Defre of being ufeful has made them hope ;
and the Goodncfs of their Hearts making them dif-

[ 397 1

penfe too eafily with the Severity of a neccflarv Ex-
amination, it may be imagined, that they have con-
fidered as real Succefs, what was in Truth only a
Phantom.

It remains to fay, that in thefe Refearches I have
coveted Truth, only for her own fake > and have no
Intereft: in convincing thofe who may think proper
Bill obftinately to believe, what has been publifhed
concerning lined Tubes, elc&rical Purgations, inflan-
taneous Cures, fyc. I do not pretend to make any
of my Opinion, but thofe, who, having read with-
out Prejudice what I have here related, may find
themfelves touched by my Reafons : But if after
this there can be any one, upon whom the Love of
the Marvellous can make a victorious Impreflion, I
fhall not think ill of them, if they embrace
Opinions oppofite to mine $ Qui ^uk decipi, de-
cipatur. • ■

XXL An extraordinary Cafe of a Fra&ure
of the Arm ; communicated by Mr. John
Freke, F. R. S. Surgeon to St-. Bartholo-
mew’s Hofpital.

JWApril5.^| E following Extraft of a Letter
from Mr. John Bardet Surgeon, in
New Torky having been communicated to me, I
thought the Cafe fo curious, and to have been
treated in fo skilful and regular a manner, as to be
worthy of being laid before this learned Society.

T. Freke.

“ IN

E e e

[ 39§ ]

T N May 174 6. as Colonel Morris's, Lady was
going from this City to Morrifena , the Co-
lonel's Country Sear, (he had the Misfortune of
being thrown out of her Chaife by the Horfes
fuddenly falling down ; by which means (he had
both the Bones of her left Arm broke. She was
immediatly conveyed to the Hermitage , a Coun-
try Seat belonging to the Honourable ^fofeph Mur-
ray, Efq; which is about a Mile and a Half from
the Place where (he met with this unlucky Acci-
dent. Being fent for by the Colonel, I examined
the Cafe, and found the Bones broke in an ob-
lique Dire&ion, a very great Contufion of the
Mufcles, and the Arm already tumifiedj which,
together with the being three Months gone with
Child, obliged me, previous to the Reduction,
to bleed her in the Right Arm. I then care-
fully reduced the broken Arm, and applied the
proper Bandages. ~ * -

“ The Cafe fucceeded, with lefs Inflammation than
ufually attends more Ample Accidents of this Kind ;
and, in about twelve Days, fhe ventured to go
from the Herm;tage to Morrifena , being about
fix Miles. But what I think remarkable in this
Cafe is, that tho' the Ends of the fraCtured Bones
had been exactly applied to each other, and tho’
the Bandages had been continued forty Days, yet,
upon their being removed, the Callus remained
fo foft and flexible, that her Arm could be bent
with the greatefl: Eafe into any Pofltion, and appear-
ed perfectly flrait, to the Satisfaction of the Patient
and Family. Bur, as I obferved the Callus to be

“ uricon-

[ 399 ]

« unconfirmed, I re-applied the Bandage, which rc-
“ mained on five Weeks longer.

“ Upon a fecond Examination, I found, to my
“ Surprize, and the great Uneafinefs of the Patient
« and Family, the Callus as foft and yielding as
“ before. I therefore could not help thinking this
“ Cafe to be fimilar to two Cafes which Hildanus
“ gives the Hiftory of from his own Practice : For,

“ as the Patient at this time was about five Months
“ gone with Child, Nature determined thofe nutri-
“ tious and agglutinating Juices, which were necef-
“ fary to form and confolidate the Callus, into a
“ different Chanel ; viz. to the Support and In-
“ creafe of the Foetus. As a C-onfequence of this >
“ Opinion, I contrived a Bandage made of Velvet,

“ with four thin Blades of Steel, a Quarter of an Inch
« broad, and feven Inches long, which were covered
“ with Velvet, and fixed to the Inftde of the Velvet
“ Bandage s and to the Bandage itfelf I fixed four
“ fmall Buckles, with their correfponding Straps.
<e The Bandage thus contrived, and buckled on the,
<c Arm, refembled a Muffitie, and was wore with the
** greateft Convcniency, keeping the Arm in a flrait
“ Diredlion, for four Months longer. In the mean
“ time, the Patient was made eafy by the encourage-
“ ing Hopes I gave her, that, after her Labour, the
“ Oeconomy of Nature would be more immediately
“ diredled to the Recovery of the Ufe of her Arm.
“ And, indeed, lo it turned out: For the Callus
“ remained unconfirmed, her Arm ufelefs, and at
“ particular times painful, till within nine Days of
“ her Delivery j when, all on a fudden, fine ac-
“ quaint^d the Colonel, that her Arm was quite

E e e 2 *' free

[ 40° ]

“ free from Pain, and had a very different Feeling
“ from what it had before. From that time, in lefs
“ than a Month, the Callus was intirely confirmed,
“ and the Patient recovered the Ufe of her Arm?
,c which, confidering the oblique Direction of the
“ Fracture, and the long-continued Softnefs of the
“ Callus, has its natural Beauty and Straitnefs'
<c wonderfully preferved.

“ I know that a Woman’s Pregnancy is mentioned
<{ in general, by feveral Authors, as an Hindrance of
“ the Callus being fo loon confirmed as in other
“ Circumftances. But, except the two Cafes men-
** tioned by Turner , and taken from Hildamis , I
do not remember to have read any Hiftory, where
“■ the ufual Oeconomy of Nature, in reftoring a
“ fractured Bone, was fo intirely, and for fo long a
“ Time, interrupted ; and where the Caufe of fuch
te an Interruption appears fo plain, as in the Cafe I
“ have been here relating,” &c.

■ ■ *|| ; • _ j

XXII. A further Account of the Libellae or
May -flies, from Mr. John Bartram of
Penfylvania, communicated by Mr. Peter
Collinfon, F. R. S.

Read April 5. ^ o M E time ago I laid * before the
I75°’ Royal Society my Obfervations on

the wonderful Appearance of the LibelU or May-
flies of England. This Account being perufed by my

ingenious

* See this Tranf. p 323.

[ 4°i ]

ingenious Friend Mr. Bartram , excited him to
make the following Remarks on their Appearance in
Benfyfaania. By the Specimens before you, the
May-flies of America have no very remarkable Dif-
ference from ours excepting a few Days in the Fly
State, they live all theYear aWater Infeft. Their Bodies
being replenifhcd with an oily Matter, they eafily
quit their Husks, and rife up to the Surface of the
Water, and difperfe themfelves a Mile or more back
in the Woods, whilft others flay near the Wafer.

May the 4th 1749. I perceived many had attained
Wings, and were very thick fpread on the Bufhes and
Grafs, by the River-iides. The fecond Day after
their leaving their aquatic Abode they call another
Skin, after which their Tails are longer, and their
Wings drier, and more tranfparcnt. The yth and
6th was rainy, the 7th windy 5 fo very few came our.
The 8th were cool; fo few were feen : But the pth
and 10th, being warm, many fwarmed late in the
Evening; and the nth, 12th, 13th, they fwarmed
abundantly. What I call fwarming, was their gather-
ing thick as Bees, near the Rivers, to lay their Eggs
in the Water.

In their Flight they mount to the Tops of Trees,
20 or 30 Feet high : Their Motion is furprifing,
hovering up and down, rifing and falling, 7 or 8
Feet at a time : This I take to be the Time and Man-
ner of their Impregnation. After which they fly
to the Brooks, call out their Eggs, and perifh im-
mediately : Their Eggs fink directly to the Bottom,
and lodge amongft the Mud and Gravel, and may be
Food for fome minute Water Animal. From their
Eggs proceeds a deformed Grub, which fublifts under

Water,

[ 4°2 ]

Water, and is Food for Eels, until next Seafon,
that it attains its Fly State, and then is Food for Fifii
and Fowl.

The Reafon of their being fo long in coming
forth this Year was, the coki chilly Weather: Other
Years, in a warm Seafon, in five Days they would
have performed all their Functions, and difappeared.

We have two other fmaller Kinds, that very much
referable the former, but they come later by two
or three Weeks : What is moft remarkable, the Males
arc black, and live fcveral Days after the Females.

ER RAT A.

No. 491. p. 8. in the Tide of Art. IV. for D. Suarez, M. D. read
Jacobum de Cajiro Sarmento , M. D. Item, the fame in the
Contents.

No. 493. p. 193. 1. 2. in the Title of Art. I. and in the Contents
the fame, for July 15, read July 18

Ibid. p. 213. May 13. for 33, 23. (the Height of the Barometer.)
read 30, 23. and July 24. for 22, 66. read 29,66.

No. 494. p. 342. 1. j. for magn vafculum tenera , read vafculum,
magis teuera,

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS,

GIVING SOME

ACCOUNT

O F T H E

Prefent Undertakings, Studies, and Labours,
OF THE

INGENIOUS.

IN MANY

Confiderable Parts of the W O R L D.

LONDON:

Printed for C. Davis, Printer to the Royal
Society, over-againft Gray’s- Inn-Gate in Holbourn*

M.DCC.LI.

dA

L.

U

:

- . •

c ! •' / , '

a i: r •; o

’ ' ; ;

' v. ' - l

Q. V/ ■■■ > ) :: .1; t. , ;

-.7 * * ••■ ' • : d

• - - : i .c; . * ■ -

••

JJ/f//r.K Zjwml N'‘ . I AB. IT .

f-7/u’ Opali ///• Kuio- T'illi

r/u/os. Trans. J\T.P4 T AB - IV. 51$ .

? . 2} ty/antt cO/c n .

_A Sea//’ erf Jrtc/iAf .

3 4 5 <T 7 8 9 10 11 11

Numb. 49*.

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS.

For the Months of April , May , June , and j^/7,

1 7*o.

I. ^ Catalogue of the fifty Plants from

Chelfea Garden , prefented to the Royal So-
ciety, by the worfhipful Company of Apo-
thecaries for the Tear 1749- p . 403

II. A Letter front Daniel Peter Layard,

M. D. a?td F. R. S. to Dr. Mead, con-
taming an Account of the Cafe of a young
Lady who had an extraordinary Impoftume
formed in her Stomach. p. 406

III. An Account of an irregular Tide in the
River of Forth, by Mr. E. Wright, p. 41 2

IV. The Cafe of a Tumor growing on the

Infide of the Bladder yfucceJ, j fully extirpated
by Mr. Jofeph Warner, Surgeon to Gu f s
Hofpital. p. 4 1 4

V. Remarks upon the Solar and the Lunar
YearS) the Cycle of 19 Tears y commonly
called the Golden Number, the Epadf, and
a Method of finding the Time of E after, as

The CONTENTS.

\

it is now obferved in mojl Parts of -Europe,
By the Right. Hon. George Earl of Mac-
clesfield F.R.S. p. 417

VI. An Account of the Morbus Strangulato-

rius, communicated in a Letter from John
Starr, M. D. to C. Mortimer, M. D.
Secret. R. S. ike. y>. 435

VII. An Exa?ninatioji of the Strength of feve-
ral of the principal purging Waters, efpe -
dally of that of Jefibp’i Well ; by the Rev.
Stephen Hales D. D. F. R. S. commu-
nicated in a Letter to ‘Cromwell Mortimer
M. D. Seer. R. S. with a Letter from
Swithin Adee M. D. F. R. S. to Dr. Hales,
on the Virtues of the faid Well. * p. 4.46

VIII. An abflraSl of a Difcourfe intitled ,
Reflexions on the Medals of Pefcermius
Nig er , and upon fome Circumftances in
the hiftory of his Life ; writen in French
by Mr. Claude Gros de Bozev beeper of the
Medals in the French King s Cabinet , &c.
and fent by him to Dr. Mead, who com-
municated it to this Society. By John Ward,
Rhet. Prof Grefh. & F. R. S. p. 45 2,

IX. A Letter from Robert More Efq\ to the
Prefident, containmg feveral curious Re-
marks in his Travels through Italy, p. 464

X.

The CONTENTS.

-> x * - * ■ J .1

X. Extra# of '.Jitter .from .Mr* William
Arderon F. R~ S. to Mr. He nry Baker
F R. S. coin aining an Account of aD wap ;
together with a Comparifon of his Dimen -
fons with thofe of a Child under four Tears
old \ by Mr. David Erskine Baker, p. 467

XI. Part of a Letter from Robert More Efq\
to Mr. W. Watfon F. R. S. concerning the
Method of gathering Manna near Naples.

p. 470

XII. A Letter from John Huxham M. D.

F. R S. to C. Mortimer M. D. Seer. R.S.
containing Obfervations o?i the Northern
Lights yfeen Feb. 15 and 16, 1749-50.

p\ '47 ^

XIII. A Letter from John Starr M. D. to
John Huxham M. D. F. R. S. containing
an Accowrt of an Horfe bit by a mad Dog.

P- 474

XIV. Defcriptio Foetus mpnftrofi .Jine ullo

Sexus Slgno^cum Regali Societate commu-
nicata per fob Bafter , ~ Acad.. Caefar. et
Reg. Soc. Lo?id. Soc. , P* 479

XV. Some Experiments on Subfanc.es r effing
Putrefadtion ; by J. Pringle M. D. p. 480

XVI. An attempt to explain an ant lent Greek
Infer iption , ingraven upon a curious bronze

cup

The C O NTE NTS.

cup with two handles , and publijhed with a
draught of the cup hy Dr . Pococke, in his
Defcription of the Eaft, Vol. II. Part 2.
pag. 207. By John Ward, Prof.Rhet. Grelh .
andF.R.S. p. 488

XVII. A Letter from Mr . Henry Baker
F. R. S. to the Prefident, containing Ab~
JlraSls of fever al Obfervations of Auroras
Boreales lately feen. * p. 499

XVIII. A Defcription of a Mariner’s Com-
pafs, contrived by Gowin Knight M. B.
F. R. S. p . foy

XIX. An Account of fome Improvements of

the Mariners Compais, in order to render
the Card and Needle* propofed by DoBor
Knight, of general Ufe , by John Smeaton,
Philofophical hijlrument-snaker . p. 513

XX. The Defcription of #Fifh, Op ah Guinien-

lium, fhewed to the Royal Society by Mr *

Ralph Bigland. p. 5 1 8

XXL A Letter fro?n John Burton M. D. to
C. Mortimer M.D. & Seer. R. S. concern-
ing the Extirpation of an Excrefcenc zfrom
the Womb. p. 720

k

ERRATA:

N°. 492,7^ 90, /. 7, For 1793, read 1743 ; /. 8, For 1796,
read 1746; l. 9, For 1798, read 1748. ibid, fag, 91,
Comet anno 1729, for 91, read 41; 1729, for 906960,
read 406980*, 1739, for 15, read 25 j 1744, for 27, read
1 7 ; f. 162, in the Title, /. 1. and in the Contents
Art. XIV. dele the Rev. f. 164, /. 14, for the with
Tear of Nab. read the 1 1 1 2th Tear of Nab. the 24th Day
c/Thoth. p. 169, /. 19, for 313, read 383 *, l. 23,
for 4* 4', read 2ih 4'. p. iji, in the Table, for 56.6,
read 56' o".

N°. 495. Article II. in the Title, inftead of, to the Prefi-
dent , read to Richard Mead M. D. &c. Ibid, for
1749-30, read 1749-5°*

Pag. 411, line 12, for Lite t us read Licet us. Ibid. Note 7,
read Licet us.

Page 5 1 7, line 24, for contained read containing ; and for
fixing read

/O rX

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v ■> p> ' ■ c: r ;i ; <: •. , . ?. .

: i ■ ' Ki n - - • • ; . • •

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. • . - . : - •

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•• A «V.'- V; 1 >. .

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ic; i */ . ’ Lryi 1 *, , iq* —

-* - 'V

*

[ 4°3 ]

I. A Catalogue of the fifty Plants from
Chelfea Garde prefented to the Royal So-
ciety, by the worfhipful Company of Apo-
thecaries for the Tear 1749, purfuant to the
DireElion of Sir Hans Sloane, Bar *, Med.
Reg. et Societat. Reg. nuper Prsef. by John
Wilmer, M. D. Clariff. Societat. Phar-
maceut. Lond. Soc. Hort. Chelfean. Pras-
fedt. et Praeledt, Botan.

Read April 1 2 ci. \ Conitum coeruleum feu napellus.
.6. .75°. J\S.C.B.P. 183.

13^2 Aconitum Pyrenaicumj ampliore folio tenuius
Jaciniato. T. 424.

13 f3 Adhatoda minor Canarienfis. Pluk. Phyt.

Fig. 1.

1354 Apocynum majus Syriacum rc&um. Cornut.91.

13 yy Ariftolochia, Piftolochia Cretica. C. B. 107.

1 3 y 6 BaccharisAfricanaj Coronopi folio. Vaill.Acad.

I3y7 Barba Jovis Africana ; foliis viridibus pinnatis*
flore coeruleo. Boerh.

1 3 58 Blattaria alba. C. B. 241.

1 3 yp Bapleurum foliis linearibus acutis feililibus.

FI. Leyd.

1360 Centaurea calicibus fetaceo-fpinofis, foliis lan-
ccolatis petiolatis dentatis. Hort . Cliff''

1361 Commelina foliis ovato-lanceolatis ; petalis
tribus majoribus sequalibus. Lin.

1362 Convolvulus argenteus elegantiffimus; foliis
tenuiter incite. Inft. R. H.

F f f 1363

[ 4°4 ]

1 3 63 Convolvulus peregrinus pulcher $ folio Eeto-
nicre. J. £.

13 <>4 Convolvulus Siculus minor j flore parvo auricu-
lato. Boc . Rar.

1365 Digitalis lutea major 5 parvo flore. Mor. Hift .

1366 Dracocephalon Canarienfe triphyllon i Cedro-
nella. H. Amjlel.

13*57 Echium Creticum anguftifolium rubrum. C. B.

1368 Emerus Americanus; filiquaincurva./#/?.i?.i/.
1365) Gallium faxatile minimum fupinum et pumi-
lum. Inft. R. H. 1 1 y.

1370 Glaucium hirfutum j flore phoeniceo. Tourn.

1371 Glaucium Orientale ; flore magno aureo. T.Cor ^

1372 Helkborus Fumarice foliis. Amman. Ruth. 74.

1373 Hieracium calyce barbato. Col. Ec. 2. 27.

1374 jafminum Africanum j ilicis folio 5 flore albo..

Com. Rar.

1375' Linaria pumila 3 foliis carnofis ; flofculis mini-
mis flavis. C.B. 213.

1376 Melilotus Italica 5 folliculis rotundis. C. B. R.
33T*

3377 Melifla Romana molliter hirfuta et graveolens.

H. R. Rar.

1378 Milleria annua ere&a; foliis con jugatis ; floribus
luteis fpicatis. Houft.

1379 Monarda floribus capitatis 5 caule obtufo.

Hort. Cliff".

1380 Myagrum filiculis fulcatis rugofis 5 foliis ob-
tufis dentatis. Hort. Upfal.

1381 Nardus Americana procerior $ foliis creflis.

Rink. Aim .

1382

[ 405 3

1382 Obclifcotheca, Hydrophylli foliis, lobislatiorh
bus. Vaill.

1383 Obelifcotheca, Hydrophylli foliis, lobis angufti-
oribus. ibid.

1384 Oxys lutea. J.B. 388.

1387 Partheniaftrum Helenii folio. Hort. Elt.

1 3 8<S Scrophularia, Ruta canina di&a, vulgaris. CV
B. 236.

1387 Scrophularia foliis, Filicis modo, laciniatis, vel
Ruta canina latifolia.

1388 Sideritis orientalis ; Phlomidis folio. T.Cor.

1389 Sinapiftrum Lufitanicum, triphyllum, florc
rubro liliquis corniculatis.

1390 Stachys alba. Michel.

1391 Sraphylodcndron Virginianum triphyllum. T.
616.

1392 Statice Lufitanica j Scorzonerac folio. Inft.R.
H. 341.

1393 Tribulus terreftris ; foliis Ciceris ; fru&u acu-
leato. C. B. B.

1394 Thlafpi Virginianum Iberidis foliis amplioribus
ct fcrratis. Tourn.

1395 Veronica coerulea ; trifido ct quinquefido folio,
FI. Bat.

1396 Veronica petrsea fempervirens. Bon. Bald.

1397 VcronicaVirginiana altiflima 5 fpica multiplici ;
floribus candidis.

1398 Urtica foliis profunde laciniatis; femine lini.
Amman.

1399 Xvlon Americanum pradlantiilimum ; femine
virefeente. Lin.

140c Zacintha, five Cichorium verrucarium. Matth.
yo 5.

F f f 2

II. A

[ 4°6 ]

II. A Letter from Daniel Peter Layard,
M \ D. and F. R. S. to the Prefident, con-
taining an Account of the Cafe of a young
Lady who had an extraordinary Impoftume
forjned in her Stomach.

SIR,

Read May 3.^ ■ ’^HE Communication of the follow-
1750 _X ing Cafe, which I have the Honour
of laying before you, will not, I hope, be deemed
an affuming Step in me: My only Defign is, in Obe-
dience to your Commands, to give you as exadt an
Account as I am able of this unexpected Cure j and I
fhall efteem it the higheft Pleafure, fhould any Benefit
accrue from this Obfervation. Give me leave to
fubfcribe myfelf, with, all poflible Refpcdt,

y 1 r,

Dean-Jlreet , Feb. 17.
1749 30.

Tour mofi humble
and mofi obedient Servant ,
D. P. Layard.

MI S S a young Lady of feventeen Years of

Age, being at a Boarding-School about three
Miles from this City, was, on the 28th of November
174,5”. taken with profufe Sweats, which, after fome
Continuance, and weakening her much, were (top-
ped by means of faline Draughts , made with Elixir
Vitiroli .

On

[ 4°7 ]

On the Removal of thofe Sweats an Obftru&ion
of the Menfes , with all its Symptoms, enfucd. A
Shortnefs of Breath, a dry Cough, an acute Pain in
the Left Hypochondrium , Rigors, &c. were taken for
the Signs of ^Peripneumonia--, and, the Medicines'
ufually prefcribed having no Eft'ed, a Blitter was applied
on the left Hypochondrium. The Feet ids, and Musk,
as in a nervous Cafe, were alfo adminiftred in large
Quantities, but with as little Succels.

It being thought advifeable to bring the young
Lady to Town, I firft faw her on the 12th of Fed.
174-f- 6. when I obferved a large prominent Tumor
on the left Hypochondrium , which reached to Part
of the Right, tilling up the Epigajtrium and Scro-
hiculum Cordis , where the complained of a conftant
acute Pain. The Mnfcles of the Larynx , Pharynx ,
and Neck, were much fwelled, and the Glands in-
durated. The other Symptoms were a continual
quick Pulfe, Third, hoarfe Cough, Difficulty of
breathing, Cardialgia, and Obftrudion in the Oefo-
yphagus , fo that, as foon as any Liquid “ fell down ,”
as the exprefled it, “ to the Pit of her Stomach? the
inflantly threw it up with violent Pain, Borborigmi ,
Emulations, and Singultus.

On the 14th, finding the Symptoms increafe,
efpecially the Obftruction in the Oefophagus , and
apprehending that an Abfcefs was forming in the
Stomach , I detired Dr. Mead fhould be called in,
who confirmed me in my Opinion,. In order to
aflwage the Inflammation, a cooling mucilaginous
Mixture , and a Sperma Ceti one, were prefcribed,
as alfo a laxative Glyfter. Next Day, being told,
that not a Drop of the Mixtures could be admitted

into

[ 4°8 ]

into the Stomach , Dr. Mead took his Leave, advife-
ing the Repetition of the Glyfter every three or four
Days, as Neceflity might require, and that Nature
fhould be watched, in cafe of a favourable Turn,
which He did not much expect, having obferved,
that thofe Abfceffes more frequently terminate in a
Gangrene than by Suppuration.

On the 1 6th the Glyfter brought away with the
Faeces fome Pieces of. Membranes, abouc a Finger's
Length, and two in Breadth. j to lubricate the In -
tejlines I directed ten Ounces of plain Mutton Broth
to be injected, which, after the tirft time, was con-
ftantly abforbed and was repeated twice every Day,
till the 3d of May.

In this State, with no other Suftennnce than thefe
Broth-Glyfters, the laxative one repeated every
third Day, and a warm carminative Blaijler applied
on the Tumor , did the Patient continue till the 17th
of March , when, obferving an Intermiftion in the
Pulfe, and hoping that a Decodfion of the Cort .
SBeruv. might corroborate the Solids, if abforbed,
as the Broth Glyjlers were, I diredted eight Ounces
of the Decodtion to be injedted, and repeated four
Hours after : By Accident, the firft was not half
thrown up; the fccond, on the 1 8th of March , at
Two o'Clock in the Morning, had a very extraor-
dinary EfFedi ; for being entirely abforbed, about
two Hours after, the young Lady complained of a
mod acute Pain in her Stomach-, which by its Violence
brought on a profufe Sweat, and threw her into a
Syncope, wherein fhe remained a full Quarter of an
Flour; then, fbrieking, made Signs to her Nurfc to
bring her tile Bafon j fhe vomited near two Pounds
5 of

[ 4°9 ]

of gr unions Blood, and then fomc purulent Matter ;
thereupon fhc difeharged by Stool above four Quarts
of well digefted Bus, with fevcral Pieces of Mem-
braneSy like thofe before-mentioned. The purulent
Difcharge continued gradually decreafing till the 23d
of April. Balfamics, and fmall Quantities of thin
Veal and Mutton-broths, were daily given. April
the 29th the Patient was purged with Pulp of CaJJia.
On May the 3d the Mutton-broth Glyflers were
omitted, the Stomach now performing its Office.
The 7 th ten Ounces of Blood were taken from the
Foot, which brought down the Menfles. The Tume-
faction and Induration of the Mufcles and Glands
of the Neck were removed by the continual Ap-
plication of the Emplaflr. Saponac. And after the
Ufe of Stomachics , and mineral Waters, the young
Lady was perfectly cured on the 17th of June 1746.
and has continued well ever ftnee.

It may not be improper to obferve, that the
Stomachy on account of the Number of Blood-vefTels
it is furnifhed with, is as liable (1) to Inflammations ,
and AbfceJfleSy as any Part of the human Body.
Thefe are occafioned by a Stagnation of the Blood,
which, if not fpeedily removed, mud greatly en-
danger the Patient's Life, by obftrudting the necefiary
vital Fun&ions of that Vi feus. The fpeedy Progrels
of this Difeafe, and the Remotenefs of the Part from
proper Applications, render its Termination moflly
fatal i_ a n cb_ as. Dr. Mead gudidouily- obfervedy - thefe -
Abfcejfles more frequently terminate by a Gangrene ,

than

(1) Boerhave in Aphorifm. deventricul. inflam. p. 228. Articul.
951. 952. 955.

[ 41° ]

than come to Suppuration. Thofe that do fuppurate,
generally form Ulcers, penetrating into the Cavity
of the Abdomen, and fometimes alfo perforate the
Integuments, as the following recorded Oblerva-
tions teftify. (i) “ Monfieur Petit has found a
“ carcinomatous and jijhilous Ulcer , which eat
“ through the Fundus Fentriculi , and the Integu-
“ ments of the umbilical Region.

(2) “ Monfieur 'Duverney alfo found a Hole in a
“ Stomach , which he could pafs his Thumb through :
“ This Hole was near the Rylorus , which was ex-
“ traordinarily dilated.

(3) “ Monfieur Littre obferved an Ulcer of five
“ Lines Diameter, about one Inch and a half from
“ the Rilorus ; and found three Pints of grumeus
“ and ferous Blood in the Stomach of a young Man
“ who had voided large Quantities of Blood.

(4) “ The fame Gentleman gives an Account of a
Cc Rumor on the right Side, which being opened
“ between the lafl of the true Ribs , and th z fir Jl of
“ the falfe ones , there iffued out Rus, Stones , and

the Succus Gafiricus, with Pieces of digefted Food.

(y) a And Mr. Atkinson tells us in the Philofo-
“ phical Tranfadions, that he opened a Tumor on
“ the upper Part of the Belly, out of which Open-
,c ing part of the Omentum came, and whatever the
“ Patient cat or drank for eight or ten Days : Yet

“ the

(1) Mem. del’Academ. des Sciences, Ann. 1716. p. 312.

(2) Hiflr. de l’Academ. des Sciences, Ann. 1704- p. 27.

(3) Ibid. p. 30.

(4) Ibid. p. 28.

(5) Philof. Tranf. No. 371.

C 411 ]

<c the Patient, contrary to his Expectations, was
“ cured in fix Weeks.”

But rhe following Obfervatiori from Forestus
comes the neareft to our Cafe “ *P uella quindecim an -
“ norum, per biennium fere cum de dolor e fuentriculi
“ conquer er etur , anno tertio tumorem manifejle vide-
“ runt parent es, in eo loco 5 neque tunc quicquam
c< confilii aut remedu tent at urn. Hinc ruptionem
“ animadverteVunt, excrevitqne puella materiam ,

“ biliofam , pituitofam, ac jam of am, per ahum : ex i
“ his apoflema apparuit,*’ &c. (6).

“ Luetus (7) relates feveral Inftances of Perfons
“> who have lived a long while without Food, but J
“ then they could admit of Liquids'; andthe young '
“ Lady which Monficur Littre (8) nourifhed wirh
“ Broth-glyjters , in which a Yolk or two of Eggs,
<f atld fometimes a Glafs of Wine, were mixt, could
“ alfo keep Water in her Stomach , tho’ no other
£t Fluid.” An Advantage which our Patient was
deprived of.

From what I have related it appears, that our young
Lady had an Abfcefs in her Stomach, which gradually
ripened, and then broke, fuppurated, digefted, and
cicatrized, as all other Abfceffes do ; and that during
this time, which was near three Months, fhe was
almoft all the while nourifhed folely by th s. Mutton-
Broth Glyfters .

III. Ac -

(6) Foreflus Obferv. 33. de ventricul. ulcer.

(7) Luetus de his qui diu vivunc fine alimento.

(8; Mem. del’Academ. des Sciences. Ann. 1715. p. 183.

Ggg

[ 412 ]

III; Account of an irregular 'Tide in the
River of Forth, by Mr . Edward Wright.

Read May 3.
1750

AS the following Account of a very
uncommon anomalous Tide in the
River of Forth , contains feveraiCircumftances worthy
Obfervation, 1 thought it might not be difagreeable
to that learned and famous Society to which I ad-
drefs. ir.

There are in this River, at Ebbing and Flowing,
certain irregular Motions, not to be found in any
other River in Scotland , perhaps in Great Britain ,
or even in all Europe , called by the common People
betwixt the Villages of Alloa and Culrofs , Leakies,-
which Name 1 fhall likewife make ufe of, for want
of a better. This Leaky is this : When the River
is flowing, before high Water, it intermits and ebbs
for a conftderable time, after which it refumes its
former Courfe, and flows till high Water j and, vice
•verfa , in the Ebbing, before low Water, the River
flows again for fome time, and then ebbs till low
Water. The Leaky begins at a Place called Queens
Ferry , feven Miles above Leith , at neap Tide, and
low W ater, and goes to the Houfe of Maner , which
is about twenty-five Miles above Queens Ferry y which
is to be underftood by Water; for in this River,
from a little above Alloa to Stirling , there are fuch
a prodigious Number of Turnings and Windings,
that though it be but four Miles betwixt thefe two
Places by Land, yet it is twenty-four by Water.
This I take notice of rather, as I take thefe Windings
to be the Caufe of the Leakies. At Neap Tide and

high

[ 4*3 ]

high Water, as alfo at Spring Tide and low Water,
the Leaky reaches as far as the Sea fills, which is to
the Groves of Craigforthy nineteen Miles above
Maner Houfe, and three above the Town of Stirling .

At Queen's Ferry there are no Leakies at Neaps and
Springs at high Water, nor in the latter at low
Water 3 they begin betwixt Borrow flownefs, a Village
about feven Miles above Queens Ferry , and the
Mouth of a Rivulet called Carront five or fix Miles
further up the River than Borrowftownnefs. W'hat
is very remarkable, in the very loweft Neaps the
Leaky, after it has ebbed for fome time, before high
Water, makes up again, and will be two Feet higher
than the Main Tide. In the Beginning of the
Spring Tides, it does not rife fo high by a Foot : At
the dying of the Stream, it is often two Feet higher
than the Main Tide, which is to be underftood, be-
fore high Water, when the Leaky makes up again.
At Neap Tide and low Water it will ebb two Hours,
and fill as much, and at full Water ebb an Hour,
and fill another.

it is likewife to be remarked, that at Change of
the Moon, at low Water, the Leaky will continue
two Hours, the Beginning of the Tide for that Time,
which then ftands, and does not ebb till Flood (the
Beginning of the Flowing), and at full Water, will
ebb and flow an Hour or more.

It is obfervable, that at full Moon, there are no
Leakies, either at high or low Water, in the Spring
Tides which are at that time, but in the Neaps
which follow them, thefe Motions are obfervable,
as before deferibedj as alfo in the Spring Tides,
which happen upon the Change of the Moon, called
by the Commonalty, the Overloup, there are

G g g 2 Leakies

C 4T4 1

Leakies both at high and low Water. All this is to
be underftood, when the Weather is feafonable j for,
othersvife, thefe Motions are not fo difcernible.

This Account 1 have colle&ed partly from my own
Obfervation, having part a great Part of my Life at
a Country- feat near Aloa, where the Leakies are to
be feen in great Perfection, and partly from what I
have learned from People living on different Parrs of
the River, whole Obfcrvations, as well as my own,
I find exadly agree with thofe of a learned * Rela-
tion of mine, who, near feventy Years ago, diligently
obferved and enquired into the Phauiomena of this
irregular Tide.

IV. Tde Cafe of a Tumor growing on the
Infde of the Bladder, fuccefsfully extir-
pated by Jofeph Warner, Surgeon to Guy’s
Hofpital 3 communicated in a Letter to the
Prefident. _ ,,

) J2 f J j | ; J ■ . : ... . t

^ May io. \ N Excrefccncc or Tumor ariflng from
l75°‘ LjL x^e internal Coat of the Bladder is
a Difeafe, though not very common, yet fufficiently
known to the Curious : But 1 believe that hitherto,
no one has attempted the Cure of this Diforder by
Extirpation, nor indeed ean it be fuppofed, that the
Instances are frequent, where the Operation is prac-
ticable. But as ir is notorious from the Hiftory of
Phylrck, and Surgery, that feveral Diforders which

were

* His OSfervarions were communicated to Sir Robert SibbaU, in
order to afliit him in compiling a Scotijb Arias.

C 415 ]

were formerly unobferved, have been found to occur
frequently, after their Nature has been once difcoverd,
and exactly defcribed, I flatter myfelf the Publication
of this Account may poflibly throw fome Light
on the prefent Subject.

Mary Bevan , aged 23, on the 24th of June
1747, drained herfelf by endeavouring to lift a great
Weight } fhe was immediately feized with violent
Pain in the Small of her Back, and a total Sup-
preflion of Urine ; which Symptoms, notwithstand-
ing the feveral Methods ufed for her Relief, con-
tinued till the 29th of the fame Month; when an
eminent Phyfician and Man-midwife was called to
her Afliftance ; who drew off her Urine with the
Catheter. During the Suppreflion, fhe was feized
with an acute Fever, and for 18 or 20 Hours before
her Urine was drawn off, fhe difeharged by the
Mouth a great Quantity of faltifh Water tinged with
Blood ; which, upon lying down, flowed in fo great
Quantities as to threaten Suffocation.

In April 1750, fhe applied to me : Upon Enquiry
I learnt fhe had never been able, from the Moment
of the Accident, to void a Drop of Urine without
the Afliftance of the Catheter, which had been made
ufe of ever fince two or three times every twenty-
four Hours ; that fhe was in continual Pain, and had
been lately much weakened by having feveral times
loft confiderable Quantities of Blood, occafioned by
the Force made ufe of for the Introduction of thar
Inftrument. Upon examining her with my Fore-
finger, which I introduced with great Difficulty
through the Meatus Ur 'marius , I discovered a con-
fiderable Tumor, which feemed to be of a flefhy
Subftance, and took its Rife from the lower Part of

the

[ 4i6 ]

the Bladder near its Neck ; the Extent of which I
could with Difficulty reach. She informed me, fhe
firft difeovered this Swelling about twenty Months
before. I obferved it to protrude a little way out of
the Meatus Urinarius upon draining to make Water
when the Bladder was full ; but, upon ceafing to drain,
it prcfently returned.

It had preferved pretty nearly the fame Appearance
ever lince it was firft taken notice ofj and about
eighteen Months ago, a fmall Incifion was made into
it, on Prefumption of its containing a Fluid, but
without any EffeCt.

The Method I took for the Extirpation of the
Tumor was this: Having fird prepared her as before
the Operation for the Stone 5 when her Bladder was
full, I made her drain as though fhe was going to
make Water, upon which I perceived the Tumor to
protrude a little ; this I effectually fecured from re-
turning into the Bladder by the Help of a crooked
Needle and Ligature paffed through the Tumor in
different Dire&ions, and endeavoured to draw it
out through the Meatus Urinarius , but could not
effeCt it by reafon of its Largcnefs 5 feeing this, I
dilated the Meatus Urinarius on the right Side by
cutting it upwards about half way towards the Neck,
when by pulling the Tumor forwards, I had diffid-
ent room for tying a Ligature round its Bafts, which
was very broad.

For the three firft Days after the Operation, fhe
complained of a good deal of Pain in the Abdomen .

On the fixth Day, the Tumor dropt off.

From the firft of the Operation, fhe voided her
Urine without any Afliftance, and is now perfectly
well in every rcfpeCt.

3

V. Remarks

[ 417 3

V. Remarks upon the Solar and the Lunar
Tears , the Cycle of 19 Tears, commonly
called the Golden Number, the Epadt, and
a Method of finding the Time of Eafter, as
it is now objerved in moft Parts of Europe.
Being Part of a Letter from the Right
Honourable George Earl of Macclesfield
to Martin Foikes, Ejq\ Prefident of the
Royal Society.

Of the Solar Year.

Rtad May 1 0. r i ^ H E mean Tropical Solar Teary or
I that mean Space of Time wherein
the Sun, or Earth, after departing from any Point
of the Ecliptic, returns to the fame again, confifts,
according to Dr. Halley' s Tables, of 36yd, yb, 48',
yy" : Which is lefs by 1 i', 5", than the mean Julian
Year, conlifting of 365**, 6‘, o', 0".

Hence the Equinoxes and Solftices anticipate, or
come earlier than the Julian Account fuppofes them
to do by 11', y", in each mean Yearj or 44',

20" in every four 5 or 3d, ih, y^', 20", in every four
hundred Julian Years.

In order to correft this Error in the Julian Year,
the Authors of the Gregorian Method of regulating
the Year, when they reformed the Calendar in the
Beginning of October 1582, direded that three in-
tercalary Days fhould be omitted or dropped in every
four hundred Years 5 by reckoning all thofe Years,

whofe

[ 4i8 ]

whofe Date confifts of a Number of entire Hun-
dreds not divifiblc by 4, fuch as 1700, 1800,

1900, 2100, &c. to be only Common, and not
Biffextile or Leap Years, as they would other-
wife have been ; and confequently omitting the in-
tercalary Days, which, according to the Julian Ac-
count, fhould have been inferred in the Month of
February- in thofe Years. Buc at the fame time they
order’d that every fourth hundredth Year, confiding
of a Number of entire Hundreds, divifible by 4,
fuch as 1600, 2000, 2400, 2800, &c. fhould dill
be confidered as Biffextile or Leap Years, and, of
confequence, that one Day fhould be intercalated as
ufual in thofe Yearjs. _ - " ’

This Correction, however, did not entirely remove
the Error : For the Equinoxes and Solftices ftill anti-
cipate ih, 53', 20" in every four hundred Gregorian
Years. *

But that Difference is fo inconfiderable as not to
amount to twenty-four Hours, or to one whole Day,
in Jcfs than 5082 Gregorian Years.

Of the Lunar Year, Cycle of 19 Years, and

the Epadt.

* * i ‘ -> *:i c J d r t ~

The Space of Time betwixt one mean Conjunc-
tion of the Moon with the Sun and the next follow-
ing, or a mean Synodical Month , is equal to 29V
1 zh, 44', 3", 2'", $ 6 lvy according to Mr. Found's
Tables of mean Conjunctions.

The Common Lunar Year confifts of 12 fuch
Months.

The

[ 4»9 ]

The Intercalary or Embolimaan Year confifts of
13 fuch Months.

In each Cycle of ip Lunar Years, there are 12
Common, and 7 Intercalary or Embolimaan Years,
making together 237 Synodical Months.

It was thought, at the time of the General Coun-
cil of Nice, which was holden in the Year of our
Lord 325, that ip Julian Solar Years were txaflly
equal to fuch a Cycle of 19 Lunar Years, or to 237
Synodical Months ; and therefore, that, at the End
of ip Years, the New Moons or Conjundions would
happen cxadly at the fame Times, as they did ip
Years before : And upon this Suppofirion it was, that,
fome time afterwards, the feverai Numbers of that
Cycle, commonly called the Golden Numbers, were
prefixed to ail thofe Days in the Calendar, on which
the New Moons then happened in the refpedive
Years correfponding to thofe Numbers it being
imagined, that whenfoever any of thofe Numbers
fhould for the future be the Golden Number of the
Year, the New Moons would invariably happen on
thofe Days in the feverai Months, to which that Num-
ber was prefixed.

Por i^Jjdian Solar Years contain 693P, 1 8, o, o,.o
Whereas 2 3 y Synodical Months^

contain only . . . j ^939 I(5, 3 Lf^^o

This Difference amounts to a whole Day very
nearly in 310.7 Years, the New Moons anticipating.

But this was a Miflake :

d

h

H h h

or

[ +20 ]

or falling earlier, by 24 Hours in that Space of Time,
than they did before : And therefore now in the Year
1770, the New Moons happen above four Days and
a half fooner, than the Times pointed out by the
Golden Numbers in the Calendar.

In order therefore to preferve a fort of regular
Correfpondence betwixt the Solar and the Lunar
Years, and to make the Golden Numbers, prefixed
to the Days of the Month, ufeful for determining
the Times of the New Moons, it would be necefifary
when once thofe Golden Numbers fhould have been
prefixed to the proper Days, to make them anticipate
a Day at the End of every 310.7 Years, as the Moons
will actually have done ; that is to fet them back one
Day, by prefixing each of them to the Day preceding
that, againft which they before flood.

But as fuch a Rule would neither be fo eafily com-
prehended or retained in Memory, as if the Altera-
tion was to be made at the End or at the Beginning
of complete Centuries of Years ; the Rule would be
much more fit for Practice, and keep fufficiently near
to the Truth, if thofe Numbers fhould be fet back nine
Days in the Space of 2800 Years ; by fetting them
back one Day, firft at the End of 400 Years, and
then at the End of every 300 Years for eight times
fucceffivcly : whereby they would be fet back, in
the whole, nine Days in 2800 Years. After which
they muff again be fet one Day back at the End of
400 Years, and fo on, as in the preceding 2800 Years.
By which means the Golden Numbers would always
point out the mean Times of the New Moons, within
a Day of the Truth.

It

c 421 i

It is plain however that the Lunar Year will have
loft one Day more than ordinary, with refped to
the Solar Year, whenever the New Moons fhall have
anticipated a whole Day; as they will have done at
thole times, when it is ncccfiary that the Golden
Numbers fhould, by the Rule juft now given, be fet
back one Day : and confequcntly the Epad, for that
and the fucceeding Years, muft exceed by an Unit
the feveral correfponding Epads of the preceding 19
Years.

For the Epad is the Difference, in whole Days, be-
twixt the common Julian Solar and the Lunar Year ;
the former being reckoned to conftft of 365, and the
latter of only 3 54 Days. If therefore the Solar and the
Lunar Year at any time fhould commence on the fame
Day, the Solar would, at the End of the Year, have ex-
ceeded the Lunar by 1 1 Days; which Number n would
be the Epad of the next Year : 2 2 would be the Epad
of the Year following, and 33 the Epad of the Year
after that, the Epads increafing yearly by 1 1 . But as
often as this yearly Addition makes the Epad exceed
30, thofe 30 are rejeded as making an intercalarry
Month, and only the Excefs of the Epad above 3 o is ac-
counted the true Epad for that Year. Thus when the
Epad would amount to 31, 32, 33, 3 4.,&c. the 30
is rejeded, and the Epad becomes 1, 2, 3, 4, &c.

Since therefore the Lunar Year will have loft a Day
more than ordinary, in refped of the Solar Year,
whenever it is necefiary to fet the Golden Numbers
one Day back, as was before obferved ; it follows,
that the Epad muft at the fame time be incrcafed
by an Unit more than ufual; the Difference betwixt
the Solar and the Lunar Year having been juft fo
H h h 2 much

[ +22 ]

much greater than ufua'. That is, 1 2 mud be added,
inflcad of 11, to the Epad of the preceding, in order
to form what will be the Epad of the then prefenr
Year. Which Addition of an Unit extraordinary
to one Epad will occafion ali the fubfequent Epads
(which will follow each other in the ufual manner,
each exceeding the foregoing by 11) to be greater by
an Unit than their refpediveJy correfponding Epads
of the preceding 19 Years.

If therefore, ir.ftead of the Golden Numbers, the
Epads of the leveral Years were prefixed, in the
manner the Gregorians have done, to the Days of the
Calendar, in order to denote the Days on which the
New Moons fall in thofe Years whereof thofe Num-
bers are the Epads; there would never be Occafion
to fhift the Places of thofe Epads in the Calendar;
fincc the Augmentation by an Unit extraordinary of
the Epads themfelves would anfwer the Purpofe, and
keep all tolerably right.

Thus in a very eafy Method may the Courfc of
the New Moons be pointed out, either by the Golden
Numbers, or by the Epads, according to the ‘Julian
Account or Manner of adjufting the Year, which
goes on regular and uniform without any Variation.

But the regulating thefe things for thofe who ufc the
Gregorian Account, is an Affair of more Intricacy ;
and for them it will require more Cbnftderatlon to
determine, when the Epads are to be more than
ordinarily augmented, and at what Times they are to
continue in their ufual Courfe ; nay, to know when
they arc not on y not to be extraordinarily augmented,
but alfo when they are to be diminifhed by an Unit,
by increasing one of them by 10 only inftead of 11
as ufual : and this happens much oftener with the

Gregorians ,

[ 423 ]

Gregorians, than the increafing one of them by 1 2
inftead of 11. For, in every Gregorian Solar Year,
whofc Date confifts of any Number of entire Hun-
dreds not divifible by 4, it is fuppofed that the Equi-
nox has anticipated one whole Day ; and therefore
one Day, that which ought to be the intercalary
one, is omitted ; and confequently the preceding
Solar Year, where one Day was loft, exceeded the
Lunar Year by 10 Days only inftead of 1 1.

In order therefore to adapt the before-mention Jd
Rule to the Gregorian Account, and to know in
what Years the Epadts fhould either be extraordinarily
augmented or diminifhed, and the Golden Numbers
fhould either be fet backwards or forwards in the
Calendar 5 the following Rules and Directions muft
be oblerved.

Firft. That in the Years i8co, 2100, 2700, 3000,
&c. where the Number of entire Hundreds is divifi-
b.e by 3, but not by 4, the Gregorian Solar, as well
as the Lunar Year, will have lolt a Day j and conic-
quently the Difference betwixt them will be the
fame as ufual : Therefore in thofe Years there muft
be no Alteration, either in the Epadts or the Golden
Numbers 5 but the former mttft go on in the fame
manner, and the latter ftand prefixed to the fame
Days in the Calendar, for another, as they did for
the laft hundred Years.

2 d 1 y . The like will happen in the Years 2000, 2800,
3200, &c. where the Number of entire Hundreds is
diviftble by 4, but not by 3 : For neither the Gre-
gorian Solar nor the Lunar Year is to be altered j
and therefore the Epacts muft go on, and the Golden
Numbers ftand, as they did before.

But,

C 424 3

But, ^dly, In the Years 2400, and 3600, whofc
Number of entire Hundreds is divifibie both by 3
and 4, the Gregorian Solar Year goes on as ufual,
and the Lunar Year has loft a Day. The Difference
therefore betwixt them being 12, the Epatt of the
preceding Year rnuft be augmented by that Number
inftead of 11, in order to form the Epact of the then
prefent Year; whereby a new Set of Epacts will be
introduced, exceeding their precedent coriefponding
Epacts by an Unit: And the Golden Numbers rnuft:
be fet one Day back in the Calendar.

4thly and laftly. In the Years 1900, 2200, 2300,
2yoo, &c. where the Number of Hundreds is divi
fibic neither by 3 nor 4 ; the Gregorian Solar Year
having loft one Day, and the Lunar none, the Dif-
ference betwixt them being only 10; that Number
only, and not 1 1 , is to be added to the Epact of the pre-
ceding, in order to form the Epact of that, the then
prefent Year ; whereby a new Set of Epacts will be
introduced, all of them lefs by an Unit than their
precedent coriefponding Epacts: And the Golden
Numbers muff be fet a Day forwarder in the Calen-
dar,- that is, be prefixed to the Day following that,
againft which they flood in the precedent hundred
Y' ears.

This Method would preferve a fort of Regularity
betwixt the Solar and the Lunar Years 3 and, by
means of the Rules and Directions before-mentioned,
the Days of the New Moons might be pointed out,
cither by the Golden Numbers or bv the Epacts, placed
in the Calendar for that Purpofc 5 accoiding to the
Julian Account for ever, and according to the Gre-
gorian Account till the Year 41555) indufive, after

which

3

[ 425 ]

which there mud be fomc little Variation made in
the four laft Precepts or Rules ; but it would be to
little Purpofe now, to attempt the framing of a new
Set of Rules for fo diftant a Time.

The Gregoria?is have chofen to make life of the
Epacfs to determine the Days of the New Moons,
and follow pretty nearly the Rules preferibed above;
except that they order the Epatts to have an ad-
ditional Augmentation of an Unit eight times in
2 yoo Years, beginning with the Year 1800, as at the
End of 400 Years; to which 400 Years if there be
added three times feven hundred, or 2100 Years, the
Period of 25-00 Years will be completed in the Year
3903. After which they do not make their extra-
ordinary Augmentation of an Unit in the Epafts, till
at the End of another Term of 400 Years ; which de-
fers that Augmentation from the Year 4200 to the
Year 4300. And this is the Reafon that the Rules
above deliver'd will require a Variation in the Year
4200; whereas it is dirc&ed in this Paper that the
Epa&s fhould be augmented, or (which is the fame
thing) the Golden Numbers be let back in the Ca-
lendar nine times in 2800 Years. This arifes from the
Gregorians fuppofing, that the Difference betwixt 19
Solar and as many Lunar Years would not amount to
a whole Day in lei’s than 312 Years and a half;
whereas it has appeared above, that it would amount
to a whole Day in 310.7 Years. But although the
Rule preferibed in this Paper comes much nearer to
the Truth, yet the Error in either Cafe is very incon-
Ederable, being fo fmall as not to amount to a whole
Day in many thoufand Years; and therefore is not
worth regarding.

A

[ 426 ] ,

A Method of finding the 'Time of E after, as
it is ohferved in mofi Parts of Europe.

From what has been already faid, a Method may
be obtained, for fixing, with fufficicnt Exa&ncfs, the
Time of the Celebration of the Feafi of Eajier ,
which is governed by the Vernal Equinox , and by the
Age of the Moon ncareft to it. The former whereof,
when once rightly adjufted, may (by the Corrections
mentioned in that Part of this Paper which relates to
the Solar Year) be made to continue to fall at very near
the fame time with, or at moll not to differ a whole
Day from the true Equinox: and the fame Rules
and Directions, which, as was before fhewn, would,
without any great Error, point out the Times of the
firft Day of the Moon, would with equal Certainty
point out the fourteenth, fifteenth, or any other : And
thus the Times of the Oppofitions or the Full Moons
might be as well marked out thereby, as thofe of the
Conjunctions or the New Moons.

I fhall not at prefent take notice of the Canon of '
the Council of Nice , in the Year of our Lord 325*,
which directs the Time of celebrating the Fealt of
Eajier , or of the Rcafons upon which that Canon was
founded. Nor fhall I endeavour to explain the Rule
now in Ufe in the Church of England for finding
•Rajler : For, be tides that fuch an Explanation would
extend this Paper to an improper Length, thofe Points
have already been treated of by feveral much abler
Hands, and particularly by our Countryman the learned
Dr. Prideaux. Nor is it my Intention to enter far into

the

[ 427 ]

the Methods ufed by the Gregorians , or thole of the
Church of Rome , or by any other Nations or Coun-
tries, for finding the Time of that Fcaft. As to our
own, I fhall only obferve, that the Method now ufed
in England , for finding the fourteenth Day of the
Moon, or the Ecclefiaftical Full Moon, on which
Eajler dependeth, is, by Procefs of Time, become
confiderably erroneous : as the Golden Numbers,
which were placed in the Calendar, to point out the
Days on which the New Moons fall in thofe Years
of which they arc refpcctively the Golden Numbers,
do now (land feveral Days later in the fame than thofe
New Moons do really happen. Which Error, as was
before obferved, arifes from the Anticipation of the
Moons fince the Time of the Council of Nice : And as
the Vernal Equinox has alfo anticipated eleven Days
fince that time; neither that Equinox, nor the New
Moons, do now happen on thofe Days upon which
the Church of England fuppofes them fo to happen.

When Pope Gregory XIII. reformed the Julian
Solar Year, he like wife made a Correction as to the
Time of celebrating the Feaft of Eafler , by placing
the Epacts (which he directed to be made ufe of
for the future inftead of the Golden Numbers) much
nearer to the true Times of the New Moons than
the Golden Numbers then ftood in the old Calendar :
I fay, much nearer to the true Times ; becaufe in
fact the Epacts, as placed by him, were not prefixed
to the exact Days upon which the New Moons then
truly fell. And this was done with Defign, and for a
Reafon which it is not material to the Purpofe of
this Paper to mention.

Iii

But

[ 428 ]

But the Church of England , and that of Ro?ne
or the Gregorians , do hill agree in this ; that both of
than mark (the former by the Golden Numbers, and
the latter by the Epaffo corrcfponding to them) the
Days on which their Ecclefiaflical New Moons are
fuppcfed to happen : And that fourteenth Day of the
Moon inclufive, or that Full Moon, which falls upon,
or next after, the 21ft Day of March , is the PafchaL
Limit or Full Moon to both: And the Sunday next
following that Limit or Full Moon, is by both
Churches celebrated as Eajler Day. But the 21ft of
March being reckoned, according to the Gregorian
Account or the New Style, eleven Days fooner than
by the 'Julian Account or the Old Style, which is (lill
in Ufe among us; and their Ecclefiaflical New
Moons being three Days earlier than thofe of the
Church of England ; it happens that although the
Church of England and that of Rome often do, yet
more frequently they do nor, celebrate the Feaft of
Eajler upon the fame natural Day.

It might however be eafier for both, and could
occafion no Inconvenience, now that Almanacks,
which tell the exad Times of the New Moons, arc
in mod Peoples Hands; if all the Golden Numbers
and Epafts now prefixed to thofe Days of the Calendar,
in our Book of Common Prayer, and in the Roman
Breviary , on which the refpeftive Ecclefiaflical New
Moons happen, were omitted in the Places where
they now Band; and were fet only againfl thofe four-
teenth Days of the Moon, or thofe Full Moons,
which happen betwixt the 21ft Day of March and the
18th of April , both inclufive. Since no fourteenth
Day or Full Moon, which happens before the 21ft

[ 429 ]

of March , or after the 1 8th Day of April, can have
any Share in fixing the Time of Eajler. By which
means the Trouble of counting to the fourteenth Day,
and the Miftakcs which fometimes arife therefrom,
would be avoided.

We do as yet in England follow the Julian Ac-
count or the Old Style in the Civil Year j as alfo the
Old Method of finding thofe Moons upon which
Eajler depends : Both of which have been (hewn
to be very erroneous.

If therefore this Nation fhould ever judge it pro-
per to correct the Civil Year, and to make it con-
formable to that of the Gregorians , it would furely
be advifeabie to corrcd the Time of the Celebra-
tion of the Feaft of Eajler likewife, and to bring it
to the fame Day upon which it is kept and folemnized
by the Inhabitants of the greateft Part of Europe ,
that is, by thofe who follow the Gregorian Account.
For tho’ I am aware, that their Method of finding
the Time of Eajler is not quite exad, but is liable
to fome Errors 5 yet I apprehend, that all o her prac-
ticable Methods of doing it would be fo too : And
if they were more free from Error, they would pro-
bably be more intricate, and harder to be underfiood
by Numbers of People, than the Method of deter-
mining that Feaft either by a Cycle of Epads, as is
pradiled by the Gregorians , or by that of 19 Years
or the Golden Numbers, in the manner propofed in
the following Part of this Paper : And it is of no
fmall Importance, that a Matter of fo general a Con-
cern, as the Method of finding Eajler is, fhould be
within the Reach of the Generality of Mankind, at
lead as far as the Nature of the thing will admit.

I i i 2 For

[ 43° ]

For which Reafon, in cafe the Legiflature of this
Country (hou'.d before the Year 1900, think fit to
make our Civil Year correfpond with that of the
Gregorians , and alfo to celebrate all the future Feafts
of Eajler upon the fame Days upon which they cele-
brate them ; this laft Particular might be eafily effected,
without altering the Rule of the Church of England
for the finding of that Feaft: And this only by advancing
the Golden Numbers, prefixed to certain Days in the
Calendar, 8 Days forwarder for the New Moons, or
21 Days forwarder for the fourteenth Days or Full
Moons, than they now Hand in our Calendar.

In order to explain this, it mull be obferved, that the
Gregorian Account or the New Style is eleven Days
forwarder than the Julian Account or the Old Style,
which we {Fill make ufe of; that is, the laft Day of
any of our Months is the eleventh Day of their next
fucceeding Month. If therefore their Ecclefiaftical
New Moons fell on the fame Days with thofe of the
Church of England, the Golden Number 14, which
now Hands againft the laft Day of February in our
that is the Julian Calendar, fhould, when we fhould
have adopted the Gregorian Calendar, be prefixed to
the nth Day of March. Butfince their Ecclefiaftical
New Moons happen 3 Days earlier than our Ecclefiafti-
cal New Moons at prefent do -3 fo much fhould be de-
ducted from thofe 11 Days, by which the Golden
Numbers ought otherwife to be advanced ; and the
Golden Number 14 fhould not be placed againft the
nth, but the 8th Day of March : Which being rec-
koned the firft Day of the Moon, if we count on to
the fourteenth Day of the fame inclufive, that would
be found to fall on the 2 ift Day of March 5 on which

Day

[ 43r ]

Day the Gregorian Pafchal Limit or Full Moon will
happen when the Golden Number is 14. And the like
Courfe fhould be taken with the reft of the 19 Golden
Numbers; which ought to be placed 8 Days forwarder
than they now ftand, if they are to point out the New
Moon; or 21 Days forwarder than they are atprefent,
if they are to mark the fourteenth Day of the Moon or
the Full Moon : The latter of which, as has becnfhewn,
would be more eligible, than to prefix thofe Numbers
to the Days on which the New Moons happen.

Thus may the Rule and Method now ufed in the
Church of England , be mod ealily adapted to fhew
the Time of Eajler , as it is obferved by the Gre-
gorians , till the Year 1900; at which Time, and at
the other proper fucceeding Times, if the Golden
Numbers in the Calendar {hall either be advanced or
fet backward a Day, according to the foregoing Rules
and Dire&ions for that Purpofe, they will continue
to fhew us the New or the Full Moons of the Church
of Rome or the Gregorian Calendar with great Exaft-
nefs, till the Year 4199: when, as has been already
mentioned, there muft be a little Variation made in
thofe Rules and Direftions.

There is however one Exception to thofe General
Rules and Directions, which will be taken notice of
in the next Paragraph.

Upon thefe Principles 1 framed the Table accom-
panying this Paper, and (hewing, by means of the
Golden Numbers, all the Gregorian Pafchal Limits
or Full Moons, from the Reformation of the Calen-
dar, &c. by Pope Gregory to the Year 4199 inclufive.
Which Space of Time is therein divided into fix-
teen unequal Portions or Periods ; at the Beginning of
5 each

[ 432 ]

eacft of which, all the Golden Numbers, when once
they fhal! have been properly placed in the Calendar,
muft either be advanced or fet back one Day, with
refpett to the Place where they Pood in the preceding
Period, agreeably to the foregoing Rules : Except
thole Numbers which fhall happen to (land againft
the 4th and yth of April to fhew the Pafchal New
Moons, or againft the 1 7 th and 1 8 th of the fame Month
to mark out the Pafchal Full Moons; both which
Numbers at fome Times, and only one of them at
others, muft keep the fame Place for that, which was
allotted to them in the immediately preceding Period.

In order to determine at what Times, and on
what Occaftons, this Exception is to take Place; let
it be obferved, that, in the Months of January%
March , May , and fome others in our prefent Ca-
lendar, as well as in the Table above-mentioned,
fome of the Golden Numbers (land double or in
Pairs, and follow one the other immediately j whilft
orhers, on the contrary, generally hand fingle and
by thcmfelves.

Now, when any of thofe Pairs, or two Numbers
which ufually accompany each other, happen, in pur-
fuance of the foregoing Rules, to be prefixed the one
to the 4th and the other to the 5 th of April for the
New Moons, or the one to the 17th and the other
to the 18th of April for the Pafchal Limits or Full
Moons: And when any of thofe Numbers, which
generally ftand fingle, are prefixed, according to the
faid Rules, to the yth of April for the New Moons,
or to the 1 8th for the Full Moons: In thefe Cafes
thofe Pairs or fingle Numbers that are fo fituated,
muft not be fet forward or advanced at the Begin-

[ +33 ]

ning of the next Period, bat muff keep their Places
during another Period, if the foregoing Rules di-
rect all the Golden Numbers to be advanced a Day ;
which muft be complied with in refped to all the
other Golden Numbers, except thofe fo fituated as
above, lnftances whereof may be feen in the Table,
under the relpe&ive Periods beginning with the Years
1900, 2600, 3 100, and 3800.

But if, in Conformity to the foregoing Rules, all
the Golden Numbers are to be fet one Day back'
ward; thofe Pairs or Angle Numbers, tho’ frtuated
as is above-mentioned, muft not keep their Places,
„ but muft move one Day backward like all the other
Golden Numbers; as they may be feen to do in the
Periods beginning with the Years 2400 and 3600.

To give a plain and intelligible Account of rhe
Realon, on which the Directions now given with
refpedt to this Exception are founded, would extend
this Paper, already too long, far beyond its due and
proper Bounds. 1 fhall therefore content myfelf with
obferving, that it depends chiefly upon the Nature
of the Menfes Tleni and Menfes Cavi , into which
the Lunar Year is ufually divided: and that, in order
to make ufe of the Golden Numbers for finding the
Time of the Gregorian Eajler , it will be ncccflary
not only to conform to the general Rules laid
down in the former Part of this Paper ; but alio to
follow the Dire&ions juft now given, with refpcCt to
the above-mentioned Exception to thofe general
Rules.

But I fhould not do Juftice to cPett r E> avail, of
the Middle Temple , Efq; Secretary of the Royal

Society*

C 434- 1

Society, did I not here acknowledge, that, before I had
fo fully conf.dered thefe Matters as I have fince done,
I had the firft Hint of applying the Golden Numbers
to find the Gregorian Pafchai Limit or full Moon,
from him 3 who has fince that time compofcd and
drawn up Tables, &c. which may poffibly be of
confiderabie and general Ufe in this Nation here-
after.

VI.

A TABLE, (hewing, by means of the Golden Numbers, the feveral Days on which the
Pafchal Limits or Full Moons, according to the Gregorian Account, have already hap-
pened, or will hereafter happen ; from the Reformation of the Calendar in the Year of
our Lord 1582, to the Year 4199 inclufive.

To find the Day on which the Pafchal Limit or Full Moon falls in any given Year; Look, in the
Column of Golden Numbers belonging to that Period of Time wherein the given Year is contained,
for the Golden Number of that Yean over-againft which, in the I me I me continued to the Column
intitled ‘Pafchal Full Moons , you will find the Day of the Month, on which ihe Pafchal Limit or Full
Moon happens in that Year. And the Sunday next after that Day is Eajler Day in that Year, accord
ing to the Gregorian Account.

Golden Numbers from theYear 1583 to r 699, and fo on to 4r99.aH inclufive.

1583

1700

1900

to

to

to

1699

1899

2199

3

14

3

■4

1 I

1 1

3

19

I I

8

19

8

1 9

i 6

8

5

1 6

l6

13

f

2

■3

2

'3

10

10

2

18

IO

7

18

7

18

if

7

4

■f

4

12

I

T 2

4

I

12

9

9

I

17

9

6

1 7

17

h

6

6

9

; 300 240012500

l6oc

29OO

3 IOC

0

0

4*

S5°° 3

to I

to

to

to

to

10

to

to

2-399 249912599

2899

3099

3399

3499

59° 3

1 7

6

17

9

I

12

6

0

17

9

14

6

I 7

9

14

3

14

6

17

9

3

3

14

6

1 7

1 I

3

14

6

17

1 1

I I

3

'4

6

19

1 1

3

14

19

8

19

1 1

3

14

8

8

19

1 I

3

16

8

19

1 1

16

5

16

8

19

1 1

5

f

l6

8

>9

13

f

l6

8

19

13

2

13

f

l6

8

2

2

13

f

16

IO

2

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16

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18

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2

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18

7

iS

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13

7

7

18

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2

if

7

18

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4-

if

7

1 8

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4

4

if

7

l8

1 2

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7

l8

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tr

4

3S00

4-100

36OO 3700
to to
3699 37 99 4099 4. 1 "9

Pafchal
Full Moons.

Days of the
Month, and
Sunday Letters

Marcn 2 1 . C
22. D

pril

29. D

30. E

31- F

1. G

2. A

3- E

4- C
f D
6. E
7- F

8. G

9. A

10. B

11. C

12. D

13. E

14. F
ty. G

16. A

17. B

18. C

19. D

20. E

21. F

22. G

23. A
2+. B
2J. C

[ 435 ]

VI. An Account of the Morbus Strangulato
rius, communicated in a Letter from John
Starr, M. D, to C. Mortimer, Af. D.
Secret . R. S . &c.

SIR, Liskardy Jan. io. 1749.’

Read^ May h-'TT is not, I'll aflure you, an Itch for
Scribbling, but the Concern I feel in
my own Bread for the Happinefs and Well-being of
my Fellow-Creatures, which has occafioned my fend-
ing you the Papers, which this accompanies. We
have had ravaging among us for fome time, at certain
Seafons, a Difeafe formidable in its Advances, and
fatal in its Confequences, I mean an occult Angina>
called with fome Propriety Morbus Strangulator ius.
Dr. Pother git's fore Throat with Ulcers, and Dr.
Cottons Sr. Albans fcarlct Fever, &c. are in my
Opinion but its Shadows. None praftifing in thofe
Parts have reafon to boaft their Succefs in attempt-
ing its Cure. The Way to cure Diforders is firft to
know them. Where the Deviations of Nature are
hidden, where we cannot difeern how and in what
manner the diftrefied Functions fuffer, the Art of
Healing muft have its Difficulties. The fudden, and
indeed unexpected Death of fome Patients greatly
alarmed me. I concluded the Caufe deeper than at
-firft imagined. The Cafe herewith fent, confirms my
Conjecture. It is Extraordinary and uncommon.
Does medical Hiltory afford its like? It is poffible it
may, but it has not yet fallen within the Cornpafs of

K k k my

[ 436 ]

my Reading, or Study. Tullius’s Obfervation, Lib.
iv. Cap. ix. falls vaftly fhort of it.

The Figures ( fee Tab. I. Fig i. 2.) I. have fent in
order to give you clear and j utt Ideas of the Gafe, are
drawn With great Truth and Exa&nefs. Should
Vouchers be neceffary for a Confirmation of the Fact,
I can fend you many. But I am fatisfied Dr. Mortimer
will fcarce think me capable of attempting an Impo-
Fttion on Mankind in fo important an Affair.

I have been, I own, fomewhat prolix : If you
think the Whole, or any Part, worthy Publication,
you are at Liberty to treat it in the Manner that is
mod agreeable. I fhould be glad from the Premifes
to fee a rational Method of attempting a Cure
pointed out. I pleafe myfelf with believing you
have not quite forgot me, when I add, that I am,
with great Regard,

HE Morbus Strangulatorius , with great Pro-

priety and Juftice thus denominated, has within
a few Years reigned in feveral Parts of Cornwal with
great Severity. Many Parifhcs have felt its Cruelty,
and whole Families of Children, whence its con-
tagious Nature is but too evident, have, by its fuc-
ccllive Attacks, been fwept off. Few, very few, have
cfcaped.

I do not propofe to fend you an accurate Hiftory
of this Diforder. This I chearfully leave to fuch
Gentlemen as have been more converfant in Pradice
among us, and whofe Penetration, and Judgment,

SIR,

Tour fnojl humble Servant ,

John Starr.

are

[ 437 ]

are undoubtedly far fuperior to mine.' However, as
the Obfervations thefe Papers contain are in them-
felves juft, honeftly, and truly, tho* with great Plain-
ncfs and Simplicity, related, fo they are not perhaps
unworthy the Knowledge of the Public, and Con-
fideration of even the greateft in the Profeflion.

It is enough to fay, that the Diforder does not
appear with the fame Train of Symptoms in every
Subject. On the contrary, a vaft Difference is ob-
fervablc ; but then, whatever, or how various foever,
the Symptoms may be, there is a certain Degree of
Malignity, or (which is what I mean) there are Signs
of a putrid Difpofition of the Juices, in all.

Some, I am informed, have had corrofive Puftules
in the Groin, and about the Anus , eating quick
and deep, and threatening Mortification, even in the
Beginning. Others after a few Days Illnefs have
had Numbers of the worft and deepeft ‘Petechia
break out in various Parts of their Body. Such I
have not feen.

Many on the firft Attack have complained of
Swellings of the Glands, as Tonfils, Parotids, fub-
maxillary and fublingual Glands, but frequently of
no great Importance. A few, from an internal
Tumor, have had a large external oedematous Swell-
ing of the fubcutaneous and cellular Tunic, from
the Chin down to the Thyroid Gland, and up the
Side of the Face. One fuch I was concerned with,
the Tumor broke in the Fauces but, inftead of a
laudable Pus, fome Ounces of a Coffee-coloured
exceedingly fetid Matter were fpit off. The Man
recovered. As Refpiration only buffered here by

K k k 2 Prcffure,

r: +38- 1

FrcPure, I ffiould rather choofe to call this a malig-
nant Angina , than the true Morbus Strangulator ins .

Not a few early in the Diforder have had gangre-
nous Sloughs formed in their Mouths, and perhaps
fo early in fome, that the Diforder was fcarce com-
plained of, till the Slough was formed, fo quick has
it been in its Progrefs.

Others again, without any of the preceding Sym-
ptoms, have only complained of a flight Pain in fw al-
io wing, fucceeded with a hot Flefh, feverifh Pulfe
(never quick and weak, but as to the Stroke quick,
and fufficiently full and Prong), a ffiort, low, heck-
ing, hoarfe Gough (the Patient generally fo hoarfe
as to be difficultly undcrPood after a Day or two’s
Ulnefs)-, which, fooner or later, for I never could
obferve any certain Period, was produ&ive of a
difficult, noify, and Prangulating Refpiration.

Thefc Laft, cfpectally the Former of them, I ePeeni
as the pathognomonic Symptoms of the real Morbus
Strangulator ions : The above-mentioned are rather
Symptomata Ciiufie, quani Morbi.

I have not mentioned a Foetor Oris , which, when
it happens, is ufually an early Symptom, becaufc,
tho' fome have had it, others have had it nor.

This Refpiration, however agonizing it appears,
has, efpccially in the Beginning, its Remiffions, and
Exacerbations. Its Caufe cannot of courfc be per-
manent. I take it to be owing to a Lodgment of
fome Matter in or about the Glottis , and Larynx
thro’ which the infpired Air is obliged to pafs: Wliiie
this Matter is capable of being expe&orated, and
happens to be coughed off, the Breathing for a time
becomes free, and the Patient is delivered from the

utmoP

[ 439 ]

utmoft leeming Diftrcfs ; but, on its Recolledtion,
which, it the Progrefs of the Diforder cannot be
ftopt, never fails to happen, this Symptom again
occurs, and the Patient eiche. uks fuddcnly, or, be-
ing worn out, or quite diip ited, links away gradually,
or, falling into Convu lions, in thefe expires.

I was called to a Girl of five Years old. Her
Tongue was quite clean j {he could move it every way
as in Health. Nothing morbid was feen in her
Mouth, or indeed Fauces : She had a trifling Pain in
(wallowing (it was felt on deprefling the Epiglottis
for the palling the Bole), not fufficient ro prevent
her from eating Bread and Butter, Bifcuit, Figs. It
was on the 4th Day of her Diforder, fhe had the
ftrangulating Refpiration, with a Cough, exceeding
hoarfe. After the Ufe of a ftimulating Gargle, &c.
her Cough became flronger, and fhe threw off a large
Quantity of white rotten Flefh, or Membranes, mixt
with a flimy adhefive Matter ; her Relpiraticn became
fo eafy, that fhe feemed to ail nothing. In three
Hours it grew again difficult, and gradually increafed
till it arrived at its former Violence. Thofe about
her fanficd there was fomewhat in the Paffage which
ought to come off: The Child gargled, and provoked
her Cough as far as fhe was able, but in vain. Her
Agonies increafing, fhe faid, as well as {he was able,
I (hall be choakcd, arid in a few Minutes died..
This Cafe {hocked me, being fatisfied, that fome-
what very extraordinary and uncommon could only
occalion fo fudden, and to Appearance, violent a
Death.

I have frequently examined the Matter thofe
Patients have at times fpit. Tho’ there was fomc

Difference

[ 4+o ]

Difference in varibus Subjects, yet I never once favv
a well-digcfted or conceded Phlegm, or Mucus, on
the contrary, the greateft Part was of a Jelly-like
Nature, gl ary, and fomewhat tranfparent, mixt with
a white opaque thready Matter, fometimes more,
fonje times lcls, refcmbling a rotten membranous
Body or Slough.

Such a Slough I have feen generated on the Skin
of one of thefc Patients in the Neck and Arm,
where Bliftcrs had been before applied. The Blifters
had been dreffed with Colewort-leaves, and ran but
little ; but, contiguous to them, fmall red Puftules,
not exceeding fiery, arofe, which, fweating plentifully
in a few Hours, became quite white : Thefc, hourly
enlarging their Safes, united, and covered a large
Surface, frefh Puftules ariftng in the adjacent Parts.
This white Surface had the Afped of an overfoaked
Membrane, which, being overfoaked, was become
absolutely rotten. The Part bliftered, if not quite,
was in Effed dry, and the Flux from the Slough was
incredibly great. If I miftake not, Cloths ten times
double, the ^Child’s Shift, a double Bed-gown, were
wet quite through, and a large Spot was feen in the
Bed of Tome Hands Breadth ; and this in a very few
Hours. I Scratched the Slough with my Nail i it
Separated with Eafe, and without being felt by the
Child. What my Nail took off afforded the fame
Appearance with the Matter of the Spittle before-
mention’d. Hence, I thought, I law Sufficient Rea-
fon to convince me that the Diforder in the Larynx
and A [per a Artena was Similar to this, generated in
the fame manner, and arifing from the fame inter-
nal Caufe: And liippofing this Conjedure true, the

Production

C 44- 1 J

Production of every Symptom feems eafy to be ac-
counted for.

In T>ec. 1748, while the Morbus Strangulator ins
was among us at Liskard , a Child here and there
had red Puftules, not unlike the above, which broke
out in the Nape of the Neck, and threw off a lur-
prifing Quantity of thin traryfpai-cnt Ichor, vaftly glu-
tinous when dry. Thele were eaftly cur’d in the Begin-
ning, if managed aright ; but, being drawn with Cole-
wort-leaves, or pultifed according to the Direction
of our old Female Practitioners (too often the Cafe)
the above-mention’d Slough was foon generated. I
was deftred to look on a poor Perfon’s Child in this
unhappy Situation, who, with little Inrermiffion for
I think near two Days, had bled profufely at the
Nofej her Pulfe was almolt gone 5 the Bleeding was
with Difficulty ftopt ; but, being quite exhaufted, in
about 6 Hours fhc funk in a faint Fit. The Slough
had fpread from Shoulder to Shoulder, extended full
a Third down her Back, and feem’d very thick. All
treated in the above Manner died. Scarifying afforded
no Relief.

Now, tho’ this was not properly the Morbus Stran-
gulatorius , yet I apprehend it was analogous to it,
and produced from the fame Caufe; and it is likely,
had the anatomical Knife been employed, what was
feen on the Back of one, might have been difeover’d
in the Afperia Arteria of the other. There is a
Circumftance which adds to the Probability of this
Opinion, viz. in one or more Inftances, thefe dif-
ferent Ditorders appear’d in different Subjects, in the
fame Family, at the fame time.

What

C 442 ]

What I have hitherto laid, doe£ not, T own, de-
monftrate the Cafe to be as reprefented, but the fol-
lowing; Hiflory throws the ftrongeft Light on this
dark, myflerious Affair, renders the Diforder, by its
Confequences affrightful, even (hocking to the Ima-
gination, accounts for its too common Fatality, and
inuft convince of the great Difficulty of the Cure, if
in itfelf poffible, unlefs attempted with Judgment in
the very Beginning,

‘Dec. 11, 1745?, I was call’d to the Son of Mr.
Kitto , an honeft and deferving Farmer in the Parifh
of St. Eve , a Lad aged 10 Years and an half. This
was the 7th Day of his lllnefs.

His firft Complaints were, a Pain in fwallowing,
not great; a Cough, hoarfe, vexatious, like an in-
cipient Catarrh, a Pain on coughing fhot into his
Ears. This was ftill felt at times i a thin Ichor ran
from his Mouth in great Plenty, fuppofed to be a
Quart, or three Pints daily. His Pain in fwallowing
was now fo trifling, that I faw him drink a confider-
able Draught without removing the Veflel. He
was now fo hoarfe that he could fcarce be heard.
His Cough was rough, low, fliort, and ineffettual ;
breath’d with much Straitnefs and Noil'c, efpecially
in Infpiration; the Wheezing or Rattling might be
heard at a great Diftance, was always worfc during
a coughing Fit, or for a fhort time after. When he
sfpit by the Cough, it was glary, but glutinous ; a
whitifh rotten fort of Stuff would fometimes accom-
pany it } its Quantity never great.

Examining his Mouth, he could move his Tongue
every Way without the leaf! Pain j forward it was
clean, but behind a little furr’d. Depreiling it with

a

\

2

C 4+3 ]

a Spatula , a white Body was feen on the Velum pen-
dulum palatinum and Tonfils. I defired Mr. Scotch -
burn, a Surgeon prcfeftt, to examine with his For-
ceps, if this Body adher'd firmly to the Velum, or
was loofcj on Trial he found it ftrongly adher'd.
The Lad complain'd of no Pain on his taking hold
of it. The circumambient Parts of a fame what deeper
Red than natural > his Breath (linking, and highly
often five. < ; '

He was but little thirfty; Pulfe quick, but fuf-
ficiently ftrong ; flcpt but little ; what Sleep he had
was difturb’d ; he breath’d much better up than in
Bed 5 here he was always in Danger of Suffocation,
and fear’d ir. - d ataiani t ten jhsoH tiff

After pronouncing a Prognoftic dilagreeable to
myfclf, and all concerned, I order’d the Slough, as
I then thought it, to be well rubb’d once in' three
Hours with a Mixture, acuated with S’pir. Sal. mar in,
by means of a Silver Probe^arm’d with Cotton, after
which) an aftringent, detergent, antifeptic Gargk
was to be frequently us’d, and a cordial Mixtufe
to be taken at proper Intervals, .j . . ; (,:'■>*

After rubbing with the Probe, &c. twice, and gan-
gling often, in a violent Fie of Coughing with a deal
of flimy filthy Stuff from the Pipe of the Lungs, the
Membrane (Tab. I, Fig . i.) feparated from th Velum
‘Palatinum.

• It was really the external and mucous Coat of die
Part, was not rotter} like.a Slough, but retain'd, tho’
dead, its membranous Stru&urc, was fltong, would
bear handling, and ftretching without breaking. It
was at firfl thick (as near as -I . could guefs from a Bit
remaining on the right Side- of die Uvula parted

L 1 1 from

[ 444* 3

from the Hollow (a) in the Figure, of about the Third
of a Barley-corn in Length) having its Fibres and Ca-
Titics foak'd with a very vifeid and flimy Matter,
which, by walhing in Water, leak'd off, when the
Membrane became evidently thinner.

The Lad immediately, as I was told, breath'd bet-
ter, without that Noife and Wheezing heard before,
and was lefs hoarfej nor, 1 am fatisfied, from the
Separation of the Membrane, but from that Load of
Filth difeharg'd at the fame Point of Time from the
diftrefs d refpiratory Paflages.

But, as ufual, this Relief did not prove lading. In
an Hour and half the noify Refpiration began anew,
his Hoarfenefs increafcd, and his Cough, tho* (hort
and low, was bufy and vexatious ; now he appear'd
as if quite flrangled, and in the Agonies of Death ;
now he would again revive j for a few Days he was
interchangeably in thefe different States $ at length
his Father perceiving fomewhat in his Mouth, which
he thought thick Phlegm, thruft in his Finger and
Thumb, and, taking hold of it, drew it out. It was a
hollow Bag, as he thought, filled with Rot and Cor-
ruption, for a confiderable Quantity run out of it. It was,
when full, he faid, as big as his Thumb, and of many
Inches in Length. The Agonies of the Child, during
thefe Moments, were not to be exprefs'd j his Face was
livid or black ; but, being freed from this Burthen,
he foon reviv'd, fmil'd, and faid, now I am eafy.
Being put to Bed, he foon flept, and continued to
have fhort Naps for two Hours.

Igot to the Houfe, being fent for in the Beginning
of the Lad’s Extremity, a few Minutes after the Af-
fair was thus concluded. The Account greatly fur-

f 1 j. prifed

[ 4+5 3

priced me; bat I was more furprifed, when, on
Sight, I found the fuppofed Bag was the mucous
Coat of Part of the Larynx , the whole After a Ar -
teridy with the grand Divifton of the bronchial
Ramifications. I fpread it on Paper, for the Convc-
niency of Carriage, being fome Miles from home,
and thence took its Likenefs with great Exa&nefs, as
here fent you, Tad. I. Fig. 2. There was fomewhat
bloody vifible about its Middle. It was more rotten
and tender than the former, alfo fomewhat thicker,
excepting where it belonged to the Branches of the
Bronchia. What fweated from it was as flicking as
Bird-lime. It was probable this morbid Affedion
ran thro' the whole Bronchia ; for the Ends plainly
difeover'd a Laceration; confequently much more
remain'd to be feparated and difeharg'd.

He now complain’d of Sorenefs in the Pipe, and
pointed to the firft and fecond Cofta , as the Place
of its Termination. His Infpiration was now free,
foft, but Ihort : His Pulfc was become a little more
frequent and weaker.

Examining his Mouth, no Ulcer or Wound was
difeernibie in that Part of the Velum , &c. to which
Fig. 1 . adher’d. 'Twas fmooth, clean, and look'd
only like a new Skin not quite harden'd.

While I was in the Houfc, he fpit off another Mem-
brane of an irregular figure, thinner than cither of
the former, but more than fufficient- to cover a
Crown-Piece. . It came from the Fauces. ,

After this l was inform’d he brought off with Dif^
Acuity another tubular Membrane of fqme Length ;
and whenever he had Strength to expcdqrate, little

Lila Bits

E 446 ]

Bits of the fame were obferved mix’d with a very
fliaiy Mucus. ■ 1 ... . 0. :

* t\He liv’d 2 1 Hours after the fedond Coat was drawn
from him, and died in the End fomewhat fuddenly,
tho’ in his perfect Senfes. I muft add, that I never
law one in this Diforder attack’d with a Delirium,
it jtet- ;5ex3 rhiw it ;iox. I <■ a .1 01 t . .

- . : 'j\. . ■ 1 : * !“T ‘ ’

VIE An Examination of the Strength of j eve-
. ralof the pringipal purging Waters, effe-
ct ally of that of JefTop’s Well ; by the Rev .
o. Stephen Hales D. D. & F. R. S. comma-
nicated in[a Letier /<? Cromwell Mortimer
M. D. Seer. R. S. with a Letter f?'om
Swithin Adee M. D. F. R . S. to Dr . Hales,

on the Virtues of the faid Well.

'It-. • ’ ■

ftirn

*

An Account of the fever dl Quantities 0/" Sediment
which were found in a Round Aver dupois of the
following purging Waters, evaporated away to
DrynefSj in Florence Flasksl cut to a wide
Mouth 5 viz. . n ;

Grains

Xe*d May 24. j. Ji /TArybon-F'telds near London 24
*7S°* 2. d Vd-Reterjlr. Brew-boufe fVeftm. 27

3. Ehjham * - -* "34

4. Scarborough , - - - - 40

And it was found nearly the fame by Dr.
Shaw and Dr. Short: A little more or lefs,

according

Grains

[ 447 3

according to the Wetnefs or Drynefs of the
Seafons ~ of this in calcarious Matter ;
the reft, moftly what is called nitrous Salts,
on account of the oblong Chryftals which it
fhoots into.

Dog and ‘Ducky Lambeth - - 4°!'

6. Kilburn , four Miles from Londony in the

Way to Edgwar • ~ ‘43

7. Atton - - - 44

8. Cheltenham , Gloucefierjhirey - - ho

Dr. Short found the following Proportions

in Cheltenham Water 5 viz.

Sept. 1738. calcarious Sediment of 74,
Dec. 1738. - - - - TV of 4.2

July 1739. - - - -5^ of 70

He fays it is the beft and ftrongeft nitro-calca-
rious Water in Englandy very bitter, hav-
ing only a little lubtil impalpable Earth
mixed with its Salt.

9. Cobham Well , a Mile South of Church

Cobhamy Surrey , once 68 Grains, another
time 60 Grains - - - - .68

10. JeJJop’s Welly on Stoke Commont in Mr.
Vincent's Manor, about three Miles South-
ward of Claremont , Surrey , Sept. 11, 1749.
after long dry Weather, 82 Grains in a Pound

of the Surface-Water - . - 82

Qttober 1 6, after a confiderable Quantity of Rain,
the Surface-Water yielded but 60 Grains Nov.
2 1, the Surface-Water yielded 6f Grains.

[ 44« ]

This great Inequality of the Strength of the Sur-
face-Water put me upon trying whether the Water
at the Bottom of the Well, near the Springs, were
ftronger than the Surface-Water. And in order to
this, I procured, ‘Dec. xi, a Bottle of the Water
near the Bottom, which was ten Feet below the Sur-
face of the Water; which was done by tying an
empty Bottle to the End of a long Pole, with a Line
fixed to the Cork, to pull it out when at the Bottom,
for the Water to fill it: And I had at the fame
time another Bottle full of the Surface-Water. The
lower Water yielded 81 Grains; the Surface-Water
but 48 Grains ; and it was the fame upon a fecond
Evaporation of thofe Waters. Hence we fee how
much ftronger the Water near the Bottom is, than
at the Surface ; even when the preceding Rains have
been but moderate ; for they had not as yet been
fufficient to raife the Springs in this Country much.
Hence we fee that the ftronger lower Water may
eafily be come at by means of a Pump ; as alfo, that
the upper Land-Springs, foon after Rains, make the
Water near the Surface weaker: But, in long dry
Weather, when there are no Land-Spring^, the Sur-
face-Water, and that at the Bottom, are nearly of
an equal Strength : For it requires Time for the fa-
line mineral Virtue to be equally diffufed thro* a
Mafs of that Depth of Water, whofe upper Part is
inccflantly weakened by a Land-Spring of frefh
Water.

Hence we fee howadvifeablc it is, in order to keep
out the Land-Springs, to dig a narrow Trench fomc
Feet Depth, round the Well, to be filled with ftiff
Clay well rammed.

The

[ 449 ]

The mineral Virtue in this Water Teems to be
much like that of Cheltenham , in its (hooting into
very bitter, regular, oblong Chryftals, which are, on
that account, called nitrous ; tho' they are not a true
Nitre; for neither thefc, nor thofc of Cheltenham^
will deflagrate or flafh in Touch-Paper, nor on burn-
ing Charcoal, as true Nitre will do ; fome of which
ftill retain their Form and Firmnefs for 1 7 Months
fince they were chryftallized ; whereas the chryftal-
lized Salts of feveral other purging Waters have crum-
bled, and in a great meafure wafted, away in much
lefs Time: A greater Proportion of the Salts of
JeJfop's Well , (hoot into oblong Chryftals than thofc
of Cheltenham j and its Water alfo gives a ftronger
green Tin&ure, with Violet flowers. The purging
Quality refldes chiefly in thefe chryftalline Salts, and
a fmall Proportion of common Salt ; fome of which
there is in all thefe mineral Waters.

The Proportion alfo of its earthy calcarious Mat-
ter, is but--} Part of it; which, like that of Chel-
tenham, is but little, in comparifon of the much
greater Quantity of it in other purging Waters: It
is alfo foft and impalpable, like that of Cheltenham ,
and not har(h and coarfe, as it is in fome other purging
Waters.

And as the Quantity Of purging Salt in this Water
is confiderably greater than in any other, fo it is found
by Experience, that, proportionably a lefs Quantity
of it fuffices, which makes it fit the better on the
Stomach. It is alfo obferved to exhilarate thofe who
take it.

It was obfervablc of the Sediment of feveral of
thefe Waters, that, when dried, and while hot,

there

C 4 5° 3

there afeended Plenty of invifible volatile fait Fumes,
1q pungent that the Nofe could not bear them.
Hence we may reafonably conclude, that the Waters
which abound moft with purging Salts, fuch as thgfe
of JeJfop’s Well , fhould be proportionably preferable
to weaker Waters, which are ftrengthened by boiling-
half away; whereby not only the more fubtil a&ive
Parts are evaporated ; and thofe that are left are de-
compounded, and formed into new grofler Combi-
nations } as arc alfo the calcarious Particles, which
arc lo fine as to pafs the Filter before Evaporation,
but not after it. This was the Reafon which in-
duced me to examine, by various repeated Trials,
and to give an Account of the fuperior Strength of
Jejfop’ s Well Water, above all others that I have
examined or heard of.

When JfJptp’? Well was cleaned, 061. 16, 1749.
after a conliderable Quantity of Rain, after about
half a Foot Depth of black muddy Filth was taken
out, then the natural fat fandy-colour'd Clay-Bottom
appear’d ; thro’ fcveral Parts of which the Water
ouzed up at the Rate ot 160 Gallons in 24 Hours.

The Water which then came frefh from the Spring
gave a weak Blufh with Galls; but when put into
Bottles it did not do fo next Day ; a Sign that there
is fome Degree of Steel in it.

It was very obfervable, that the Man who flood
about three Hours bare-legg’d in this Well-Water
to clean it, was purged fo fevcrely for a Week,
that he faid he would not venture, on any account,
thus to clean the Well again. And it was the fame
with another Man, who cleaned the fame Well about
twelve Years fince. And I am credibly informed

by

[ 45* ]

by a Merchant, that, being in a Warehoufe in
(l/Egypt to fee Senna baled up, it had the like pur-
gative EfFedt on him.

In order to get a fatisfadtory Account of the Ef-
ficacy of thefe Waters, I defiredDr.^^ of Guilfordy
who has long preferibed them to his Patients,’ to
give me his Opinion of them j which he has dpne
in the following Letter; viz.

- i

SIR, Guilford , March 14, 1749.

I HAVE found very advantageous and uncommon
EfFedts from the Ufc of the Waters of JejJop’s
/Veil. Some of my Patients who have drank them
fteadily and cautioufly have been cur’d of obftinate
Scurvies. As I had a long time ago Reafon to think
there was a fine volatile Spirit in them, I therefore
oblig’d fome to drink them for a Courfc of Time at
the Well as an Alterative, with very happy Confe-
quences. When I have order’d them as a Purge,
they have work’d very fmartly, but have not difpi-
rited. I am glad to have it in my Power to confirm
your Sentiments by my own Observations ,* and am
Satisfied thefe Waters, if continued a proper Time,
and taken in a proper Manner, may be render’d
very beneficial to Mankind, according to the beft
Opinion that can be formed by

SIR t

1

Tour mofi faithful humble Servant ,

Swithin Adee.

M m m

VIII.

[ 45 2 1

VIII. An abftraEl of a Difcourfe inti tied,
Reflexions on the Medals of Pefcermius
Niger , and upon fome Circumftances in
the hiftory of his Life ; writen in French
by Mr. Claude Gros de Boze, keeper of the
Medals in the French King s Cabinet, etc.
and fent by him to Dr. Mead, who com -
municated it to this Society . By John Ward,
R. P. G. and F. R. S.

RtadlAzy learned Author begins his Dif-

J75°- courfe with oblerving, that no me-

dals of the Roman emperors, who reigned during
the high empire, are more rare, than thofe of Pe-
Jcennius Niger ; that they are fomewhat fcarcer in
fiver, than in brafs; and that it is the general opinion
of antiquaries, there is not one extant in gold.

And tlio Anthony Ie Pois, who lived about the
middle of the fixteenth century, affirms in his poft-
humous book of Antient medals (i.), that he had a.
Pefcennius in gold, and alfo fome other perfons :
yet he thinks, that as it is not known what became
of thofe medals, they were counterfeits ; of whicli
fort he has feen feveral, which being cart fromflver
ones of that emperor, were afterwards repaired more
or lefs artfully with a graver. He is likewife of the
fame opinion with regard to thofe, which have been
colle&ed by Mediobarb from other catalogues > fincc

Mr.

(i) Difcours fur Us Mt dailies antiques, etc. Paris. 1579.

[ 453 3

Mr. Vaillant , the mod knowing and experienced
antiquary of the laft age, in treating of the medals
of this emperor fais exprefsly, ex auro non obfervan-
tur (i) ,• and Mr. de In Bafie has alfo remarked in
his Catalogue of the Roman emperors , that notwirh-
ftanding what is faid by Anthony le Pois, no medal
of Pefcennius Niger in gold is to be found in any
known cabinet (2).

Sigifrnond Liebe, who in the year 1730 publifhed
the cabinet of the Duke of Saxe Gotha , under the
title of Gotha Numaria , in order to prove it fupe-
rior to that of the Duke of Parma publifhed by
Father Pedrufi (3), and equal at leaft to that of the
antient Dukes or Arfchot (4) ; has ranged the gold
imperial medals of thofe three cabinets in three op-
pofite columns : and when he comes to Pefcennius
Niger , he firfl: remarks, that there is no gold medal
of him in the cabinet of Parma ; and then fais, that
the ingraved one in the Arfchot collection is gene-
rally acknowledged to be counterfeit and ca ft. He
likewife declares his agreement with all other anti-
quaries, that there is no true one in gold ; but, in
order to render the comparifon more complete, he
has ventured to place a falfe one of Saxe Gotha
againft that of Arfchot , becaufe it was one of the
firft in the collection, and not difapproved of by
Mr. Morel (5).

But

(1) Nu'nijwat. Imp. Horn, praeflantior.

(2) La fcience des Medailles , Tom. n. p. 398. ed. 1 739.

(3) See Randur. Bibl. Nuviar. p.cvn.

(4) Ibid. p. xxxvil.

(5) Goth. Num. cap. ill. §2. p. 49.

M m m 2

[ 45+ ]

But notwithftanding this prevailing opinion Mr.
de Boze fais, that for upwards of thirty years, in
which he has had the keeping of the King's medals,
he has not ceafed to inquire after a Befcennius in
gold, as thinking it not impoflible, but one might
be found. Becaufe, when a prince or general was
proclaimed emperor, the firft proof he gave of his
authority, was to order gold or filver money to be
ftruck as his coin in his own palace ; the confcnt of
the fenate being only neceflary for Latin brafs coins,
which were current at Rome , and required the ufual
fignaturc S. C. for Senatus confulto.

In the years 1726 and 1727 he received accounts,
as he fais, of one and the fame gold medal of
! Befcennius , as brought from four different quarters}
firft from Spain , then from Sicily , afterwards from
Malta , and laftly from England. But he found it
to be falfe, as all others had done, who had fecn it.
It had been caft from a filver one of that prince, on
the reverfc of which is the figure of the godefs
Hope i with the infeription of bonae spei, which
is the moft common of any. Thofe in the cabinets
of Arfchot and Saxe Gotka have likewife the fame
reverie, and doubtlefs from the fame origin.

About ten yeats afterwards a learned Englifhman,
who came from Montpellier , informed Mr. de Boze ,
that he had feen in a frnall colleftion of one Mr.
VeiJJieres , counfellor of the Court of Aids, two coins
of BeJ'cennius in gold } one of which was manifcftly
falfe, and the other deferved to be examined. Upon
this information he applied himfelf to an eminent
connoifl’eur (1), who viewed the two medals, as far

as (*)

(*) M. Bo?/ , Premier Bref/dent de la chambre des comptes, etc.

[ 455 ]

as the delicacy of the owner would permit him j
for he would not fufFer them to be touched, as fear-
ing left fome damage might infue from too near an
infpeefion. However the Gentleman acquainted
him, that they were both equally falfe ; one being
rough caft from a filver one, and the other carefully
repaired, fo as to give it fome appearance of a genu-
ine coin, when compared with the former, which
it would not have, if viewed by itfelf: that the
reverie was bonae spei : and that fuch as they
were, the owner would not part with them upon
any confideration But upon the death of Mr.
Veiflleres the examination of thofe medals became
more cafy, and ferved only to confirm the judge-
ment given of them j and the intire colledion was
Joid for little more than the weight.

At length, in the month of July 1748, Mr. de Boze
had frefh incouragement to purfue his inquiry 5 which
he did with greater attention, and better fuccefs, than
before. A barefooted Carmelite of the convent of
Tar is fhewed him a letter, which he had received from
one of his own order at MarJ'eilles , who lately arrived
from the Levant (1), where he had been imployed as a
mifiionary. His correfpondent acquainted him, that
he had a gold medal of Tefcenniits, which the
curious at Marfeilles were deitrous to purchafe, and
had offered him a confiderable fum for it ; but as
he hoped to get more at Taris , efpecially if it was
not in the King’s cabinet, he defired him to let him
know that, as likewife what value Mr. de Boze put

upon

(1) Le P. Elizee de St. Beneijl.

[ 456 3

upon it. His anfwer was, that he would certainly
give a good price for it, if it was anticnt ; but that
he could offer nothing, till he had feen it. The
owner therefore brought him the medal, which was
fair, well preferved, and free from any thing, which
m ght occalion the leaft fufpicion ; fo that he valued
it confiderably higher, than what had before been
offered, and immediately purchafed it for the King.

Soon after he fhcwtd it to the greateft connoif-
feurs and moft curious perfons at Tans, who were
charmed with the fight of fo valuable and unex-
pected a medal in the Royal cabinet. And many
both natives and foreigners being defirous of a
draught of it, he ordered it to be ingraved 5 together
with a Greek medallion in filver, no lefs rare in its
kind, of the fame emperor, which is alfo in the
lame cabinet, having been purchafed at London by
Mr. Vaillant of Mr. Falkner (1), father of Sir
Everard. A print of both thefe pcices accompanies
this paper. See Tab. I. Fig. 3 and 4.

The gold medal, Fig. 3. has on one fide the head of
Tefcennius Niger crowned with laurel, with this le-
gend, imp caes c pesc Niger ivstvs avg. And upon
the reverfe, the godefs Concord, reprefented by a
female figure Handing, with a diadem on her head,
one of her hands elevated, and a double horn of
plenty in the other 5 and round the figure only
the word concordia. For the letters pp, placed
below in the feild, on the two fidcs of the figure,
being the ufual abbreviation of pater patriae,

arc

(1) See Numifm. Imp. 'Rom.praefl. p. 216. ed. 1696.

4

[ 457 ]

are to be confidered as part of the infcription fur-
rounding the head of P efcennius . And it is well
known, as Mr. de Boze obferves, that in many
medals of the Roman emperors nothing is more
common, than to find on the reverfe a continua-
tion of thofe titles, which could not be contained
on the fame fide with the head. But he thinks it
has not been yet fufHcicntly attended to, that in-
many medals of the cities in Lejfer Afia , and efpe-
cially of thofe in Cilicia , where P efcennius was fir ft
proclaimed, the title Pater patriae , which they ex-
prefifcd by the two Greek letters 17 n, for Fleeing
7ra1giFo5y is fcarcc ever placed in the circular in-
fcription on either fide, but in the feild of the reveife.
For which reafon he is inclined to beleive, that this
medal was ftruck at Tarfus , the metropolis of Ciliciay
where that praftice was more conftant, than in any
other place.

It would fcarce be worth obferving, he fais, that
in the word Concordia the letter d is inverted after
this manner a, fince fuch miftakes are very common
both in antient and modern coins y was it not to
prevent any imaginary fufpicion of its being done
by defign, as emblematical of a pretended concord
between the two emperors Septimius Sencerus and
Pefcennius Niger. But this he fhews to be highly
improbable on the following accounts. Firft, that
it is wholly inconfiftent with the elegancy, grandeur,
and fimplicity of antient monuments ; and efpecially
of thofe appointed by authority, which never ad-
mitted of any kind of ridicule. Again, that it is
a manifeftabufe of the language of medals to ima-
gine, that when they exhibit the name or figure of

any

[ 458 ]

any deity, as Concord , Flenty , Feace, and others,
any thing more is fignified, than addrefles made to
them on the account of what is there exprefifed, and
hopes of its being granted to. the public. This he
illuftrates from feveral inftances of imperial medals,
which need not be here recited. And he further
obferves from the hiftorians of thofe times, that
Pefcennius , at the begining of his reign, might think
it no difficult matter to have adjufted matters with
Severus upon terms advantageous to himfelf.

The filver medallion mentioned above, Fig. 4. has
like wife the head of Fefcennius , crowned with laurel;
and a Greek infeription round it thus abbreviated,
ATTOK KAICAP Y n6CK6 NirPU A. that is,
Imperatori Caefari Caio Fefcennio Nigro JuJio.
On the reverfe is an eagle handing on a club, with
the legend nPONOI A ©6UN, Frovidentia cDeorum\
which is found alfo upon the medals of his prede-
celfor Fertinax , with whom he is compared by hi-
ftorians both for his civil and military virtues. And
Mr. de Boze apprehends, that as the eagle and club
are the ufual lymbols of Greek medals ftruck at
Tyre, this might probably have been coined there,
either in the year 193, the firft of his reign, or at
the begining of the following year ; that is, before
the two defeats, which he received, firft near Cyzicus
in the Hellefpont , and after that between Nicaea
and Cius cities of Bithynia. For then the cities,
which Severus had artfully indeavoured to draw over
to his intereft, declared for him ; more from a jea-
lofy of their neighbours, as Herodian obferves, than
from any diflike to Pefcennius (1). This revolt was

begun

(l) Lib. III. cap. 2.

[ 459 ]

begun at Nicomedia in hatred of Nicaea , which
was very zealous for Pefcennius, and grealy favouro
by him. Tyre and Laodicea followed the example ef
Nicomedia , from an averfion to Antioch and Be-
rytus. And in like manner Perinthus, in oppofition
to Byzantium. In order to put a flop to this threaten-
ing mifeheif, Pefcennius ordered fome of thofe
cities to be plundered and burnt, particularly Tyre
and Laodicea. But among all the cities, which
cfpoufed his interefl, Byzantium behaved with the
greateft gallantry ; and even after his death held out
a feige of three years againft all the power of
Severus , till at length being reduced by famine it
was taken, and the walls demolifhed. Mr. de Boze
has given a fuccin<ft account of this tragical feene
from Dion Caffms (i). But as it was not his defign
to write a narrative of all the occurrences relating
to thofe wars, which may be found in the hiftorians,
who have profefledly treated of them (2); he im-
ploys the remainder of his difeourfe upon fomc
particular circumftances, which refped ci Pefcennius,
and have not been yet fo throughly confidered, as
they delerve.

And he remarks here, that the accounts of hiflo-
rians relating to the defeent of Pefcennius ; arc doubt-
ful and uncertain 5 fome telling us, that he fprang
from a patrician and confular family, which had
been imployed in the higheft offices of ftate, and
dwelt long at Rome in great fplendor: but others,
that his birth was obfeure, both h&iat her and grand-
father

(1) Lib. lxxiv. p. 844. •>. - ■ 1 . • •;

(a) Hcrodiari) Dion} Spartian , Mr. Ttllemont Tom. 111.

N n n

[ 4^o ]

father being no more than agents, or ovcrfcers, at
the fmall town Aquinum in Naples', and that pro-
perly {peaking he was a foldicr of fortune, who railed
himfelf gradually to command the forces in Syria ,
and gained fome precarious honours, and a limited
confulfhip, by the intereft of the freedmen of Corn-
modus , but principally of Narcijfus the gladiator.
But there are feveral antient Infer ipt ions yet pre-
ferved, befides other monuments, which may afford
fome light in this affair. Gruter has feven in his
Collection , with the name of Tefcennius ; and there
are fome others in Reinejius , Join Baptijl cDoni,
and Anthony Muratori ; and a Greek one in the
MifcellaneaofSpon,w\th T nEZKENNIOiS ONH2I-
MOS* But the great variety in the cognomen of
thefe peifons render it wholly improbable, that all
of them ffiould have been of the fame family with
the emperor Fefcennius ; lince there is no family,
even in the moft flourifhing times of the republic,
which appears to have contained fo many branches
diftinguifhed by a different cognomen . And there-
fore he fuppofes moft of them to have been freed-
men or clients, who ufually affumed the family
name of their patrons, of which he produces many
inftances ; befides others of foreign princes, who
paid the like compliment to the Roman emperors.

But Philip a Turre has publifhed the fragments
of two Infer ipt ions (1), containing the rites and ce-
remonies of the Fratres Arvales , who were a col-
lege of preifts of great efteem and dignity at Rome.

Now

(i) Frament. infeript. Fratr. Arvai

[ +6 1 3

Now among the members of this college mention
is made of one Pefcennius Niger. And as thol'c
Infcriptions are dated in the fourth confulfhip of
Commodus and fecond of Aufidius Vi6loriniisy
which anfwers to the year 183 of our common aera ;
Muratori , who has fince republifhed them, fais in
a note, that this is the fame Pefcenniusy who ten
years afterwards was advanced to the empire. But
here, as Mr. de Boze very accurately remarks, he
has not obferved the difference of the praenome?it
which in all the remaining medals of this emperor
is Cains , but in both the infcriptions ‘ Publius nor
taken care, as he might have done, to lupport his opi-
nion, notwithflanding that difference in the prae-
nomen. For Commodus , who has ufually the prae-
nomen of Marcus., has fometimes that of Lucius >
and Get a either Lucius or ‘Publius indifferently j as
Aemilian has Cains and Marcus. Thefe are the
only inftances, which have occurred to him ; but
he thought it proper to mention them, that if any
new medal of Pefcennius fhould be found with
Publius as the praenomen , it might not be rejected
meerly on that account.

For a further illuftration of his family he refers to
fome paffages in Spartian , who relates, that in the
gardens of Commodus at Rome the figure of Pefcen -
nius in mofaic work v/as placed among thofe of the'
raoft intimate freinds of that emperor, as perform-
ing a faerifice t dlfis (1)* The fame writer likewifc
fais, that; fix perfons of the name of Pefcennius

were _

- - .

, . iw

(1) Tramevt. inferi/t. tratr:'Arval: p:‘p6: ‘it)

N n n 2

[ +62 ]

were put to death by Severus , all of them men of
eminence and dignity (i). And he further adds,
that his houfe at Rome was remaining in his time,
and went by the name of Refcenniana\ on the pe-
diment of which was placed his ftatue, which had
been fent him as a p re lent a rege Thebaeorum , as
he exprefles it (2). But what the real character of
the perfon was, called here rex Thebaeorum , has not
hitherto, as Mr. de Boze remarks, been rightly fet-
tled ; with this inquiry therefore he concludes his
difeourfe.

Cafaubon , and after him Salmajius , Reineccius ,
and Sir JohnMarfham, fuppofe there was then a
governor of that part of Aegypt , fubjeft to the
Romans , to whom they gave the title of Rex. But
as this notion is no ways countenanced by hiftory,
he thinks it cannot well be admitted ; and then pro-
cedes to offer his own opinion with equal learning
and addrefs. ' Augnflus , after the defeat of Antony
and Cleopatra, having reduced Aegypt into the form
of a province, divided the government of it among
feveral perfons of the equeftrian order ; not think-
ing it fafe to intruft a nation fo unfteady, daring,
and aWaysflgihea to change, in the hands of fena-
tors, who were otherwife too powerful. This divifion
of Aegypt, as Arrian obferves, was made by the
Romans in imitation of Alexander (3). And the
governors, as Strabo fais, appointed by the empe-
ror, tho perfons of moderate rank, had ™ v t ou

v \V> ' €aaiAecos

(1) Tr ament, infer ipt. Fratr. Arval. p. 69.

(2) Ibid. p. 78.

(3) Arrian. Be exped. Alex. L. in. c. 5^

*

[ 463 ]

CctaiXzws rd^iv, the authority of a king (1) ; or, as Taci-
tus exprefles it, were loco regis (2). And agreably to
this Spartian , fpcaking of the emperor Severus, tells
us, that notwithftanding he granted to the Alexan-
drians a civil jurifdiCtion for their private concerns;
yet in all other things he fubje&ed them to the
abfolute government of a perfon fent by the empe-
ror, ut fub regibus ante 'vivebant (3).. From thefe
reflexions Mr. de Boze thinks it may naturally
enough be imagined, that this king of Thebes men-
tioned by Spartian was no other than a Roman
knight, who commanded at Thebes with the autho-
rity of a king; and might be fo called there, in
common with the governors of other parts of
Aegypt ; and even at Rome too in their ordinary
difeourfe. Which may feem the more probable, if
it be confidered, how free the Romans made with’
that name, and to how many things they applied it;
as rex facrorum , conviviorum , and others. He fur-
ther obferves, that the cuftom of giving the title of
king to one of their own magiftrates obtained alfo
at Athens , and fome other cities of Greece ; and
then concludes his difeourfe with a favourable cha-
racter of Tefcennius Niger , taken from antient
accounts.

G. C. May 28.

1750.

j

(1) Lib. xviii. fag. 797.

(2) Hijl. Lib. 1. cap. 1.

(3) lnvit. Sever, p. 70.

IX.

[ 4&4 1

IX. A Letter from Robert More Efq\ to the
Prefident, containing feveral curious Re-
marks in his Travels through Italy.

SIR ,

2W June 14.T' FIND myfelf fo agreeably led through
Italy by your Letter, which I re-
ceived from Mr. Wat f on, that I cannot help adding
to the Trouble I before gave you, this, with my
hearty Thanks.

When I got to Barcelona, I did not indeed find
an Opportunity of going immediately to Naples , as
you propofed j yet am I not forry that I was forced
through the Souih of France, where are many Places,
I thought, well worth feeing.

When I got into Italy, it was moft convenient
for me to hafVen to Rome ; where I fpent the Win-
ter j and went early to meet the Spring at Naples ;
from which I began your Route.

You cannot more regret your own not having
feen the natural Curiofities of that Place, than I do
the Lofs thereby to the Public. The Voyage-writers
do not feem to me fufficiently to have confidered
the Force and Eflfetts of Steam, which may be
formed by Springs of Water falling upon a vaft Sur-
face of the fluid Lava, and talk too much of Sulphur,
deceived by the Complexion of a Salt that covers,
the Ground in fome Places there. In the Solfatara
I held a cold Iron in the Vent, and there ran down
it a Stream of Water. When I went down into
the Crater on the Top of Vefuvius , it was full of

Smoak.

C 465 ]

Smoak. Yet I did not perceive it fuffbeating, and
thought it Steam. The Guides indeed tell the Eng-
lifb , that a Milorde of their Country was fuffocatcd
there : Being asked his name, they think it was my
Lord Blinio. That which they call Sulphur, when
I got it home, ran per deliquinm.

I owe to you the feeing of Beneventum ; a Place
full of Antiquities. At Arienzo, a Village half-
way to it, I faw Coppice-woods, from which they
make Mama. They are of the Tree which our
Gardeners call the flowering Afh. The Manna is
procured by wounding the Bark at the Seafon, and
catching the Sap in Cups : It begins to run (they
ufed the Scripture-Term Biovere, i. e. to rain) the
Beginning of Auguft ; and, if the Seafon proves dry,
they gather it 5 or 6 Weeks. The King has a great
Revenue from it ; yet the Tree grows as well in
England.

At Term I was obliged to your Diredions for
feeing the Cafcade below, as well as above. I went
down by the Side ©f the Precipice ; which I believe
few have done ; or they would not imagine the Fall
fo little as Mijfon make it, very fhort of what the

People of the Place call it. Mr. Addifon , on the

contrary, makes the Aquedud at Spoleto as many
Yards, as I take it to be Palms. One finds indeed
ftrange Incorrednefs in all the Travel- writers (tho’
you very juftly recommended the beft) when one reads

them upon the Spot. One of them conjedures

the fine Bridge in Ruins at Narni might have been
an Aquedud, which manifeftly rofe all the Way
towards the Town, to eafe the fteep Afcent to it.
But I was mod furprifed to fee Mr. Addifon mif-

quote

C 466 ]

quote a Latin Verfe of Bembo’s, under a Statue of
Bacchus , which I think he calls Apollo's.

I believe the Mufeum of the Specula at Bologna
is improved fince you were there j the joint Collections
of Count Marjigliy Marche fe Cofpi , Aldrovandus ,
and others, form the fineft Sett of natural Curiofitics
I ever faw ; and are now improving by the Munifi-
cence of the prefent Pope.

I had certainly miffed feeing the continual Fires
upon the Apennines , by the Badnefs of the Weather,
if it had not been for your Caution. I indeed faw
that at Fiorenzuola only at a D fiance ; but I fpent
good Part of a Night over a more confiderable one,
as they told me, at Bietra Mala , a Village among
the Snows. The Fire I imagine to be of the fame
foit with that about a little Well at Brofely * in
Shropjhire 5 of which I think the Society has had
an Account ; the fame as of the foul Air lent them
from Sir James Lowther’s f Coal-pits ; and the like
made by a Gentleman with Filings of Iron and Oil
of Vitriol. The Flame here, when I faw it, was
extremely bright, cover’d a Surface of about 3 Yards
by 2, and rofe about 4 Feet high. After great Rains
and Snows, they faid, the whole bare Patch, of about
9 Yards Diameter, flames. The Gravel, out of
which it rifes, at a very little Depth, is quite cold.
There are three of thefe Fires in that Neighbour-
hood 5 and there was one they call extinCl. I went
to the Place to light it up again, and left it flaming.

The

* See PhiJoJ.Tranf. N°: 482,/. 371. f N°. 482, 109.

N®. 442, p. 282.

4

[ 467 3

The Middle of the laft Place is a little hollowed,
and had in it a Puddle of Water : There were flrong
Ebullitions of Air through the Water. But that Air
would not take Fire; yet what role through the Wet
wet and cold Gravel flamed brightly. Near cither
of thefe Flames, removing the Surface of the Gra-
vel, that below would take Fire from lighted Matches.

Sir, I beg Leave to repeat my Thanks for your
kind Afliflance in this Tour, and to profefs myfelf

Tour mofi obliged, and

Leghorn, June 5. N. s. obedient Servant,

175°.

Robert More.

X. Extra Si of \ Letter from Mr . William
Arderon F. R. S. to Mr, Henry Baker
F. R. S. containing an Account of a Dwarf ;
together with a Co??iparifon of his Dimen-
fons with thofe of a Child under four Years
old \ by David Erskine Baker.

Norwich, May 12, 1 750.

Read Junei4. « ^/OHN Coan, a Dwarf, was born at
“ J Twitjhall in Norfolk , in the Year
“ 1728, and has been fhewn in this City for fome
“ Weeks pad. I weigh'd him myfelf Apr. 3, i7yo,and
“ his Weight, with all his Cloaths, was no more than
“ 34, Pounds. I likewife carefully meafured him, and

O o o “ found

C 468 ]

te found his Height, with his Hat, Shoes, and Wig
“ on, to be 38 Inches. His Limbs are no bigger
“ than a Child of 3 or 4 Years old : His Body is per-
“ fettly ftrait: The Lineaments of his Face anfwer-
“ able to his Age; and his Brow has fome Wrinkles
“ in it, when he looks attentively at any thing.
“ He has a good Complexion, is of a fprightly Tem-
c< per, difcourfes readily and pertinently confulering
<c his Education, and reads and writes Englijh well.
“ His Speech is. a little hollow, tho’ not difagreeable;
“ he can fing tolerably, and amufes the Company
“ that come to fee him, with mimicking a Cock’s
“ Crowing, which he imitates very exactly. In
“ 1744 he was 3 6 Inches high, and weigh’d 27
“ Pounds and an half. His Father fays, when about
“ a Year old he was as large as Children of that Age
“ ufually are, but grew very little and (lowly after-
wards.”

On receiving the Account of this little Man, a
Child of 3 Years and nor quite nine Months old,
Son of the late very worthy William Jones Efq;
F. R. S. was meafured and weighed. This Boy,
tho’ very lively and handfome, is no way remarka-
able for his Size; and therefore his Dimenfions and
Weight, compared with the Dwarf’s, may give a to-
lerable Idea of the real Smallnefs of the Dwarf.

The Weight of the Dwarf, with all his Cloaths
on, was no more than 34 Pounds.

The Child’s Weight, with its Cloaths likewife on,
was 3 6 Pounds ( a ).

The

(a) The Cloaths, being weigh’d afterwards by themfelves, were

two

Inches.

[ 469 ]

The Height of the Dwarf, with his Shoes, Hat

and Wig on

3^

The Height of the Child, without any thing

on his Head

-

?7tJ

Dwarf.

Child.

Inches

Inches

Round the Waift -

21

20 T|

Round the Neck - -

9

9_t
-'I ®

9

Round the Calf of the Leg -

8

Round the Ancle

6

6

Round the Wrift

4

4t£

Round the Thumb -

Length of the Arm, viz. from the

2

2-a

1 •

Shoulder to the Wrift

13

From the Elbow to the End of the

middle Finger

From the Wrift to the End of the

l0ii

10

middle Finger -

From the Knee to the Bottom of the

4

4

Heel - -

iot4

IOrS

Length of the Foot with the Shoe on

6

6-tZ

Length of the Face - -

6

6iv

Breadth of the Face

f

4t§

Length of the Nofe

ill

I — -

1io

Width of the Mouth

17#

I-JL

x 1 0

Breadth of the Hand -

*T*

1 0

it

v

two Pounds fourteen Ounces ; confequently the real Weight of the
Child is thirty-three Pounds two Ounces ; which is but fourteen
Ounces lefs than the Dwarf’s Weight with all his Cloaths.

O O O 2

t 470 ]

It may not be improper here to take notice, that
as the Meafures of the Dwarf were faid to be taken
with his Cloaths on, thefe of the Child were alfo
taken over his Cioaths ; and they (being a tight
Stay and Petticoat) probably fit clofer to his Body,
and therefore make lefs Difference in the meafuring
round his Waift (the only Dimenfion wherein it could
have any Effect) than the loofer Coat or Waiitcoat
of the Dwarf.

XI. Part of a Letter from Robert More Lfq\
to Mr. W. Watfon F. R. S. concerning the
Method of gathering Manna near Naples.

R/ad June A x Arienzo, a Town between Naples
21. 1750. and Benevento, I found an Afh-

Coppice, of 8 or 10 Years Growth, from which they
colled Manna. It feemed to have been rapped two
Years for that Purpofej the Branches had been
barked each Year about an Inch broad, and two Feet
high j but they told me this was done by an Inch
at a time.

They place a Cup at the Bottom of the Wound,
which they empty every five Days This Liquor be-
comes Manna. They formerly let it dry upon the
Trees but the prefent way keeps it cleaner. The
Manna begins to run (they fay in the Scripture Style
to rain ) the Beginning of Jiuguft 5, and if the Seafon
proves dry, they gather it y or 6 Weeks. The
King of Naples has fo large a Revenue from it, that
he is extremely jealous of it, during the Seafon

guards

[ 47? ]

guards the Woods by Sbirri , who even fire upon
People that come into them, and he makes the healing
of the Liquor Death. The Seafon in which I was
at Arienzo prevented my feeing the Species of Afh.
I believe it to be what our Gardeners call the flower-
ing Alia 5 the Complexion of the Bark and Bud agrees
with one of them I have in my Garden at Lindley.
The Man who fhew’d me the Wood, told me, it

bore a pretty Flower in the Spring. — At Bifa

in the Phyfic-Garden they fhew’d me that Tree in
Bloom as the Manna-Afh. The Tree is indeed com-
mon enough in that Neighbourhood : I wonder Mr.
Ray does not mention it among' the Plants found
there by him. The Italians call it Orno. A Bota-
nift at Rome told me it was the Omits Officinarum.
A Phyfician at Benevento to the fame Purpofe, that
it was the Ornus ufed in Medicine. A Perfon is
gone from Rome to Naples , who has promifed to
be very particular in getting you Information of their
Manner of curing it. He was bred a Chemift, and
told me many Ways of counterfeiting the feveral Ap-
pearances of it. The mod common is with Glau-
bers, Salts and Sugar, with a fmall Mixture of Manna.
The Price of Manna at Naples , they told me, was
4 Carlins (4 \d. Sterling each) the Rotolo (32
Ounces).

XII.

[ 472 ]

XII. A Letter from John Huxham M. D.
F. R. S. to C. Mortimer M. D. Seer . R.S.
containing Obfervations on the Northern
Lights, feen Feb. 15 and 16, 1749-50.

'Dear Sir ,

Read June OU have herewith an Account of

J_ two uncommon Fhtenomena, which
I obferved laft February .

Feb. 15, 1749-yo, in the Evening there was a very-
vivid Northern Light, which darted forth feveral
beautiful, crimfon, and fiery-colour’d Rays ; Wind
NW^N I, Barometer 30.2 yo Minutes part 8 a
furprifingly bright and exceedingly white Arch, about
the Breadth of a common Rainbow, appear’d in
the Heavens, extending nearly from Eaft to Weft;
it reach’d within 5 or 6 Degrees of the Weftern
Horizon, and ended about 8 or 10 above the Eaftern.
It palled cxa&ly between Cajior and Follux , and
diredly over Aldebaran, which appeared plainly thro*
it. Near the Top of the Arch feveral very lucid,
white, fhort, vibrating Columns were attached to
it ; none of them feem*d above 6 or 7 Degrees long,
and did not appear to communicate in the lead
with the Aurora borealis. The inclofed Figure (fee
Tab.I. Fig. y.) fomewhat reprefents it. About ph
12' the Arch vanished ; but feveral white, bright, cor-
rufeating Nubecula remain’d here and there in the
Zodiac for 12 or 15 Minutes longer. The Aurora
borealis continued more or lefs till Midnight : The
next Morning the Wind was E.ix, Barom. 30.1.

t 473 ]

Feb. 1 6, about 7 p.m. we had another Aurora
borealis-, tho' not quite fo fiery and luminous as that
of the Night before: It continued till near 11. At
8h 56' p. m. exattly, fuch another Arch appear’d,
very nearly of the fame Extent and Dire&ion, but
not altogether fo broad or lucid. This at firft alfo
palled between the two bright Stars of Gemini , but
declin’d more and more to the Southward, till it
was 2 or 3 Degrees to the South of Follux Its
Weftern Limb, about 9, palled through the North
Shoulder of Orion: It quite difappear’d about 10 or

1 2 Minutes after. This had no Columns attach’d

to it, as the former ; tho' it was fomewhat jagged
and unequal towards the North near the Vertex.
The Wind this Evening was E.2; the Barometer
29.9. The next Morning the Wind was SW b\V 1,
the Barometer 29.9. Neither any Part of the Arch,
or the attached Rays were coloured^ but perfedly
white, and exceeding bright, r ' - > G

I am, dear Sir, with the greateftRefpeft,

Plymouth, April 18, Tour affectionate, and

mojl obedient humble Servant,

J ■’ ■ ')J . ' ‘ i v.'i r: ,v ! 1 n-

J. Huxham.

XIII.

[ 474 ]

XIII. A Letter from John Starr M. D. to
John Huxham M.D. F. R. S. containing
an Account of an Horfe bit by a mad Dog.

Dear Sir ,

Liskard , Jan. io. 174.9.

Read June 21,| JENEATH you have the Account you
I/5°’ JD requefted: If it contains any thing
worthy your Perufal, I fhall be pleafed. Nothing de-
ferving Notice is, I think, omitted : Every Circum-
ftance is truly, and it may be too particularly related.

Dec. 1, i74f. a Neighbour's large MaftifFDog,
mad, broke out in the Night from the Place where
he was too carelefly confin'd ; and, by a rotten back
Window, enter’d my Stable, feli upon my Horfe,
and bit him in many Places, as Shoulder, Bread,
and right Noflril ; which was indeed much torn.
He bled largely. The Town being early in the
Morning alarmed by this mad Dog, and my Horfe
being found loofe, his Collar broke to Pieces,
wounded in many Places, and much Blood fcatter’d
up and down the Stable, it was too juftly concluded
the Dog had fallen upon him.

According to Default’s Method, and what Dr.
y ames fays, in a Letter I had from him on another
Occafion, will efFe&ually prevent the ill Confe-
quenccsof this Bite s 1 immediately order’d theYVounds
to be well rubb'd with a mercurial Ointment, ex
Axung. fore. 3 vj. Argent, viv. 'Sij. About 5{/-
were at times expended.

Next

[ 475 ]

Next Morning he was bled two Pounds or more;
after which I gaveihim in 'Milk* Lichen ciner . terreft.
3 vj. ’Lip. nig . 3 iiij. five Mornings fucccflively ;
which I repeated at the End of a Fortnight for four
Mornings more.

As the Tutv. AntilyJJus was not in our Shops,
and no one in Town knew the Lichen but myfelf,
1 went with my Servant Sunday Forenoon, the Day
of my Horfe’s Misfortune, to feek it. What I found
was, I fear, too young; for it feemed juft coming
from the Earth, and the Leaves were fcarce one third
as big as at its full Growth. I got what I hop’d
might be fufficicnt ; and, after cleanfing, perhaps
too haftily dry’d it at the Fire, that it might be ready
for Ufe the next Day.

The Wounds heal'd up foon, without any other
Application; and the Horfe fed uncommonly hearty
after a Day or two (during which the Fright had
made him uneafy and fretful) and feemed to im-
prove conliderabiy in every refpett. I omitted riding
him for 20 Days ; but about the 20th rid him two
fhort Journeys only. He travcll’d chearful and brisk,
and I took care not to heat him (for tho’ the Horfe
was old, I would not willingly have parted with him
for 20 Pieces). I faw him every Day, but could
in no refped difeover any thing amifs.

Dec. 2f, two Days before the full Moon, my
Servant told me, that in the Morning he trembled
much on entering the Horfe -Pool, and refufed to
drink at the watering Trough ; but in the Evening
drank heartily at another Well. This alarmed me;
but conltdering that Horfes frequently refufe to drink
there, and that he drank in the Evening, I was fome-

P p p what

* See thefe'f ranf. No. 237* p. 49, <1717101697.

[ 476 ]

what eafyj but order’d my Servant, if he refufed
next Morning drinking at one, to try him at the
other and if he refufed at both, to Jet me imme-
diately know it.

Dec. 2 6. As foon as he enter’d the Horfe-Pool,
he trembled all over in a moll furprifing manner,
and would by no means attempt to drink. The Ser-
vant immediately return’d with him. I order’d him
to be led into a fmall Pool of Rain-Water which
flood in my Court. The Trembling return’d ; every
Mufcle was drangely agitated j he look’d as if he
were melancholy on the Water, fmelt to it, but
would not touch it. Being put into the Stable, a
Bucket of pure clean Water was brought to him ; he
eagerly thrud his Mouth into the Water, but, endea-
vouring to fuck it, a Convulfton feiz’d him.

I was now fatisfied he had a true Aqu<e ‘Favor.
He was bled to about 3 Pints, Musk 315. Cinnab.
Ant. 3/. made into a Ball with Conf. Anthos was
given him. In bleeding he once fnapt at the Smith,
tho’ well known to him, having fhoed him for Years:
And indeed this was the only Time he attempted to
bite any one.

In about two Hours after the Musk was given to
him, I offer’d him with my own Hands about two
Gallons of white Water warm : he drank it off with-
out the lead Difficulty or Hefitation. Had I diffolved
in it two Ounces of Nitre, I had certainly done well.

Had the Quantity of Musk at fird given been
greater (for Dr. James writes, me he gives the above
Quantity of the bed Musk in a Watchfulnefs re-
maining after a febrile ‘Delirium is remov’d), or had
I now again repeated the fame Ball, I am apt to

think

L 477 ]

think the Horfe might have been faved (this being
the Tonquin Method, even after the Appearance of
the Hydrophobia) ; for he was as yet quiet and trac-
table. I went to him as ufual, handled him, and
he behav’d as in his former Health ; but, being look’d
on as a mad Horfe, I faw every one was afraid to
meddle farther with him.

He eat both Hay and Oats heartily. In the Even-
ing, about 9 o’ Clock, more of the white Water
was offer’d him, but he drank none.

Dec. 27. This Night the Madnefs increafed much 5
for he had bit the Manger as far as he could reach,
and made it quite ragged. In the Morning he fre-
quently bit his Bread where the Wound had been;
and when he happen’d to take hold, violently drew
up the Skin with his Teeth. Both thefe things he
did during the Day at times, but mod in the Morn-
ing. I put a Tub of Water before him ; he greedily
ran his Nofe into it; but, endeavouring to drink, a
dreadful Convulfion feized him, which fometimes
drew his Buttock to the Ground ; at others his Back
was fo hollowed with it, that his Belly was brought
almod down on the Litter. During the Convul-
fion he would groan in an affedting manner ; and
frequently cry out. As foon as the Convulfion was
over, he repeated his Endeavours to drink with the
fame cruel Event, and would, I believe, had the
Water dood before him, have repeated it the whole
Day.

He dill eat his Allowance of Hay and Oats; but
when not eating, he was continually thruding out
his Tongue, and working with his Lips, as if to
moiden and cool them. His Tongue was exceed-
ing dry, and of a blackifh-brown Colour on the

P p p 2 Surface.

C 4-8 ]

Surface. As he cat Oats, I have fometimes lamented
I had not mixed Turpeth. mineral, with them.

I tried him with Water about 9 at Night; every
thing was as in the Morning; only the Convulfion
was, if poffible, ftronger, and more excruciating ;
for he groaned deeper, louder, and in a more affett-
ing Tone.

His Breath was exceeding hot; it came from his
Nohrils like Smoke from a Chimney-Top ; he ex-
panded his Noftrils as if he had been violently run-
ning; and the Steam was viiible for more than a
Yard Diftance.

<Dec. 28. This Night he broke his Collar in
Pieces, broke down the Partition by which he was
feparated from the Place of my other Horfe, tra-
verfed the Stable, attempted to get out ; in order
to which he beat down the under Half of the Sta-
ble-Door; however, in the Morning, being fpoken
to by my Servant, he neigh’d, immediately went to
his Place, where he flood biting his Breaft and Man-
ger alinoft continually. His Look was now become
wild and furious, and about 10 o’ Clock I order’d
him to be fhot. I am,

‘ Dear Sir ,

Tour affectionate humble Servant ,

'ill i i : I t i .* ■ -l I.' . . . .....

:> J. Starr.

T- S: I obferved he was always wotfe, every Symp-
tom being aggravated at the time the Moon came
to the Meridian ; which again, as the Day advanced,
in fome degree abated.

XIV.

[ +79 ]

XIV. Defcriptio Foetus monftrofi fine ullo
Sexus Signo 3 Regali Societati communi-
cata per Job Bajler , Acad. Caefar. et Reg.
Soc. Lond. Soc.

Read June 28-/"""\Uamvis plurima; fint monftrorum de-
lineationes et defcriptioncs rato ta-
mcn occurrunt exempla, in quibus nulls adfint partes
gcnitales : cum tamen hie cafus mihi obvenit, Regia
Societati hujus delineationes offero : (Tab. 11. Fig. i
and 2.) quern circitcr feptimeftrem fanilllma mulier,
tertio partu, tempore gravidationis nulla imaginatione,
inctu, aut terrore percuffa, in lucem edidir.

Caput hujus irifantis non, utioportet, erat fphasricx
figure, fed valde acuminatum, brachium dextrum
bene formatum ; finiftri vero radius et ulna multo
breviores effe videbantur.

Ne minimum partium genitalium, quibusfexum
diftingueres, erat Veftigium, nec anus, aut ejus aper-
tura; verum eo loco cutis, abundante pinguedine,
quafi in gyros erat redufta, et circumvoluta.

Ex medio ventre, genitalium loco, provenirpes
unus in unicum quafi digitum, fine uhgue tamen
finiens.

Repetitis precibus apertio cadaveris fuit negata,
externa delineatio conceffa, quam Regia Societati
debita reverentia offero, una cum delineationibus
foetus et hydrocephali, quorum hiftoriam ante aliquot
annos (anno 1742) Regia Societati obtuli, et IS*0.
4 66, j). 277, in 'Tranfaiiionibus legipoffunt.

XV.

[ 480 ]

XV. Some Experiments on Subjlances re ft fling
Putrefaction ; by John Pringle M. D.
F. R. S.

Read] une 28, 1750.^ ■ AHO an Inquiry into the Man-

btrt pnnted 'with Ad- ■ , i, /. r 1 j

ditions. I ner now Bodies are refolved

by Putrefadion, with the
means of accelerating or preventing that Procefs,
has been reckoned not only curious, but ufeful ( a)y
yet we find it little profecuted in an experimental
way : Nor is it to be wonder'd at, confidering how
offenfive fuch Operations are : Wherefore, as I have
been led to make fome Experiments and Remarks
on this Subjed, from the Accident of having had
an uncommon Number of putrid Diftempers under
my Care in the Hofpitals of the Army, I fhall ven-
ture to lay before the Society what I have found
fomewhat different from the common Opinion, as
well as fome Fads, which, as far as I know, have
not been mention’d before.

1. Finding it a received Notion, that Bodies by
Putrefadion became highly alcalinc, I made the fol-
lowing Experiments, to inquire how far this was
true in Fad.

The

(a) Lord Bacon calls, u the inducing or accelerating Purrtfadion
‘f a Subjed of very univerfal Inquiry and fays, {£ that it is of ex-
“ cellenc Ufe to inquire into the means of preventing or flaying
“ Putrefadion ,• which makes a great Part of Pbyfick and Surgery ”
See Nat. Hijt. Cent. IV.

[ +8i ]

The Serum of human Blood putrified, made, with
a Solution of Sublimate, fird a turbid Mixture, and
afterwards a Precipitation. This is one of the Teds
of an Alcali , but fcarce to be admitted here ; ftnee
the fame thing was done with recent Urine (of a
Perfon in Health), which is never accounted alcalinc.
The fame Serum did not tinge the Syrup of Violets
green and made no EfFervefcence when the Spirit
of Vitriol was poured upon it. I made the Experi-
ment twice upon Portions of different Serum , both
highly putrid ,• and once on Water, in which cor-
rupted Flefh had been fome time infufed ; and the
mod I could find was, that, having given the Syrup
previoufly a fmall reddifh Cad with an Acid, this
Colour was rendered fainter, but not dedroyed by
the putrid Humours ; and as to the Efrcrvefcence,
having dropped the Spirit of Vitriol into thefe Li-
quors unmixed, and alfo diluted with Water, the
Mixture was quiet, and only a few Air-bubbles ap-
pealed on fhaking the Glades. Upon the whole, tho’
there were fome Marks of a latent Alcali in the pu-
trid Serum , they were fo very faint, that one Drop
of Spirit of Hartfhorn in a Quantity of Water equal
to that of the putrid Liquors, fhewed more of an
Alcali than twenty Drops of any of the other.

2. It has been a Maxim, that all animal Sub-
dances, after Putrefa&ion, being diddl'd, fend forth
a great Quantity of volatile Salt in the fird Water;
but Mr. Boyle found that this held good only in
Urine ; and that in the Didillation of the Serum of
human Blood putrefied, the Liquor which fird came
over had little Strength, either as to its Smell or

Tade,

[ 4§2 ]

Tafte, and did not at firft effervefce with an Acid.
And here it may be obferved, that the Chcmifts
have generally applied thofe Properties they difco-
vered in Urine, to all the Humours indifferently ;
whereas, in Faft, there is a great Diverfity. For
fome animal Subftances, fuch as Urine and Bile,
(bon putrefy ; the Saliva and the White of an Egg
(lowly. Yet thofe that fooneft corrupt do not always
arrive at the highefl Degree of Putrefa&ion. Thus
the Bile is foon corruptible, but the Ranknefs of it
is not to be compared to that of Flefh j and the
White of an Egg is not only much lefs difpofed to
putrefy than the Yolk, bur, when corrupted, yields
a different and lefs offenfive Smell. And it feems
particular to ftale Urine to contain an alcaline Salt,
which, without Diftillation, makes a ftrong Effer-
vefcencc with Acids : Whereas mod other animal
Humours putrefied, tho' of a more intolerable boctor ,
yet contain lefs volatile Salt, lefs extricable, and not
effervefeing with Acids. But what makes the Dif-
ference between ftale Urine and other putrid Sub-
ftances ftill more fpecific, is, its Inoffenfivenefs with
regard to Health 5 whiift the Steams of 1110ft other
corrupted Bodies are often the Caufe of putrid and
malignant Difeafes.

Now, upon finding in Urine a much greater
Quantity of volatile Salt, and that more eafily fepa-
rable than in any other Humour, and that ftale Urine
is the icaft noxious of putrid animal Subftanccs, fo
far then from dreading the volatile Alcali as the de-
leterious

* Nat. Hift. ©f Human Blood, Vol. IV. p. 178. fol.

4

[ 483. 3

lcterious Part of corrupted Bodies, from this Pi-
ttance we may rather infer it to be a fort of Cor-
rector of Putrefaction.

3. Daily Experience fhews how harmlcfs the Vo-
latiles are, both when fmelled to, or taken in Sub-
ftance ; but ftill there remains a Prejudice, as if thefe
Salts, being the Produce of Corruption, Ihould there-
fore haften Putrefaction not only in Diftcmpers
where thefe Salts are unwarily taken, but alfo in
Experiments out of the Body.

Now, as to the EfFeCts arifing from the internal
Ufe of them, little can be faid, unlcfs the kind of
Difeafe was precifely ftated. For, fuppoftng they
were by their Nature difpofed to promote Putrefac-
tion; yet if that is already begun, from a Languor
of Circulation, and ObttruClion, then may the Vo-
latiles, by their ftimulating and aperient Quality be
the means of flopping its Progrefs : And, on the other
hand, tho’ they were really antifeptic, yet if the
Humours are difpofed to corrupt from Excefs of
Heat or Motion, thefe very Salts, by adding to the
Caufe, may augment the Difeafe. So that, upon the
whole, it will be the faireft Criterion of the Nature
of thefe Volatiles to enquire, whether out of the
Body they accelerate or retard PutrefaClion.

In order to decide this Queflion, I have made re-
peated Experiments of joining both the Spirit and
Salt of Hartfhorn to various animal Subftanccs; and
have conftantly found, that, fo far from promoting,
PutrefaClion, they have evidently hinder’d it; and
that with a Power proportioned to their Quantity.
The Trials have been made, with, the .Serum of the
Blood, and alfo with jth z.CraJJawentiim, after it had

,Qq.q been

[ 48+ ]

been dried by keeping. I once feparated the thick
inflammatory Crufl of pleuritic Blood from the reft
of the Mafs; and, dividing it, I put one Portion into
diftill'd Vinegar, the other into Spirit of Hartfhorn;
and after keeping the Infufions above a Month in
the middle of Summer, I found the Piece which
lay in alcaline Spirit as found as that in the Acid.

Another time I put in one Phial about an Ounce
and a half of an equal Mixture of Ox's Gall and
Water, with ioo Drops of Spirit of Hartfhorn; and
in another as much of ihe Gall and Water without
any Spirit. The Phials, being corked, were fet by
a Fire, fo as to receive about the Degree of animal
Heat; whereby, in lefs than two Days, the Mixture
without the Spirit became putrid, but the other was
not only then, but after two Days longer untainted.

I afterwards infufed two Drachms of the Lean of
Beef with two Ounces of Water and half a Drachm
of Salt of Hartfhorn. Another Phial contained as
much Flefh and Water with a double Quantity of
Sea-Salt: In a third was the Flefh and Water only
to ferve by way of Index. Thefe Phials were placed
on a Lamp-Furnace, in a Heat varying between 94
and 1 04] Degrees of Fahrenheit's Scale. About 18
Hours after Infufion, the Contents of that Phial
which ferved as an Index, were rank ; and in a few
Hours more that with the Sea-Salt was alfo putrid;
but the Flefh with the volatile Alcali was found, and
continued fo after (landing 24 Hours longer, in the
fame Degree of Heat : And that the Smell oftheHart's-
horn might occalion no Deception, the Piece of Flefh
was wafhed from the Salt, and dill fmelled fweet.

About the fame time I took three Pieces of frefh
Beef, of the fame Weight as above; and laying two

4 of

C 485 3

of them in Gallypots, I cover’d one with Saw-dud,
and the other with Bran : But the third Piece being
Brew’d with Salt of Hartfhorn powder'd I put into
a four Ounce Phial which had a glafs Stopper. They
were all three placed in the Outfide of a Window
expofed to the Sun; and the Weather being warm,
on the third Day the Flefh in the Gallypots began
to fmell; on the fourth were putrid. Next Day the
Phial was examined; when the Flefh was wafhed
from the Salt, and found quite fweet. It was then
dry’d and falted again with Hartfhorn; and having
flood in the Houfe fome Weeks longer in fultry
Weather, it was look’d at a fecond time, and ob-
ferved to be as found as before; neither was the
Subfiance at all diflolved, but was of fuch a Conflu-
ence as might be expc&ed from common Brine*.
And left it might be fufpe&ed, that the Flefh in the
Gallypots, by being more expofed to the Air than
that in the Phial, became fooner putrid, I have fmce
inclofed Flefh in Phials, as that with the Hartfhorn
and found the Confinement rather haften the Putre-
faction.

Now, by thefe and many other Experiments of
the kind, finding volatile alcaline Salts not only
do not difpofe animal Subftanccs to Putrefa&ion out
of the Body, but even prevent it, and that more
powerfully than common Sea-Salt, we may prefume
that the fame taken by way of Medicine, will,
cateris paribus , prove antifeptic; at leaf! we can-
not juftly fuppofe them Corrupters of the Humours
more than fermented Spirits or Sea-Salt; which

Q_qq 2 taken

* The fame Piece has been fmce kept dry a Twelvemonth, and is
ftill untainced, and as firm as at firfh

[ 486 ]

taken in immoderate Quantities may raife a Fever, and
thereby accidentally be the Occafion of Corruption.

4. I have likewile made feveral Experiments with
the fixed alcalinc Salts, which have no lefs antifeptic
Power than the volatile. The Trials were made
both with the Lye of Tartar and Salt of Wormwood.
But here we mud not confound a difagreeable Smell
of fuch Mixtures with one that is really putrid 5 nor
the Power tliole Lixi vials have of diflolving animal
Subftanccs with Putrc'fa&ion.

y. From thefe Experiments it was natural to
tonclude, fince Acids bv thcmfelves were amongft
the mod 'powerful Anrilcptics, and the alcaline Salts
were likewife of that Clafs, that the Mixtures of the
two to Saturation would relift: Putrefaction little lefs
than the Add alone. But in the Trials I have made
upon Flefh with a Spirit us Minder eri compofed of
Vinegar faturated with Salt ofHartfhorn, and alfo with
the Juice of Lemons faturated with the Salt of Worm-
wood, I found the antifeptic Virtue confiderably lefs
than when cither the Adds orAlcali s were ufed fingly.

6. As for the comparative Virtues of thefe Salts
upon Flefh, I found half an Ounce of Lemon-juice
faturated with a Scruple of the Salt of Wormwood
refilled Putrefadion nearly as much as fifteen Grains
of Nitre ■, but, when the Trial was made with Ox’s
Gall, two Drachms of this Mixture were more anti-
feptic than a Scruple of that Salt. Again, Nitre com-
par’d with the dry neutral Salts, Weight for Weight,
is- more ’antifepti'e than any ill prde-rvin'g Flefh I have
yet tried. Crude CW ammoniac, came next to it,
and even exceeded it in the Experiment with Ox’s Gall.
After thefe the Sal diureticus , Tartarus folubilis ,

and

[ 487 3

and Tartarus vitriolatus , Teemed to have neatly the
fame Power.

I have mixed Vinegar with a large Quantity both
of Chalk and Crabs-eycs, in order to neutralize it;
but, tho’ lecmingly faturated by the Effervcfcence
cealing, it hill retain’d an Acidity, and was found
much more antifeptic than Lemon-juice neutraliz’d
with the Salt of Wormwood ; tho’ this laft Acid be
confidcrnbly (Longer than Vinegar.

7. Thus far have we conlider’d the common neu-
tral Salts ; which, however powerful in refilling Pu-
trefaction, are inferior to Tome refinous Subftances,
and even Tome Vegetables which I have tried. Thus
Myrrh, in a watry Menjtruum was found at lead
twelve times more antifeptic than Sea-Salt. Two
Grains of Camphire mixed with Water preferred
Flefh better than fixty Grains of that Salt : And I
imagine, could the Camphire be kept from flying off,
or concreting to the Sides of the Phial, that half a
Grain, or even lefs, would have fufficed. An In-
fulion of .a few Grains of Virginian Snake root in
Powder exceeded twelve times its Weight of Sea-
Salt. Chamomile-Flowers have nearly the fame ex-
traordinary Quality. Thejefuit’s Bark has it alfo;
and if I have not found it fo flrong as the two Sub-
ftances laft mention’d, I impute that in part to my
not being able to extract its embalming Parts in plain
Water.

Now Vegetables pofiefling this balfamic Quality
are the more valuable, in that, being ufually free of
Acrimony, they may be taken in much greater Quan-
tities than either Spirits, Acids, Rcftns, or even the
neutral Salts. And as in the great Variety of Subftances

anfwering

[ 488 ]

anfwering this Purpofe, there may be alfo fome of-
fenfive or ufeful Qualities annexed, it may not be
amifs perhaps to review fome Part of the Materia
medica for this End.

I (hall add, that, befides this extraordinary Power
in preferving Bodies, I have difcover'd in fome of
thefe Subftances a fweetening or correcting Quality
after Putrefaction had actually begun. But thefe Ex-
periments I fhall lay before the Society fome other
time 5 with a Table of the comparative Force of Sales,
and fome further Remarks on the fame SubjeCt.

N. B. Thefe Experiments will be continued in the
next Number of thefe Tranfaffions.

XVI. An attempt to explain an antientGreek
infeription , ingraven upon a curious bronze
cup with two handles , and publijhed with a
draught of the cup by Dr. Pococke, in his
Defcription of the Eaft, Vol. II. Part 2.
pag. 207. By John Ward, Pr.Rhet. Grejh .
and F. R. S.

Read] une 287 | \HE diameter of the cup on the in*
17a°‘ fide is about thirteen inches and a

half, as near as I could take it from a copy of the
infeription, which is placed round the upper fide
of the rim. A draught of which is hereunto an-
nexed, reduced to about two thirds of the fize (1) ;

and

(1) See Tab. II. Fig. 3;

[ 489 ]

and may alfo be feen in Dr. Pococke, with only
this difference, that the characters on the cup are not
cut in continued lines, as in the doctor’s plate, but
confift of feparate points placed in the form of let-
ters, as here represented. Letters exprelfed in this
manner appear upon feveral antient coins; and may
like wife be feen in the filver plates, found not long
fince in Hertfordjhire, and publifhed in thefe Tranf-
aPtions (i). As to the circular form of the infcri-
ption, we read in Paufanias of an inftance not very
much unlike this, lphitus king of Elis is faid to
have reftored the Olympic games, during which all
hoftilities ceafed among the feveral dates of Pelo ■
fonnefus. Throwing the difcus or quoit was one of
the exercifes performed in thofe games, and the
difcus of lphitus was depofited in the temple of
Pfuno at Olympia ; upon which the cefiation of arms,
always obferved at that folemniry, being ingraved
was then publicly read. Which infcription, as the
hiftorian obferves, was not cut in ftrait lines, but in
the form of a circle. Tho whether the letters were
placed on the face of the difcus , or upon the edge,
like fome modern coins, is not exprefly faid. The
words are thefe : Tcturny Cexe^&giccvH vx es evSrus
yeygoc/j.pdvvv, aAAa Is xvx.Au a-^v/xcc 7 regieicriv lir'i
t oj S'laxco toc ypoifJcijt.ccTa.- That is : Hue [mduciaej
non rePto rverJ'uum or dine fant infer iptae, fed liter is
in difeo orbem ambient ibus (2).

But

(1) Num. 476.

(2) Paufanias , Lib. v. c. 20. p. 427. ed, Lipf 1626. Where ref.
Faber for is reads U A&onifi. Lib. n. c, 2 6.

[ 49° ]

Eat I return to the infcriptlon on the cup, which,
as 1 apprehend, may be thus read in the common
Greek characters.

M N A

BA2IAET2 MI0PAAATH2 ETriATUP
T0I2 EXT02 TOT TTMNA2IOT ETnAT0Pl2TAIZ
TT$A vel TOT4A aiasqze.

In Latin thus :

Monumentnm dedit

Rex Mithradates Eupator Eupatoridis
in gymnafto [vel intra gymndfium\

Gypha [vel Gnpha. ] ftrvavit.

I. The letters mna ftand by themfelves over the
reft, which are placed below them in the form of a cir-
cle ; which circle is made up of the four legments here
put one under another, when united in one orbicular
line. And the fituation of thefe three letters in the
annexed draught fhews, over what words of the cir-
cular part they are placed. All the words from
BA2IAET2 to ETITATOPI2T aiz take in above half the
circumference of the rim of the cup 5 and the divi-
fion of this laft word was occafioned, as I fuppofe,
by one of the handles being fixed there. The two
laft words ftand at a confiderable diftance from the
reft, on the remaining part of the rim.

II. If thofe three letters above the reft are not a
date, they may, as I conjecture, ftand for y.n\JLoa\jvov
tfwx.e for eS'coxs, without the augment. Where the
word fjLvnfj.oavi'Qv feems to be ufed in the fame fenfe,
as we meet with it in Catullus , when he fais, Verum
eft fjLvnf/.ocrvvQv mei fodalis (1).

III.

(1) Epigram, ad Afinium.

[ 49 i ]

111. In the circular line MifaotJ'aTvs is put for
Mi9gi<P<zTti$y as his name is ufually writen. And fo
it is ipclt in two other infcriptions, both found by
Spon in the ifle of ‘Delos , at a confiderable diftancc
from each other, and publifhcd in his Voyage d ltalie
etc (i). The like fpelling may alfo be feen both on
the coins of this prince (2), and in the edition of
Tacitus publifhed by Lipjius . Thefe infcriptions

were cut on the remaining pedeftals of two ftatues,
which had formerly been placed there, one in ho-
nour of Mithridates Euergetes the father of this
prince, and the other of himfelf. I fhall here tran-
feribe them both, as they will ferve to illuftrate that
on the cup. The former runs thus :

BA2IAE02 MIOPAAATOT
ETEPTETOT 2EAETK02
MAPA0ONIO2 r,T M N A
2IAPXPN.

In Latin :

Regis Mithradatis Euergetae Seleucus
Marathonius gymnaJJo praefeclus
ftatuam pofuit.

The latter is as follows :

BA2IAE02 MI0PAAATOT ET

FIATOPOS ETTTX TOT

MI0PAAATOT ETEPrETOT

AIONT2IOS NE2 N02

A0HNAIO2 TTMNA2IAPXH
2A2 ANE0HKEN.

In Latin :

Regis

1

(1) Tom. hi. pag. 8 6.

(2) Numifm. Pembroch. Par. 11. tab. 66.

R r r

[ 492 ]

Regis Mithradatis Eupatoris Eutych . . filii Mi-
thradatis Euergetae Dionyfius Nef. .jius At he^
nienjis gymnafio praefeffus pofuit ftatuam.

* -• . a A A) . ? S f*l vA

It appears highly probable by thefe infcriptions,
that there was a gymnajium (i), or college, at that
time in ‘Delos. And the fame writer obferves, that
near to the former he found eleven pillars Banding
without chapiters, and others lying on the ground.
At which place, as he fais, the inhabitants of the
neighbouring iflcs (for Delos was then uninhabited)
have a tradition, that a college antiently (food ; and
he further adds, that the corfairs ftill continue to
call this ifland by the name of 7 loefchools (2). And
therefore it is not improbable, that this cup, which
fome years fince was found in the port of Antium ,
and (as Dr. Eococke fais) is now placed among the
antiquities of the capitol at Rome, might formerly
have been brought from that ifland: and the name
Eupatoridae given to thofe of the college, in honour
of this king Mithridates , their benefa&or ; who
feems to have been pleafed with the name Eupator ,
aferibed to him in the latter infeription, fince he
built a city in Eaphlagonia , which he called Eupa-
toria , as we are told by Eliny (3) and Appian (4).
By the latter of whom we learn alfo, that he was

fond

(1) By the word gymvafium among the Greeks was meant a num-
ber of contiguous buildings, with portico’s and open walks, Co dif-
pofed as to be fitted, fome for bodily exercifo, and others for the
ftudy of the liberal arts and fcicnces.

(2) Tom. I. tag. 177.

[ 4-93 ]

fond of fine ornaments, and elegant furniture j and
had made a vaft collection of them, of which vafes
were always efteemed a confiderable part (i). The
imperfeCt word etttx. which follows Eupatoris in
the fame infeription, may perhaps hand for etttxot^,
Eutychis , or Edicts > as that word occurs at length
in another infeription difeovered by Spon in the fame
ifland, of which the two names aiontsiot etttxot
then only remained (2). Tho indeed I have not met
with that name elfewhere aferibed to Mithridates ;
notwithftanding Cicero mentions a large catalogue
of extravagant titles, which had been heaped upon
him by his flatterers. Mithridatem , fais he, Deum,
ilium Eatrem, ilium Confervatorem Afiae , ilium
Euium, Nyjium, Bacchtim , Liberum nominal) ant (3).
But yet it is pollible, that the title Eutyches might
have been given him, on account of his great fuc-
cefs in war for many years. As Sylla afterwards af-
fumed that of Felix , for the like reafon; and upon
his triumph at Rome , for his victory over that po-
werful prince, had alfo his other titles of Confervator
and Eater aferibed to him, as we are told by Elu •
tarch (4,). Thefeinfcriptions give us alfo the names
of two prefidents of that college, the former of whom
is called Seleucus of Marathon 5 and the latter Dio-
nyjius of Athens , who might, poflibly have taken

- - the

(1) Rom. Hifi. pag.i^\. ed . Steph,

(2) Tom. in. pag. 87.

(3) ProFlacc. c. 25.

(4) Vit. Syll. Tom. v. p. 8 65. ed. Steph. See likewile Pighi:
Annul, ad A. U. 672.

R r r 2

[ 494 1

the name T) ionyfius from his patron Mithridates , who
befides the name Eupator afliimed alfo that of ‘Dio-
nyfus as the fame author relates (i). But the fccond
name of this latter prefident Nef. . . .nus being im-
perfect, I am at a lofs how to fill it up.

IV. The letters next following 'Evi ralwp upon the
cup I take to ftand for ro?s trios ; tho they are ftrangely
confufed, by reafon of a miftake, which leans to
have'been made at firft in writing the infeription.
In the word yv^rao-lv the two letters ret are united
in one character. And as to the exprefilon bios
yvjjLvctcrrd, which here refers to place, and not to time,
as it more ufually does; Hefychius has, \VtU tv
awfji<x\osi Thavorimis, trios oixtas 5 and -ApolloTiius
Rhodius , as cited by H. Steph. trios ct'^eos- And in
the word ’Euxa^/<ra/£, the letters ar are put for
<f, and £ for 5.

V. Of the two Taft words upon the cup, which

(as has been obferved) ftand feparate from the reft,
the former is a proper name ; but whether the firft
character in it was defigned only for a F, or a com-
bination of the two letters FO, I am not certain.
In the following word without the augment,

for fieawo-e, % is put for a- 5 and likewife £, as in the
preceding word ’Eu7rct1ogi'aTcti£. I fhould have been
led to imagine, that Gypha , or Gupha , might be
the name of the fculptor, and g ftand for

c Pie^uae, exfculpjit or perfcidpfit ; it being a common
pra&ice for artifts to fet their own names to their
works ; had it not appeared an obje&ion to this,

that

(1) Ibid. pag. 250. See alfo Plut. Sympof. L. I; q. 6.

[ 495 ]

that the infcription is no better executed; and like-
wife that neither the form, nor combination, of the
letters feems to fuit with the age of Mithridates.
I am therefore inclined to think, that the cup did
not come into the hands of this perfon till a confi-
derablc time afterwards j who feems to have been
no great feribe, but was willing however to pre-
ferve both the memory of fo curious a vafe, and his
own as the pofTeflor of it.

As the feveral variations from the common man-
ner of fpelling, which occur in this infcription, are
to be met with in Greek writers j I fhall trouble
this Alfembly with no further remarks upon them,
than juft to obferve, that Lucian in his humorous
difeourfe, intitled Judicium ■vocalium , complains,
that among' many other innovations, which had then
crept into the language, T had invaded the place of

and both £ and £ that of <r.

Thus I have attempted to offer my thoughts upon
this intricate infcription, and explain it in fuch a
manner, as appeared to me the moft probable, from
a copy of it, communicated to me fome years fmee
by Smart Lithieullier efquire, a worthy member of
this Society, who had it from Father Revillas at
Rome.

G. C. Sept. 15.
17+9.

John Ward,

Rojifcript.

i5)>0»was at Delos in the month of Augujl 1675,
when he copied the two inferiptions mentioned above.
But it feems to be owing to the fmallnefs of his
page, that the former of them is printed in four lines;

4 for

[ 49& 3

for Wheeler , who took it at the fame time, brings
it into three, in the following manner:

BA2IAE02C) MI0PAA ATOT
ETEPTETOT SEAETKOS
MAPA0ONIO2 rTMNASlAPXflN (‘).

Toumefort , who was there in Ottober 1700, con-
firms this draught of IVheelery as to the form of it *
and fais, the infcription was cut upon a fquare pe-
deftal, two feet five inches high, and two feet one
inch broad. And as part of it was defaced at the
begining of the lines, I have here tranfcribed the
copy publifhed by him, of what then remained.

; II0PA A ATOT

... 2EAETKOS

2 rrMNASI APXON (»)

But Dr. Anthony Askew , a worthy member of
this Society, who was there in October 1747, tho
he found the pedeftal pretty much broken, in the
manner deferibed by Toumefort j yet obfetved more
letters of the infcription then remaining, than are
given us by him. The difference will appear by
the following copy, with which the Doctor was
pleafed to oblige me out of his large and curious
collection of inferiptions, and other valuable anti-
quities :

2 MI0P A A ATOT

OT 2EAETK02

2 rrMN A2IAPXQN.

The

(1) The O in this word feems to be amiftakein the print for

(2) Travels , pag. 5 6.

f}) yojage du Levant , Tom. I. pag. 297. a Park 1717. qu.

[ 497 ]

The latter infcription mentioned above, as ere&ecf
in honour of Mithridates Eupator , was found, as
Sport informs us, upon a round bafis, at a great di-
ftance from the other. It is likewife taken notice of
by Wheeler , tho he has given no draught of it. But
Tournefort fuppofes it to have been gon, before he
was there ; becaufe, upon fearching for it, he could
not find it. Which indeed is not to be wondered at;
fince we are told by Spon, that Delos being intircly
in ruins, and without any inhabitants, the antient
remains, being of Tartan marble, are frequently
carried away by Grangers, either for curiofity or ufe.

However Tournefort difeovered part of another
pedeftal, in the lhape of a cylinder, not far from the
former of the two already mention’d. It lay half
buried in the fand, but being opened and wafhed,
an imperfed infcription was found upon it. The
remaining words of which are thefe :

BA2IAE02 NIKOMHA..

tot rrroNor o basiaeos

NIKOMEAOT (l 2 3) Eni4>ANOT

«... KOTPIAH2 (s) AIOSKOPIAOT

P AMNOTSIOS TTMNA2IAPX0..

In Latin thus :

Regis

(1) lam obliged likewife to Dr. Askew for a copy of this inferi^
ption, taken by himfelf ; by which it appears, that T in this word is
a miftake for T, as the Dotftor has writen it.

(2) The E in this word is alfo a miftake for H, as it is writen
in the firft line here, and by Dr. Askew in both places.

(3) I take this to be the fame name as the following; the middle
fyllable of which is ufually writen with O, but fometimes with Q T,
See Grut. fag. lxxxvi. vum. 2.

[ 498 ]

Regis Nicomedis nepotis regis Nicomedis Epiphanis
EDiofcorides ’DioJ'condis Ramnufius praefeEius
gymnafio ftatuam pofuit.

King Nicomedes , to whofe honour this infcription
was ere&ed, is here called tyyov®*, that is grand-
fon, of Nicomedes Epiphanes king of Bithynia.
Which feems to confirm the account of Appian,
who gives the name Nicomedes to the three laft
Bithynian kings. The firft of whom being, as he
fais, the fon of Brufias (and here (filed Epiphanes )
was fucceded firft by his fon Nicomedes Bhilopator,
and then by his grandfon, whom he calls barely
Nicomedes , without fubjoining any cognomen , agre-
ably to this infcription. And he further adds, that
it was this laft, who left his kingdom to the Roman
people by his will (i). Which bequeft was made in
the year of the city 679, and was foon followed by
their third and laft war with MithridatesEnpator (2).
Some have fupp.ofed this account of Jlppian to be
erroneous, through a miftake in the copies 5 becaufe
other writers generally mention but one Bithynian
king, as fuccefi'or to Nicomedes Epiphanes , who was
alfo named Nicomedes , made the Roman ftate his
heir, and has been taken for his fon (3). But the
infcription, by calling this latter the grandfon of the
former, as Appian does, corroborates his account 5
who likewife fais exprefly, that his fon Rhilopator

was

(1) Bom. Hijl. pag. 175, ed. Steph.

(2) Pigh. Annal. Rom.

{ 3) See Vaillant , Acbemened. imper. Tom. II. pag. 345, 354.

1

C 499 II

was confirmed in his father’s kingdom by a decree of
the Roman fenate (i). A trA..>'TVvAv

I thought it proper to take notice of this irtferi-
ption, not only as it feems to clear up die fucceflion
of the Bithyn'tan kings ; but like wife as it contains
the name of a third prdident of the college, irV
Delos, and fiiews the regard that was paid to it by

the princes of different countries in yifia. ' >

j: w.

1 . i. Si . *»J

1 ' r -

XVII. A “Letter from M?\ IIca>ry Bakor.
F. R. S. to the Prdident,. containing ' Ab-
fraSls oj fever al Objervatims vf Auroras '
Boreales lately [een. ^ j r- '•

SIR,

Read June 28, ✓'"x n Monday the 23d offanuarj laft,

1 7-’0- fomc1 tmufuat Appearances ' were ob-

ferved in the bky, at London,, and. the Towns about

r \ blD J

ir,

I Li 1 11 -tliinsvfl

- —

— —

. :r; r 1: < lo

has given us the -imprefnon of an head upon a Giver
tetradrachm, with this title placed over it, Nicomedes Epipbaxes rex
KUomediae whom he takes to have, been the. grandfather of Pra-
L V ■ Aebemened/hrp^ Tom. H. p. 2ojj. And Dr. Mead has fuch a
co;n in his collection, with rhifr words 'on the reverfe, B12IAE02
EnMAXOT2 NI_KOMHAOr2. Whd^- Epiphads the 'cognomen ‘
ftands firft, as iffotnenmes does in anticnt_wnters : CuxOrat. e. 27.
Anjmpreffion alfo of a fimilar coin, with the head on one GdejiticWve' t
fame legend on the other, may be feen among the Numifmata Pem-
brofh, Par. II. tab. 69. Bat Vaillant fais, that he had not met with
any ct>in, which had on it the head of EUcomedei Epipha?ies the
fon of Prufias, to whom the infeription refers, which is cut on the
ftone. Ubi fupra,pag. 3 5 j.

Sff

[ 500 ]

it, by Thoufands of People during the whole Even-
ing', .of which fome Accounts were laid before the
Royal Society : And as Appearances of the like kind,
were obferved in the Heavens, the fame Evening, at
great Diftauces from London, I take the Liberty to
prefent you a Defcription of what was feen at the
Citybof Norwich, by Mr. William Arderon F. R. S. ;
and alfo: of what was dblerved at Wells (a little Sea-
Port Towiv in the fome County of Norfolk , about
30 Miles nearly due North from Norwich) by Mr.
jofeph' Sparjhal , and lent by him to Mr, Jrdetan,
who communicated it to me.

Jn Account of the Aurora Borealis feejiat Norwich,
{an, 23, 1750. by Mr. William Arderon.

THrE* wonderful Appearances of the Aurora Bo-
realis on the 23d of January lad, have been
taken notice of in mod Parts of England , tho’ in
different Forms. At Norwich I believe it was as
extraordinary as at any Place whatever: But the Wea-
ther being very cold, and myfclf fomewhat indif-
pofed;, I did not make all the Remarks I could have
wifhbd : The few I did make are as follow :

1 This wonderful Aurora began at 6 o’ Clock in the
Evening, with a blackifh Cloud in the N. E. out
of which fprung up a Streak of fcarlet-colour’d Rays,
of a furprifmg Beauty and Vividnefs. This prefently
extended to within a few Degrees of the S. W. Ho-
rizon, palling direftly thro’ the Zenith , and fo con-
tinuing near a Quarter of an Hour, when red and

every

At

yellow Columns began to rile upwards iron
Quarter.

n

a .

[ SOi ]

At 7 o’ Clock a black Cloud rofe up in the S.E.
and quickly put on a femicircular Form, with light
yellowifh Vapours afccnding out of its upper Edge,
and reprcfenting a Glory of an uncommon Brightness.

At 8 o’ Clock the black Cloud was difperfed,
but the yellow Glory remained} and round that
fprang up another Circle of Red, which made the
whole appear very tremendous.

The reddifh Streams, as well as this laft-mention'd
Circle, were fo me times fo denfe, that even Stars of
the firft Magnitude could not be feen thro’ them.

There was now-and-then fome of the flafhing
Aurora in different Parts of the Firmament, tho*
not fo common as 1 have obferved at other times.

The Night was full as light as it is when the
Moon is about eight Days old } but I could compare
it neither to the Light of the Sun nor Moon, fome
of the original Colours feeming to be wanting : And
the beft Defcription I can give of it is, to liken it
to that Light produced in a dark Room, when one
of the feven original Colours is feparated from the
reft, after they have palled thro’ a Prifm, and been
colle&ed together again by a convex Lens.

This Evening the Barometer was 30.1 falling.
Haukesby's Thermometer 63. Wind E. T|- Force.
The Morning mifty, and very cold, but all the Day
dear.

Tart

Sff 2

[ 502.]

_J

~ " . ' ■ } -,'r L v •

' Part of a Letter from Mr. Jpfeph Sparfhal, of
Wells, concerning thofe Lights in the Heavens ,
fen Jan. 23, 174.9-50. to Mr. William ' Archer on
at Norwich. , „ .

« » 1 * * * * 4- '»-•'* J

Tuefday fan. 23,' the Air at Wells was clear
^ and ferene during the greateff Part of the Day,
with a frefh Breeze of Wind at S. $. E. which termi-
nated in an Evening extremely remarkable for Ap-
pearances in the Heavens of an uncommon Aurora
BoreaHs.

At 15 Minutes pad 5, I firft took notice of the
Foot of an Arch, which formed an Angle of about
ten Degrees with the N. E. Part of the Horizon.
This Arch (hot out pointed Streams like Pyramids,,
of a fiery red Colour, which generally afeended
within a few Degrees of the Zenith, then vaniftied,
and were immediately fucceedcd by others, from the
N. E. where the principal Magazine feemtd to be.
They continually fhifted towards the E. and S. W.
with fudden Flashings and Dartings 5 but towards
the Weft the Appearances feldom altered.

At 30 Minutes paft 5, a luminous Stream, of a
bright Flame-Colour, fhot up on the N. Side of the
fiery Arch, which fiill kept fomewhat of that Form,
tho’ frequently interrupted by fhooting Flafhcs from
the N. E.

At 4,0 Minutes paft 5, there appeared fuddcnly in
the N. E. an elliptical Corona , of an amazing Bright-
nefs, elevated about 9 Degrees above the Horizon,
and having its longeft Diameter parallel thereto.
There fnot up perpendicularly from this Streams rc-

fembling

[ 5°3 ]

fembling Columns of Flame intermixed with others
of bright Red.

At yo Minutes pad y, Part of the FLmifphere,
included between the N. E. and S. E. was ftrongly
illuminated, with a vad Number of pointed Rays of
Crimfon and Flame-colour, darting towards the
Zenith. Thcfe vanifhing in about four Minutes,
were fuccceded by many whitifh Streaks, fhifting
from the N. to the S. E.

At yy Minutes pad 5, there fpmng up in the N.
three bright Pyramids of Flame-Colour, afeending
to the Height of about 70°, not perpendicular to the
Horizon, but inclining towards the E. and thefe were
joined at the upper Parts by an equal Number of a
blood -red Colour from the S. E.

At 6, a Pyramid of a crimfon Colour rofe from
the N. E. to the Height of about 6o°. This foon
difappeared ; but a diffufed Rednefs remained; and
from the N. E. to the S. W. appeared an Arch,
crowned at the Vertex with fomething refembling a
Glory, with a round Body of Light in its Centre.

At 20 Minutes pad 6, the Rednefs was contracted
into a narrower Compafs, but was much dteper in
Colour, forming an Arch from S. E. to S. W. and
appeared at the Zenith like a fiery Sheet fprcad to*
wards the South > the North being at the fame time
illuminated with white Streams, like the common
Aurora Borealis.

At 30 Minutes pad 6, a whitifh femicircular Arch
was formed to the Southward, encompading the red
Lights in the Zenith , and extending from thcE. to
the S. W. But this Appearance continued only a
few Moments.

At

[ 5°4 ]

At 40 Minutes paft 6 the RedneSs quite difap-
peared in the N. E. and that to the Southward be-
came much paler. The common Aurora appeared
very plain in the N. E. till 7 o’Clock, and then to-
tally disappeared.

At 8 the common Aurora appeared again very
bright from N. to E.

At 30 Minutes part 8 appeared another large fc-
micircular Arch, extending from E. to W. pointed
Columns of a bright Red Shooting up from each
Side of its Bafe; with other fmallcr ones on the up-
per Part of it, fuch as the common Aurora. At
the fame time arofe in the North, from within a
very few Degrees of the Horizon, a bright pyramidal
Stream of Light, of a furprifing Magnitude. This
Appearance continued near a Quarter of an Hour
very regular, and exceeding beautiful.

At the Beginning of thefe Lights the Mercury
flood at 29.9, but quickly fell to 29.8. The Wind
at S. E. 7L Force.

During Part of the Time I obferved an uncom-
mon Motion in the magnetic Needle ; but was too
clofely engaged in obferving the Heavens to take
much notice of it.

I law this Evening thofe Meteors called falling
Stars s particularly fome, which, on taking Fire,
left a long Train of Sparks behind them.

My Situation being quite open to the Sea on all
Sides, except the South, afforded me as favourable
an Opportunity of viewing the above Particulars as
I could wifhj and I gave up my whole Attention to
them.

[ 5°5 ] •

Having laid thefe Accounts before you, permit
me the Honour to be,

SIR ,

Catherine Street, June iS. Xour WO^l obeJi nt
~ ■ 1750.

humble Servant,

H. Baker.

XVIII. A Defer iption of a Mariner’ s Compafs
contrived by Gowin Knight, M. B. F.R.S.

Read July 5.^ ■ 'HE Difcovery of the Mariners Com-
1750 JL Pa^s Pr°bably been of more ge-
neral and important Ul'e to human Society, than the
Invention of any one Inftrument whatfoever : And yet
fo far have they been from ftudying the Improvement
of it, that there would be no Abfurdity in fuppofing
that the firft which was made might be as much fu-
perior to thofe in common Ufe now, as the mod
improved Inftrument we have is fuperior to its firft
Contrivance.

The Compafs which appeared before this Society
Lift Year, on account of its being render’d ufelefs by
Lightning *, was what afforded me the firft Idea of
their Imperfe&ions, fome of which I then enumerated ;
but others have fince occurred to me, arifing trom
the Stru&ure of the Needle, which I had not fuf-
ficicntly confidered at that time. It was then ob-
ferved, that almoft all the Compafles on board our

Merchant-

* See thefe Tranfaftiont, 492, p. in.

[ S°6 ]

Merchant-Ships had their Needles formed of two
Pieces of (feel Wire; each of which was bent in the
middle, fc as to make an obtufe Angle; and their
Ends, being applied together, make an acute one;

1 fo that the Whole reprefentsthe Form of a Lozenge;
in the Centre of which, and of the Card, is placed
the brafs Cap. I procured twenty Cards, with
Needles of this kind fixed to them ; and after
touching them with a Pair of large Bars, I tried
each of them, with the fame Cup and Pin, by
drawing them afidc 90 Degrees from the true Pointy
and then feeing where they would reft. I found
them all to vary more or left, either to the Eaft or
Wed ; and fomc of them as far as 8 Degrees. Few.
of them came to the fame Degree twice together;
and when they did, that was never the true Poiur.
In fliort, they not only varied from the true Direc-
tion, but from one another, and from themfclvesy
I then tried, by drawing tlum gently allde, how far
I could make them ftand from the true Point, with-
out returning; and found they might frequently be
made to do it at the Diftancc of a whole Point on
either Side. One of them, which generally varied
6 or 7 Degrees to the Eaft, being drawn the lame
Way, would ftand at 16 Degrees.

. All thefe Irregularities arc owing to the Stru&ure
of the Needle : For the Wires, of which it is com-
pofed, are only hardened at the Ends ; and that is done
by making the Ends red hot, and quenching them
in Water : If all thefe Ends are not equally hard, or
if one End be hardened higher up than the other,
when they come to be put together, in fixing them
to the Card, that End which is hardeft, will deftroy
- - much

.11 *

C S°7 1

much of the Virtue of the other ; by which means
the hardeft End will have mod Power in directing
the Card, and muft confequently make it vary to-
wards its own Direction. If you retouch thefe
Wires when fixed to the Card, the Error will ftill
remain; for that Wire which is beft hardened will
always become the ftrongeft. Confidcring how un-
certain this Method of hardening the Ends of the
Wires mud be, it is a great Chance if they fhould
once in an hundred times be equally and uniformly
hard : And unlefs they are, the Card to which they
are fixed mud ncceflarily vary.

The Wires being difpofed in the Form of a Lo-
zenge, is the Reaion why thefe Cards had fo little
Force, that they might be made toftand at theDiftance
of feveral Degrees, on either Side the Point from
whence they were drawn. For all magnetical Bodies
receive an additional Strength, by being placed in
the Direction of the Earth’s Magnetifm, and ad pro-
portionably lefs vigoroufly when turned out of it.
Wherefore, when thefe kind of Needles are drawn
afide from their true Point, two of the parallel Sides
of the Lozenge wi.l cotafpire more dircdly than be-
fore with the Earth’s Magnetifm; and the other two
will be lefs in that Direction : By which means the
two firft Sides will very much impede its Return ;
and the two latter will have that Impediment to
overcome, as well as the Fridion, by their own
Force alone.

The Needles that arc ufed on board the Men of
War, and fomc of the larger trading Ships, are
made of one Piece of Steel, of a Spring Temper,
and are broad towards the Ends, but tapering to-

T t t wards

[ 5°8 ']

wards the Middle, where a Hole is made to receive
the Cap. At the Ends they terminate in an Angle
greater or left, according to the Skill or Fancy of
the Workman. Now, tho5 the worfl: of thefe are
infinitely preferable to thofc of Wire, yet the belt
of them are far from being perfect. Every Needle
of this Form has 6 Poles inftcad of two. There is
one at each End, two where it becomes tapering,
and two at the Hole in the Middle. This is owing
to their Shape ; for the middle Part being very fen-
der, it has not Subftancc enough to conduct the
magnetic Stream quite through from one End to
the other. All thefe Poles appear very diftinQIy,
when examined with a Glals that is fprinkled over
with magnetic Sand. Neverthelefs this Circumftance
does not hinder the Needle from pointing true; but
as it has lefs Force to move the Card, than when
the magnetic Stream moves in large Curves from
one End to the other, it is certainly an Imperlediom
I examined an hard Needle of this fort, whole
Ends were very broad, and terminated in an acute
Angle ; and obferved, that, tho’ its Motion was very
free and vigorous, yet I could make it Hand one
Degree on either Side the true Point ; and being at
a Lofs to account for ir, I tried what Appearance it
would'make under a Glafs with magnetic Sand, and
di (cover'd that rhe magnetic Scream came out of
the Sides, which formed the acute Angle at the
Ends, in Lines that were almoft perpendicular ro
thofe Sides, and then was bent round to go to the
other Pole : From whence I concluded, that when
the Needle was drawn a little from the true Point,
the Stream, which came out of one of thefe Sides,

would

[ 5°9 ]

would be more in the Direction of the Earth’s Mag-
netifm than before ; on which account it would ad
ftronger in retaining the Needle in that Situation,
than the Stream of the other Side in reftoring it j
cfpecially as that Stream would be now weaker, on
account of its being turned out of the magneticai
Line, and would have the Fridion betwixt the Cap
and Pin to overcome at the fame time.

I tried two other Needles, whofc Ends were
formed into Angles very obtufe, and .could not find
that they were liable to the fame Objedion.

Two Needles that were quite ftrait, and fquare at-
the Ends, were found to have only two Poles 5 but
about the Hole in the Middle the Curves were a lit-
tle confufcd. Thcfe always came cxadly to the
fame Point, after vibrating a long time; and if
drawn never fo little on one Side, woii'id return to
it again without any fcnfible Difference. We may
therefore conclude, that a regular Parallclopipcd is
the beft Shape for a Needle, as well as the fimplcft ;
with the Holes for the Caps as fmall as can well be
contrived; or if it can be made to anfwer the Pur-
pofe without any Hole at all, it will be dill more
perfed.

Yet the common Shape has one Advantage which
this has not: For, being made broad at the Ends,
and (lender in the Middle, its Weight is removed as
far as pollible from the Centre : On which account,
if it once points true, the Fridion at the Centre
cannot fo cafily put it in Motion ; and its Vibra-
tions, when in Motion, wiil be flower ; fo that
their Limits may be more nicely obferved, and the
middle Point betwixt them is that where it would

T 1 1 2 ftand.

t s*° 3

dand, if at red. Being unwilling to- part with thefe
Advantages, I contrived a light Circle of Brafs, of
the fame Diameter with the Card, which will Tup-,
ply a Weight acting at the greated Didance from the
Centre of Motion, and alio ferve to fupport the
Card 5 which may now be made of thin Paper,
without any thing to ftiffen it. So that the extra-
ordinary Weight of the brafs Ring is compenfated
in a great meafure by the Lightnels of the Card.
This Ring is of Service in another refpeCt ; for, being
fixed below the Card, and the Needle above it, the
Centre of Gravity is placed low enough to admit of
the Cap being put under the Needle ; whereby the.
Hole in the Needle becomes unnecefiaryj and the
latter being placed above the Card, renders it ealiec
to be touched with a Pair of Bars.

Having thus completed the Needle and Card to
my Satisfaction, what chiefly remains, is, to contrive
fuch a Cap and Point as will have the lead Friction,
and be mod likely to continue in a State ot Per-
fection. The Caps in Ufe are either of Brafs, a mixed
Metal, like that of a reflecting Telefcope, Cryflal,
or Agate. The two firfl will only admit of brafs
Points, and the latter are rather too expenfive for
common Ufe. Wherefore 1 bethought myfelf of
trying glafs Caps: 1 had three of them made by a
Glafs-blower, two of which I got polifhed: They
were all fet in Brafs, fo as to fcrew into the fame
Needle, which had alfo one of Agate fitted to it. I
compared them with that of Agate, by trying with
each of them how many Vibrations the lame Card
and Needle would make, when drawn afide 90

Degrees,

[ 5ii ]

Degrees, on the fame Point; which was a very fmall
fewing Needle.

The Number of Vibrations with the Agatp Cap,
on the firft Trial, were 39, then 37, then 39 again;
with one of the glafs Caps it made 2.3, and then 20.
This Difference from the Agate Cap was fo great,
that I concluded the Point muft be damaged, and
therefore chofe a finer; on which the fame glafs
Cap made 41 Vibrations; then 43 ; and another glafs
Cap made 47, and the next time 43. But the Agate
Cap with this Point made yi, J7, and y8 Vibrations.
The unpolifhed glafs Cap performed much the fame
with the others. I had two of them polilhed again,
by Mr. Smeaton ; and in Company with him re-
peated the fame Experiments; but with no better
Succefs. The Agate Cap made always many more
Vibrations than the glafs one ; and generally with
the latter the Number diminifhed by repeated Trials;,
whereas with the Agate Cap it ufually increafed.

Thefc Experiments made me lay afide the Thoughts
of glafs Caps,, and put me upon thinking how Agate,
ones might be made with as little Expence as pol-
fible.

With this View I got a Cap turned of Ivory, in
fuch a manner as to receive a fmall Bit of Agate at
the Top. This being ground concave, and polifhed
on that Side, where it formed the Apex of the hol-
low Cone in the Cap, was capable of anfwering the
Purpofc as well as if the Whole had been Agate,
and was much lighter.. Thefe Caps may be made
cheap enough for common Ufe; and, if good at
firft, cannot eafily be impaired.

Eojc

[ 512 ]

For a Point-, I chofe a common fewina; Needle,
and contrived to. fix it in fuch a manner as to be
taken out with the greateft Eafe, and replaced by
another, if neceflary ; by which means an excellent
Point may be always had with litt'e Trouble or
Expence. Common Needles, when well temper'd,
have all the Qualifications that can be defired tor the
Purpofe intended. The fmalleft are firong enough
to bear the Weight of a Card; and are neither fo
foft as to be liable to bend, nor fo hard and brittle
as to break ; and they are generally better pointed
than any that a common Workman could pretend
to make extempore.

Thus we have gone through all the Parts that arc
cfiential to a Mariner’s Compafs ; and endeavoured
to put them upon fuch a Footing, as to leave- ss lit-
tle Room as pofiiblc for Error in their fir ft Con-
ftruction, or Failure in the long continued Ufe of
them.

This, which I have now the Honour to exhibit to
the Society , was made by Mr. S meat on. a Gentle-
man whofe uncommon Skill in the Theory and
Pra&ice of Mechanics has enabled him to execute
whatever I propofed in fuch a manner as always to
exceed my Expectations : And not only fo, but he
has added a confiderable Improvement of his own.
By a very fimple Contrivance he has made the fame
Inftrument capable of ferving the Purpofcs of an
Azimuth and Amplitude Compafs ; and that in a
manner much preferable to any thing hitherto con-
trived j the Description and Ufe of which he has
drawn up himfelf, for the Perufal of the Society.

XIX.

XIX. An Account of fome Improvements of
the Mariners Compafs, in order -to render
the Card and Needle, propofed hy DoBor
Knight, of general Ufe , by John Smeaton,
Philofophical lnflrument -maker. ■'

Cover of,the \?odcn
Box being taken oft, the

ations.

Compafs is in a Condition to be made ufe of
in the Bittacle, when the Weather is moderate :
But it the Sea' runs high, as the inner Box is hung
very free upon its Centres (the better to arifwer its
other Purpofcs) it will be neccftarv to flacken' the
mill’d Nut, placed' ftpon one of the Axes that fup-
ports the Ring, and to tighten the Nut on the Out-
fide that correfponds to it. Bv this men'fts the inner
Box and Ring will' be lifted' up from the Edges,
upon which they reft, when free; and the Friftion
will be increafed, and that to any Degree nccefiary
to prevent the too great Vibrations; which o her-
wife would be occafioncd by the Motion of the
Ship. :

To make the Compafs ufeful in taking the mag-
netic Azimuth, or Amplitude of the Sun and Stars,
as alfo the Bearings of Head lands, Ships, and other
Objects at a Diftance,' the -brats 'Ed ip*, defigned at
fit ft to fupport the Card, and throw the Weight
thereof as near the Circumference as poftible, is
itfclf divided into Degrees and Halves 5 wnich may
be cafily eftimated into imaller Parts, if nccefiary.

The

C 54 ]

The Divifions arc determined by means of a Cat-gut
Line ftretched perpendicularly with the Box as near
the brafs Edge as may be, that the Parallax arifing
from a different Pofition of the Obferver may be as
little as pofllble.

Underneath the Card arc two fmall Weights,
Aiding on two Wires, placed at right Angles to each
other 5 which, being moved nearer to, or farther
from the Center, counterbalance the Dipping of
the Card in different Latitudes, or reftores the Equi-
librium of ir, where it happens by any other means
to be got too much out of Level.

There is alfo added an Index at the Top of the
inner Box, which may be put on and taken off at
plcafure, and ferves for all Altitudes of the Object.
It confifls of a Bar, equal in Length to the Diameter
of the inner Box; each End being furnifhed with a
perpendicular Stile, with a Slit parallel to the Sides
thereof. One of the Slits is narrow, to which the
Eye is applied, and the other is wider, with a fmall
Catgut ftrctch'd up the Middle of it, and from thence
continued horizontally from the Top of one Stile
to the Top of the other : There is alfo a Line
drawn along the upper Surface of the Bar. Thefc
four, viz. the narrow Slit, the horizontal Catgut
Thread, the perpendicular one, and the Line on
the Bar, are in the fame Plane, which difpofes itfclf
perpendicular to the Horizon, when the inner Box
is at reft, and hangs free. This Index does not
move round, but is always placed on fo as to an-
fwer the fame Side of the Box.

When the Sun’s Azimuth is defired, and his
Rays are ftrong enough to caft a Shadow, turn
about the wooden Box, till the Shadow of the

horizontal

t 5r5 ] r

horizontal Thread ; or (if the Sun be too low) till
that of the perpendicular Thread in one Stile, or the
Light through the Slit in the other, falls upon the
Line on the Index Bar, or vibrates to an equal Di-
flance on each Side of it, gently touching the Box,
if it vibrate too far : Obferve at the fame time the
Degree marked upon the brafs Edge by the catgut
Line. In counting the Degree for the Azimuth,
or any other Angle that is reckon’d from the Meri-
dian, make ufe of the outward Circle of Figures
upon the brafs Edge, and the Situation of the Index
Bar, with regard to the Card and Needle, will al-
ways direct upon what Quarter of the Compafs the
Object is placed.

But if the Sun does not fin i n e out fufficiently
ftrong, place the Eye behind the narrow Slit in one
of the Stiles, and turn the wooden Box about, till
fome Part of the horizontal or perpendicular Thread
appears to interfcct the Centre of the Sun, or vibrate
to an equal Diftance on each Side of it, uftng
fmoked Glafs next the Eye, if the Sun’s Light is
too ftrong. In this Method another Obferver will
be generally neceftary to note the Degree cut by
the Nonius, at the fame time the fiift gives notice
that the Thread appears to fplir the O'ojed.

From what has been faid, the other Obfervations
will be eafily performed j only in cafe of the Sun’s
Amplitude, take care to number the Degiee by the
Help of the inner Circle of Figures on the Card,
which are the Complements of the outer to 90,
and confequcntly fhew the Diftance from Eafl or
Weft.

U u 11 The

[ 5l6 1

The Azimuth of the Stars may alfo be obfervcd
by Night; a proper Light ferving equally for one
Obferver to fee the Thread, and the other the De-
gree upon the Card.

It may not be amifs to remark farther, that, in
cafe the inner Box fhould lofe its Equilibrium , and
confequcntly the Index be out of the Plane of a ver-
tical Circle, an accurate Obfervation may hill be
made, provided the Sun’s Shadow is dihinct : For,
by obferving firft with one End of the Index to-
wards the Sun, and then the other, a Mean of the
two Obfcrvations will be the Truth.

Explanation of the Figures .

Fig. i. is a perfpeftive View of the Compafs, when
in Order for Obfervation. The Point of View
being the Centre of the Card, and the Diftance
of the Eye two Feet.

AB, is the wooden Cox.

C and E) are two mill’d Nuts; by means whereof
the Axes of the inner Box and Ring are taken from
their Edges, on which they move, and the Friction
increafed, when neccIFary.

EF is the Ring that fupports the inner Box.

G H is the inner Box ; and

J is one of its Axes , by which it isfufpended on the
Ring EF.

KL is the Magnet or Needle; and
M a fmall Brace of Ivory, that coniines the Cap to
its Place. See Fig. 2.

The Card is a Engle varnifhed Paper, reaching as
far as the outer Circle of Figures, which is a Circle

of

[ 5 1 7 ]

of thin Brafs, the Edge whereof is turned down
at right Angles to the Plane of the Cardto make
it more ftiff.

O is a catgut Line drawn down the Infide of the Box }
for determining the Degree upon the brafs Edge.

F&RS is the Index Bar, with its two Stiles and
Catgut Threads j which being taken off from the
Top of the Box, is placed in two Pieces, T and
notched properly to receive it.

IV is a Place cut out in the Wood, ferving as an
Handle.

Fig . 2. is the Card in piano with the Needle fixed
upon it; being one Third of the Diameter of the
real Card.

Fig. 3. is a perfpe&ive View of the Backfide of the
Card, where

AB reprefents the turning down of the brafs Edge..

C is the under Part of the Ivory Cap.

F> and E are the two Aiding Weights to balance the
Card ; and

F and G, two Screws that fix the brafs Edge, &c.
to the Needle.

Fig. 4. is the Pedeftal that fupports the Card, con-
tained a fowing Needle, fixing in two fmall
Grooves to receive it, by means of the Collet Ct
in the manner of a Port-Creyon. At D the Stem
is filed into an Odagon, that it may be the more
eafily unferew’d.

U u u 2

XX.

[ 5*8 ]

XX. The Defcriptio?t of a Fifh, fjewed to the
Royal Society by Mr. Ralph Bigland, on
March 22, 1749-50: Drawn up by
C. Mortimer, M. D. Secret . R. S.

Read July 5,/^ W H I S Pifh is fmooth-skin n’d, has
I,S° JL no Scales, nor Teeth. It has one
ered Fin on its Back, which arifes below its Neck,
and runs wishin a little of its Tail. On each Side
about the Middle, between its Back and Belly, be-
hind the Gills is a Fin : From the Bottom and Mid-
dle of its Belly, a little forward of the Vent, arife a
Pair of Fins : From behind the Vent runs one Fin,
within a little of the Tail: The Tail-Fin is iar°;e
and forked. Its Eyes arc large 5 the lrides are fear-
let, encompaffed with a Circle of a gold Colour
verged with fcarlet. Its Nofhils are placed above its
Eyes. The Back, and upper Part of the Body quite
to the Tail, was of a dark blue, or violet Colour ; thefc,
and the Sides of the Body, which were of a bright
green, were all fpecklcd with oblong white Spots;
the Chaps were of a pale red j the Nofe, Gills, and
Belly, were of a filver Colour; and all the Fins of a
bright fcarlet.

It was 3 Feet 7 Inches long, and 3 Feet 10 Inches
round in the thickeft Part. It weighed 82 Pounds. Its
Mouth is fmallj its Tongue was thick, almofl like a
human Tongue in Shape, but rough, and thick-fet with
Beards or Prickles, which pointed backwards ; fo
that any thing might eaftly pafs down, but could
not eaftly flip back again ; therefore thefe might ferve
inflead of Teeth for retaining its Prey or Food. Its
Gills refembie thofe of a Salmon. Its Body grows

very

1

»

[ S‘9 ]

very taper towards the Tail 5 and, from being com-
preflfed to 10 Inches Thicknefs, becomes near the Tail
almoft round, and about 3 Inches thick. The whole
Shape of this Filh much refembles.the Sea-bream' 5 but
it differs in Size, being much larger, and ih not having
Teeth nor Seales. The Fin handing Crcd on the
Back, has fom z Acilh i next the Neck, and rifes up
8 Inches; but in the Middle diminifhes to 1 Inch;
and near the Tail rifes again to about 3 Inches.
The Belly-Fin oppofite to this fpreads 3 Indies near
the Tail, and diminifhes towards the Vent. The
Tail-Fin is forked, and fpreads 12 Inches. . The Gill-
Fin's are o Inches long, and 3 wide at- their- Bafts.
-The 2 Belly-Fins were 11 Inches long, and 3. wide
at their Bafis. It feems to me to be a new Species of
Fifh, not yet defcribed by any Author.

The black Prince, and his Couiin, from Anama-
boe on the Coaft of Guinea , and Mr. Creighton ,
formerly Governor of Capo' Cor Jo Cajtle , upon feeing
this Fifh immediately knew ir, and laid it was com-
mon on that Coafi, and is very good to cat. The
Natives call it Opah , and the Enghfh there call it
the King-fijh. I fhall therefore retain the Guinea
Name, with thefeCharacteriftics; Opah Guinienfium
eft pifeis ojfeus , non fquammo/us , edentulus ; habens
■unicam in dorfo pinnam anterius aculeatam , pone
branchias par pinnarum , in medio -ventre par pm -
narum , ad pojlicam ventris partem unicam pinnam>
caudam forcipatam.

Mr. Bigland fay*-, that, upon opening of it, all
its BowTels would have gone into a Quart-Mug; that
the Flefh of the fore Part was firm, and look’d like
Beef, and the hinder Part like fine Veal; that the
Bones were like thofe of Quadrupeds; particularly

the

[ 520 ]

the Shoulder-blades, which refembled thofe of Sheep.
[See an Article in the Scots Magazine for October
1748. printed at Edinburgh in 8m] In a Letter
to me, he adds, that probably this was a [Pelagian
or] Ocean Fifh, wandring by chance into the Frith
of Forth > and, by the Tide ebbing, being left upon
a confiderable Shoal, or flat Sand, near Leith , was
difeover’d from Land in a State of Diftrcfs ,• where-
upon feme Fifhermen plunged into the Sea, and
with a Net furrounded it, and brought it to Shore.

XXI. A Letter from John Burton M. D. to
C. Mortimer M. D. & Seer. R. S. concern -
ing the Extirpation of an Excrefcence from
the Womb.

SIR ,

Read July 5.^ HAVE at laft got a Drawing of an Ex-
I75°- crefcence * growing from the Infide of

the Os Tine re on the right Side ; which I herewith
fend you, (fee Tab. I. Fig. 6.) along with as full a id
perfect an Account of the Cafe as I can.

The Wife of one Chapman , a Whitefmith, at
Selby , ten Miles off, upwards of feven Years ago
lay in of her laft Child, and had a tolerable ealy
Labour: Soon after which, {he had what fhe called
the Fluor albtts , that continued ever fince, and in-
creafed upon her 5 infomuch that fhe fays, fhe has

fometimes

* Ic is exaftly the Dimenfions of the Original, which wdghed
5 Ounce; and a half. That Part below the pricked Line appeared
out of the Vagina ,• that above reach’d from the Labia to the Of
Vteri.

[ 521 ]

fometimes had fuch a Difcharge, as to wet the Place
fhe fat upon thro’ all her Petticoats, &c.

For fome Months before we were concerned for
her, fhe began to complain of a Pain and Vv eight
in the Uterus ; which incrcafed as the Subftance grew
in Bulk ; and at laft the Excrefcence was fo large as
to appear outwards, and then it grew very faft.

The Patient confulted her Midwife, who thought
the Womb lnd come out ; but was fo prudent as not
to do any thing; and defired they would call in
better Advice. Accordingly they fent for Mr. Fell ,
an eminent Man-midwife and Surgeon in this City;
who, not having met with a Cafe like that, defir'd
me alfo to go and fee her; which was in ^December
iaft (1749). The Subftance not only fill'd, but ex-
tended, the Entrance into the Vagina, I introduced
a Finger into the Pafiage, and foon found the Ex-
crefcencc to be lefs in Bulk there than what ap-
pear’d without the Body ; and to be in Shape as you
fee in the Drawing. I follow’d the Subfiance till
I reach’d the Os Uteris which I found chiefly fill’d
up, with the Neck or fmallcft Part of this Subftance,
leaving only a final 1 Part of the Os 'Tine# to be per-
ceived on the left Side, obliquely towards the Back.
I tried to penetrate the Os Tmcee with the End of
my Finger, but could not; however, I fo far open’d
it, as to let out a fort of bloody Ichor , which was
a little offcnftve in Smell.

I asked her, if, when her Difcharges were fo large
as to wet her Seat, they differ'd in Smell from
thofe which came in lefs Quantities; and if they
fmelled fomething. like what then came from her
when I fearched her, which fhe anfwer’d in the
Affirmative : From whence I concluded fhe had an Ul-
cer

C 522 ]

cer juft within the Os Uteri , from the Edge of which
this Fungus or Excrefcence grew. The Patient com-
plain'd of Pain in the Uterus and Back, was very,
faint, and frequently was provoked to vomit, with
a feeble Pulfe, and fometimes Sweat.

Upon Confultation, we thought proper to tie a
Ligature as high up within the Vagina as the Sur-
geon couid reach: Which being done, and fome in-
ternal Medicines being order'd, we return'd home ;
and in two or three Days we went again, but found
no great Alteration as to the uterine Complaint 5
except that the Part below the Ligature was fome-
what* more livid, and the fetid Smell was much
greater, and very like that of a confirmed running
Cancer : And as the Matter was fome what confin’d in
the Paflagc, I order'd them to wafh the Vagina by an
Injection made of the common emollient Decoflion,
with MH Rofar'um and a little Tincf. Myrrh#. This
was frequently done by which the Smell was lefs
offenfivc; and two Days after the Excrefcence dropp'd
off at the Ligature.

The Patient has fince, in part, recover'd her Strength ;
tho’ fhe is not in la good State of Health, and her
Fluor albas, as fhe calls it, is ftill troublefome to her.

This was the laft Account 1 have had of her. The
Excrefcence was very folid, of a dark liver Colour,
and, whilft adhering to the Uterus , was quite infe ta-
ble. When cut in two, it rcfembled the folid Sub-
ftance that is taken out of Cancers. I am,

' ; • .v 1 R,

Tor/:, March 28,

1750.

Tour very humble Servant,

John Burton.

July y, 1750. the Society adjourned to Pel. 27

/. (//**»■ Se/trut-yenf** (Ami ■

'Jrans.N?49& TAB. il jo.jy#

Numb.

PHILOSOPHICAL

. . ..? ' •

TRANSACTIONS.

For tbe Months of November and ‘December , i jfo.

The CONTENTS.

I. An Account of the Eclipfe of the Moon,

June 8, 1750. objerved in Surry-ftreet in
the Strand ; by Mr. John Gatlin and Mr.
James Short, F. R. S. Likewife an Obfer-
vation determining the Longitude of King-
fton in Jamaica. . ; p. 523

II. A Continuation of the Experiments on Sub-

fiances refe fling Putrefaction ; by John
Pringle M. D. F.R.S. ^ 525

III. A Letter from Mr. Jofeph Platt to Mr.

Peter Collinfon F. R . S. concerning a flat
Spheroidal Stone having Lines regularly
cr offing it. ■. :p. 534

IV. A Letter from Arthur Dobbs Efq\ to

Charles Stanhope Efq\ F. R S. concerning
Bees, and their Method of gathering . W ax
and Honey. p. 536

V.

The CONTENTS.

\ *

V. Further Experiments on Snbfilances refill-
ing Putrefaction ; with Experiments upon
the Means ofi hajlening and pronioting it ;
by John Pringle M. D. F. R. S. p. 550

VI. A Fetter from Mr. John Robertfon to

the Prefident, containing an Explanation
of the late Dr. Halley’j- Demonfilration ofi
the Analogy ofi the Logarithmic Tangents
to the Meridian Line, or Sum of the
Secants. - p- 55 9

VII . Obfervatio Eclipfeos Lunaris totalis cum

mora, habita TVittembergce, 1750. die 19
Junii , tubo 6 ped. pro corredtione ho-
rologii, quadrante telefcopico 1 8 digito-
rum, altitudin. Solis correfpondent. die
1 g Junii , per G. M. Bofie , Phyfic. Prof.
IVitt ember g<z, &c. p. 570

VIII. Two Fetters from the Rev. Henry

Miles F. R. S. D. D. to Mr. Henry Baker
F.R.S. concerning the Heat ofi the Weather
in July and September lafil. p. 57 1

IX. Extract ofi a Fetter from Mr. William
Arderon F. R. S. to Mr. Henry Baker
F.R.S. concerning the hot Weather in July

loft- ' ■ p. 573

X.

The CONTENTS.

X. A total Fclipfe of the Moon, obfervcd

Dec. 2. 1750. in the Morning , in the
Strand, London, about 5" of lime Weft of
St. PaulV, and 2 y'1 W ft of the Royal Ob-
fervatory at Greenwich ; by Dr. Bevis and
Mr. James Short F. R . S. p. 5.75

XI. An Account of fome Experiments ,* made
by Benjamin Robins Efq\ F. R. S. Mr.
Samuel DaCofta,^W fever al other Gentle-
men, in order to difcover the Height to
which Rockets may be made to afcend , and
to what Diftance their Light may be Jeen ;
by Mr. John Ellicott F. R. S. p. 578

XII. Several Papers concerning a new Semi-

Metal, called Platina; communicated to
the Royal Society by Mr. Wm. Watfon
F. R. S. p. 584

XIII. An Account of a very large human

Calculus, by William Heberden M. D .
F. R. S. and Fellow of the College of
Phyficians, London. p. 5 96

XIV. A Letter from the Rev. Charles Lyt-

telton LL.D. and F R.S. Dean of Exe-
ter, to the Prefident, concerning a non-

defcript petrified Infedt. p. 598

XV.

The CONTENTS.

XV. Some further Account of the before -meii-

tiorid petrified Infed, by the Editor of thefe
Tranfa&ions. p. boo

XVI. . The Description and Figures of a fmall

flat fpheroidal Stone, having Lines f owned
upon it \ by C. Mortimer, M.D. & Secret .
R. S. p . 602*

(

Printed for C. Davis, Printer to the Royal
Society, over-againft Gray s -Inn-Gate in Hot-
born* M.dcc.li,

[ 523 ]

I. An Account of the Eclipfe of the Moon,
June 8, 1750. obferved in Surry-ftreet in
the Strand ; by Mr. John Catlin and Mr .
James Short, F. R. S. Likewife an Obfer-
vation determining the Longitude of King-
Eon in Jamaica.

Read Nov. \ T 7E expe&ed to have feen the Moon
V V rife cclipfed before the Setting of
the Sun j but were prevented by Clouds. About
half an Hour after 9 o’ Clock, we faw the Moon
then totally eclipled ; tho’ confiderably brighter on
the Eart than on the Wert: Side ; by which we
found that fhe was then part the middle of the
Eclipfc.

h '

Emerfion, or End of total Darknefs, at 9 47 o
End of the Eclipfe at - - • 10 fi 30

Here follows a Computation of the fame Eclipfe
by Mr. John Catlin from Dr. Halley’s Tables,
which he fays was done in a Hurry j however he
knows of no Error in the Calculation.

Beginning at
Immerfion at
True Oppofition at
Emerfion at
End at

h ' "

- 7 14 2f

- 8 21 20

- 9 o 24

- 9 4f 72

- 10 72 73

I take this Opportunity of laying before the So-
ciety two Obfervations proper for determining the
Difference of Longitude between London and

X x x . King ft on

[ 524 ]

Kingfton in Jamaica, which came to my Hands
fome time fince. They were made by Alexander
Macfarlane Efq; of Kingfton in Jamaica, a Fellow
of this Society, who is provided with a complete
Apparatus of aftronomical Inftruments, which he
purchafed of Colin Campbell Efq;. As this Gentle-
man is well verfed both in the Theory and Pradice
of Aftronomy, I think the following Obfervations
may be depended on for fixing the Longitude of
Kingfton ; efpecially as we have the fame Obfer-
vations made at the Houfe of Mr. George Graham
in Fleetftreet, London , and already publifhed in the
! Thilojophical Tranja clions, N°. 471,/. 580, 5-78.

Eclipfe of the Moon, October 22, 1743.

h / it

Beginning of total Darknefs at - - 9 10 y&

End of the Eclipfe at - - • ie 51 33

Tranftt of Mercury over the Sun, Oct. 27, 1743.

The Ingrefs of Mercury upon the Sun could not
be feen 5 the Sun being then below the Horizon.

Exceftiis e difeo Solis , or the laft exterior Con-
tad, at 7* 76' 43" a. m.

By the firlt Oblervation of the Eclipfe of the Moon,
compared with the fame Eclipfe obferved here,
Kingfton is found to be 5“ 6' 2" to the Weft of
London.

And by the Tranftt of Mercury neglecting his
Parallax, Kingfton is found to be 5 h 7' 33".

This laft is the molt to be depended on for fet-
tling the Longitude of Kingfton ; becaufe in all
Obfervations of an Eclipfe of the Moon, an Error
j of

[ 525 ]

of a Minute or two may be allowed, arifing from
the Indiftindnefs of the ‘Penumbra.

II. A Continuation of the Experiments on Sub -
fiances rep ft in? Putrefa&ion ; by John
Pringle M. D F. R . S.

Read Nov, i-TJAVING in my laft Paper in the pre-
1750 XJL ceding Number of thefe Tranf-
attionSy p. 480, &c. juft mentioned the compara-
tive Force of a few Salts, and other Subftances refitt-
ing Putrefadion, I fhall now lay before the Society
a more particular Account of thofe Experiments,
with fome others, fince made, on that Subjed.

1. Three Pieces of the Lean of frelh Beef, each
weighing two Drachms, were put feparately into
wide-mouth'd Phials. Two Ounces of Ciftern- Water
were added to each ; in one were diffolved 30 Grains
of Sea- Salt ; in another 60 ; but the third contained
nothing but Flefh and Water. Thefe Bottles were
little more than half-full; and, being corked, were
placed in a Lamp-Furnace, regulated by a Thermo-
ter, and kept about the Degree of human Heat.

About ten or twelve Hours after, the Contents of
the Phial without Salt had a faint Smell ; and in
three or four Hours more were putrid *. In an

Hour

* It is to be obferved, that thefe Pieces were all intire ; but when
they are beat to the Confiftence of a Pap, with the fame Quantity of
Water, the Putrefaction then begins in lefs than half the Time men^
tioned here.

X x x 2

C'526 ]

Hour or two longer the Flefh with the leaft Salt
was tainted ; but that which had moft, remained
fweet above 30 Hours after Infufton. This Expcri-
ment was often repeated with the fame RcfuK, making
Allowance for Variations of the Degree of Hear.

The life of this Experiment was for making
Standards, ^hereby to judge of the feptic or auti-
feptic Strength of Bodies. Thus, if Water with any
Ingredient preferred Fiefh better than without it, or
better than with the Additions of the Salt, that in-
gredient. miaht be faid to refill Putrefaction more
than Water alone, or with 30 or 60 Grains of Sea-
Salt. But if, on the other hand, Water, with any
Addition, promoted Corruption more than when
pure, the Subltance added was to be reckoned a
Septic, or Haftener of Pinrefa&ion.

The following Experiments were therefore all
made in the fame Degree of Heat with the Quantity
of Flefh, Water, and Air, as above ipecified 5 toge-
ther with fuch feptic or antifeptic Subltances, as
ifhall be afterwards mention’d, and were all com-
pared with the Standards. ’But whereas the leaft
Quantity of Salt preferred Flefh little longer than
plain Water, I fhall always compare the feveral an-
tifeptic Bodies with the greateft Quantity of Salt j
fo that whenever any Subltance is faid to oppofe
Putrefaction more than the Standard, I mean, more
than 60 Grains of Sea-Salt.

2. 1 began with examining other Salts, and com-
pared them in the fame Quantity with the Standard 5
whieh being of all the weakeft, I flrali fuppofe if
equal to Unity, and exprefs the proportional Strength
of the reft in higher Numbers in the following Table..
•. -- — - - A

t 527 ]

^ Table 0/ the comparative Powers of Salts in
refjling ‘Putrefaction.

Sea-Salt . f . • ■ • # * * r

Sal Gemma ... • - 14-

Tartar vitrioiatea . . . .2

Spiritus Mindereri . . .2

Tartarus folubilis . . .2

Sal diureticus . • . . 1 : i\ 2-f-

Crude Sal Ammoniac . . . .3

Saline Mixture - . . • . 3

Nitre . • ...■ . ► 4-f"

Salt of Hartfhorn . ♦ . 4+

Salt of Wormwood . .... * \ 4-f-

Borax . . • . I . 12 -h’

Salt of Amber I i * 20-f-

Alum . • * . ..

( . f, iToi-’A -h AV, :» VI)

In this Table I have: mark’d the Proportions by
integral Numbers j it being hard, and perhaps' un-
neceflary, to bring this Matter to more Exadnejs;
only to fome I have added the Sign -p, to fhew,
that thofe Salts are ftronger than the Number in the
Table by lomc Fradion } unlefs in the three laft,
where the fame Sign imports that the Salt may be
ftronger by fome Units f* The Tartar vitriolated

f Five Grains of Borax was the fmalleft Quantity compared with
Sea- Salt; but holding ouc fo much longer, I fufped: three Grains
would have been fufficient; in which Cafe the Force of this Sale
was to be eftimated at 20 : A Angular Inftance of the Strength of

« a

[ 528 ]

is rated at 2 ; tho' more than 30 Grains of it was
taken to equal the Standard : But perceiving all of

it was not dtflolved, an Allowance was made ac-

c

cordingly. On the other hand, as Part of the Hart’s-
horn flies off, its real Force muft be greater than
what appears b\ the Tab’e. The Salt of Amber is
like wide volatile ; and as three Grains of it were found
more prefervative than 60 Grains of Sea-Salt; it may
therefore be much more than 20 times ftronger.
This is indeed an acid -Salt ; but as the acid Part of
it is inconfiderable, this high antifeptic Power muft
be owing to fome other Principle. The Spiritus
Mindereri was made of common Vinegar and Salt
of Hartfhorn 5 the faline Mixture of Salt of Worm-
wood Saturated with Lemon-juice. The alcaline
Part in either .of thefe Mixtures- with Water only
would. have refilled with a Power of 4-f-; fo that
the Acid added render'd thefe Salts lefs antifeptic;
viz. the Spiritus Mindereri by a Half, and the fa-
line Mixture by a third Part : Which was a Circum-
ftance very unexpected.

3. Next I proceeded to try Relins and Gums, and
began with Myrrh. As Part of this Subftance dif-
fblves in Water, eight Grains were made into an
Emulfion; but molt of it fubfiding, I could not
reckon on a Solution of more than one or two
Grains; which neverthclefs preferving the Flelh
longer than the Standard, we may account the foluble

Part

Salt not acid. One Grain of Alum was weaker than 60 Grains of
Sea-Salt j but two Grains were ftronger. The Power therefore of
Alum lies between 30 and 60 ; but, as I could judge by the Expe -
riment, nearer the firft Number.

[ 529 J

Part of Myrrh perhaps about 30 times ftronger than
Sea-Sa!t.

Aloes, A/a fetida, and the Terra Japonica , dif-
folvcd in the fame manner as Myrrh, like it fublided,
and with the fame antifeptic Force. But Gum am-
moniac and Sagapenum fhewed little of this Virtue.
Whether it was that they oppofed PutrefaClion lefs,
or that all the antifeptic Principle fell with the grofier
Parts to the Bottom. Three Grains of Opium dif-
Iblvcd in Water did not fublide, and refilled Putre-
faction better than the Salr. But I obferved that more
Air than ufual was generated, and the Fiefh became
tenderer than with any of the ftronger Antifeptics.

Of all the refmous Subftances Camphire refilled
molt: Two Grains difl'olved in one Drop of Spirit
of Wine, five Grains of Sugar, and two Ounces of
Water exceeded the Standard : Tho’, during the In-
fulion, moll of the Camphire flew off, fwam a-top,
or ftuck to the Phial. Suppofe only the Half loll,
the Remainder is at leaft 60 times ftronger than
Salt; but if, as I imagine, the Water fufpended not
above a tenth Part, then Camphire will be 300 times
more antifeptic than Sea-Salt. That nothing might
be aferibed to the minute Portion of the Spirit,
ufed in this Experiment, I made another Solu-
tion of Camphire in a Drop or two of Oil, and
found this Mixture Ids perfed, but Hill beyond the
Standard.

4. I made ftrong Infufions of Camomile-flowers,,
and of Virginian Snake-root; and finding them
both greatly beyond the Standard, I gradually lef-
fened the Quantity of thefe Materials, till I found
five Grains of either impart a Virtue to Water fuperior

to

[ 53° ]

to 6o Grains of Salt. Now as we cannot fuppofe
thefe weak Infuflons contained half a Grain of the
embalming Part of thefe Vegetables, it follows, that
this muft be at leaft 120 times more antifeptic than
common Salt.

I alfo made a ftrong Deco&ion of the Bark, and
infufed a Piece of Flefh in two Ounces of it (trained;
which Flefh never corrupted, tho’ it remained two
or three Days in the Furnace, after the Standard
was putrid. In this time the Deco&ion became gra-
dually limpid, whilft the grofler Parrs fubfided : By
which it appears, that a molt minute Portion of the
Balk intimately mixed with Water (perhaps lefs
than of the Snake root, or Camomile-flowers) is
poflefled of a very extraordinary antifeptic Force.

Befldes thefe, Pepper, Ginger, Saffron, Contra-
yetva-roor, and Galls, in the Quantity of y Grains
each, as alfo 10 Grains of dried Sage, of Rhubarb,
and the Root of wild Valerian *, feparately infufed,
exceeded 60 Grains of Salt. Mint, Angelica, Ground-
ivy, Senna, Green Tea, red Rofes, common Worm-
wood, Muftard, and Horfe-radifh, were likewife
infufed, but in larger Quantities, and proved more
antifeptic than the Standard. And as none of thefe
can be fuppofed to yield in the Water above a Grain
or two of the embalming Principle, we may look
upon them all as very powerful Refifters of Putre-
faction. Farther, I made a Trial with a Dccodlion

of

* Tho’ the Experiment was only made with ten Grains of the
Powder of this Root, yet, confidering how long that Quanticy re-
filled Putrefaction, we may reckon the Valerian among the ft rongeft
Antifeptics.

[ S31 ]

of white Poppy-heads, and another with the exprefled
"Juice of Lettuce, and found them both above the
Standard.

By thefe Specimens we may now fee how exten-
five Antifcptics are; fince, belides Salts, fermented
Spirits, Spices and Acids, commonly known to have
this Property, many Refins, A ftr ingents, and Refrige-
rants, are of the Number; and even thofe Plants
called Anti-acids, and fuppofed Hafteners of Putrc-
fadion ; of which Clafs Horfe-radifh is particularly
antifeptic. And indeed after thefe Tria's, 1 expeded
to find all difiolvable Subfiances endowed with fome
Degree of this Quality ; till, upon further Experi-
ments, I perceived fome made no Refiftancc, and
others promoted Corruption. But before I enter
upon that Part of my Subjed, it will be proper to
relate fome other Experiments more nearly connected
with the preceding,

f. Having feen how much more antifeptic thefe
Infufions were than Sea-Salt, I then tried whether
Plants would part with this Virtue without Infufion.
For this Purpofe, having three fmall and thin Slices
of the Lean of Beef, I rubbed one with the Pow-
der of the Bark, another with Snake-root, and a
third with Camomile-flowers. It was in the Heat
of Summer, yet, after keeping thefe Pieces for fe-
veral Days, I found the Flefh with the Bark but
little tainted, and the other two quite fweet. The
Subflance of all the three was firm ; particularly
that with the Camomile, which was fo hard and
dry, that it feemed incorruptible. Why the Bark
had not altogether the fame Efted, was probably
owing to its dole Texture.

Y y y

6,

[ 532 ]

6. I hzvc alfo made fome Attempts towards the
fweetening of corrupted Flefh, by means of mild
Subflances ; becaufe diftill’d Spirits, or ftrong Acids,
the only things known to anfwer this Intention,
were of too acrid and irritating a Nature to be tho-
roughly ufefu!, when this Correction was mod wanted.
As for Salts, befides their Acrimony, it 'swell known,
that Meat once tainted will not take Salt.

A Piece of Flefh weighing two Drachms, which
in a former Experiment had become putrid, and was
therefore very tender, fpongy, and (pacifically lighter
than Water, was thrown into a few Ounces of the
Infuflon of Camomile flowers, after exprefling the
Air, to make it fink in the Fluid : The Infuflon was
renewed twice or thrice in as many Days; when,
perceiving the F<etor gone, I put the Flefh into a clean
Bottle, with a frefh Infufion ; and this I kept all the
Summer, and have it ftill by me, quite fweer, and of
a firm Texture *. In like manner I have been able
to fweetea feveral fmall Pieces of putrid Flefh,
by repeated AfFufions of a ftrong Decoftion of the
Bark j and I conftantly obferved, that not only the
corrupted Smell was removed, but a Firmnefs re-
ftored to the Fibres.

Now, fince the Bark parted with fo much of its
Virtue in Water, it was natural to think it would
ftill yield more in the Body, when open’d by the
Saliva and Bile; and therefore it was by this anti-

feptic

* This Piece has been kept a Twelvemonth in the fame Liquor,
and is ftill firm and uncorrupted.

r 533 ]

fcptic Virtue it chiefly operated. From this Princi-
ple we might account for its Succcfs in Gan grcncs,
and in the low State of malignant Fevers, when the
Humours are fo evidently putrid. And for Inter-
mi rtents, in which the Bark is mod: fpccific, were
we to judge of their Nature, from Circumflances at-
tending them in Climates and Seaforis moll liable to
the Diftemper, we fhould aflign Putrcfa&ion as a
principal Caufe. They are the great Endemic of all
marfhy Countries, and rage mod after hot Summers,
with a dole and mo;d State of Air. They begin at
the End of Summer, and continue thro’ Autumn;
being at the word, when the Atmofphere is mod
loaded with the Effluvia of ftjgnating Water, ren-
der’d more putrid by Vegetables and animal Sub-
dances that rot in it. At fuch times all Meats are
quickly tainted; and Dyfenteries, with other putrid
Didcmpers, coincide with thefe Fevers. The Heats
difpole the Humours to Acrimony ; the putrid Ef-
fluvia are a Ferment ; and the Fogs and Dews, fo
common to thofe Climates, dop Perfpiration, and
bring on a Fever. The more thefe Caufes prevail,
the ealier it is to trace this Putrefaction of Humours.
The NauJ'ea , Third, bitter Tade of the Mouth,
and frequent Evacuations of putrid Bile, are com-
mon Symptoms and Arguments for what is advanced.
We fhall add, that in moid Counrries, in bad Sea-
fons, the Intermittents not only begin with Sym-
ptoms of a putrid Fever, but, if unduly managed,
caflly change into a putrid and malignant Form,
with livid Spots and Blotches, and Mortification of
the Bowels. Bur, as a thorough Difcuffion of this
Quedion might carry us too far from our prefent

Y y y 2 Subject,

[ 53+ ]

Subject, and be unfeafonable here, I fhall refer it
to its proper Place, and only remark, that what-
ever Medicines (befides Evacuations and the Bark)
have been found ufcful in the Cure of Intermittcnts,
they are, fo far as I know, all highly antifeptic;
fuch are, Myrrh, Camphire, Camomile flowers.
Wormwood, Tin&ureof R.ofes, Alum with Nutmeg,
vitriolic or ftrong vegetable Acids wi;h Aromatics.

Thus far 1 have only related my Experiments upon
Eiefh, or the fibrous Parts of Animals 5 I fhould next
proceed to (hew, what EfFedts Antifeptics have upon
the Humours j for, tho’ from Analogy we may con-
clude, that whatever retards the Corruption of the
Solids, or recovers them after they are tainted, will
a£t fimilarly upon the Fluids} yet, as this does not
certainly follow, I judged it ncceflary to make new
Trials} which, with fome Experiments on the Pro-
moters of Pctrefadion, the reverfe of the former,
fhall be offer’d to the Society at another Meeting.

N. B. Thefe Experiments are continued in this Tranfaflion, p. 550.

III. A Letter from Mr. Jofeph Platt to Mr.
Peter Collinfon F. R.S. concernmg a flat
Spheroidal Stone having Lines regularly
crofling it.

Dear Sir , Manchejier , Dec. 9, 1749.

Read Nov. 8. \ LITTLE while fince a Man brought
l75°’ l\. me a Stone, which he found at

Ardwick, 7 Feet deep, near this Town, in driving
a Slough through fome Gret ftone. It is what I call

a

C 535 ]

a Nodule, of a clofe, compaft, fmooth Matter 5 was
ineruftated with coarfer Earth, or foft Stone ; is 3
Inches and a half Diameter ; form’d not unlike one
of the Ecu ni mar ini', except the ‘Papill# cr fmall
Protuberances, which it wants. Upon examining
it, I find four white Seams, about the Bignefs of a
Horfe-hair, which quarter the Stone very corre&ly.
The Angles are exactly the fame, and correfpond
fo well, that it would require the niceft mathema-
tical Head and Hand to draw the like. See Tab. I.
Fig. 1. ;

The Diameter AB is 3.7 Inches; the ftrait Line
C*D at the Bottom, or greater Bafe, is .4.2 of an
Inch; that at the Top of the Stone is .21 of an
Inch, which make the Angles C D equal at Top and
Bottom, tho’ of different Diameters. The Seams are
like Talc or Spar. It weighs about 3 Pounds. I have
feveral Nodules, but none like this. There is nothing
curious in this Stone but the Lines, which I have
deferibed in the beft manner I can. .I.arn confident
Chance had no Hand in forming it ; and I am as
certain, that no Artift was ever concerned or able
to do the like ; therefore I conclude it has been
fomething form’d before the Flood, and is of marine
Produ&ion. I am

Tour much obliged Friend,

and humble Servant,

Jofeph Platt.

Trie Stone having oeen lince cut in two, it was tounci .nat thole
regular Lines, compofed of a fparry Matter, penetrated the whole
Subftance of the Stone quite thro’, and that they grew wider as
they were nearer to the Centre. I have given a Reprefentation of
this Se&ion at F»g. 2. Tab. I.

C. M.

IV.

[ 53^ ]

IV. A Letter from Arthur Dobbs Efq\ to
Charles Stanhope Efq\ F. R S. concerning
Bees, and their Method of gathering Wax
and Honey.

... • •• • .

S I R, . CaJUe-Dobbs., 03. Z2,ij^o.

Read Nov. 8./^tiNCE my View of doing Good, by
17SO' making Difcoveries of the Great W orld

has been dilappointed, upon my Retirement into this
little Corner of it, [Ireland] amongft other rural
Amufements I have been contemplating the Inha-
bitants of- the Little World ; particularly that meft
ufcful and induftrious Society of Bees; and have had
Time to revife the curious, ingenious, and enter-
taining Account given by M. Reaumur , of that in-
imitable Infed, with his curious Remarks and Rea-
soning about them ; fince he has been indefatigable
in his Experiments and Obfervations about them, as
well as of moft other Infeds, I think it the Duty of
every Petfon, who has had Time to make any Ob-
fervations, which may contribute to come at the
Truth, and complete his Natural Hiftory of Infcds,
to throw in his Mite towards it.

I had Leifure and Opportunities many Years ago,
to make fome Obfervations about Bees; and all that
I made- copfirm his general Theory, as well from
his microfcopical Obfervations, as thole made by
means of glals Hives ; in which he had much 'greater
and better Opportunities to make Obfervations than
I have had : However, as there are two Things, in
which my Obfervations are different from his, I

think

I

[ 537 J

think it butfuftice to the curious and learned World
to mention them ; that M. Reaumur , in cafe he be
alive, and (till able to follow his Obfervations, or,
if he is not, that fome other curious Pcrfon may
make future Remarks, to know whether thofe I
have made are true : As I mull own myfclf diffident
of my own Obfervations, when they differ from
fo accurate, minute, and careful an Obferver, as he
has fhewn himfclf to be throughout his whole Theory
of In (efts in general, and more particularly of the
Society of our Garden-Bee.

I therefore beg Leave to lay the few Remarks I
have made before you, Sir; that if you-think there
is any thing in them worth communicating, yc5u
may lay them before the Royal Society, of which
you are a worthy Member ; or communicate them
to M. Reaumur , if he be (fill alive, and fol-
lows his Obfervations; that, in cafe my Obferya-
vations are found true, he may fo far alter his Re-
marks; and if they are not confirm’d, I fhall wil-
lingly fubmit to his future Obfervations.

The only two things in which I differ from M.
Reaumur , are, that I apprehend he fays, the Bees
range from Flowers of one Species to thofe of an-
other Species, whilft they are gathering one Load ;
fo that the Farina , or crude Wax, loaded upon their
Legs, is from different Species of Flowers ; which
is contrary to what I have obferved. The other
thing that I differ with him in is, that he fays the
Wax is formed in the Bee, from the crude Wax, or
Farina (io far I agree with him) ; But by his Ob-
fervations, he fays, after Digeftion it is difeharged
upwards by the Mouth i whereas, by my Obfervations,

is

[ 538 ]

it is the Faeces, Husks, or Shells of the Farina or crude
Wax, after Digeftion, difeharg’d by the Anus.

As ro the fhfl, I have frequently follow’d a Bee
loading the Farina, Bee Bread, or crude Wax, upon
its Legs, through a Part of a great Field in Flower ;
and upon whatfoever F.ower 1 faw it tirft alight and
gather the Farina, it continued gathering from that
kind of Flower j and has pafs’d over many o her
Species of Flowers, tho’ very numerous in the Field,
without alighting upon or loading from them tho’
the Flower it chofc was much (career in the Field
than the others : So that if it began to load from a
Daify, it continued loading from them, neglecting
Clover, Honeyluckles, Violets, &c. ; and if it began
with any of the others, it continued loading from
the fame Kind, pa fling over the Daify. So in a Gar-
den upon my Wall-Trees, I have feen it load from
a Peach, and pafs over Apricots, Plums, Cherries,
&c. yet made no Diftindtion betwixt a Peach and
an Almond

Now M. Reaumur , in his Memoir upon the Bee’s
making Honey, mentions Arijlotle s Observation of
the Bee’s loading or gathering from one Species of
Flower without changing ; not quitting a Violet to
gather from a Cowflip; which he fays is not juflly
founded ; for he has obferved frequently a Bee on a
large Border gathering from Flowers of different
Species. If M. Reaumur only means, that, when
the Bee gathers Honey, it takes it indifferently from
any Flower, I can fay nothing againft it j but, if he
intends it to mean the Bee’s loading the Farina
upon its Legs, then my Obfcrvation diredlly contra-
dicts it

' ■ * U. 1 i ^ VJ /

What

[ 539 ]

What further confirms my Obfcrvation is this,
that each Load upon the Legs of a Bee is of one uni-
form Colour throughout, as a light Red, an Orange,
a Yellow, a White, or a Green, and is not upon dif-
ferent Parts of the Load of a different Colour; fo
that as the Farina of each Species of Flowers,
when cclledlcd together, is of one uniform Colour,
the Prefumption is, that it is gather’d from one Species.
For, if from different Kinds, Part of the Load might
be of one Colour, and Part cf another.

Another Oblcrvation to confirm the fame Fad is,
that Bees, in the Height of the Scafon, return to
their Hives with Loads of very different Magnitudes,
fome having Loads as great as fmall Shor, whilft
others have very fmall Loads ; it cannot be con-
ceiv’d that this Difference is from the Inactivity or
Sloth of the Bee in collecting its Load, but rather
from the Scarcity of the Flowers, upon which it
firfl: began to load.

Now, if the Fads' are fo, and my Obfervations
true, I think that Providence has appointed the Bee
to be very inftrumental in promoting the Increafe
of Vegetables ; but otherwife, might be very detri-
mental to their Propagation; and at the fame time
they contribute to the Health and Life of their own
Species.

From the late Improvement made by Giaffes, and
Experiments made, in obferving the Works of Na-
ture, it is almoft demonftrabie, that the Farina upon
the apices of Flowers is the Male Seed; which en
tering the Fiji ilium or Matrix in the Flower, im
pregnates the Ovum, and makes it prol fic. It is
often neceffary to have Wind and dry Weather to

Z z z waft

[ 54° ]

waft this Farina to the Fijlillumy and from Flower
to Flower, to make the Seed prolific: And we find
in wet Seafons, that Grain,. Nuts, and Fruit, are
lefs prolific, by the Farinas not being properly con-
vey’d to the Fiji ilium ; and alfo in very hot dry
Weather, from clammy Honey-Dews, or, more pio-
perly fweet Exfudations from the Plants themfelves,
which clogs the Farina , and caufes Blafts and Mil-
dews. Now, if the Farina of fpecifically different
Flowers fhould take the Place of its own proper
Farina in the Fijiillum , like an unnatural Coition
in the animal World, either no Generation would
happen, or a monftrous one, or an Individual not
capable of further Generation.

Now if the Bee is appointed by Providence to go
only, at each Loading, to Flowers of the fame Spe-
cies, as the abundant Farina often covers the whole
Bee, as well as what it loads upon its Legs, it car-
ries the Farina from Flower to Flower, and by its
walking upon th cFijlillum and Agitation of itsWings,
it contributes greatly to the Farinas entering into the
Fijiillum , and at the fame time prevents the hete-
rogeneous Mixture of the Farina of different Flow-
ers with it; which, if it ftray’d from Flower to
Flower at random, it would carry to Flowers of a
different Species.

Befides thefe vifible Advantages, it may be of great
Benefit to their own Species and Society ; for, as
this Farina is the natural and conftant Food of the
Bees, during one Half of the Year, and from this
digefted, as it is accurately obferved by M. Reaumur ,
is the Bouillee and Jelly formed ; which is lodg’d
for the Food of the young Bees, until they become

Nymph*:

[ 54i ]

Nyrnphte: It is alfo neceflary that Stores of it fhould
be lodg’d in the Cells adjoining to the Honey, for
their Winter Provifton ; without which Mr. Reau-
mur obferves they would be in Danger of dying of
a Loofencfs, their mod dangerous Malady.

It feems therefore highly reafonablc to believe,
that different Kinds of Farina may have d fFcrcnt
phyfical Qualities: So thar, by making Collections
of the lame kind in each Cell, they may have pro-
per Remedies for themfelves again!! Ailments we
have no Knowlege of, which o her wife they would
not have, if they were filled at random from all
Kinds of Flowers. Thele further Advantages, di-
rected to them by Providence, leem to add Weight
to my Obfcrvat ions,, and are a prefumptive Proof that
they are true.

The only thing, befides the former, wherein myOb
fervations differ from Mr. Reaumur , is in the Manner
the Wax is made and emitted by the Bee. I ablo-
lutely concur with him, that the Wax is formed by
Digeflion in the Bodies of the Bees, and is emitted by
them, and then becomes Wax ; and that it is almoft
impracticable to form Wax any other Way, unlefs
the Wax extracted from the Myrtle-berries in Ame-
rica by boiling be an Exception from it.

By M. Reaumur’s ObErvations, he forms his Opi-
nion, that after the Bee has fed upon the Farinay
or Bee-Bread, and it has pafs’d through the firft Sto-
mach (which is the Refervoir where the Honey is
lodg’d, from whence it is difeharg’d upwards by its
Mouth into the Cells) it is convey'd into the fecond
Stomach ; and yet, when there, great Part of it con-
tinues in its fpherical or oval Form, hill undigefted,

Z z z 2 as

[ 542 ]

as view’d by him with his Glades; and confequently
mud be convey’d further, before it be thoroughly
digefted, and the Particles broke; yet this he fup-
pofes is rcconvey’d upwards through both the Sto-
machs, and is emitted by its Mouth; and forms his
Judgment from his Obfervation, that the Bee, when
working, and finifhing the Cells, nips with its Teeth
the Wax, where it is too thick, or wrong laid; and
has obferved a Motion of its Tongue as it were
fmoothing or laying on more Materials, which he
thinks muft be then difeharg’d from the Stomach
by its Mouth.

What makes me difagree with him in his Opinion
and Obfervations, is from the Remarks I have made,
that the Faeces of the Bee difeharg’d by the Anus,
after the Farina is digefted, is the true Vi7 ax. Wc
may with Truth beiieve, that the Farina , which is
the male Seed of all Vegetables, confifts of a Spirit
or moving Principle, floating in a fweet Oil, fur-
rounded by an exterior Coat or Shell, in which is
that Monade that impregnates the Grain or Fruit,
and makes it prolific; that, upon Separation or Di-
geftion, this Spirit and Sweet Oil becomes the Nou-
rilhment of the Bee ; which Spirit is of the fame
Nature with the Animalcules in femtne mafeulino
of Animals, and becomes the animal Spirits in the
Bee and other Animals ; and perhaps the true Honey
is the fweet Oil included in the Farina: And as ail
Vegetables abound with thefe vegetable vivifying
Atoms, fince, from many, every Bud is capable of
increafing each Species, fo the true Honey breaking
through its Shell by great Heat, occafions thofe Honey-
Dews obferv’d in hot Weather upon the Leaves and

Flowers

C 543 3

Flowers of mod Vegetables 5 which Is no mpre than
an Exfudation from the Leaves and Blofloms of thefe
Veflcls thac break with the Heat ; befides thofe that
appear on the Apices of Flowers, which afterwards
impregnates the Fruit.

Of this inward Subdancc of the Farina , diluted
with Water, after Digedion, is formed the Bouiilee
and Jelly, which the Bees difeharge upwards by the
Mouth, into the Cells, to nourifh the young Bees
until they become Nymph# ; whild the Husk or
outer Coat is difeharg’d by the Anusy and becomes
the genuine Wax.

I have frequently, when Bees have been fwarming,
had them alight upon my Hands and Cloaths ,* and
many, at different times, have difeharged their Faces
thereupon : This I have taken off, and found it of
the Confidence of warm Wax, with the fame gluti-
nous adhering Quality, not crumbling like the Farina ;
I have alfo didinguifh’d it by the Smell to b'c Wax*
but it had a heavier dronger Smell, as it was frefh
and warm from the Bee.

What further confirmed me in this Fad, was from
my Obfervation of the Bees when working up their
Comb in a glafs Hive; where I have constantly feen
(and mud believe it impofiible not to be obferved
by fo accurate an Obferver as M. Reaumur ) that
fcveral Bees, foon after one another, have by hady
Steps, walk’d along a Comb then forming, for
the Length of two or three Cells, bending their
Tails to the Comb, and driking it with a wrig-
gling Motion from Side to Side, in a zigzagWay }
which I was convinced was difeharging their Foeces ,
or the Wax, againft the Border of the Cells, as

they

[ 54+ ]

they rdrl alofig, and repeated it as long as they had
any t6 difcharge, and then quit it; which is the
Reafon why the outward Border of the Cells is fo
thick and ftrong : And immediately afterwards, other
Bees came along the Cells, and withtheir fore Feet
rais'd up the Borders like Pafte, and thinning it,
whilft other Bees were ripping off with their Teeth,
and pruning away any irregular Excrefcences, fo as
to make the Diviftons of the Cells vaftly thinner
than the Borders or Edges, which were always thick
and ftrong, from the difeharging the Faces or Wax
upon them.

M. Reaumur has very juftly obferved, that, bcfidcs
the three tranfparent fmooth Eyes, which the Bee
has placed in a Triangle betwixt the Antenna on
the Top of its Head, the Bee has alfo on each Side
of its Head an Eye, or rather a Multitude of Eyes,
form'd byaNumberofdiftinffZ/fws’sfurrounded each
with fhort Hairs, which are confirm'd to be Eyes, both
from Swammerdam , and his own Experiments to
determine it 5 and that, notwithftanding thefe Lenss
are lin’d with a dark opaque Subftance, yet they aflift:
fo much their Vifion, that, when darkened by Paint
laid over them, the Bees could not find their Way
to their Hive, tho’ at a fmall Diftancc, but foar’d
diredly upwards ,* nor could they find their Way
when the three fmooth Eyes were darkened.

But there is one Obfervation, which I don't find
he has made, which may have determined the Gar-
den Bees to make alrnoft all their Cells imperfed
Hexagons. The Obfervation is this ; that thefe opaque
Eyes on each Side of the Head, confift: of many
Lens’ Si each of which is a perfed Hexagon; and the

whole

X

[ 5+5 3

whole Eye, when view'd in a Microfcope, appears
exactly like a Honeycomb : Now, as the Eyes com-
pos'd of thefe hexagonal Lens’s , are in full View to
the other Bees, does it not feem that Providence
has directed them fo as to be a Pattern fet before
them, for the Bees to follow informing their Combs?
Is it not alfo reafonable to believe, from the Difpro-
portion of the Convexity betwixt the three fmooth
tranfparent Eyes, and the Lens’s of the dark rough
Eyes, that they are appointed for different Purpofes?
why may it not be thought that the Lens’s are great
Magnifiers, to view things nigh at hand, and by many
Reflexions to convey Light into the dark Hives,
where Light is (till necefiary $ and that the three
other Eyes are to obferve Obje&s at a great Diftance,
fo as to conduit them abroad to Fields at a Diftance,
and back again to their Hives?

I agree with M. Reaumur in the Form and Ufe
of the Fang or Tromp of the working Bee, and of
the Ufe of the Mouth within the Teeth of the Bee;
fo that it does not fuck, but laps or licks with its
rough Fang or Tromp, like a Dog. But 1 have ne-
ver obferved the Bee nipping or breaking open the
Apices of Flowers, to let out the Farina , when it is
not fully blown or open ; but have often with
Pleafure obferved the Bee gathering the Farina upon
its Fang, by licking it off the Apices , and laying it
upon the firft Pair of Legs, which convey it to the
fecond Pair, and thefe lodge it upon the Pallet of
the third Pair, with furprifing Brisknefs ; fo that,
by the time the fecond Pair has lodg'd it upon the
third Pair, the Bee has gather’d more, and lodg’d it
on the fore Legs j fo that all are in conftant Motion.

From

[ 546 ]

From the curious Obfervations made by M.
Reaumur , upon the Structure and Behaviour of the
Queen or Mother-Bee, the Drone or Male Bee, and
the working or Mule Bee, which is of neither Sex;
from the Queen Bee's being fo exceedingly prolific,
as to lay from 30 to 40000 Eggs of working Bees
in a Seafon; beftdes the Eggs of 800 Male Bees,
and of eight or ten Queen or Mother Bees 5 and
from the Coldncfs of the Male Bee,- who fo long
refifbs the Cardies of the Queen or Female Bee; and
alfo from the indefatigable Labour and Oeconomy
pf the working Bee, to nourifh the young Bees,
make up the Combs, and lay in Stores of Farina
and Honey for Winter. I think very good Rcafons
may be given why the Queen fhould have a Seraglio
of fome Hundreds of Male Bees; and why the work-
ing Bee fhould deftroy the Males, when no longer
necefiary to impregnate the Eggs of the Mother Bee.

Ic is evident, from the Oeccnomy of the Garden
Bee, that Providence has appointed that they fhould
fhare their Store with Mankind, by making them
fo induftrious in every Climate, as to provide, in
tolerable Seafons, a Store of Honey and Wax, dou-
ble of what is necefiary for their Subfiftence during
the Winter, and of Combs for the Queen’s laying
her Eggs in Spring, before new Work can be made.
From the vaft Number of Eggs which the Queen
lays in a Seafon, it is abfolutely necefiary that flic
fhould have a great Store of Male Sperm, to im-
pregnate her Eggs ; and as the Eggs are not fenfibly
large in ,her Body for 6 Months after her Coition
with the Males, who die, or are killed, in Augujl ,
and fhe does not begin to lay from that time till

February

C 547 ]

February or March ; it is therefore neceffary that
fhe fhould have a great Store of Male Sperm within
her, to impregnate all the Eggs lhe lays from that
time, until June or July, when young Drones or
Males arc hatch’d, who are not defigned for her Ufe,
but for the young Queens, who go off with the
Swarms, or for the young Queen who fucceeds the old
one in the old Hive j fince the Drones arc great Feeders,
and no Workers; and are of no Ufe, but to give a fuf-
cient Store of Sperm to the Mother-Bee ; as the work-
ing Bees have fo many Enemies to deprive them of their
Store, they can’t be maintain’d during the Winter,
even if their Life (hould laft fo long; and as it is pro-
bable each Male has but one Ad of Coition with
the Queen, as they arc fo cold, and take fo much
carefling before they ad, and, by M. Reaumur’s
Obfervation, die foon after the Ad is over, when,
probably, their whole Store of Sperm is exhaufted
in that Ad, as foon as the Queen has got as much
Sperm lodg’d in the proper Refervoir, as is fufficient
to impregnate all her future Eggs, the Males arc
no longer of Ufe; and ifthofe who hayeaded, die,
thofe who have nor, being of no further Ufe, are
killed by the working Bee, out of Oeconomy to
fave their Winter Store, when, probably, by Nature
they could live but few Days more ; as we find the
Silk-worm Moth dies foon after the Eggs are laid,
as well Males as Females. It feems therefore necef-
fary that the Queen fhould breed fo many Males, as,
by one Ad of Coition from each, may impregnate
all her Eggs, and that the working Bee fhould dif-
patchthem, as foon as that is over, and a Store is lodg’d.

A a a a There

, [ 54S ]"

There are two V effete dcfcrib’d by Swammerdam
in the Mother-Bee, whofe Plate M. Reaumur has
given in his Memoirs ; one of which is placed be-
twixt the two Lobes of the Ovarium, which he fup-
pofes to be a Bladder to contain Air j the other is a
fpherical Veffel, featcd clofe by the common Dud,
in which the Eggs fall from the Lobes of the Ova-
rium, which he luppofes is to ooze out a Juice to
moiften the Eggs in their Paffage. I take one of
thefe, but molt probably the laft, to be the Refcr-
voir and Repofitory of the Male Sperm, wherein it
is lodg’d from the Ad of Coition, until the Eggs
are inlarg’d, and pafs thro’ the adjoining Dud from
the two Lobes of the Ovarium.

Since the Prefervation and Increafe of Bees are evi-
dently beneficial to the Public, I approve very much
of M. Reaumur’s Inftrudions in driving Bees from a
full Hive into an empty one, in cafe it can be done
time enough to have new Work, fufficient for the
Queen to lay her Eggs in in Spring ; fince they can
be fed at very little Expence, if Care be taken to keep
them in a middle State of Stupefadion, neither too hot
nor cold, during the Winter-r-B-ut I approve much more
of his caftrating or fharing the Combs with the Bees,
by taking the Combs belt ftor’d with Honey, and
leaving thofe wherein are the Nympha and Bee-
bread $ but think in taking the Combs a fafer and
eafier Way may be taken, than he dircds : His Me-
thod is to ftupefy the Bees with Smoke, to oblige
them to croud together in the Crown of the Hive,
and then turning up the Hive, and cutting out the
Combs fill’d with Honey. Now I think, that turn-
ing up the full Hive, and fetting an empty Hive upon

it,

C 549 3

it, and driving the Bees into it, is preferable to
fmoking : For then a very few Bees will remain in
the full Hive; and thofe few may be ftupefied, and
the Bees in the empty Hive being put on a Table,
the Combs may be taken out and feledtcd at Ieifure,
without Hazard ; and afterwards the empty Hive
may be turn d up, and their old Hive fet over them,
fo that they will go up without Scruple into their
former Hive, and repair their Work, by making new"
Combs : And it the Queen had not quitted the old
Hive, as is often the Cafe, then they would return
to their Queen, and the Society would not, be loft,
as is fometimes the Cafe, in driving into an empty
Hive.

Thefe, Sir, are the few Remarks I have made on
reviling M. Reaumur's curious Obfervations on Bees,
which I thought incumbent upon me to fend you,
to lay before your Learned Society , if it may con-
tribute towards finilhingthe Natural Hiftory of Bees.
I fhall take up no more of your Time, than to af-
fure you, that I am, with the greateft Regard,

SIR,

Tour mojl obedient , and moft humble Servant ,

Arthur Dobbs.

Aaaa z

V.

[ 55° 3

V. Further Experiments on Sub fiances ref fl-
ing Putrefaction ; with Experiments upon
the Means of hafl eiring and promoting it \ by

John Pringle M. D. F. R. S.

.fofl</Nov.i$,Tr TAVING given a particular Account
‘/30- of the Manner of trying Antifeptics

on the fibrous Parts of Animals *, I fhall only mention
the Refult of fome Experiments made with them
upon the Humours.

1. Deco&ions of Wormwood and of the Bark,
alfo Infufions of Chamomile-flowers, and of Snake-
root preferved Yolks of Eggs, not only feveral Days
longer than Water did alone, but alfo when a good
Quantity of Sea-Salt was added to it. I likewife
found that Salt of Hartfhorn preferved this Subftance
better than four times its Weight of Sea-Salt.

2. Ox’s Gall was kept fome time from Putrefac-
tion by fmall Quantities of Lye of Tartar, Spirit of
Hartfhorn, crude Sal Ammoniac , and the faline Mix-
ture, and ftill longer by a Decodion of Wormwood,
Infufions of Camomile-flowers, and of Snake-root ;
by Solutions of Myrrh, Camphire, and Salt of Am-
ber : All were feparately mixed with Gall, and found
more antifeptic than Sea-Salt; and feemingly in pro-
portion to their Effeds upon Flefh. Only Nitre
failed; which, tho’ four times ftronger than Sea-Salt
in keeping Plefh fweet, is inferior to it in preferring
Gall ; and remarkably weaker than crude Sal Am *
maniac, which again is fomewhat lefs powerful

than

* See this Tranfaffm , p, 525, 5sV,

[ SSI ]

than Nitre in preferving Flefh. The Nitre was Toon
opened by the Gal), and emitted a vaft Quantity of
Air, which rofe as from a fermenting Liquo- ; and
when this happened, the Gall began to putrefy.
But the faline Mixture generated no Air, and op-
pofed the Putrefa&ion of Gall more than it did that
of Flefh.

3. The laft Trial was with the Serum of human
Blood, which was preferved by a Deco&ion of the
Bark, and an Infufion of Snake-root, nor with lefs
Efficacy than Flefh. But Saffron and Camphire were
not here above a fourth Part fo antifeptic as before j
whether it be that they are lefs prefervative of this
Humour, or, as I fufped, that they were not well
mixed. Nitre a&ed nearly with its full Force, being
about four times ftronger than Sea-Salt : It generated
fome Air, but much lefs than it did with the Gall.
No other Humour was tried j but, from thefe Spe-
cimens added to the former Experiments, we may
conclude, that whatever is prefervative of Flefh will
be generally antifeptic, tho’ perhaps not always with
equal Force.

4. Having already {hewn how putrid Flefh might
be fweetened, I fhall conclude this Part of my Sub-
jed with a like Trial upon the Yolk of an Egg. A
Portion of this, being diluted with Water, flood
till it corrupted ; when a few Drops were put into
a Phial with two Ounces of pure Water, and about
twice as many Drops were mixed with a ftrong In-
fufion of Camomile-flowers. At firft both Phials had
fome Degree of a putrid Smell ; but being corked,
and kept a few Days near a Fire, the Mixture with

plain

[ 552 1

plain Water contracted a ftrong Fcetor , whilft the
other fmelled only of the Flowers.

Thus far have I related the Experiments made oi
Antifeptics ; by which it appears, that, befides Spi-
rits, Acids, and Salts, we are poffefl’ed of many
powerful Refifters of Putrefadion, endued with Qua-
lities of heating, cooling, \ olatility, Affliction, and
the like, which make fome more adapted than others
to particular Indications. In fome putrid Cafes, many
proper Antifeptics arc already known; in others they
are wanting. We are yet at a Lofs how to correCt
the Sanies of a cancerous Ulcer ; but, from fuch a
Multitude of Antifeptics, it is to be hoped fome
may be found at laft adequate to that Intention. It
may be farther remarked, that, as different Diftcm-
pers of the putrid kind require different Antifeptics,
fo the fame Difeafe will not always yield to the fame
Medicine. Thus the Bark will fail in a Gangrene,
if the Vcffels arc too full, or the Blood fizy : But,
if the Veffels are relaxed, and the Blood refolved or
difpofed to Putrefaction, either from a bad Habit, or
the Abforption of putrid Matter, then is the Bark a
good Specific. With the fame Caution are we to
ufe it in Wounds; viz. chiefly in Cafes of abforbed
Matter, which infeCts the Humours, and induces a
heCtic Fever. But, when inflammatory Symptoms
prevail, the fame Medicine increaflng the Tenfion
of the Fibres, and Sizinefs of the Blood, a State
direCtly oppofed to the other, has fuch Confcquences
as might be expected.

• By the Succefs of the Bark in fo many putrid
Cafes, it fhould appear that AftriCtion had no fmall
Share in the Cure. And indeed the very Nature of

Putrefaction

i

[ 553 ]

Putrefadion confifts in a Separation or Difuivon of
the Parrs. But as there are other Cafes, in which
Aftringency is lefs wanted, we may find in Contra-
yerva-root, Snake-root, Camphirc, and other Sub-
ftances, a highly antifeptic Power, with little; or
none of the other Quality. And fince feveral of
thefe Medicines are alio diaphoretic, their Operation
is thereby render’d more fuccefsful.

I come now to the laft thing propofid, which
was, to give an Account of fome Obfervations made
on Subftmces haftening or promoting Putrefadion ; an
Inquiry not lefs ufcful than the former. For, fetting
afide the ofFcnfive Idea commonly annexed to the
Word, we mud acknowledge Putrefadion to be one
of the Inftruments of Nature, by which many great
and curious Changes are brought about. With re-
gard to Medicine, we know, that neither animalnor
vegetable Subftances can become Aliment, i without
undergoing fome Degree of Putrefadion. Many
Diftempers proceed from a Deficiency of this Adion.
The Qrifes of Fevers feem to depend upon it; and
perhaps even animal Heat, according to a late inge-
nious Theory *.

But, in the Profecution of this Subjed:, I have met
with very few real Septics ; and found many Sub-
ftances, commonly accounted fuch, of a quite oppofite
Nature. The moft general means of accelerating Pu-
trefadiion is, by Heat, Moiftu're, and ftagnating Air;
which being fufficie'ntly 'known and afeertained, I

* An Efiay on the Caufe of animal Heat, by J. Strvenfon,
M. D. Vid* Medical Eflays, Voi. V.

[ 554 1

patted over, without making any particular Experi-
ment on thofe Heads. Lord Bacon *, as well as
fome of the Chemifts, has hinted at a putrid Fer-
mentation, analogous to what is found in Vegetables;
and this having fo near a Connexion with Conta-
gion, I made the following Experiment, for a fur-
ther Illuftration of this Matter.

f. In the Yolk of an Egg, already putrid, a fmali
Thread was dipped, and a fmali Bit of this was cut off
and put into a Phial, with Half of the Yolk of a new-
laid Egg diluted with Water. The other Half, with
as much Water, was put into another Phial, and both
being corked, were fet by the Fire to putrefy. The
Refult was, that the Thread infeCted the frefh Yolk ;
for the Putrefaction was fooner perceived in the Phial
that contained it, than in the other. But this Ex-
periment was not repeated.

In this manner the Putrefaction of Meat advances
quicker in a confined than a free Air ; for, as the
mod putrid Parrs are alfo the mod fugitive ; they
inceffantly ifiiic from a corruptible Subftance, and
difperfe with the Wind; but in a Stagnation of Air,
they remain about the Body; and by way of Fer-
ment excite it to Corruption.

6. As for other Septics, recited by Authors, I
found none of them anfwer the Purpofe. The al-
caline Salts have been confider’d as the chief Putre-
fiers. But this is difproved by Experiments. Of the
Volatiles it may be indeed obferved, that, tho’ they
preferve from the common Marks of Putrefaction,

with

• Vide Nat, Hiji , Cent. JV. E*per. 33$,

[ 555 1

with a Force four times greater than that of Sea
Salt } yet, in warm Infufions, a fmall Quantity of
thefe Salts will foften and refolve the Fibres, more
than Water does by itfelf. They alfo hinder the
Coagulation of Blood; and when taken by way of
Medicine, thin and refolve it, but are not therefore
Septics. For, fo little do thefe Salts putrefy, or even
refolve the Fibres, when applied dry, that I have
kept, fince the Beginning of June laft, notwithftand*
ing the exceflive Heats, a fmall Piece of Flefh in a
Phial, preferved only with Salt of Hartfhorn, at pre-
fent perfe&ly found, and firmer than when firft falted.

7. From the Specimens we had oftheantifcorbutic
Plants, it is likewife probable none of that Tribe
will prove feptic. Horfe-radifh, one of the molt
acrid, is a very powerful Andfeptic. And tho' Car-
rots, Turneps, Garlick, Onions, Celery, Cabbage,
and Colewort, were tried (as Alcalefcents) they did
not haften, but fomewhat retarded, the Putrefa&ion.

8. The Cafe was different with fuch farinaceous

Vegetables as were examined; viz. white Bread in
Infufion, Deco&ions of Flour, Barley, and Oat-
meal ; for thefe did not at all retard Putrefa&ion ;
but, after it was fomewhat advanced, they check'd
it, by turning four. By a long Digeftion the Aci-
dity became confiderable ; which, by conquering
the Putrefcency of the Flefh, and generating much
Air, did not ill reprefent the State of weak Bowels,
which convert Bread, and the mildeft Grains, to fuch
an Acid, as prevents a due Refolution and Digeftion
of animal Food*. p.

* It is to be remarked, that, m making this Experiment, I did
not then attend to a Fermentation that enfued, and which was the

Caule

Bbbb

[ 55<* ]

9. I examined Cantharides , dried Vipers, and
Ruffian Cajior , all animal Subftanccs, and therefore
mod likely to prove feptic. The Flies were tried
both with frefh Beef, and with the Serum of human
Blood } the Vipers only with the former ; bur neither
of them haftened Putrefaction. And as for the Caf-
tor , fo far from promoting this Procefs, that an In-
fufion of 1 2 Grains oppofed it more than the ftandard
Salt.

10. After finding no Septics where they were
mod expeded, I difeovered fome which feemed rhe
leaft likely ; viz. Chalk, the Tejiacea , and common
Salt.

Twenty Grains of Crabs-eyes prepared, were
mixed with 6 Drachms of Ox’s Gall, and as much
Water > into another Phial was put nothing but Gall
and Water, in the fame Quantity with the former,
and both being placed in the Furnace, the Putrefac-
tion began much fooner, where the Powder was,
than in the other Phial. I infufed afterwards in the
Lamp-Furnace 50 Grains of prepared Chalk, with
the ufual Quantity of Flefh and Water; and ob-
ferved* that the Corruption not only began fooner,
but went higher by this Mixture; nay, what had never
happened before, that in a few Days the Fkfh re-
folved into a perfed Mucus . The Experiment was
repeated with the fameEffed ; which being fo extra-
ordinary, Ifufpeded fome corroftve Subftance had been
mixed, with the Powder : But, for a Trial, a Lump
;m;i b- J b • , - of '

.0

Caufe of the Acidity. This kind of Fermentation between animal
and vegetable Subftances, being hitherto overlooked, ihall be there-
fore fet forth in my next Paper.

CJ fJ '

1

[ 557 ]

of Chalk being pounded, 30 Grains of it proved
fully as feptic as the former. The fame Powder
was compared with an equal Quantity of Salt of
Wormwood, and Care was taken to fhake both the
Mixtures alike : But, after three Days warm Digeftion,
the Salt had neither tainted nor foften’d the Flefh,
whilft the Chalk had rotted and confumed that
which was joined to it. Nor were the EfFeds lefs
of the teftaceous Powders of the Difpenfary. Egg-
fhells in Water refitted Putrefadion, and preferved
the Meat longer firm than plain Water *.

11. To try whether the Teftacea would alfo
dittolve vegetable Subftances, I infufed them with
Barley and Water, and compared this Mixture with
another of Barley and Water, without the Teftacea.
After a long Maceration by a Fire, the plain Water
fwelled the Barley, became mucilaginous and four }
but that with the Powder kept the Grain to its
natural Size, tho’ it foftened it, made no Mucilage,
and remained fwcet.

12. Nothing could be more unexpeded than to
find Sea Salt a Haftener of Putrefadion. But the
Fad is thus. One Drachm of Salt preferves. two
Drachms of frefh Beef, in two Ounces of Water,
above 30 Hours, uncorrupted, in a Heat equal to
that of the human Body} or, what amounts to the
fame, this Quantity of Salt keeps Flefh about 20
Hours longer fweet, than pure Water} but half a
Drachm of Salt does not preferve it above 2 Hours
longer. This Experiment has been already men-
tioned.

* The Trial was made with a coarfe Powder, of this Subftance,
but not repeated.

B b b b 2

[ 558 1

tioned. Now I have fince found, that 2f Grains
have little or no antifeptic Virtue ; and that io, or
if, or even 20 Grains manifeftly both haften and
heighten the Corruption*. It is moreover to be
remarked, that in warm Infulions with thefe imallcr
Quantities, the Salt, inftead of hardening the Fleflh,
as it does in a dry Form, in Brine, or even in Solu-
tions, fuch as our Standard, it here foftens and re-
laxes the Texture of the Meat, more than plain Water ;
tho’ much lefs than Water with Chalk, or the telta-
ceous Powders.

Many Inferences might he made from this Expe-
riment; but I fhall only mention one. Salt, the
indifpenfable Seafoner of animal Food, has been
fuppofed to aft by an antifeptic Quality, corre&ing
the too great Tendency of Meats to Putrefaction.
Bur, fince it is never taken in Aliment beyond the
Proportion of the corrupting Quantities in our Ex-
periment, it would appear that Salt is fubfcrvient to
Digeftion, chiefly by a feptic Virtue; that is, by
foftening and refolving Meats;- an Action very dif-
ferent from what is commonly believed.

* The moft putrefying Qantity of Salt, with, this Proportion of
Salt and Water, is about JO Grains.

[ 559 ]

VI. A Letter from Mr . John Robertfon to
the Prefident, contawing an Explanation
of the late Dr. Halley V Demonflration of
the Analogy of the Logarithmic Tangents
to the Meridian Line, or Sum of the
Secants.

Rtad Nov. 2 2.
*7 S°-

M

SIR ,

Y Curiofity having lately

led me

to perufe feveral Books on the
Art of Navigation, I was fomewhat furprifed not to
find in any one of them a clear Explanation of that
mod curious Paper in Np 219. of the Tkilofophical
Tran fall ions, written by the excellent Mathematician
Dr. Halley ; who, not intending to write for Begin-
ners, as himfelf confelTes, has drawn his Conclu-
fions in a manner, that feems to ftand in need of
an Explanation, for the Generality of Readers: And
as the maritime People arc not the beft acquainted
with mathematical Knowledge, it might have been
expeded, that fuch of the Writers on Navigation
within the laft yo Years, who have undertaken to
demonftrate the leveral Parts of their Subjed, would
have removed the Difficulties in the Doctor’s Paper,,
inftead of leaving them in the fame State in which
they firft appeared.

Dr Halley y in this Trad, feems to have had two
chief Points in View ,* Firlt, To prove, that the
Divtjions of the Meridian Line in a Mercators

Chart 9

[ 56° ]

Chart, were analogous to the logarithmic Tangents
of the Half-Complements of the Latitudes. And,
fecondly, To find a Rule by which the Tables of
meridional cParts might be computed from BriggsV,
or the common logarithmic Tangents. The former
of thel'e the Doctor has clearly and elegant. y proved :
But he has given rather too few Steps to fhew as
clearly the Inveftigation of the latter.

Indeed in many of the Treatifes on Fluxions, it is
fiaewn how to inveftigate a Rule to find the meri-
dional Parts to any Latitude : Bur, to underftand
thole Methods, requires fome Skill in algebraical
and fluxionary Computations 5 neither of which are
neaflary in this Bufinefs, by keeping to the Doctor’s
Principles, as will be evident from the following
Articles; fome of which are already well known;
yet it was thought convenient to annex them to this
Difcourfe, by

Tour moft humble Servant ,

John Robertfon.

Article I. If the Circumference of a Circle be di-
vided into any Number of equal Parts by as many
Radn, and a L ne be drawn from the Circumfe-
rence cutting thoje Radii, fo that their Tarts in-
tercepted between this Line and the Centre be
in a continued decreafing geometric ProgreJ]ion\
then will that interfelting Line be a Curve ,
called the proportional Spiral , and will interfe£t
thofe Radii at equal Angles.

I t .»#

This

[ f61 ]

This will be evident, by fuppofing the Radii fo
near to one another, that the intercepted Parts of
the Spiral may be taken as right Lines : For then
there will be a Scries of fimilar Triangles, each hav-
ing an equal Angle at the Centre, and the Sides about
thofc Angles proportional.

Art. II. The fame things fill fuppo fed, the ‘Tarts
of the Circumference of the Circle , reckoned from
any one Toint , may be taken as the Logarithms
of the Ratio’s between the correfponding Rays of
the Sr i al.

For thofc Rays are a Scries of Terms in a conti-
nued geometric Progrellion ; and the Parts of the
Circumference form a Series of Terms in arithme-
tic Progrellion. Now the Terms of the arithmetic
Series being taken as the Exponents of the corre-
fponding Terms in the geometric Series, there will
be the fame Relation between each geometric Term
and its Correlative, as between Numbers and their
Logarithms. And hence the proportional Spiral is
alfo called the logarithmic Spiral.

A r 1. 1 1 1. That proportional Spiral , which interfeffs
its Radii at Angles of Degrees , produces Lo-

garithms that are 0/ NapierT Kind.

For, it the Difference between the frit and fecond
Terms in the geometric Series was indefinitely fmall,
and the fir If Divifion of the Circumference was of
the fame Magnitude, then may that Part of the Spi-
ral, intercepted between the firft and fecond Radii,
be taken as the Diagonal of a Square, twoofwhofe
Sides arc Parts of thofe Radii : Therefore the Spiral

which

[ S62 ]

which cuts its Rays at Angles of 45- Degrees, has
a kind of Logarithms belonging to it, fo related to
their correiponding Numbers, that the tmalleft Va-
riation between the firft: and fecond Terms in the
geometric Series, is equal to the Logarithm of the
fecond Term, a Cypher being taken for the Loga-
rithm of the firft. But of this kind are the hyper-
bolical Logarithms, or thofe firft made by their
Inventor the Lord Napier : Confequently the Loga-
rithms to that Spiral which cuts its Rays at Angles
of 4y Degrees, are of the Napierian Kind.

Art. IV. The Rhumb-Lines on the Globe are ana-
logous to the logarithmic Spiral.

For every oblique Rhumb cuts the Meridian at
equal Angles: And it is a Property in ftereoeraphic
Projections, that the Lines therein interfering one
another, form Angles equal to thofe which they re-
prefent on the Sphere. Therefore a Projection of the
Sphere bang made on the Plane of the Equator,
the Meridians wiL become the Radii of the Equator,
and the Rhumbs interfering them .t equal Angies,
will become the proportional Spiral.

Hence, the Arcs of the Equator, or the Differences
of Longitude reckoned from the fame Meridian,
are as the Logarithms of thofe Parts of tne corre-
fponding Meridians, intercepted between the Centre
and Rhumb-Line.

Art. V. A Sea Chart being confirucled, wherein
the Meridians are parade l to o.,e another , and
the Lengths op the Degrees of Latitude increafe
in the fame ‘Proportion as the meridional Di -

Jiances

C 563 1 ,

fiances decreafe on the Globes , will conflitute a
Mercator s Chart wherein , befides the Pofitions
of Places having the fame Proportions to one
another as on the Globes , the rhumb Lines will
be reprefnted by right Lines.

For none but tight Lines can cut at equal Angles
feveral parallel right Lines.

Art. VI. The Divifions of the meridian Line on
a Mercator’s Chart , are the fame as a Table of
the Differences of Longitude anfwering to each
Minute , or fmall Difference of Latitude on the
rhumb Line making Angles of 4y Degrees with
the Meridians.

For, in fuch a Chart,- the Parallels of Latitude arc
equal to the Equator, and are at right Angles to the
Meridians: And therefore a Rhumb of 4y Degrees
cuts the Meridians and Parallels of Latitudes at equal
Angles j confequently between the Interfe&ion of
any Meridian and Parallel, and a Rhumb cutting
them at qy Degrees, there muff be equal Parts of
the Meridian and Parallel intercepted : Now,- on the
Equator, or Parallels of Latitude, are reckoned all
the fuccellive Differences of Longitudes, and on the
Meridians the fuccellive meridional Differences of La-
titudes, or the Divifions of the nautical Meridian :
Therefore on the Rhumb of 4y Degrees, the fuccellive
Differences of Longitude are equal to the correfpond-
ing Divifions of the nautical Meridian.

* • j t J,r L - 1 . x i

Art. VII. The Tangents of the Angles which dif-
ferent Rhumbs . make with the Meridians , are di-
rectly proportional to the Differences of Longi-
C c c c tildes

[ 564 ]

t tides made on thofe Rhumbs , when the meridi-
onal Differences of Latitudes are equal or , are
reciprocally proportional to unequal meridional
Differences of Latitudes on thofe Rhumbs , when
the Differences of Longitudes are equal.

For the meridional Difference of Latitude, is to
the Difference of Longitude; as Radius is to the Tan-
gent of the Angle of the Courfe, or of the Angle
which the Rhumb makes with the Meridian. There-
fore, when the meridional Differences of Latitudes
are equal, the Differences of Longitudes are as the
Tangents of the Courfes : But, when the Differences
of Longitudes are equal, the meridional Differences
of Latitudes are reciprocally as the Tangents of the
Courfes.

Art. VIII. The logarithmic Tangents of the Half-
Complements of the Latitudes , are analogous to
the lengthen’d Degrees in the nautical Meridian
Line , in a Mercator s Chart.

For, in the ftereogr^phic Projection of the Sphere
on the Plane of the Equator, the Latitudes of Places
are projected by the Half-Tangents of the Comple-
ments of thofe Latitudes, which Half-Tangents are the
Rays of a proportional Spiral : Now, if a Series of
fuccellive Latitudes be taken on any Rhumb, the
correfponding Differences of Longitudes will be Lo-
garithms to the Rays of the Spiral, or to the Tangents
of the Half-Complements of thofe Latitudes : There-
fore' the Differences of Longitudes are as the loga-
rithmic T angents of the Hal f-Complements of the La-
titudes : But(^r/.VI.) the lengthened Degrees on the

nautical

[ 565 ]

nautical Meridian are as the Differences of Longitudes
on the Rhumb of 45* Degrees 5 confequcntly the
logarithmic Tangents of the Half-Complements of
Latitudes are as the lengthened Degrees on the nau-
tical Meridian.

Corol. 1. When the Angle between the rhumb
Line and the Meridian is equal to 45 Degrees, then
the Longitudes of Places on that Rhumb are exprefl'ed
by Logarithms of Napier's Kind j whofe corrcfpond-
ing Numbers arc natural Tangents of the Half-
Complements of the Latitudes to Arcs expreffed in
Parts of the Radius .

Corol. 2. Hence, to any two Places on a Rhumb
of 45- Degrees, the Difference of Longitude, or the
meridional Difference of Latitude, is equal to the
Difference of the Napierian logarithmic Tangents
of the Half-Complements of the Latitudes of thole
Places, eftimated in Parrs of the Radius, .

Corol. 3. As there may be an indefinite Variety
of Rhumbs, and therefore as many different Kinds
of Logarithms, confequently every Species of Loga-
rithms has its peculiar Rhumb, diftinguifhable by
the Angle it makes with the Meridian : Therefore,
among thefe there are two Kinds, whereto the Dif-
ferences of Longitudes are the Differences of the
logarithmic Tangents of the Half-Complements of
Latitudes, eftimated in Minutes of a Degree j one of
them belonging to Napier’s Form of logarithmic
Tangents, and the other to Briggs's, or the common
logarithmic Tangents.

Art. IX, The common logarithmic Tangents are a

Table of the ‘Differences of Longitudes, to every
C c c c a Minute

C 566 ]

Minute 'of Latitude t on the rhumb Lire making
Angles with the Meridians of $1° 38' 9".

For, let rcprclent the meridional Difference of
Latitude between two Places on the Rhumb of 45
Degrees; or its Equal, the Difference between the
logarithmic Tangents of. the Half-Complements of
the Latitudes of thofe Places, eftimated either in
Parts of the Radius , or in Minutes of a Degree.
Then,

As the Circumference in Parrs of the Radius
= 62831,853 &c.

To the Circumference in Minutes of a Degree
> — 21600.

So is a meridional Difference of Latitude in Parts of
the Radius = z.

To a meridional Difference of Latitude in Minutes
of a Degree, = 0,34377468 &c. x
Whole correfponding Rhumb is different from
that which .c, belonged to; and the Angle which
this Rhumb makes wirh the Meridian, will be found
by the following Analogy from Art. 7.

As the meridional Difference of Latitude on one
Rhumb = o 34377468 &c. z.

To the meridional Difference of Latitudc^on a Rhumb
of 45 Degrees, = z.

So is the natural Tangent of the Rhumb of 45
Degrees, — 1 0000.

To the natural Tangent of the other Rhumb,
== 29088,82 1, &c.

Which Tangent anfwers to 71° 1' 42"; and this
is the Angle that the rhumb. Line makes with the
Meridians, cn which the Differences of the logarithmic

Tangents

c 567 •]

Tangents of the Half-Complements of the latitudes,'
in Napier’s Form, are the true Di'tFuenees of Lon-
gitudes eftimated in fexaseftmal Parts ot a Degree.

Now Napiers Logarithms being to Briggs Sr as
2,302^58 &c. is to 1. .1 r-

Therefore, 2,30258 &c. : 1 :: 29088,821 &c.

: 12633,114 &c. ; which is the Tangent df 51®
38' 9"; and in this Angle axe the Meridians ihterL
feded by that Rhumb, on which the Differences of
Bricgs's logarithmic Tangents of the Half Comple-
ments of the Latitudes, are the true Differences of
Longitudes correlpondwg to thofe Latitudes.
n- : , ;.v! - ;./ noi?rn:ivf//I 1o ihou' ri

Art. X. The \ Difference between Briggs’ s loga-
rithmic Tangents 6f the Half -Complements of
the Latitudes of any two B laces, to the meri -
dional Difference of Latitude in Minutes between
thofe B laces, is in the conflant Ratio of 1263,3
&c. to 1 j or of 1 to 0,0007915704 &c.

For Briggs s logarithmic Tangents arc as the Dif-
ferences of Longitudes on the Rhumb ( A ) of 51®
38' 9''; whofe natural Tangent is 1263,3 &c.

The nautical Meridian is a Scale of Longitudes on
♦the Rhumb (B) of 45 Degrees, by Art. VI. whofe
Tangent being equal to the Radius , may be ex-
preffed by Unity. And the Differences of Longitude
to equal Differences of Latitudes on different Rhumbs,
being to each other as the Tangents of the Angles
thofe Rhumbs make with the Meridians. Therefore,

As the Tangent of A (510 g8' 9") — 1,2633, &c.
To the Tangent of B (45°) — 1,00005

l

So

[ S68 ] •

So is the Difference of Longitudes on A , or the
Difference between the logarithmic Tangents of
the Half Co-latitudes of two Places
To the Difference of Longitudes on B, or the me-
ridional Difference of Latitudes of thofe Places.
And hence arife the Rules which arc given in nau-
tical Works, for finding the meridional Parts by a
Table of common logarithmic Tangents.

This curious Difcovery of Dr. Halley’ s, joined to
that excellent Thought of his, of delineating the Lines,
fhewing the Variation of the Compafs, on the nautical
Chart, arc fome of the very few ufeful Additions
made to the Art of Navigation within the laft i yo
Years: For if, befide thefe, we except the Labours
of that ingenious Artift Mr. Richard Norwood, who
improved the Art by adding to it the Manner of
failing in a Current, and by finding the Meafure of
a Degree on a great Circle, the Theory of Naviga-
tion will be found nearly in the fame State in which
it was left by that eminent Mathematician Mr.
Edward IVnght ; who, about the Year 1600, pub-
lifhed the Principles on which the true nautical Art
is founded ; and fhewed, what does not appear to
have been known before, how to cfiimate a Ship's
true Place at Sea, as well in Longitude as in Lati-
tude, by the Ufe of a Table of meridional Parts,
firft made by himfelf, and conftruded by the con-
ftant Addition of the Secants, and which differs al-
moft ini'eniibly from fuch a Table made on Dr. Hal -
Ay’s Principles, contained in the preceding Articles.

Ifhall conclude this Difcourfe with anArticle, which,
altho’ it be fomewhat foreign to the preceding Sub-
fed, yet, as it was difeover’d while 1 was contem-
plating

I

f 569 ]

tempi a ting fome Part thereof, and perhaps is not
exhibited in the fame View by others, it may not
be improper to annex it in this Place : Which is to
demonftrate this common logarithmic Property, that
the Fluxion of a Number divided by that Number ,
is equal to the Fluxion Napierian Logarithm
of that Number.

Let BEG be a loga-
rithmic Spiral, cutting its
Rays at Angles of 4,5* De-
grees: Then, if A E be
taken as a Number, BC
will be its Napierian or
hyperbolic Logarithm.

Alfo, let C' Z) exprefs
the Fluxion of the Loga-
rithm BCi and the cor-
re'ponding Fluxion of the
Number AE, will be re-
presented by FG , or its
Equal FE-, as the Angles
FEG and FGE are equal.

Now, AC :CT):: AE: ( EF= ) FG.

Therefore CT> = * AB. ,

And if AB be taken as the Unit or Term from
whence the Numbers begin :

Then CT> = /. d.

va,

f r5'7° ]

VII . OWervatio Eclipfeos Lunaris totalis cum mora, habi
JVitt&mbergcz, 1750, die 19 'Jumi , tubo 6 ped. p:
corre&ione horQlogii, quadrarite telefcopico i 8 digitorur
akitudines Solis. correfpondentes die 1 9 Jumi, per G. A
Bdfe, . Phyiic.: Prof. WtttembergcB^ &c.

k "

alt. ©is

h ' "

h ' " |

811 4

38° 34

3 47 4°

23 58 44

12 30

38 44

46 9

58 39

18 17

39 4°

40 3 1

58 48

20 23

40 0

38 39

59 2

23 30

40 25

35 *7

58 47

27 36

41 0

31 23

58 59

29 4

41 15

30 2

59 6

Nov. zz,

h ' - "

59 22
59 f9*
59 2+
59 3 1
59 232
59 293
59 33

1750

.

hinc meridies
corredio ob declin. folis
meridies correct,
et corredio horolologii

b

1 1

59

1 1

59

+

Coelum ortum verfus denfis Temper nubibus tedum. Tandem

.nil

temp.

h

horol.

to

1 1

5°

54

58

o

9
1 2

H

16

18

20

23

25

o

0

13

22

36

3

53

1
8

9

32

40

7
1 6

temp. corr.

h

10

5°

37

37

1 1

Luna ad momentum viiibilis.
Ariftarchus jam detedus.

Emerfio diu praeterierat.

SiW j I

58

5°

partes lucidae

jrev.

220°

hoc eft

9'

.49"

. 0

59

4

75

-

1 1

26

4

13

4

192

1 2

19

6

40

5

37

J3

52

10

30

5

245

.

*5

26 .

I 2

38

■ r~ ' f

5

359

16

13

*4

45

J JL *

V

6

152

: ; O-T .

>7

27

16

46

6 ..

321

18

43

>9

9

• c.!

7 ''

ITT

riff '

1 9

-56

21

1 7

7

263

-

2 1

1

23

44

:■) J

7

319

♦

21

25 ~

25

53

8

: 55

.rr-.

22

9 ‘

Vix credo ex eclipfibus lunaribus differential!! meridianorum tuto erui.

<% (A * ' — p '

finis umbrae verse, mihf. --
finis, amico tubo quadrantis ij ped.
finis, ex projedione amici.

temp, horol.

temp. corr.

h

//

h

/<

1 1 40

0

I I 40

37

40

40

45

>7

40

30

39

38

39

1 1

•

39

46

finis, ex calendario corredo Lipf.
fin'iSy/uivant la Connoiflance des temps,
finis, ex ephemeridibus Manfredii.

o

H2

Diameter Luna; micrometro — 1 1
I at iemidiameter Lunae :=

di_m, fecundum Nicafium Grammatici —
iecundum J. Gauppium,

‘■rundum calendarium Liofienfe .

hoc eft

* adhibita differentia :
ridianorum quam 1
per mere, in folede
minavi, et qua ut
Acad. Parifin. in d
. Connoijfance.

30
*5
1 5
*5
1 c

57
28 i-

25 y Vide Rojl' s)Tab. 12.
2}£Aftronom. JTab. 13.
22

/

[ 57i 3

VIII. Two Letters from the Rev. Henry
Miles F. R. S. D. D. to Mr. Henry Baker
F.R.S. concerning the Heat of the Weather
in July and September l aft.

I.

TDear Sir ,

/«iNov. 22.Tr SEND you a brief Account of the State
of the W eather, in this Place, on the
nth Inftant, when the remarkable Storm happened;
which, if you think fit, may be communicated to
the Royal Society , when they meet; as there will
probably be other Particulars relating to it fent in.

The Morning at 4 had nothing remarkable: At
2 p. m. the Heavens moftly clear, and no Indications
of a Storm ; the Barometer having fallen but-j-l^ Inch
fince 4 a. m. it then flood at 30, 20. the Thermome-
ter at 877, and before 3 p. m. at 88^, which is the
hotteft Temperature of the Air I ever knew.

At 4 p.m. we had very diftant Thunder; loon
after it came a little nearer, and was one continued
Murmur, without any perceivable Intermifllon for
great Part of an Hour: The Lightning accompany-
ing it, not much. The Wind was nearly S. W.
and dark Clouds pafled by on each Side of us till
they united in the N. forming one of the blackeft
Clouds I ever faw, over the City, as near as I could
guefs. We had not one Drop of Rain, nor did there
fall either Rain or Hail for near 3 Miles to the N.
of us towards London : A few Hail-ftones, I am in-
formed, fell in fome Parts of Clapham 5 what the

D d d d Extent

[ 572 ]

of the Storm might be on other Sides of the City
I have not heard.

, By the Obfervation I made, there did not appear
anjr confiderable Change in the State of the Air, as
to the Weight or Heat of it. The Barometer fell
little, and the Thermometer no more than ufual at
that time of the Evening. Mr. Canton writes me,
that his Thermometer in Spital Square (of the fame
Conftru&ion with mine, and kept too in the open
Air) fell no lefs than 17 Degrees. Iam,

Tooting, July 18, 'Dear Sirt

1750.

Tour , and the Royal Society’/,
mofl obedient y and
tnofi humble Servant ,

H. Miles,

IL

Tooting , September “i, 1750.

At 4 a, m. the Wind being eafterly, and blow-
ing ftrong, accompanied with feveral fliort
Showers of Rain, the Barometer being at 29,97, 1
obferved my Thermometer abroad to ftand at 61 : A
Degree of Heat exceeding any I have taken notice
of during the whole Summer at that time of the
Morning.

H. Miles,

IX.

[ 573 3

IX. ExtraEl of a hotter from Mr. William
Arderon F. R. S . to Mr. H. Baker F.R.S .
concerning the hot Weather in July lafi .

EDear Sir,

HeaJNov. ?2.rTr™^ HIS Letter waits upon you with
1750 JL my Obfervations on the late hot
Weather; which, for 12 Days part, has been here at
Norwich the molt exceflive I ever knew. The Be-
ginning of this Heat was on the 8th of this inftant
July ; on which (tho’ the whole Day was cloudy)
the Ground was fo uncommonly hot, that I could
not bear to walk on it long together without much
Uncafinels; and many were fenfibie of the fame
Inconvenience as well as myfelf.

On JVednefday the nth, which was the hottefl:
Day of all, my Thermometer in the Sun’s Rays flood
11 Decrees above the Heat of human Blood; and
in the Shade, in my Houfe, only 8 Degrees below
it. The Diflance between Freezing and the Heat of
human Blood being divided into 100 Parts.

An Inch of Tallow, of an Inch in D ameter,
liquefied in the Sun in lefs than 30 Minutes. A Piece
of Refin, of an Inch in Diameter, became fo foft
as to be liable to take any lmprefiion in the fame
time.

Bur, that you may form a better Judgment of the
Heat at Norwich , on the faid nth Day of July, and
for three Days before, and for 3 Days after, you will
fee below how Hauksbee s Thermometer flood at
different Times in each of thofe Days.

D d d d 2 July

C 57+ 3

July 8'

^ Morning
£ Evening

7

10

33

29 * ■

«

^ V , t.

f Morning

7

4

26

July 9

\ Evening

2

- :

(.Evening

10

18

("Morning

7

24

July

10.

■J Evening

2

11

(.Evening

10

id

("Morning

7

i<> Reaum. Fahr.
1026 = 83

July

11

Evening

2

(^Evening

10

id

'1

("Morning

7

18

July

12,

J Evening

2

12

(.Evening

IO

id

f Morning

7

18

July

*3*

! Evening

2

12

1

[Evening

10

id

July

r j

("Morning

7

32

14*

{ Evening

2

1

[Evening

10

29

I obferve 3

o'

Clock in the Afternoon, when the

Sky is clear, is the hotteft Part of the Days but
Clouds moftly came on about that time on thefe
Days.

Many People here, who judged by their outward
Senfes only, without paying any Regard to Thermo-
meters,

[ 5 ?;S ]

meters, have thought the nth of June 1748 was
hotter: But I imagine the. Reafon to be, that .the
Heat this Year came on gradually from Day to Day j
whereas in the Year 1748 it was much more fudden j
the Thermometer then rifing 22 Dcgiees more in
one Day than the preceding ; which, consequently,
would make the Difference between one Day and
another appear the more extraordinary. Brit, by my
Obfervations on the ntho f June 1748, Hauksbee’s
Thermometer hood at 14-^5 full 6 Degrees cooler
than on die nth of this prefent July, lam,

Norwich, July 23.
1750.

SIR,

Tour moft humble Servant ,

William Arderon.

• ‘ '• >0 *0 1 if- IqL*

<P. S. Several Horfes have dropped down dead un-
der their Matters, overcome by this violent Heat.

X. A total Eclipfe of the Moon, obferved
Dec. 2, 1750. in the Morning in the
Strand, London, about 5" of Eime Weft of
St. Paul’j-, and 2ft Weft of the Royal Ob-
fervatory at Greenwich ; by Dr . Bevis and
Mr. James Short B \ R . S.

RtaJ Dec.
1750.

It

SENSIBLE Renumbra h r
(Dec. i.) at 16 . 32 o

The Eclipfe judged to begin at 36 yo

Grimaldi

[ 576 ]

nit : • ■ r 1

h

/

u

Grimaldi covered . . *

40

20

Shadow touches Mare Humorum

4f

2 6

at the Middle of Kepler

48

40

at the Middle of Arijlarchus

fo

7

touches Copernicus
Copernicus half-cover’d
— ■ ■■ ■ — quite cover'd *

55

23

t*

56

5 8

5

Timocharis half-cover’d

59

0

Shadow touches Tycho

59

20

at the Middle of Tycho

17

0

0

covers Tycho

1

3

at the Middle of Menelaus .

14

42

touches Coclenius

24

29

covers Goclenius

2 5

1 7

at the Middle of Troclus

27

20

touches Mare Cri/ium

28

44

at the Middle of Mare Crijium

31

covers Mare Crijium

33

3°

Total Immerfion at

3 6

5

The Moon begins to emerge . .

I5>

14

33

Grimaldi begins to emerge

1 6

4

quite uncover’d

18

‘ 10

\ U; . ' ~ i ;

The Moon was now got fo low, and Day-light
fo far advanced, that no more Phafes could be ob-
ferved with any Degree of Certainty.

Thefe Observations were made with a rcfkfting
Telefcope, that magnified 40 tiine-s, and a. tefrafring
Telefcope, which magnified 12 times 5 and the Times
were the fame thro’ thefe t\vo Telefcopesj for the
Air was exceeding clear, and the Shadow well de-
fined, the Temimbra being fcarce ienfiblc.

Here

1

C 577 3 ’

Here follows a Computation, made from Dr.
Halley’s Tables, by Mr. John Catlin , of Guyis ■
Hofpiral; and fent to Mr. Short the Day before the
Eclipfe.

Dec. i. in the Morning 175-0. h r n
Beginning of the Moon’s Eclipfe . 1 6 44 31

Immerfion at . . • l7l 42Ar^f

Emerfion at . . . 29 - 26 37

End at . . 20"’ 18 51

*

From hence it appears, that the Eclipfe began
about 8 Minutes fooner than the Computation from
Dr. Halley's Tables gave it ; but the Computation
which Mr. Brent made and publifhcd fome time?
before the Eclipfe happen’d, was within a Minute
of the Time obferved ; and this -Exa&nefs he im-
putes to his leaving out three of the feven Equa-
tions of the Moon, publifhed by Sir IJ'aac Hewton
in his Theory of the Moon. ? .

*» 1

f • \

j UsV:t

.1 -H

; \j.i

f I f

.• . r \:: • ontt

XL

O

XI. An Account of fome Experiments , made
' by Benjamin Robins Efq\ F. R. S. Mr.
Samuel Da Cofta, and fever al other Gentle -
men, in order to difcover the Height to
3 •which Rockets may be ?nade to afcend , and
l to what Dijlance their Light may be Jeon \
by Mr. John Ellicott F. R. S.

nr '-jrj i- • f i .• .... , |

Read Dec.^oON after the Exhibition of the Fire-
|.3- i/5°- works * in th t Green :Park, Mr. Robins
communicated to this Society an Account of the
Height to which feveral of the Rockets there hred
were obferved to rife. In this Account, after hav-
ing given a fhort Defcription of the Inhrument with
which the Heights were meafured, he obferves, that
the cuhomary Height to which the fmgle or hono-
rary Rockets, as they are hiled, afeended, was about
4 6y Yards? that three of them rofe to about yyo
Yards j and the greateft Height of any of thofe
hired in the grand Girandole was about 6 oo Yards.
He like wife further obferved, that, fuppoiing Roc-
kets are made to afcend 6oo Yards, or more than a
Third of a Mile, it follows, that if their Light be
fufhciently ftrong, and the Air not hazy, they may
be feen in a level Country at above yo Miles Di-
ha nee ; and that, from the Nature of the Compo-
htion, and the ufual imperfed Manner of forming
them, he j was of Opinion that Rockets were capable
of being greatly improved, and made to reach much
greater Dihances.

Mr.

* On Occafion of the late Peace,

[ 579 ]

Mr. Robins not having been able to obtain any
certain Account to what Diftancc any of thefe
Rockets were actually feen, and confidcring the great
Ufe that might be made of Rockets in determining
the Portion of diftant Places, and in giving Signals
for naval and military Purpofes, he refolved to or-
der fome Rockets to be fired at an appointed Time,
and to defire fome of his Friends to Iook out for
them at fcveral very diftant Places.

The Places fix’d upon for this Purpofe, were,
Godmarjharn in Kent , about 70 Miles diftant from
London ; Beacon Hill on Tiptery- Heath in Effcx,
at about 40 Miles; and Barkway , on the Borders
of Hertfordjhire , about 38 Miles from Londoji.

Mr. Robins accordingly order’d fome Ro:kccs to
be made by a Perfon many Years employ’d in the
Royal Laboratory at Woolwich ; to which fome
Gentlemen, who had been inform’d of M r. Robins’s
Intentions, added fome others of their own making.
The 27th of September, 1749- at 8 in the Evening,
was the Time appointed for the firing of them ; but,
thro’ the Negligence of the Engineer, they were
not let off till above half an Hour after the Time
agreed upon. There were in all- a dozen Rockets
fired from London Field at Hackney j and the
Heights were meafur’d by Mr. Canton , Mr. Robins
being prefent, at the Diftance of about 1 200 Yards
from the Poft from whence the Rockets were fir'd.
The greateft Part of them did not rife to above
400 Yards; one to about 500, and one to 600
Yards nearly.

By a Letter I receiv’d the next Day from the
Rev. Dr. Mafony of Trinity College , Cambridge ,

E e c e who

[ 5§o ]

who had undertaken to look out for them from
Bark'way on the Borders of Hertfordjbire , I was,
informed, that, having waited upon a Hill near the
Town with fome of his Friends till about half an
Hour paft: the Time appointed, without perceiving
any Rockets, as they were returning to the Town,
fome of the Company feeing thro' the Trees what
they took to be a Rocket, they immediately hailen’d
back out of the Clofes into the open Fields, and
plainly faw 4 rife, turn, and fpread : He judged
they rofe about one Degree above the Horizon, and
that their Lights were ftrong enough to have been
feeti much farther.

From EJfex I was inform’d, that the Perfons on
Tiptery -Heath faw 8 or 9 Rockets very diftinftly,
at about half an Hour pall 8 ; and likewife greatly
to the Eaftward of thefe y or 6 more. The Gentle-
men from Godmarjham in Kent having waited till
above half an Hour paft 8, without being able to
diicern any Rockets, they fired half a dozen ; which,
from the Bearings of the Places were moft probably
thofe feen to the Eaftward by the Perfons upon Tip-
tery Heaths and if the Situations, as laid down in the
common Maps, are to be depended upon, at about
2 y Miles Diftance.

The Engineer being of Opinion that he could
make fome Rockets, of the fame Size as the former,
that fhould rife much higher, Mr* Robins order’d
him to make half a dozen. Thefe laft were fired the
1,2th of C Bober following, from the fame Place,
and in general they rofe nearly to the fame Heights,
with tlie foregoing ; excepting one which was ob-
fetve-d to rife 690 Yard** The Evening proy’d very

hazy.

[ ]

hazy, which render’d it impoffible for them to be
feen to any confiderable Diftance.

It King obferv’d in thefe Trials, that the larged
of rhe Rockers, which were about 2 Inches and a
half in Di meter, rofe the highed, Mr. Robins in-
tended to have made fome more Experiments, in order
to a farther Difcovery what fiz’d Rockets would rife
highed: But his Engagements with the Eaft India
Company preventing him, Mr. Samuel Da Cofta
late of ‘Devonfhire- Square, a Gentleman of an ex-
traordinary Genius in Mechanics, and indefatigable
in the Application, Mr. Banks, a Gentleman who
had for many Years practis'd making Rockets, and
two other PeFfons, undertook the profecuting thefe
Enquiries ; and having made feveral Experiments as
well with regard to the Compofition, as the Length
which Rockets might be made to bear, in propor-
tion to their Diameters, and of difrerenc-fiz’d Roc-
kets, from 1 Inch and a half to 4 Inches Diameter,
they intended this Winter to have made Trial of
fome of a yet greater Diameter, had not the Death
of Mr. Da Cofta prevented ir.

I fhall therefore beg Leave to give fome Account
of the Succefs which has hitherto attended their
Undertaking, fo far as they went : And as it has
been much beyond what was expe&ed, I am in
hopes this fhort Relation will not prove unac-
ceptable.

Amongd fome Rockets fired in the laft Spring,
there were two made by Mr. EiaCofta of about 3
Inches and a half Diameter, which were obferved
to rife, the one to about 833, the other to 91 f
Yards. At a fecond Trial, made fome time after,

E e e e 2 there

[ ]

there was one made by Mr. DaCoJla , of 4 Inches
Diameter, which rofc to 1190 Yards. The laft
Trial was made the latter End of April 1750, where
28 Rockets were fired in all, made by different Per-
lons, and of different Sizes, from 1 Inch and a half
Diameter to 4 Inches the moft remarkable of cftch
Size were as follows; one of 1 Inch and a half
role to 7 43 Yards; one of 2 Inches to 659 ; one
of 2 Inches and a half to 880 ; another of the fame
Size, which rofe to 1071 ; one of 3 Inches to 12 5^4;
one of 3 Inches and a half to 1109; and. one of 4
Inches j which, after having rofe to near 700 Yards,
turned, and fell very near the Ground before it
went our. Thefe were all made by Mr. Da Cojla.
Befides thefe, there was one of the Rockets of 24
Inches in Diameter, which rofe to 784 Yards, and
another made by Mr. Banks of the fame Size to

833-

As the making oflarge Rockets is not only very ex-
penfive, but likewil'e more uncertain than thole of a
Idler Size, fo from the laft Experiments it is evident,
that Rockets from 2 Inches and a half to 3^ Inches
Diameter, are fufiicient to anfwcr all the Purpofes
they are intended for } and I doubt not may be
made to rife to an Height, and to afford a Light
capable of being feen to confiderably greater Di-
ftances than thofe before-men tioifd.

Before I conclude this Account, it may not be
improper to take, notice, that, thoJ the Heights of
the Rockets are fet down to a fingle Yard, it is not
pretended the Method made ufe of (tho’ fufiicient
tor all the Purpoles of thefe Experiments) is capa-
ble of’determining the. Heights to fo great an Ex-
amine fs :

[ 5*3 ]

a&nefsj for, as they were meafur*d by only one
Obferver, it is evident, that, if any qf the Rockets
deviated from the Perpendicular, fo as cither to in-
cline towards the Place of Obfervation, or to decline
from it, the Height would be given either greater
or lels than the Truth j but as the Bafe upon which
they were mcafur’d was 1 190 Yards, the greateft
Error that edn aril'e on this Account will be but
very inconftderable. If we fhould fnppofe there
might be an Error of 30 or even yo Yards, which
is very highly improbable, it muft then be allowed,
that fcveral of thefe Rockets rofe to 1000 Yards, one
to 1100, and another to 1200 Yards, or double to
any of thofe fired in the Green ‘Park.

I have been informed, that the Relation of this
Affair has appeared fo very extraordinary to fome
Gentlemen converfant in fuch Matters, that they
have mention'd it as their Opinion, that there mull
certainly have been fome Miftake, either in placing
the Inftrument, taking the Heights, or otherwife.
In anfwer to which I would obferve, that, in all
the Experiments mentioned in this Paper, 1 the
Heights were all taken by the fame Pcrfon, viz.
Mr. John Canton , and that the laft Trial was made
in the Pretence of ieveral very worthy Members
of this Society. That the Inftrument, being firft
fixed to a proper Angle was not alter'd during the
whole Time of Trial; and therefore, if there had
been any Miftake infixing it, that Miftake would
have varied the Height of all the Rockets as
much as thofe of Mr. ‘Da Cojias j but it was thofe
of Mr. DaCojla s only, and that at three different
Trials, which rofe to fuch extraordinary Heights ;
i • ' and

[ S8+ ]

and therefore I think we have fufficient Reafon to
conclude that their Meafures were certainly taken
very near the Truth.

John Ellicott.

XII. Several Papers concerning a new Semi-
Metal, called Platina; commimicated to
the Royal Society by Mr . Wm. Watfon.
• F.R.S.

- O'' I ' t *J. •'

I.

Extract of a Letter from William Brownrigg
M.D. F R. S. to Wm. Watfon F. R. S.

..r , . - i. ■ • ■ >

Dear Sir , Whitehaven , Dec. 5, 1750.

Read Dec. 13. TT rAKE the Freedom to inclofe to you
I750, JL an Account of a Semi-metal call'd
R latino di Pinto ; which, fo far as I know, hath
not been taken notice of by any Writer on Mine-
rals. Mr .Hilly who is one of the moft modern,
makes no mention of it. Prefuming therefore that
the Subjeft is new, I requeft the Favour of you to
lay this Account before the Royal Society , to be
by them read and publifhed, if they think it deferv-
ing thofe Honours. I fhould fooner have publifhed
this Account, but waited, in hopes of finding Lei-
fure to make further Experiments on this Body with
fulphureous and other Cements 5 alfo with Mercury,
and feveral corrofive Mcnftrna. But thefe Experi-
ments 1 fhall now defer, until 1 leatn how the above
is receiv'd. The Experiments which I have related
were feveral of them made by a Friend, whofe Ex-

1 aftnefs

[ 585]

a&hefs in performing them, and Veracity in relating
them, I can rely on : However, for greater Cer-
tainty, I fhallmyfelf repeat them I am, dear Sir,

Tour mojl obedient Servant ,

W. Brownrigg.

IT.

Memoirs of a. Semi-metal called Platina di Pinto,
found in the Spanifh Weft Indies.

ALTHO’ the Hiftory of Minerals, and other fof-
iil Subftances, hath been diligently cultivated,
elpecially by the Moderns ji yet it muft be acknow-
leged, that, among. the vaft Variety of Bodies which
are the Objetts of that Science, there ftill remains
Room for new Inquiries.

No Wonder that, among the great, and almoft in-
exhauftiblc Varieties of Salts, Ores, and other Con-
cretes, new Appearances, and Mixtures before un-
known, fhould daily be difeover’d : But thar, among
Bodies of a more fimple Nature, and particularly
among the metalline Tribe, feveral diftintt Specks
fhould ftill remain almoft whqlly. unknown to Natu-
ralifts, will doubtlefs appear more ftrange and extra--
ordinary. ' f :

Gold is ufually efteem’d the moft ponderous of Bo--
dies; and yet I have feen, in the'Pofleflion of the late
Profcftbr s’Granjefandf a mefal Line Subftance,brbdght
from the Eajl Indies , that was fpecifkal.ly heavier than
Gold, by at leaft a twentieth Pam; Mercury, next
to Gold, is commonly faid to be the heavieft Body;
yet Mercury is greatly exceeded- in fpecifrc Gravity
-1 i •. i. . . , j i l lorn r > bm .

t 586 ]

by a Semi metal brought from the Weft Indies ,
whereof I have now the Honour to prefent Speci-
mens to the Royal Society. And this Semi-metal
feems more particularly to deferve our Attention, as
it is' endu’d with fome very fmgular Qualities, which
plainly demonfirate that certain general Theorems,
tho’ long eftablifh’d, and univcrfally receiv’d by the
Metallurgifts, yet do not hold true in all Cafes, and
ought not to be admitted into their Arts, without
proper Limitations and Rcflridions. For inflancc,
That Gold and Silver may be purified from all he-
terogeneous Sub fiances by .CoppeUution\ is a Propo-
sition that ail A flayers and Renners have long thought
true and undeniable; yet this Proportion ought not
to be receiv’d by thofe Artificers, without an Excep-
tion to the Semi-nacul here treated of; Alice, like
thofe nobler Metals, it refills the Power of Fire, and
the deflrudivc Force of Lead in that Operation.

-t This Semi-metal was firft prefented to me about
nine Years ago, by Mr .Charles Wood, a skilful and
inquifitive Metallurgy, who met with it in Jamaica,
whither it had been brought from Carthagena in
Meva Spam. And the fame Gentleman hath fince
gratified my Curiofiry, by making further Inquiries
concerning this. Body. It is found in conftderable
Quantities in the Spanifh Weft Indies (in what Part
I could not learn) and is there known by the Name
of Tlatina di Tinto The Spaniards probably call
it Rlatina, from the Refemblance in Colour that
it bears to Silver. It is bright and fhining, and of
a uniform Texture; it takes a fine Polifh, and is
not fubjed to tarnifh or ruft.j it is extremely hard
and compad ; bur, like Bath-metal, or caft Iron,
brittle, and cannot be extended under the Hammer.

The

[ 58 7 ]

The Spaniards do not dig it in the Form of Ore,
but find it in Duff, or finall Grains, as herewith pre-
fented to the Royal Society. Whether they gather
it in a pretty pure Stare, as brought to us, or wafh
it, like Gold-duft, from among Sand, and Other
lighter Subftances, is to me unknown : However, it
is feldom collected perfc&ly pure ; fince, among fe-
veral Parcels of jit that I have feen, I conftantly ob-
ferv'd a large Mixture of a fhining black Sand, fuch
as is found on the Shores of Virginia and 'Jamaica ,
which is a rich iron Ore, and anfwers to the Mag-
net. It hath alfo ufually mix’d with it fome few
fhining Particles of a golden Colour, which feem to
be a Subftance of a different Nature.

It is very probable that there is great Plenty of
this Semi-metal in the Spanijh fVefi Indies ; fince
Trinkets made of it are there very common. A
Gentleman of Jamaica bought five Pounds of it at
Carthagena for lefs than its Weight of Silver ; and
it was formerly fold for a much lower Price.

When expofed by itfelf to the Fire, either in Grains,
or in larger Pieces, it is of extreme difficult Fufion ; and
hath been kept for two Hours in an Air Furnace, in
a Heat that would run down caft Iron in fifteen
Minutes: Which great Heat it endur’d without be-
ing melted or wafted 5 neither could it be brought
to fufe in this Heat, by adding to it Borax, and other
faline Fluxes. But the Spaniards have a Way of
melting it down, either alone, or by means of fome
Flux j and caft it into Sword-hilts, Buckles, Snuff-
boxes, and other Utenfils.

When expofed to a proper Degree of Fire, with
Lead, Silver, Gold, Copper, or Tin, it readily melts
Ffff. and

[ 5^8 1

’ “ This Stone has certain Veins, or hair-like Ap-
“ pearances, on its Surface ; whereby it is render’d
*' lefs fit for a Speculum , and is apt to break in
<c thefe Veins in receiving any Blow. Many are
<c pcrfuaded, or at leaft fufpett, that the Matter of
“ thefe is a cafi Compofition ; and although there arc
“ fome Appearances of this being fo, they are not fuffi-
“ ciently convincing. In this Country there are Gul-
<£ lies(jS//^rtf^r)wheretheMineralofthem is found
“ rough, and from whence fome are always taken ;
<c but thefe are not now wrought for thole Purpofcs
“ for which heretofore they were employ’d by he
“ Indians : But this is no Reafon but that fome
<{ of them may have been cafi, as with the fame
“ Material taken out of the Mine, they may have
“ been made artificially, and thereby have receiv’d a
“ greater Degree of Perfe&ion, as well in their Qua-
“ lity as in their Figure.” He fays further, £t that,
<l although at prefent, thefe, as well as fevcral other
“ things found there are but of fmall Value, never-
“ thelefs they are extremely curious, and worthy
“ to be efteem’d, as well for their great Antiquity,
“ as for their being the Performances ot thofe bar-
<c barous People.”

Some of thefe Tie dr as de Inga I now take the
Liberty of laying before the Society , both in their
rough and in their polilh’d State. They were
brought hither with feveral other Curiofities from
America , by that excellent Perfon, and my much-
lamented Friend, Don Tedro Maldonado , and were
prefented by him to our moll worthy Trefident ,
who was pleafed to put them into my Hands. They
are doubtlefs of a metalline Subftance, and have, in

my

[ 5«9.]

my Opinion, evident Marks of having been fufed and
caff They very much refemble, as you will fee by
comparing them, the Platina before ment on’d :
And though they are call’d (Pddras) Stones by
Don Antonio d’Ulloa , he likewife gives the fame
Appellation to the Platina. I cannot therefore
help recommending to fome curious Metallurgift of
the Society to make the Experiment, whether or
no, when the Piedras de Inga are, by a proper
Procefs, divefted of their Bony and other heteroge-
neous Parts, the metalline Rejiduum will not refera-
ble, as well in fpecilic Gravity (tor which it is fo
remarkable) as in other Properties, the purified Wz-
tina now before us ?

Wm. Watfon.

IV.

Ii

N y unitary 1742-3. there were brought
from Jamaica , in a Man of War, feve-
ral Bars (as thought) of Gold, conltgned from different
Merchants of that Bland, to their different Correfpon-
dents here, as Bars of Gold. Thefe Bars had the fame
fpecific Gravity, or rather more than Gold, and were
exadly like that Metal in Colour, Grain, &c. A
Piece of one of thefe counterfeit Bars was fent to the
Mint to be tefted, and it was found to be twenty one
Carats three Grains worfe than Standard.

Emanuel Mendez da Cofta,

V.

t 59° 3

lities, that may render it of fingular Ufe and Import-
ance to Mankind.

Specimens of Platina prefented to the Royal Society.

Np. i. Platina , in Dud, or minute Maffes, mixed
with black Sand, and other Impurities, as brought
from the Spamjio Weji Indies.

2. Native \ Platina , fepaiated from the above mcn-
tion’d Impurities.

3. Platina that has been fufed.

4. Another Piece of Platina , that was Part of the
Pummel of a Sword.

III.

To the Royal Society.

Gentlemen , London, Dec. 15, 175a.

I BEG Leave to fubjoin a few Lines to my learned
and ingenious Friend Dr. Brownrigg’ s Paper con-
cerning the Platina di Pinto , or what is likewife
call’d in America Juan Blanco. This Subfiance is
mention’d in no Author I have met with, except
by our worthy Brother Don Antonio d'Ulloa, who, in
theHiflory of his Voyage to South America, Vol. II.
Book 6. Chap. 10. which I have here extradited, and
tranflated from the Spanijh, when giving an Account
of the Gold and Silver Mines in the Province of
Quito, and of the varions Methods of feparating
thefe Metals from other Subfiances, with which they
arc combin’d, fays, that, “ in the Territory of
“ Choco .... there are Gold Mines, in which that

“ Metal

[ S9i ]

“ Metal is fo difguifed and enveloped with other
“ mineral Subftances, Juices, and Stones, that, for
“ their Separation from the Gold, they are obliged
“ to ufe Quickfilver. Sometimes they find mineral
“ Subftances, which, from their being mixed with
“ Tlatina , they chufe to negled. This Tlatma
<e is a Stone (Tiedra) of fuch Rcfiftance, that it
“ is not cafily broken by a Blow upon an Anvil.

“ It is not iubdued by Calcination j and it is very
“ difficult to extra a the Metal it contains even with
“ much Labour and Expcnce.”

In the before- mention’d Work, Chap. 1 1, the fame
Author, when fpeaking of the remaining Works of
the Indians of old, fays, “ the Specula wrought
“ out of Stones, which are found in the Places of
“ Worlhip of the Indians , are of two kinds, in re^

“ lation to the Matter of which they are made;

“ One of thefe is call’d Tiedra de Inga, the other
tl Tit dr a de Gallinazo. The firft of thefe is fmooth, _
“ of a leaden Colour, and not tranfparent $ they are
“ ufuall'y found wrought of a circular Figure : One
“ of the Surfaces is plain, and as fmooth as though
11 it were made of a kind of Chryftal the other Sur-
“ face is oval, or rather fomewhat fpherical, and not
“ fo much burnilh’d as the plain one. Although they
“ vary in their Size, they are commonly from three
“ to four Inches in Diameter ; but he has feen one
“ that was a Foot and half in Diameter. Its prin-
“ cipal Surface was concave, and much augmented
“ the Size of Objeds, as its Polifh was in as great
li Perfedion as though it had been work’d by a dex-
“ trous Artift in thefe Times,

“ This

[ 592 ]

and incorporates with thefe Metals 5 rendering the
Mixture, like itfelf, extremely hard and brittle.

Having been melted in an Allay Furnace, on a Tell
with Lead, and therewith expoled to a great Fire
for three Hours, till all the Lead was wrought off,
the Platina was afterwards found remaining at the
Bottom of the Teh, without having fuffer'd any Al-
teration or Diminution by this Operation.

A Piece of Platina was put into ftrong and pure
Aqua fortis , and therewith placed in a Sand-heat
for twelve Hours: The ‘Platina , when taken out of
the Aqua fortis, was found of the fame Weight as
when put into ir; being in no-wife diffolved or cor-
roded by that Menftruum.

It had been reported, that this Semi-metal was
fpecifically heavier than Gold j but having weigh'd
fcveral Pieces of it hydrollatically in a nice A Hay-
Balance, I found one of thefe Pieces to weigh in
Air gr. and in Watery. -—-2. : So that its fpe-
cific Gravity was to that of Water exactly as 15 : i_
Another Piece, that feem’d to be caft very open and
porous, I found in Gravity to Water only as 13.91
to 1. Altho' this laft mention’d Piece, could it have
endur’d the Hammer as well as Gold, might proba-
bly have been reduc’d to a confiderably greater De-
gree of Solidity than that of the firft-meniion’d Spe-
cimen. For the pureft Gold is feldom found, after
Fufion, to come up to its true fpecific Weight, until
it hath been brought up to its greateft Degree of
Solidity under the Hammer.

I alio weigh’d an equal Mixture of Gold and Pla-
tina , which. I found nearly as ponderous as Gold
itfelf 5 the fpecific Weight of this Mixture being to
that of Water as 19 to 1.

It

[ 593 3

It hath been reported, that the Spaniards have
fometimes been tempted to adulterate Gold with
\ Tlatina , as the Mixture could not be d flinguifh'd
from true Gold by all the ordinary Trials: But the
Gold thus adulterated was, upon a nicer Examination,
found hard and brittle, and could not be feparated
from the ^Platina , and render’d du&ile and pure,
either by Cementation, or by the more ordinary
Operations with Lead and Antimony. In order
therefore to prevent this Fraud, the King of Spain
commanded that the Mines of Tdlatina fhould be
flopped up ; fo that this Semi-metal is now much
fcarcer than formerly.

From the foregoing Account it appears, that no
known Body approaches nearer to the Nature of
Gold, in its molt efiential Properties of Fixedncfs and
Solidity, than the Semi metal here treated of j and
that it alfo bears a great Refemblance to Gold in
other Particulars. Some Alchemilts have thought
that Gold differ’d from other Metals in nothing fo
much as in its fpccific Gravity ; and that, if they
could obtain a Body that had the fpccific Weight
of Gold, they could eafily give it all the other Qua-
lities of that Metal. Let them try their Alton this
Body j which, if it can be made as du&ile as Gold,
will not eafily be diftinguifh’d from Gold itfelf.

Upon the whole, this Semi metal feems a very
fingular Body, that merits an exatter Inquiry into
its Nature than hath hitherto been made; lince it
is not altogether improbable, that, like the Magnet,
Iron, Antimony, Mercury, and other metallic Sub-
ftances, it may be endowed with fome peculiar Qua-

Ffff 2 litiesi

[ 594 ]■

1 V.

ExtraSl of a Letter from Win. Brownrigg M. D.
and F. R. S. to Wm. Watfon F. R. S. contain-
ing J'ome further Experiments upon the Platina.

Wbitehaveji , Feb. 13,1750.

Read Feb. 28. y WAS favour'd with your Letter of
17S°'S1' y <2)ec. if, and am much obliged to you
for the Trouble you took in prefenting my Speci-
mens of the Flatina to the Royal Society , together
with my Memoir relating thereto ; and 1 thank you
for the Addition you made to it of the Extract of
Don d' Ulloa’s Voyage.

The Gentleman, whofe Experiments on Flatina
I mention'd to the Royal Society , was Mr. Charles
IVood , who permitted me to make what Ufe of
them I pleafed ; and I did not pretend to have
made any new Difcovery, nor to know fo much of
that Body, as hath long been known to the Spaniards.
I might indeed have made ufe of his Authority }
but he was not ambitious of appearing tn Print.

The chief thing about which I had any Difficulty,
was what had been aflferted of the Flatina\ refilling
the Force of Lead in Coppellation. This Experiment
1 have tried therefore, by adding to gr xxvi. of
Flatina , fixteen times its Weight ot pure Lead,
that I had myfelf reduced from Litharge. To the
Lead put into a Coppel, and-placed n a propei Fur-
nace j as foon as it was melted I added the Flatina ,
which in a fhorr time was diflfotved in the Lead.
After the Lead was all wrought off, there remain'd
at the Bottom of the Coppel a Pellet of Flatina ,
which I found to weigh only gr. xxi. 5 fo that, in

[ 595 1

this Operation, the Platina had loft near a fifth
Part of its Weight.

According therefore to this Experiment, the Pla-
tina docs not wholly refill; the Force of Lead in
Coppellation ; bur, by repeated Operations of that
kind with larger Quantities of Lead, may probably
all be deftroy’d : And by fuch repeated Coppella-
tions, Gold and Silver may very likely be refin’d
from it j although what was before afferted may
hold pretty true, with regard to the common Cop-
pcllations of the Aftayers and Refiners.

Mr. Wood faid, that, in his Experiment, he
thought the Platina rather gain’d than loft in
Weight by Coppellation. This might happen from
fome fmall Mixture of Lead, or other Meral conti-
nuing with it after it remained no longer fufed.

From this fingle Experiment I will not be quite
pofitivc that Lead thus confumes fome fmall Quan-
tity of Platina^ fince it is poflible the Platina ufed
might not be pure. Befides, in order to keep] it
longer in Fulion, I urged on the Experiment with
an uncommon Degree of Heat, efpecially towards
the End of the Operation j although I think no
great Errcr could thence arife ; as half a Drachm
of Silver, which I coppeli’d at the fame time, had
loft only two Grains in the Operation.

I am told that one Mr. Ord, formerly a Faelor to
the South Sea Company , rook in Payment from
fome Spaniards Gold, to the Value or yoo l. Ster-
ling, which being mix’d with Platina , was fo brit-
tle, that he could not dilpofe of it, neither could
he get it refin’d in London , fo that it was quire
ufelcls to him: Altho’, if no Error hath been com-

G g g g mitted

[ 596 ]

Knitted in the above-mention’d Experiments, it might
probably have been render’d pure by a much larger
Dofe of Lead than is ufually applied for that Purpofe.

To my Memoir I might have added, that, at-
tempting to cleanfe a Parcel of the native ‘Platina
from the black Sand, wherewith it was mixed, I
found that a great many of its Grains were attra&cd
by the Magnet I made ufe of for that Purpofe.
This Circumftance I took notice of in a Letter to
Lord Lonjdale two Years ago. I am,

'Dear Sir ,

Tour mojl obliged humble Servant ,

W. Brownrigg.

XIII. An Account of a very large human Cal-
culus, ^Win, Heberden M- 2). F. R. S .
and Fellow of the Coll, of Phyfic. Loud.

x fad Dec. 20. f | 'HERE is preferved in the Library
17 5°* of Trinity -College in Cambridge ,

a Stone taken £rom a human Bladder, which, for
its uncommon Size, may deferve the Notice of his.
Society. It is of an oval Shape, flatted on one Side
and its Surface is fmooth. The fpecific Gravity
plainly fhews, that it is of an animal Origin ; for its
Weight is to that of Water only as 1,75 to 1.

In order to get a true and well-attcfted Hiftory of
this curious Stone, the Right Rev. Dr. Claggett>
late Bifhop of Exeter , was applied to, who was

Keeper

C 597 3

Keeper of the Library at the time when it was given,’
and like wife the Rev. Dr. Baker , who was then a
Fellow of Trinity College , and entertain'd the Gen-
tleman that brought it; and ladly, a Son in law of
the very Perfon from whom it was taken. From
their Accounts it appear’d, that this Stone was taken
from the Wife of Thomas Raijin, L'ockfmith in
Bury, after her Death, by Mr. Gutteridge , a Sur-
geon, of Norwich.

She had felt much lefs Pain than might have been
expected from fo large a Stone ; and might probably
have liv’d much longer with it, if fhe had not
thought herfelf well enough to attempt a Journey
on Horfeback ; for, while fhe was riding, fhe was
luddenly feized with violent Pains, that obliged her
to be taken off the Horfe immediately : After which
fhe could never make Water, unlefs the Stone was
firft moved, and fhe continued in great Agonies till
fhe died.

This happen’d in the Reign of King Charles IT.
who being then at Newmarket, had the Stone
brought to him ; fome Part of which was chipp’d off
from one of its Ends, to fhew the King that it con-
fided of various Coats formed one oyer another, as
animal Stones ufually do.

Mr. Satnnel Beittely, who was Member ofParlia-
ment for Bury , had Pofiedion of this Stone, either
immediately, or very foon after the Woman’s Death,
and kept it till it was prefented to Trinity-College.
which was about the Middle of Queen Anne's Reign,

This monflrous Stone weighs 33 Ounces 3 Drachms
and 3 6 Grains, Troy Weight. There appears to have
been at lead half an Ounce broken off, on the Oc-

G g g g 2 cafion

[ S9§ ]

cafion before related; not to mention what it muft
have loft by mere Wear in fourfeore Years.

We arc told, that they have in the Hofp'.tals of
Tans human Calculi weighing 3+ Tans Ounces:
But this in Trinity Library, even at prefent, weighs
34 Paris Ounces all but 9 Grains ; and mult have
weigh’d confiderably more when it was whole. Yet
thefe are perhaps the heavieft that are any-where re-
corded ; except that very extraordinary one mention’d
by Dr. Lifter , in his Journey to Paris, p. 232 ; which
he fays was taken from a Monk A.D. 1690. and
weighs yi Ounces.

This Hiftory may confirm to us the Ufefulnefsof
endeavouring to relieve the Violence of Pain in this
Diftemper, by altering the Pofition of the Stone in
the Bladder, either with the Help of the Catheter ,
or by fome proper Alteration in the Pofture of the
Patient ; fince, with relpeft to the Pain which it
occafions, the Situation of the Stone appears to be
of far greater Confequence than its Size.

XIV. A Letter from the Rev . Charles Lyt-
telton LL.D. and F. R. S. ‘Dean of
Exeter to the Prefid ent, co?icerning a non -
defeript petrified Infed.

Read Dec. 20, f I curious Foftil I have now the

1 5C‘ Honour to exhibit to the Society,

is as rare as its Figure is elegant; having been men-
tion’d by none of our own Writers who treat on

Foftils,

[ 599 3

Foflils, and but very imperfectly defcrib’d by foreign
Lithographifts *.

I difeover’d a fingle Specimen of it {fee Tab. I.
Fig. 3, 4, and 5.) laft Year in the Limdtone Pits
at ‘ Dudley in JVorceJterfh;re ; and very lately a large
Mafs of Limeftonc {fee Tab. II.) full of them in
the fame Place ; both which are now fubmitted
to the Infpcdtion of this Learned Body, who are
heft able to determine to what Clafs of the Animal
Kingdom it properly belongs. I am. Sir, with great
Regard,

Hili-jireet , Dec. 20. Tour mofl obedient Servant ,

1750.

C. Lyttelton.

* I fuppofe the Dean means Dr. Bruckmann , and the late Mr.
Linck , an eminent Apothecary at Lipfick : For Dr. Bruckmam ,
in his Centnria Epift. Itlnerar. IVoljfenbuttl. 1742. 40, Epift.
XXIII. has given feveral Figures of PetrefafUons, very much re-
fembling thefe Dudley Foffils ; the firft was found at Sterne , a
Village in the Neighbourhood of Paderborn , given him by Dr.
Koenig , which he took for a fort of Polypus marinus ; he fays it is
an Animal unknown to him, but he gives thofe Figures of it, in
hopes that fome curious Perfons, who live near the Sea, may light
upon fome Animal refembling this. The Body of this Stone, he
fays, has, on each Side three ftriated 'Lobes, and three pointed
appendices beneath ; its inner Subfiance is white, being Selenites, or
white Spar ; Its Colour on the Outfide is every-where brown, flis
Friend Linck had fent him Specimens of thefe Stones 6 Years be-
fore, fome modell’d in W ax, others engraved upon Copper.

C. M.

ADDENDA

[ 6oo ]

ADDENDA to the preceding Taper.

Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Dr. Lyttelton
to C. Mortimer, Secret. R. S.

THE Rev. Dr. Shaw , of Oxford, has procured a
Specimen of the extended Eruca. As the Fof-
filifts differ’d in their Opinion of this Dudley Fof-
fil, feme pronouncing ir an Eruca , others a Bivalve ,
I thought it beft to leave the Reader to judge for
himfelt from the Engravings ; but, as we arc now
able to add a Specimen of this Foil'll in an extended
Pofture, there is a better Pretence to call it an
Eruca. See Tab. I. Eig. 6. 7. and 8.

XV. Some further Account of the before- men -
tiond Dudley Fodil^ by the Editor of thefe
Tranfa&ions.

HE Rev. Dr. Tocock, F. R. S. was fo obliging

as to fend feveral Specimens of this FofTil to

the Trefident--, who put them into my Hands, and
deftred me to draw up an Account of them to be
annexed to the preceding Paper.

The firft Specimen is a Mafs of Stone containing
the Face and Eyes, with fome Rudiments of Legs
on the Sides ; but the Back is intirely broken away.
Another Specimen contains the Head only : A third,
the Head, and Part of the Back, but greatly diftorted.
But the moil beautiful and complete are the two

which

[ 6oi* ]

which I caufed to be drawn and engraven in Tab. I-
at Fig. 9, io, ii, 12.

At Ftg. 9. h one of thefe Infers completely ex-
tended at its whole Length ; wherein it appears, that
the Head is cover’d with a Shell or Cruft confining of
three Parts; the middle Part is broad and round, a.
which I (hall therefore call the Nofc : The two fide
Pieces are of a triangular Form, b. b. in each of which
is fituare a large protuberant Eye, c. c. The anterior
Part of the Whole is encompafled by a round Bor-
der, d. d. d. which looks like an upper Lip ; tho’ I
do not take it to be fo; but that the Mouth is fitu-
ate lower down, as in the Crab-kind, and does not ap-
pear in any of the Specimens I have yet feen. On
each Side the Crown of the Head, towards the back
Tart of it, are two fmall Knobs, e. e. At f.f in
Fig. 10. appear fome Traces of Feet, which feem
to lie under the Belly: But, as the Belly, or under
Side, was not diftind, not being cleared from its
ftony and earthy Matter, I could not difeern any
other Legs.

It is moft likely the whole Back of this Creature
was, when alive, cover'd with a Cafe, or undivided
Ely tram, as is the Scolopendra aquatic a feutata,
deferibed in thefe Tranfatlions , n. 44.7. p. 1 70, and
173. by M. Klein, of Dantzick', and afterwards by
the Rev. Mr. Littleton Brown, both worthy Mem-
bers of this Society. M. Klein fays, the Cafe was
whole; and that he was forced to flit it open to
fhew the Back underneath ; when it appears, that the
Body was trilobated, as in Fig . 9. The Cafe, being
very thin and tender, may probably have been bro-
ken

[ 602* ]

ken off at the Death of the Animal, before its being
petrified.

Mr. Brovcn does not mention in his Infect the
Property of rolling itfelf up, which this certainly
had; as appears by fcveral of the Figures, as Fig. 3,
4, y, 7, 11, and 12, which are intirely rolled up;
and as is more particularly reprefented by Fig 1 1 and
12. in which it appears, that the Tail is turn’d up
under the Belly quite to the Mouth ; and at Fig. 8. the
Creature feems but half-rolled up.

I have confulted all the Books I could meet with,
which give Figures of Infefts and cruftaceous Ani-
mals in their natural and petrified States; and find
none refemb’e this Dudley Foil'll fo near as M.
Klein's Inletfr; therefore I fhall, till we get more
Information, call it, Scolopendr £ aquatic £ Jcutat #
affine animal petrifallum.

XVI. ! The Defcription and Figures of a / 'mall
flat fpheroklal Stone, having Fines jormed
upon it ; by C. Mortimer, M. D. & Secret.
R. S.

MR. Deter Collin fon , a very worthy Member
of the Royal Soc ety, produced, at a Meeting
of that Body, on Nov. 8/1750. a very curious fphe-
roidal Stone, about 4 Inches Diameter, of a Cho-
colate-colour, marked with 4 white Lines, about
the Breadth of a Horfe-hair, encompafling the
whole Stone, like the Meridians on a Globe; bur,
inftead of eroding one another in a Point, as they
do, upon the Globe, thefe are connected by a fhort
tranfvcrlc Line j as is deferibed above in p. 535 of

[ 6o3* ]

this Tranfattion , and as may be diftindtly feen in
TaR I. Fig . i. at CD.

I lately received, by a Friend, from the Ifie of
Shtpey in Kent , a fmall Stone, with ftmilar Lines
upon it. Mine is only £ of an Inch in Diameter,
of a brown Colour, and of the Confidence of
Marble. As a Defcription in Words does not con-,
vey fo clear an Idea as an exaft Drawing, I have
endeavoured to give Reprefentations of this Stone
in different Views , as at Tab. I. Fig. 13, 14, ry,
16.

Fig. 13. reprefents the Top of the Stone, on which
the Lines are moft regular, being depetfled into the
Stone, and of the fame* Colour with it. a, c, d, e ,
are the four principal Lines, anfwering to thofe on
Mr. Cotlinforis Stone, and are connected, as in
his, by the tranfverfe L.\nzgh. The Line b is an
Irregularity in this Stone, and fo i sf which ate
not in the other ; thelc irregular, or fupernumerafy
Lines being continued to the other Hemifphere,
Fig. 14. or Bottom of the Stone, make the Di-
rections of the other Lines very irregular, as may be
feen in the Figure > only the Lines c, d, and e , be-
ing connected by the tranfverfe Line gh, which here
Lands at right Angles with that in Fig. 13.

The following Figures reprefent the Se&ion of the
Stone thro’ its Equator, as nearly as poffible;
only the Mill cut away the Subftance to about
the Thick nefs of a Shilling. In thefe Sections
the Ramifications appear quite white.

Fig. iy. fhews the Section of the upper Hemi-
fphere, as

* 4 G Fig .

* 4 G

[ 6o4* ]

Fig. 1 6. does that of the lower Hemifphere i in
both of which the Letters of Reference anfwcr to
thole in the other Figures, {hewing where the out-
ftde Lines abutt upon thele Sections.

An Explanation of the Figures in Tab. I.

i. Mr. Collinfons fpheroidal Stone.

2. The Section of the lame.

3. The Face of the Dudley FolTil rolled up.

4. The Back of the fame.

f. The fore and under Parr, with the Tail folded
clofc under the Jaw.

6. Dr. Slaw's FolTil half extended.

7. The Face of the fame.

8. The under Side of the fame, being folded but
half-way, leaving a Space between the Jaw and
the Tail.

9. Dr. Tocock’s extended FolTil, the Back upper-
moll.

10. A fide View of the fame.

11. A fide View of another folded up.

12. A front View of the fame with the Tail
folded clofe under the Jaw.

The Letters of Reference in the Defcription an-
fwer to the fame Parts in Fig. 9, 10, 11, and

12.

13, 14, if, 16, are the Figures of the, Stone, de-
feribed in Art. XVI. in all which the Letters refer
to the fame Lines.

Tab. II. Represents a large Mafs of Lime (lone dug
up at Dudley, > \ which are imb< 'Xd many of
thefe Folllls, together with feverui other petrified
Shells.

NOTE.

NOTE.

To N. 491, p. 64, 1. r. hence we are led to a Difcovery, &e. add
this Note, The Difcovery of this Analogy was publijhed. by the
Rev. Mr. William Barlow, in thefe Tranfactions, N. 45 8,
p. 457> ^nm J740, C* M.

ERR AT A.

In N°. 495. p. 514, /. 2. iox with read within , Ibid. p. 515,
i. 24. for Nonius read Catgut Line.

Numb. 497.

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS.

BEING

An APPENDIX to thofe forthe Year 1750.

Confiding of a Colledion of fevcral Papers laid be-
fore the Royal Society , concerning fevcral Earth-
quakes felt in England , and fome neighbouring
Countries, in the Year 175-0.

The CONTENT S.

I. Mr. H. Baker F. R. S. to Martin Folkes

Efq-y Prelident of the Royal Society, con-
cerning the Earthquake felt at London
Feb. 8, 1749-50. p. 601

II. An recount of the Shock of ait Earthquake,

felt Feb. 8. 1749-50: By Gowin Knight
M. B. F. R. S. p. 603

III. An Account of the fame , by Jo. Freeman

Ffq\ F. li. S. p% 605

IV. Ait Account of the fame , by W m. Fauquier

Ffq\ F. R. S. ibid.

V. The Rev. Flenry Miles D. D. F. R.S. to
Mr. FI. Baker F. R. S. on the fatne. p. 607

VI Jo. Martyn M.D. to the Pref. concerning
the fame . p. 609

[ a ] VII.

The CONTENTS.

VII. ExtraEl of a Letter from Mr. Trembley
F.R.S. to the Pref. concerning the fame. p. 610

VIII. Smart Lethieullier Efq; F. R. S. to the

Prefident, of the burning of the Steeple of
Danbury in Effex, by Lightning, and of

the Earthquake. p. 6 1 1

IX. Fhe Prefidenth Account of the Earthquake

at London, March 8 . p. 6 1 3

X. An Account of the fame , by the Rev Mr .

Tho. Birch F. R. S. p. 6 1 5

XI. Mr. H. Baker F. R. S. to Martin Folkes

Efq\ Pref. of the Royal Soc. concerning the
fame. p. 617

XII. Fo Mr. H- Baker F. R. S. of extraor-

dinary Heat in Feb. and of the fame Earth-
quake. p. 619

XIII. M. Clare Efq> F. R. S. to C. Mortimer
M. D. & Seer. R. S. of the fame. p. 620

XIV. D. P. Layard M. D. & F. R. S. to the

Prefident, concerning the fame. p. 621

XV. The Reverend Mr. R. Pickering, F.R.S.
to the Prefident, concerning the fame. p. 622

XVI. An Account of the Earthquake on Thurs-
day Mornings March 8, 1 749. as feen in the
Inner Temple Garden , by Robert Shaw ;
commwiicatedby James Burrow EJ'q\ F.R.S,

p. 626
XVII.

The CONTENTS.

XVII. The Rev. H. Miles D. D F. R S. to
Mr. H. Baker F. R. S. containing a more
full Account of the fame than his former
Letter , Art. XII. p. 628

XVIII. J. Martyn M. D. F. R. S. See. to the
Prefident, concer?iing the fame. p. 6’3o

XIX. Michael Ruffel, Efq\ F. R. S. to the Pre-
fident, concerning the fame. p. 631

XX. James Parfons M.D. F.R.S. to the Pre-
fident, concerning the fa?ne. ^.633

XXI. An Account from J. Burrow Efq^F.R.S.

of what Mr. Boy field told him concerning the
late Earthquake. p. 637

XXII. Objervations on the Earthquake , March

8. 1749. by C. Mortimer, M. D. Seer.
R. S. p. 638

XXIII. The Rev. H. Miles, D. D. SP F.R.S. to
the Prefident, containing fome additional
Obfervations to his former Accounts, p. 639

XXIV. The Rev. W. Stukely M.D. & F- RS.

to the Preiident, on the Caufes of Earth-
quakes. p. 641

XXV. ExtraB of a Letter to Mr. JEllicott

F.R.S. concerning an Earthquake at Portf-
mouth, March 18. 1739-co. ^.646

L a 2 ] " XXVI.

The CONTENTS.

XXVI. Extract of a Letter from Portfmouth;
communicated by Daniel Wray Efq\ F.R.S.
concerning the fame. p. 647

XXVII. 7 he Rev. W. Cooper, DSD. Dean of
Durham, to the Prehdent, of the Earth-
quake on March 8. and of the luminous
Arch, February 16. 1749. ibid.

XXVIII. ExtraSi of a Letter from the Rev .
Mr . Taylor, Vicar of Portfmouth, to Mr.
Roderick, concerning an Earthquake felt
there, March 18. 1749-50. y>. 649

XX IX. ExtraSi of a Letter from Mr. Benj.
Cooke F. R. S . to Mr. P. Collinfon F.R.S.
of a Shock of an Earthquake felt hi the Ifle
of Wight, March 19. 1749-50. p. 651

XXX. ExtraSi of a Letter from a Gentleman at
Southampton to Joliah Colebrooke, Apo-
thecary, F. R. S. of the Shocks felt in thofe
Parts , March 18 and 19. 1749-50. p. 652

XXXI. A Letter from Mr. Peter Newcome

F. R- S. to the Prefident, concerning the
fame Shock being felt at Hackney, near
London. p. 653

XXXII. A Letter from James Burrow Efq\
F. R. S. to Peter Daval Efq\ S_ecr. R. S.
concerning the fame Earthquake being felt

at

The CONTENTS.

at Eafl: Sheen, near Richmond Park in
Surrey. p. 6 5 5

XXXIII. The Rev. W. Stukely M.D. F.R.S.
te the Prefident, concerning the Caufes oj
Earthquakes. p. 6 57

XXXIV. Some Considerations on the Caufes of
Earthquakes. By the Rev . Stephen Hales,
D. D. and F. R. S . p. 669

XXXV. The Prefident’ j Report of the Account
given him by Tho. Burrat, of Kenfington,
concerning the Earthquake on March 8.

lafi paft. p. 6 8 1

XXXVI. ExtraB of a Fetter from Chefter,
concerning an Earthquake felt there April
2. 1750. communicated by Robert Paul EJq\
F. R. S. p. 683

XXXVII. A Fetter fro?n the Rev. Stephen
Hales DD. &1 F. R. S. to the Prefident,
ferving to inclofs a Fetter to him from
W. Bowman Efq\ concerning an Earth-
quake felt at Eaft Molefey in Surry, on
March 14. 1749-50. p. 684

XXXVIII. AbflraB of a Fetter from Mr.
Pennant to Rich. Holford E fq\ Ma/ler m
Chancery, of an Earthquake yW/ in Flint-
fhire, on April 2. 1750. p • 687

. . . . XXXIX.

The CONTENTS,

XXXIX. The Pojlfcript of a Tetter from
Mr, Nath. Downe to the Hon, Mr. Green-
ville, concernmg an Earthquake felt tf/Brid-
port, on March 18. 1749-50. p. 688

XL. Mr. H. Baker F R S. to the Preiident,
concerning an Earthquake felt at Win-
bourn in Dorfetihire, May 4. 1749. and
of another at Taunton in Somerfetlhire,
_ July 1. 1747. p. 689

XLI. Part of a Letter from M. de Reaumur
F. R. S. to the Preiident, concerning a?i
Earthquake felt in France, Odlober 11.

1749- />•$ 9i

XLI I. The Rev. Mr. Wm. Barlow to the Pref.
concerning a Shock of an Earthquake felt
at Plymouth, about One d Clock in the
Morning , between the 8 th and qth of Feb.
1749-50. p. 692

XLIII. A Letter from Mr. Ph. Warburton to
the Preiident, ferving to inclofe an Ex troll
of a Letter front the Rev. Mr. J. Seddon,
of Warrington in Lancashire, to Mr. [o.
Philpot, in Chefter, concerning an Earth-
quake, April 2. 1750. p • 695

XL IV. Mr. H. Baker F.R.S. to the Preiident,
containing an ExtraEl of a Letter from
Mr . W. Arderon . R, S. concerning an

Exploiion

The CONTENTS.

Explofion in the Air, heard at Norwich,
June 7. 1 750. p. 698

XLV. An Account of Part of a Roof of a Pot-
houfe at Lambeth being flung down by thi
Earthquake, March 8. 1 749-50. p. 700
XLVI. Extratf of a Letter from Dr. Mac-
kenzie to Dr. Mead F. R. S. concerning
Earthquakes at Smyrna. ibid.

XLVII. Part of a Letter from Wm. Folkes,
Ffq\ F. R. S. to his Brother the Pref. con-
cerning a Shock of a?i Earthquake felt at
Newton in Northamptonshire, on Sunday,
September 30. J750. p. 70 r

XLVII i. Part of a Letter from J. Burrow,
Ffq\ F. R.S. to the Prefident, concerning an
Earthquake felt itear Bury St. Edmund’s
in Suffolk, and another at Narborough in
LeicefterShire, on the 30 th of September,
1750. p.' 702

XLIX. A Letter fro?n the Rev. Mr. J. Nixon,
F. R. S. to Mr. John Ward, F. R. S. and
Rhet. Prof. GreSham. ferving to accompany
two Letters ; one from Sir Thomas Cave,
Bart, and another from the Minijler of
Wefton with Sutton in Northamptonshire;
concerning the Earthquake on Sept. 30.
1750. p. 705

L,

The CONTENTS.

h.A Letter from the fame to the Pr. R. S. con-
tabling further Particulars of the fame
Earthquake. p. 71°

LI. A Letter from the Rev . P. Doddridge
L).D. to Mr. H. Baker F R. S. containing
fome Account of the late Earthquake felt at
Northampton. p. 712

LII. An Account of the Farthquake which hap -

pend September 30. 1750. by Air.

Steward to the Earl of Cardigan. p. 721
LIII. ExtraS of a Letter from Mr. H. Green
to Air. J. Ayfchough, Optician , relating to
//^Earthquake felt Sept. 30. 1750. p. 723
LIV. Extracts of Letters from M. Johnfon,
Efq\ and from J. Green Efq\ to Emanuel
Mendez da Cofta, Efq\ F. II. S. concerning
an Earthquake^// Aug. 23. 1750 .p 725
L V. Part of a Letter from the Rev. H. Miles,
D D. to Mr. H. Baker, concerning the
Earthquake^// on Sept. 30. 1750. p. 726
LVI. A Letter from the Rev. Mr. J. Nixon,
F. R . S. to the Prefid ent ; and a Letter from
Mr. W. Smith to Mr. Nixon, giving a very
particular Account of the Earthquake felt
on Sept. 30. 1750. p. 727

LVIE The Philofophy of Earthquakes ; by the
Rev. W. Stukeley, M. D. t • R. S. in a
Letter to the Prefident. P-731

[ 6oi ]

• • if* Clf 3fr 0" dH f

l

Mr. Henry Baker F. R. S. to Martin Folkes
Efq\ Prefident of the Royal Society, con-
cerning the Earthquake felt at London
Feb. 8, 1 749-50. - : r j • '

■ sdi . j

Read Feb. 8, a $ I was walking along Chancery-
1749 ■)° hane To-day, towards Holbourn-,

about 40 Minutes part 12 o’ Clock, People came
out of feveral Houfes to their Doors in great Sur-
prize, complaining of the fhaking of their Houfes,
and imputing it to the Fall of fome great Timber,
or other heavy Body, which they fuppos’d at forive
little Diflance from them, and which they came out
to inquire after. -

When I was got into Holbourn , I found the.Peo-
ple under the fame Confternation, and expre fling
themfelves nearly in the fame manner.

Going to Gray's-Inn, many People were got to-
gether in the great Square, talking about the Shock
they had felt ; and in particular a Lamp-lighter was
giving an Account, that, being on his Ladder, pour-
ing Oil into a Lamp, he was in Danger of falling off,
by fomebody’s fhaking the Ladder, as he at firft ima-
gined. . ' . -

I then went to a Gentleman’s Chambers under
Gray's Inn Library, where I was told the Shaking
had been fo much, that they thought a Clock
would have been thrown down ; and imagin’d at the
time, fome large Box or Heap of Books had been
tumbled down over Head.

H hhh

The

r 602 ]

The People in all the Streets, as I returned home,,
were talking of this Matter; and fome of the Wo-
men complaining that the Motion had made them
fick.

My own Family, in Catherine -ftree't in the Strand >
had been no Ids ftirprrfcd, and had fent to the Neigh-
bours to inquire if feme heavy thing had fallen down,
to occafion the Shaking of the Houfc, which Mrs.
Baker deicribed as very great ; She fat in the Dining-
Room, which is to the Street, and her Belief at the
Inftant was, that the Servant was fallen all along in
the backward Room of the next Story higher, thereby,
fha king the Houfc, and making a confiderable Noifc.

My Son felt the fame Shock at the To-jaer ; where
alfo a Gentleman, who was fitting at a Table to
write, in his Houle in the Mint, was thrown out
of his Chair with a confiderable Force towards the
Tab e; and where every Bpdy was much (hock’d
with the x\pprehenfion of fome Explofion of Guiir
powder. < • . t

What therefore fo many People, in different
Streets, at great Difiances from each other, have
been furprifed at, cannot be only Fancy, but muff
be owing to fome real Caufe ; and if no Powder-
Mid, or Magazine of Powder has been blown up,
it muft have been an Earthquake, or l'ome Tremor
of the Earth itfelf.

I was pretty curious to inquire of People in dif-
ferent Places, to judge the better from their feveral
Reports; and I found them agree, almoft in gene-
ral, in the tirft Suppofitron of fome weighty Body
falling; mod faid with a Noifc, but fome feemed
uncertain as to that. I cndeavout’4 likewiic to
d d ri H learn

t 6o3 ]

learn its Courfc, by comparing the Accounts of Peo-
ple in different Situations: It feems to have lain
Eaft and Weft, and to have pallid from the Weft
Eaftward. I felt nothing of it myfeif as I walked
the Street, nor do 1 find that many who were walk-
ing did.

I hope you will pleafe to excufe this hafty Account,
and permit me to aflure you that I am, with allpof-
fible Refpcft,

S I R,

Catherine-Jlreet , Feb. 8. four mofi obedient

4h p. rn. 1749-50.

humble Servant,

■ vc • l. >11 orlj b; .. yiu'Js. odi • ■ .1. u! .:n

H. Baker.

wt • . .1/:: .) rTtjl , :

.1. .0 1 util io no t.. 1 aimnT :.c -il ;

An Account of the Shock of an Earthquake,
felt Feb. 8. 1749-50 : By Gowin Knight
M. B. &F.R.S. .

. -i - • - ? ** * / _ .

> .

Read Feb. s.r“| ^OrDAY, betwixt 12 and I o’clock,
1 749'5°- the Houfe in which I live in Lin-

coln J-Inn Fields was fhook violently for a Moment.
The Room where I was fhook very much, but no-
thing was thrown down. In another Room the
Grate was feen to move, and the Fire-fhovel was
thrown down. A Maid-Servant that was above-
ftairs was much frighten’d with the Shock and Noife :
She faid, fhe heard a Sound like Thunder, which
; H h h h 2 feem’d

[ 6o+ ]

leem’d to come from below : That the Window-
curtains and Bed (hook very fcnfbly, and the latter
was moved from its Place nearer to the Wall.
Three other Perfons in the Houfe both heard the
Noife and felt the Shock ; but I did not take notice
of the Noife myfelf, being intent upon fomething
elfe at that time.

Soon after this happen’d, a Servant came from his
Grace the Duke of Newcajile, to inquire if we' had
perceiv’d what had happen’d and laid, that his
Grace’s Houfe had fhook all over.

I fent to’two or three Houfes in the Neighbour-
hood, and was informed, that they were equally
lenfible both of the Shaking and the Noife; and
at one of the Houfes it had thrown down a Firkin
of Butter from a Shelf. I was further informed,
that feveral of the neighbouring Inhabitants ran out
of their Houfes; and fome Gentlemen that were
playing at Tennis ran out of the Tennis-Court.

A Woman reports, that fhe felt a like Shock the
Night before laft about 7 o’Clock, which made the
Candle jump olf the Table at which fhe then far.

WhilftI was writing, a Man came in from Green.'
wich, who faid, he was at Dockhead wnen the
Shock was felt there, and the Noife feem'd to him
like that of a Cannon at a Diftance : That all the
Way he came, as far as London- Bridge, the People
were alarmed at it.

*{■} moo# c'ion 2 nl .win h 1:7/ ov ;

57 . Jfc

2 1 \7

ilia

•if

[ 605 ]

III.

An Account of the fame, by Jo. Freeman

Shock like an Earthquake, and I thought I heard a
hollow deep Noife. Several Women thereabouts
came running out of their Houfes much terrified.

At Leicejler-Houfe they were apprehenfive the
Foundation was giving Way, and were going to fend
immediately for the Surveyor.

All the Way in my Return home, I faw many
Groups of People together, and difeourfing upon
this Shock that had juft happen'd fome imagining
it was occafon’d by fome Houfes being blown up
in Gold-Lane , where there was a great Fire, and
others from fome Powder-Mills blowing up; the
fame thing having been obferved about 9 Years ago,
from the like Accident at the Mills at Hounjlow .
If neither of thefe Caufes appear, it can be no other
than an Earthquake.

An Account of the Jame , by William Fauquier

Read Feb. Thurfday the 8th of February ,

i»749-5°- at about half an Hour

after 12, as i was fitting reading with one Elbow

Efq\ F. R. S.

S I pafled thro’ the Mews To-day, a
little before 1 o’ dock, I felt a

IV.

F. R. S.

Thurfday the 8th of February

[ 606 ]

ontheTable, on the Ground-Floor, in myHoufe a Elt -
ham in Kent , I tclt two Shocks from Eaft to Weft,
which I immediately thought was an Earthquake,
as I had filt fomethmg like it once at Nap es ; and
was confirm’d in my Opinion, by my Wife's running
down-ftairs frighted, and declar'd it was an Earthquake,
flie having felt one, in the IVejl -Indies. She was
in the Room over me, in which Room there was
China handing on a Chbiner, which, fhe fays, fhook
in fuch a manner that fhe cxpe&cd it to fall. My
Children, who were in the Room over her, feem
to have felt it ftrongcr, as they fay, they appre-
hended a Chcft of Drawers in their Room was fall-
ing. The Servants that were in the Kitchen, which
has no Room under it, Rem to have felt but little
of it. One that was writing fays he felt the Dreffer
move, and the Wall, but thought it was only the
Shutting of a Door. Other Servants in the fame
Room felt nothing at all of it. My Gardener, who
was at Work in the Garden, felt nothing of it.

The Wind was at S. W. and had been high in
the Night and Morning, but was very much abated ;
and after this, for fome time, it was quite calm j
which l believe it is generally obferv’d to be, in
thole Countries where Earthquakes are more fre-
quent. A Flight of Pigeons I have, feem’d to be
much frighten’d.

Eltham is about 8 Miles S. S. E. from London -

. \ ,

Bridge, and (lands on a Hill. v

Tins Account was written before I had heard any
thing from London.

)j kb

V.

I

[ 6c>7 ]

V.

Uoa Rev. Henry Miles D. D. F. R S. to
Mr. H. Baker F. R. S. on the fame.

- . i r i

‘Dear S'r , .

Read Feb. 15 .r g ' H O’ I have not Time to anfwer
1749-^0. your valuable Letter at. prGe£t,

permit me to return you my finccrc Thanks lor it,
and at the lame time to give- you the bed Anfwer
I can to that Parc of it which does more immedi-
ately require it.

I find, upon Inquiry, that the Earthquake on
Fhurfday laft was felt in a Gentleman’s Houfe in this
Place, pretry fenftbly, in two Chambers, and in an-
other over one of them, bv a Tremor of the Wain-
fcot and Utenfils, and a fmall Shock fucceedingj
but was not perceiv’d at the other End of the Houfe,
in a Room on the fame Story with the Chambers.

I fhould have thought, when it was felt fo near us,
as about i yo Yards, our Houfe, which I look upon
as very fufcpptjble of Imprellions, fo as to be fhaken
by the Winds; would have been affected : £>ut if
it had, ’tis hardly pcllible but fomc of the Family:
mud have perceiv’d it, confidering the Parts they
were in, and their being chiefly in a fitting Pofture.

1 conclude therefore it could not be very conftdcra-
ble here. I have endeavour’d to learn whether it
extended any further to the South of usv but can-
not yet find it did.

The Wind has been chiefly S. and S. W. for fome
Months pafl, much longer than is ufual at any Time
of the Year 5 and yet we have h$d but a fmall

Quantity

[ 608 ]

Quantity of Rain hereabout for the Seafon. ——I give
you, on the other Side, the State of the Barometer
and Thermometer on the 8th, and two Days before
and after that, as obferved at London by my inge-
nious Friend Mr. Canton , and by myfelf here, at
2k p- nt . and at 8h p. m. each Day. I (hall only add,
that Yefterday (the 13th) my Thermometer abroad
at 1 ' p.m. was at yp =± to 270 above the freezing
Point : A Degree of Warmth exceeding what we
had feveral Days in laft June , at 2 hp.?n. I (hall
write you again the firft Opportunity, and am.

Tooting, F>b. 14, Tour, and the Royal SocietyV,

mojl obedient Servant ,

H. Miles.

At London .

At 2 p. m.

Day.

Barom.

Thermom.

6

29,14*

48

7

29,90

' 48 ?

8

2 9 83

54*

9

29 97

55?

10

29,90

54

At 8 p,

, m.

Barom.

Thermom.

*9,17

43

2999

43

29,95

52

29,96

52i

30,03

45*

At

[ 6°9 ]

At Tooting.

Day.

At 2 p. m .

Barom. Thermom.1

At 8 p. m.

Barom. Thermom.'

6

49

42

7

29.94

49

30,03

38-k

8

29,88

77

29,98

52

9

30,—

29,88

29.99

72*

10

3°.°4

47

VI.

Jo. Marty n M.D. to the Prefid ent, concerning
the fame.

SIR , Chelfea , Feb. 14, 1749-5°*

kead Feb. ij QOME time ago I troubled you with
*749 5°- fomc Account of an Aurora Anftr a*
Us f, which I hope you receiv’d: I now rake the
Liberty to mention the Earthquake, which happen’d
on Thurfday laid, of which you have without doubt
had many and better Accounts from other Places.

It was felt here at 40' after Noon. All theHoufes
were violently fhaken, especially thofe which are nearell
to the River. I was fitting in my Study, which fronts
the S W up one Pair of Stairs. I imagin’d that fome-
thing heavy had fallen down in the Room below me.
The Servants, who happen’d to be difperfed in fe-
veral Rooms, each of them thought one of the
others had thrown down feme heavy Chcft or Ca-
binet. A Maid-Servant, who happen’d to be pafs-
ing from one of the under Offices to another, felt
the Ground fhake under her. As the Place on
which her Feet were was full 6 Feet below the

I i i i Surface,

| See thefe Tranfaciio7is} N. 494, p. 319.

C 610 3

Surface, I immediately concluded, that fuch a Mo-
tion rnuft be occafion’d only by an Earthquake.

However, as moft of the Neighbours were confi->
dent that the Shock was occafiond by the blowing
up of the Powder-Mills at Hounjlow , I difpatched
a MdTenger thither on Horfeback, who brought me
Word, that the Shock was not felt either there or
at Brentford 5 and that he could not learn that it
had been felt farther Weft ward than Kenfington -
Turnpike.

I have alfo fince been inform'd, that it was felt
at Fulham j but a Friend, who lives a little beyond
Richmond , has fent me Word, that they did not
fed it there.

Of thole who were in the Street, or upon the
River, fome felt it, and others not.

I am credibly informed, that Letters from Calais
and Boulogne mention its having been felt on that
Coaft.

It feems therefore to have extended itfdF far to-
the Eaft ; but to have terminated in the Weft, about
two Miles beyond this Place.. I am. Sir, with the
greateft Refpett,

Tour mojl humble Servant ,

J. Marty n.

VII.

ExtraE? of a Letter from Mr IX rembley f7. R .
to the Preiident, concerning the fame.

SIR , Harwich , Feb. II. 1749-50.

JteaJFe b. 15 / |AdE Earthquake was not felt at In-
*749-5°- gatftone , not at Colchejler , nor at

this Town.

VII.

f 611 ]

Oil Thurfday Iaft the Lightning fell on 2 Steeples
not far from Colchejler. * * *. From

t Tout humble Servant ,

Abraham Trembley.

VIII.

Smart Lethieullier Efq\ F. R. S. to the Pre-
Iidentj of the hurtling of the Steeple of Dan-
bury in EffeXj by Lightning, and of the
Earthquake.

SIR,

l- \ S I think there was fome Miftakcm
f \ the Account of the late burning of

Read March
1749-50.

‘ Danbury Steeple by Lightning (read laft Thurjday
before the Royal Society ) which Midake feem’d
to give Room to imagine it had fome Connexion

with the late Earthquake, I take the Liberty of
fending you the Particulars of the aforefaid Acci-
dent, as they were tranfmitted to me by two Gentle*

I i i i 2 men

f Mr. Trembley , who was going the next Day for Holland > was
at the Time of the Earthquake with Mr. Folkes in his Study
in £hieen s-Square ; where were alfo the Earl of Macclesfield
and the Hon. Charles Bentinck ; they all felt themfelves at the fame
Inftant ftrongly lifted up, and prefently fet down again : They alfo
heard a Noife over their Heads as of fome heavy Piece of Furni-
ture being thrown down, whilft thofe who were in the Room over
them were frighted, and apprehended the like Accident had hap-
pened below-ftairs. The Coachmen on the Boxes of 2 Coaches
then ftanding at the Door, were extremely fcnfible of the Shock,
and apprehended the Houfe was going to fall upon them.

[ 6x2 ]

men of Diftinclion in the Parilh, who are the prcfent
Church-wardens.

Monday , the 5th of this inftant February , about

3 o’ Clock in the Afternoon, a very great and black

Cloud pafs’d over the Hill on which ‘Danbury
(lands, and broke into a violent Storm of Thunder,
Lightning, and Rain. No immediate Damage was
apprehended that Night ; but, between four and five o’
Clock next Morning, fome Perfons perceiv’d the Ball
on the Top of the Spire (which was of Wood, and on
which the Weather -cock ftood) to be on Fire, they
immediately alarm’d the Neighbourhood, and, by
the Help of a large Fire-Engine, fetch’d from Chelms-
ford, they got the Mafiery of the Fire by about 1 1
o’ Clock at Noon; tho’ it broke out twice after-
wards. It burnt downwards with great Fury, and
has intirely confum’d ir Feet of the Spire, and da-
maged 8 Feet more, as likewife the Beams on which
the Spire was fixed. Some of the burnt Tim-

bers and melted Lead have hurt the Roof of the
Chancel, but not very confiderably.

The great Height of the Situation of this Church
probably expofes it to Accidents of this Nature ; for
JValfingham relates, c that, on Corpus Chrifli Day
‘ anno 1402. the Devil enter’d this Church in the

< Likenefs of a Friar-Minor, where he raged, to tho

4 great Terror of the Parifhioncrs, and at the fame

< time, by the Violence of Thunder and a Tempeft,
* the whole Body of the Church was broken.’

This Devil, or Friar, was, I conclude, no more
than a Flafh of fome fiery Meteor, which the fruit-
ful Fancy of thofe Times could immediately doath
with the firft Habit tint occurr’d to them.

With

[ 6i3 ]

V i' regard to the Extent of the late Earthquake
this ’/ay (1 mean due E.ift from London) I cannot
learn that it pafs’d the little River Rodden that runs
by my Gardens, and croffes the Harwich Road at
Great Ilford. My own Houfe (lands about half a
Mile North from the 6 Mile-Stone. I was in my
Gardens with feveral Workmen, and none of us were
fenfiblc of any thing but my Wife, who was in
her Drefling-room, felt the Houfe tremble fo much,
that, upon my coming in, fhe told me file verily
believ’d there had been an Earthquake; the Motion
of the Houfe under her being exadly like what fhe
had often heard deferib’d when file was in Italy .

I am,

SIR,

Tour moft obedient

humble Servant,

> ’ ill r: • i •; :! n! j

Smart Lethieullier.

Alder s brook, Feb. 2J„
1749-5°.-

IX..

"The Prefident’j Account of the Earthquake
at London, March 8.

March 8, 1749..

'Read March 8. T very nearly half an Hour after f
1 749’5°- this Morning, being then in Bed,

but perfediy awake, I felt a very firong Shake, or
rather 5 or 4 fucceflive Shakes of an Earthquake, a$
I immediately took them to be. 1 judge the whole

‘Phenomenon

X i

[ 6i4]

'Phenomenon to have lafted about 3 or at moft 4
Seconds of Time; and the Shocks appear’d to differ
from what I had felt on the 8th oflaft Month, in this
Particular, that I did not now perceive that lifting up-
wards, andfudden fettling again, which I was then fen-
fibleofj nor did lhear that diftin&Noife, as of a great
Weight falling, which moft People were then fur-
prized with : But what now moft affe&cd me was the
Senfation of very quick Shakes, or of a Tremor, as it
appear'd in a horizontal Dire&ion 5 and I heard, during
ali the time, a fort of Crackling of the Wainfcot,
Window-Frames, and Floor, with fuch a Rattling in
the Chimney, as I have fometimes heard upon a hid-
den and ftrong Gull of Wind.

I inftantiy jump’d out of Bed, to fee if there was any
Damage done; and going to my Chamber-Door, I
met my Daughter running in a Fright from her Room,
who faid fhe was wak'd with fuch a Shock, that fhc
thought her Room had been falling; two Men-
Servants alfo, who lay in the Garret, and whom I
had called to, anfwer’d me whilft I was talking to my
Daughter, that they were both wakened by the Shock,
and that they felt, as they both expreffed it, fuch a Mo-
tion, as they had fometimes known given to a Child
in a Cradle.

Prefently after I had got on my Clothes, I fpoke
to lome of my Neighbours, who all gave me very
nearly the fame Account as this I have been juft giv-
ing of what 1 had obferved myfelf f only fome added,
particularly a Gentleman who lives in an older Houfe
than mine, that he apprehended, from a crackling
Noife over his Head, that a Chimney had been

thrown

[ 6lS ]

thrown down, and was then breaking thro’ the
Tiles and Lathing of his Houfe.

I fent a Servant oat about 7 o'Clock, and he met
a Countryman, who was bringing a Load of Hay
from beyond Highgate , and who was on the other
Side of the Town when the Shock happen’d ; he
did not, hefaid, feel it, as he was driving his Waggon ;
but that the People he faw in the Town of Highgate
were all greatly furprifed, faying they had had their
Houfes very much fhock’d, and that the Chairs in fome
were thrown about in their Rooms.

The Chamber I lie in is up two Pair of Stairs
forwards, and my Bed hands North-Weft and South-
Eaft. 1 took particular Notice, that there was neither
Cart nor Coach going by, but that every thing was
entirely quiet at the Time.

X.

An Account of the fame , hy the Rev. Mr.
Tho. Birch F. R. S.

&WMarch %.f | ^IS Morning, Thurfday March 8.
*749-5°. 1749-^0. about 18 Minutes before

6, according to equal Time, or half an Hour after
y by the Sun, I felt, in my Bed-chamber, on the
fecond Story of my Houfe in NorfolkSutzt, adjoin-
ing to the River, a Shock of an Earthquake, much
ftronger, and of longer Duration, than that^which
1 had felt on Thurfday Feb. 8. 1 was full awake,

and had juft be^un to drefs mvfelf, when I was
alarm'd with the trembling of the Room, attended

with

[ 616 ]

with a Noife fomewhat different from that of the
former Shock this Day Month, wh ch feem’d to be
occafion’d by fome great Weigh' falling upon the
floor above me; whereas the Noife of this latter
appear’d to me caus’d only by the tremulous Motion
of the whole Room and the '.joining ones, the
Walls, Wainfcot, Furniture, &c.

When I came down to my Study on the firft
Floor, I found a Book thrown down from an upper
Shelf.

My Family were awaken’d by the Shock. The
Air was at that time, and for fome Hours after, ex-
tremely calm, and the Wind wefkrly.

This Account was drawn up immediately before
I had fecn any other Perfon, except my own Family.

I have been fince told by a Gentleman, who re«
fided many Years in the JVejl Indies , that this laid
Shock was more violent than any he had felt there,
except one at Carthagena, in which a City, about
200 Leagues diftant from thence, was fwallow’d up
at that Inftant.

Another Gentleman deferib’d to me the Senfa-
tion, upon being awaken’d by the Motion, to be
like that of falling into a Fit.

Tho. Birch.

N h

XL.

t 617 ]

XI.

Mr. Henry Baker F. R. S. to Martin Folkes,
Efq\ Pref. of the Royal Soc. concerning the
fa?ne .

Read March 8. yt BOUT 40 Minutes after 5* o’Clock
*/49 50- thiS Morning I was waked our of

a found Sleep by a great Noife, hardly to be de-
fcrib’d, but what feem’d then to me as if the Roof
of the Houfe was tumbling in, or like the rumbling
I have fometimes heard Thunder make before a very
loud Clap. It continued 2 or 3 Seconds, as nearly
as I couldjguefs, under the Surprize of being awaked
fo luddenly; during which time the Windows rat-
tled, the Tables, Chairs, and other Furniture in the
Room, (hook greatly ; and a brafs Warming-pan, in
particular, that flood upon a marble Slab before the
Chimney, made a very remarkable ringing and jar-
ring Noife.

Two Maids, in a Room over mine, were alfo
wak’d by it, and got up immediately, being frighted
by the (baking of the Bed on which they lay; but
for my own part I felt little or no Motion of my
own Bed. However, as mod People who were in
Bed agree in deferibing fuch a Motion, it was pro-
bably that which wak’d me, tho’ the Violence of it
might be over, before I was fufficiently awake to
take due notice of ir.

My Son was likewife wak’d by the great rattling
of the Windows in his Chamber, which he at firft
imagined to be fhaken by a high Wind, they being
apt to make fome Noife in windy Weather, tho’

K k k k never

never like what he then heard, which Teem'd like
opening a Cafement- Window and fhutting it again
very fuddenly and violently. A Cat that lay upon
his Bed darted up in much Surprize.

Several People in the Neighbourhood went out
into the Streets, and others got upon the Leads of
their Houfes, to fee if any Damage was done.
Some Milk- women felt it very ftrongly as they were
milking their Cows near Maribone. It was violent
in Bond-jireet , and all that Quarter of the Town j
and I find, by People living in very different and
diftant Parts of London and IVeJlminJler , that it
was felt univerfally through the Whole, and was
not only longer in Continuance, but that its Mo-
tion was more violent and (hocking than the Earth-
quake, which happen'd on Feb. S. (this Day was
four Weeks) a hafty Account of which I had the
Honour to lay before you.

A Waterman that was lying in his Boar, then at
Anchor near King ft on , told a Friend of mine, that
he was frighted with fomething like a violent
Blow (hiking againft the Bottom of the Boat ; that
the Water was much agitated, and that the Barges
and other Veffels upon the River were tolled about
as in a Temped.

Thefe, Sir, are all the Particulars yet come to my
Knowlegej which, tho' put together in a Hurry,

may, I hope, prove acceptable. 1 (hall only

add, that I have the Honour to be,

SIR ,

catherine-fireet , four mo ft obedient humble Servant ,
March 8. 17+9-50.

Henry Baker,

XII.

C 6X9 1

XII.

To Mr. H. Baker F. R. S. of extraordinary
Heat in Feb. and of the fame Earthquake.

Dear Sir ,

Read March 8. f a \HE Temperature of the Air was
‘749 5°* found to be warmer by mv Ther*

mometcr (abroad) feveral Days of the laft Month
at 2h p. m. than I had obferved it to be fome Days
in June laff, at the fame Hour ; but, on Thurfday
Feb. 22. at 2h p. m. it hood at near 63 j and loon
after rofc to 63 full ; which is higher,- as appears
from my Rcgifttr, than it was at the fame Timex>f
Day, 18 Days in the Month of “June. And I find,
by an Account fent me from Mr. Canton , of Spital-
Square, that his Thermometer was at the fame De-
gree at 2 hp. m. the fame Day.

This perhaps may be thought riot unworthy to
be regifter’d in the meteotological Accounts in the
Thil. Tranf. but is fubmitt^d to the Judgment of
the Royal Society , by "

Tour and their rnofl obedient ,

Doting, March 8.

1749-50. hrnble Servant ,

H. Miles.

y, S. I was this Morning, at y* 40' furprifed with a
violent Shock in my Study, which fhook the
Doors of my Book-Prelfes exceedingly : It was
felt all over this Town and the next. I have not
Time for further Particulars, nor am I able to fay
as yet, whether it was caufed by the blowing up
of a Powder-Mill, or by an Earthquake.

Kkkk 2

XIII.

[ 620 }

Xill.

Martin Clare Efq-, F. R. S. to C. Mortimer
M. D. & Seer. R*S. of the fame*

SIR ,

Read March 8. A s I was walking this Morning in my
‘749'5°- Garden at Kenjington Gravel-Pits,.

about 40 Minutes after y by my Watch, I felt an
exceeding great Shock, a Succuffion of the Earth,,
attended with an Explofion that, I fanfv, refembled
the blowing up of a Mine, and with the fame kind,
of Noife. It was follow'd by a Trembling, very
brisk at firft, which gradually abated;- and in
about 3 Seconds, as near as I can judge, totally
ceafed. The Tremor was attended with the Noife.
of a diftant Thunder,, which, with the. Motion, gra?
dually died away.

I am not certain the Building near me moved j
but I fanfied it did. My Feet I am fure felt great
Emotion; and a large Watering-pot, of 9 Inches.
Bafe, that flood near me, was thrown all along, the
Moment the Trembling ceafed.

This Communication I thought would be ac-
ceptable, from,

SIR,

March 8, 1749-5°*

Tour obedient humble Servant ,

M. Clare.

*P. S. I have fince difeover’d that my Watering-pot
was overfet by a Brick that was thrown off the
Houfe by the Shock.

’ ‘ XIV:

[ 621 J

xiv..

Daniel' Peter Layard M. D\ F. R . S. to the

better than Tam able to fend yon, of the Earthquake
felt this Morning, yet I with due Deference take the
Liberty of laying before you the Particulars I ob-
fcrved, and fuch as are come to my Knowlege.

At 40 Minutes part y this Morning, as I lay awake
in a two Pair of Stairs Room, I heard a Noife, firft
as if the Top of the Houfc was cracking, and then
as if it fell in. Inftantaneoufly the Houfe fhook
with great Violence, rocking to and fro from N. E.
to S. W. fo as to make all the Furniture rattle, the
Windows and Bells ring. It alfo waked all the Fa-
mily, but the Servants in the Garrets felt the greater-
Shock.

It is reported, that two fmall Shocks preceded
this, one at 12 o’Clock laft Night, the other at 2
this Morning ; but I cannot fay I felt either.

The Milk-People in the Fields- were- very fenfible
of this Earthquake, and fay, that it began by a Re-
port like that of a Cannon fired near at hand.
Thofe who were milking in a Barn thought it was
coming down ; but were not fo fenfible of the Earth's
Motion as thofe milking in the Fields, who could
fcarcely ftandl The Cows were alfo frighten’d,
and ran away from the People.

This Earthquake was univerfally felt at Hamp-
Jlead> and much Wronger than that on the 8th of
February .

Prefidentj, concerning the fame ,

NOtwithfianding you will receive va*
rious Accounts, and many much

1 crave.

[ 622 ]

I crave. Sir, your Indulgence on this imperfeft
Account, and am, with all poflible Refpetf:,

SIR ,

Dean-Jheet Soho , March 8.

1749-50. Tour mofi humble , and

mofl obedient Servant,
Daniel Peter Layard,

XV.

The Reverend Mr . Roger Pickering, F. R. S*
to the Prefid ent, concerning the fame,

Alder manbury, March 8. 1749-50.

SIR ,

Read March 87’ ■ 'V H E Earthquake this Morning,
1/49-50. which happen'd at fo early an

Hour as to furprife mod People in their Sleep, I had
all the Opportunities imaginable of obferving to as
much Exa&ncfs as Fhcenomena of this Nature can
be; and therefore do myfelfrhe Honour to prefent
you with this early Intelligence.

About a Quarter after y I was lying in Bed awake,
nnd under the Compolure which one generally feels
upon recovering from a regular and refre filing Sleep.
To this the Serenity of the Morning greatly con-
tributed, as well as the gradual Increafe of Light,
which, the Shutters being open, could cafily be
perceived thro' the linen Furniture of the Bed and

Window-

r 623-i

Window-Curtains. I mention this Particular, bc-
caufe, every Objcdt in the Chamber being thus ren-
der’d fufficiently diflinft, I had the Opportunity of
examining the Event by the Evidence of my Eyes,
as well as that of my Ears. On a fudden I heard a
Sound like that of a Blaft of Wind ; fuch a Blaft I
mean, as thofe we perceive in the dry windy Diys,
fo frequent with us about the Equinoxes; one that,
at different Intervals, rifes gradually to its full
Strength, and gradually dies off. The Attention
this occafion'd led me very ienfibly to pcrceiv: rny-
felf rais'd in my Bed (which flood N. and S.) and to
obferve, that the Motion, as I lay upon my Back,
began on my right Side, and from Head to Foot
inclined me towards the left.

This was nearly inftantaneous with the Commence-
ment of the Blaft, and I immediately concluded it to
be an Attack of the fame kind with that on this Day
was a Month. The Senfation I felt at this time was
rather folemn than terrifying ; fo that I patiently lay
to obferve the following Circumftances.

' The ftrft Shock being given, the Motion that
followed was that of a very quick Vibration; and
looking at the Curtains of the Bed, I perceived
their Motion was flmilar. The Hinges of the Draw-
ers of a Drefling-Table on my right Hand clapp'd,
not only diftinctly, but conliderably loud ; and a
Sound, fuitable to its Materials, came from every
moveable Body in the Room. The whole Shock,
to my judgment, lafted about io or 12 Seconds of
Time; when, the rulhing Noife above-mention’d
having gradually died away, every thing was reftored
to that Calmncfs which had preceded the Event.

I then

[ 624 ]

I then rofe, and found by my Watch that it was
half an Hour part 5.

I am not able to judge of the comparative Force
of this Shock with that on this Day Month ; for I
was then at my Houfe on Enfield-Chace , where it
was not in the leaf: perceived, nor nearer to there
(as I can learn) than Edmonton, which lies, in a S.E.
Direction, about 3 Miles and a half nearer to Town.
But one of my Chimnies in Town has fufFer’d by
this Shock; and 1 am informed that two others
have been thrown down in Monkwtll Street and
ye win Street , which lie in a N. W. Direction, from
Aidermanbuy , at about | of a Mile Diftance.

1 -think, Sir, I have fomewbere found it obferved
by the antient Naturalifts, that Earthquakes ufually,
tho’ not conftantly, happen in the Spring and Au-
tumn,* and the Principle they go upon gives fome
Credit to their Obfervation. However, this induced
me to look over my Minutes of fuch Earthquakes
with us as have come to my Know lege f nee the
Middle of the laft Century. Thefe 1 found as fol-
low 5 viz.

19 Jan. i66y 6 at Oxford - - about 6 Even.

ij Sept. 16% 3 at ditto - - about 7 Morn.

9 Off. ditto thro’ the Midi* Counties about 11 Night.

rln London, and Parts-}

0 ^ , ] adjacent, and in the/ ,

’c in {-about 2 f. m.

I FLnders J

28 SDec. 170; In the'N. of England about f Even.
c, r , f In London, and about!

8 February \ ^ Miles round, & from i

j 7 +9 -yo. £ private Hands at Calais)

-about 12 \p.rn.
5 March

[ 625 3

fin London , where 1

8 March , ditto-} cite, at prefent > about Morn.

I unknown, J

Out of thefe feven Inftinces, you will perceive,
Sir, that 3 have happen'd in the Autumn, 2 in
Spring, and 2 in December and January ; fo that
the Balance in Favour of the ancient Observations
is as y to 2. I beg Leave alfo to obferve, that of
thefe, the 2 in the Spring are thofe we have fo
lately felt, and thofe, after the opened Winter, and
in the warmed Spring, that our Country, poilibly,
ever knew. How far this Obfervation may be ap-
plicable to adjud the Caufe of the two late Earth-
quakes, it would be impertinent in me, to offer
to you.

You will pleafe, however, to excufe me, Sir, if
I take the Liberty of my Function to obferve, that,
however obvious, in general, the fecondary Caufes
of thefe Dhrenomena may bej there is fomething
fo peculiarly affecting, fo ftriking,. in thefe folemn
Struggles of Nature, as irrefidibly fuggeds to the
Mind the linfpeakable Grandeur and Majedy of God,
and arifes in full Evidence of the Exidence, Wifdom,
and Power, of the Lord of N atur e.

It is, Sir, with very great Edeem that I take the
Honour of being,

SIR,

Tour moji obedient humble Servant,

R. Pickering,

L 1 11

XVI.

[ 626]

XVI.

y

An Account of the Earthquake on Thurfday
Morning , March 8, *749. as feen in the
Inner Temple Garden , by Robert Shaw (a
very fenfble Scotchman) then at Work
there ; coititnunicated by James Burrow
Efq> F. R. S.

Riad March 15. TTE was juft come into the Garden
1749 FI (at half an Hour after y), and was

fc3rce arrived at the great Tree, near the little Door
under Harcoitrfs Buildings (which is about io or
12 Yards perhaps diftant from Harcourt' s Buildings),
when he heard a great Noise, louder by much
than the Noife of the Explofions upon the Proof of
the Great Cannon at Woolwich , when full-charged
(at which Proofs he has been often prefent) ; nay
louder , he thought , than any Noife he ever heard.
This Noife -fee med to come from behind the Build-
ings} and his Face was then oppofite to them.

At the fame Infant he faw the whole Building
move upwards, then incline forwards towards him
(fo that he thought it would fall upon him) j then
recline backwards , and then fettles at which time
all the Windows rattled and clatter’d , as upon an
Explofion of a Cannon; the Sound in the Interim
rolling awa? (feemingiy from the Water -fide up
towards Temple-Bar) juft like the rolling Sound or
Echo which accompanies or fucceeds the Explo/ion
of Thunder, or of Ship Guns.

As

[ 627 ]

As to the Continuance, he often expreffed him-
felf that it was as a Thought ; and, in point of Time,
he fuppofed it could not be 3 Seconds.

The Sound and the Motion began both together;
but the Sound was quite rolled off, rather fooner
than the Buildings were fettled.

I asked him how much he judged the Declin.atipn
of the Building to have been from the Terpendicu -
lar? He anfwer’d, “ That it was impoifiblc to be
<f exact in relating that Particular, both by reafonof
<c the Surprife he was in, and alfo from the Sud-
te dennefs of the whole Compafs of the Appearance,
<e which was but 'as a Thought." However, in Or-
der to form fome Notion of it, I made a compara-
tive Inclination of the Garden Key, which I held
perpendicular to my Hand, and moved backwards
and forwards, till he fhouid judge it to approach
nearcft to what he- could -recoiled! of the Heeling of
the Buildings (which iad^e.d was bqt fu- inaccurate
Method of coming at the Truth vof .a. Thing pro-
feffedly uncertain even to the R-elator) : It feemed
tome, by his Delcription in this rough Comp'aiifon
(in which I might eafily miftake him) to be a De-
clination of feveral Degrees from /the Perpendicu-
lar j which is alfo agreeable to -his Apprehension,
that the Building would fall upon him. Pofhbiy,
his Surprize might magnify the Appearance far be-
yond the B.eality.

I then inquired what Perception he had of his
own perfonal Motion , and that of the particular
Spot of Ground whereon he then flood? He faid, his
Surprize was fo great, on feeing fo new and un-
common an Appearance (for'hc was not in or near

L 1 1 1 2 London

[ ,628 ]

London when the laft Earthquake happen'd), that
he either had no Perception at all concerning him-
felf and the Ground under him ; or at lcaft was fo
intirely engaged in obferving what he faw and
heard, that he had no Attention to what he felt.

r t l •, » • •

N. B. I made this Memorandum immediately af-
ter after converfing with this Robert Shaw ; and
therefore I fuppofe it contains a tolerably exad
Account of what he related to me.

James Burrow.

XVII.

The Rev . H. Miles D. D. F. R. S. to Mr .
H. Baker F. R. S. co?2taining a more full
Account of the fame than his former Fetter ,
Art. XII.

'' J « l - 1 ■ ' . ■ ■ • ■ . • , i

Read March 15. ▼ NOW fend you the bcft Account I
17 49' ^ am able of the Earthquake which

was fo generally felt in the City, and round about
it, on the 8th. inftant in the Morning at yh 40'
nearly, equal time.

I was then handing in my Study, when I heard a
Noife, at the firft Moment, very like the Explofion
I heard feveral Years ago, when fonre drying and
Storehoufes of Gunpowder were blown up about 6
Miles from us: This Noife ififued in a Murmur in
the Air, like diftant Thunder, and ended like a mill-
ing Wind: There was no perceivable Intermiflion

Friday Morning , March 9.
1749.

7 £ . ; > - ■ : , . ~ . r

[ 629 ]

in the Noife from firft to laft ; it feemed to come
from the Weft, and continued about 4/* cxcluftve of
the Tremor, which lafted fome time after the Noife
feemed to have ccafed. I found no Motion of the
Floor, which is over a Cellar, upon a Level with
other adjoining Ground-floors ; but the Doors of my
Book-Prefles, at the Weft End of the Room, fhook
took to and again, and the Rings on the Doors rat-
tled exceedingly; but I was notfenfible of any Mo-
tion of the other Doors on the Sides of the Room, near

to fome of which I then flood. Su^h of the Fa*

mily as were in Bed felt their Beds to be raifed up,
and then fhook from Side to Side.

A fenfible young Gentleman, who call’d upon me
that Morning as he came from London , told me,
that, confidering the Situation his Bed was placed
in, and the Motion he felt from one Side to ano-
ther, he coucludcd the Shock proceeded from the
Weft. The fame Obfervatiou, he faid, others had
made, with whom he had talked.

It was univerfally felt here, and very much at the
following Places around us ; At Merton , about a
Mile S. W. from us, and at Mitcham , about 2
Miles S. at Croydon 4 Miles S. fome Tiles fell
from Houles ; it greatly alarmed the Inhabitants of
Mreatiam , ab^ut a Mi e and a half E^ft of us; at
Clapham , two Miles and a 'half N. a Chimney, and
other Paits of a Building fell down; at Wandf-
worth , two Miles N. W. the Shock was very great;
efpecially near the Side of the Thames. It was felt
likcwife at Epfom , about nine Miles S. W. from us;
but how much farther, my Information does not
fay.

Upost

[ 63° ]

Upon Inquiry made of fevcral Perfons, who were
abroad at the time, going to their Work, I cannot
hear of any one, who faw any Lightning, perceiv’d
any Noife, or felt any thing of an Earthquake.

The States of the Barometer and Thermometer
were not remarkably different from what they had
been for fevcral preceding Days j however I have
added them underneath, and am

Tooting, March 14.
1749.

Tour , and the Royal Society'*
wiojl obedient Servant ,

H. Miles*

j Day at 4* a.m. Bar. 30,07. Therm. 32 almoft,
W. W. clear, and white Froft.

D® at 9b p. m . Bar. 29,99. Therm. 40, clear Even-
ing.

8 Day at 4h a. m. Bar. 30,07. Therm. 40, cloudy
Morning. W. W.

D** at 2fc p . m. Bar. 30,14. Therm. $ 8, cloudy
Evening. W. W.

xvnr.

John Martyn M. D. F. R. S . &c. to the.
Prefident, cojicerning the fame .

SIR Chelfea, March 14. 1749.

^a^March 15.'*" ONCE more trouble you with the
,749’ JL Mention of an Earthquake, which
was felt here on Thurfday the 8th inftant, at about
c half

[ 63l ]

half an Hour after 5 in the Morning. It was much
ftronger than that which happen'd in February ; two
great Shocks being felt prcfently after each other.
Thofe who were out of Doors felt the Ground
fhake under them very fenfibly s whereas, in the
former, few were fenfiblc of the Shock, except
thofe who were in Houfes. I do not hear of any
Mifchief done by it in this Neighbourhood $ neither
can I learn that it extended farther Weft ward than
the former. I am very well allured, that it was
flrongly felt at Fulham , and at Turnham-Green.

Several were fenfible of a fmaller Shock about
3 the fame Morning } and fome talk of unufual
Appearances in the Air. But this laft Circumftance
feems not very well attefted. For my own part, I
look'd out of my Chamber-Window to the S. W.
at a Quarter after 5, and only perceived it to be a
grey Morning, fuch as ufually predi&s a fine Day.
I am, Sir, with the greateft Refpedt,

Tour mojl humble Servant ,

John Marty n*

XIX,

Michael RufTel, Efq\ F.R.S. to the Prefid ent,

concerning the fa?ne.

Honoured Sir , Hartjlreet , March 14: 173.9.’

Read March. 1 5 . a $ there happen'd fome particular
*749' Circumfiances in the laft violent

Shock of an Earthquake, that were not taken no-
tice

[ 632 1

tice of at our laft Meeting, I prefume therefore to
fend you the Obfervations I made thereon, as they
appeared to me at my Houfe in Bloomsbury.

On Thursday Morning laft, about half an Hour
after y o' Clock in the Morning, 1 was awaken'd
by a violent Percuftion of my Bed; the Shocks, I
apprehend, lafted about 10 or 12 Seconds of a Mi-
nute; bccaufe my Bed was rock'd from one Side to
the other feveral times. The Motion appeared to
me to be in a horizontal Dircftion. I heard no
Noifc before the Shake; but if any, it might per-
haps occafion my being fo thoroughly awaken'd.
My Servants told me they heard a Report like a
great Blaft of Wind with a Clattering and Snapping
of the Windows and Doors of the Houfe, as they
exprefled it.

In my Dining-Room there was an India Cabi-
net, on which was placed fome ornamental China ,
Part of which was thrown down on the Floor, and
fome broke.

But what, Sir, was mod remarkable, I had two
China Figures placed on the Cabinet, with their
Faces fronting the Weft, which were, by the feveral
Shocks, turned about facing the N. E. which I
took to be nearly one Third of the Circumference
of a Circle. In this Situation I found them as foon
as foon as I arofe in the Morning; and I am af-
fured nobody had been in the Room before to dif-
place them.

Since, I was told by fome Company, that were at my
Houfe, that a Porter was going down Chancery-Lane
to call a Gentleman to go to the Brentford Election,
and, in his Way, as he called it, was ftruck with a

Blaft

[ 633 ]

Blaft, turned round on his Heel, and fell down, and
has not been well fince. Alfo another Perfon, that
was fet out on fome Bufinefs, was nearly turn'd
round by the Shock ; which feems a little to con-
firm the moving the China Figures in the Dire&ion
before- mention'd.

If thefe Hints are worthy of your Notice, or to
be communicated to the Learned Body of the Royal
Society , they are at your Service. I am, with great
Efteem,

SIR ,

Tour moft obedient humble Servant ,

Mich. Ruffel.

XX.

lames Parfons M.D. F.R.S to the Prefident,

concerning the fame.

SIR ,

Read March IVE me Leave, among others, to

1 749* communicate fuchFattsas I kn»ow,

or have been informed of, concerning the Shock
that happened laft Thurfday .

Between y and 6 in the Morning I was awaked
by a violent Motion of the Houfe, with a great
Noife refembling the Fall of fome heavy Body over-
head : At waking I found my Bed move very much;
but in my Surprize could not diftinguifh what kind
of Motion it might be, as to its Dire&ion j this

M m m m being

[ 634 ]

being momentary, as well as my Surprize, I faw
and heard the China rattle upon a Cabinet in my
Chamber, and perceived a trembling Motion in the
Room for fevcral Seconds. My Wife was alfo dif-
turbed ; and asking what was the Matter, I Lid I
felt a Shock, which I believ’d to be like what had
happen’d that Day Month : She anfwcr’d, if this is
one, I felt another about 2 this Morning, while
you flepr. I immediately look’d at my Watch,
and faw it was fix or feven-and-thirty Minutes
after y. I obferved a Light fhine in at my Windows
more than was natural ; and from the Rednefs of
the Sky, and Clcarnefs of the Morning, concluded
the Sun was riling; but imagin’d it fomething
ftrange it fhould rife fo many Minutes fooner than
was ufual upon the 8th of March : upon which I
role, and went to my Window, which looked Eaft-
ward, and then law it was a red Light only, ex-
tended from about N. N. E. to S. E. which I take
to be that mention’d by the Rev. Dr. Miles laft
Thurfday.

Then I went into the Square, where feveral Ser-
vants came out of their Houfes much frighted.
They all felt it the fame Way; and fevcral La-
bourers and Market People told me they were fhaken
very much as they walked, and that all Ne-jigate-
Market was in the g eatdf Confufion imaginable,
no one thinking himfelf fafe. The greateft Part of
rhofe I lpoke to about it heard the fame Sort of
Noife that occurr’d to me at the time.

Many complained all Day of great Sicknefs at
the Stomach, and Head aches', I had the latter
three or four Hours after it ; and others of my

Acquaintance

[ 635 ]

Acquaintance felt Pains in the Back the greateft
Part of that Day.

At Mary'-bon it was univerfdly felt j and with
the greateft Violence imaginable. At one Houfe
where I was at 12 that Day, a Maid-Servant faid,
fhe was thrown firft to one Side, and then back to
rke other 5 and many compared it to the Rocking
of a Cradle. I inquired particularly of fuch as were
thus rocked, about the Situation of their Beds, and
obferved, that, tho’ all deferibed the Motion to be
from Side to Side, their Beds were in all Directions.

As to the Shock which was faid to be felt at two
the fame Morning, there can be no Doubt of it ;
for I went to feveral Families in my Neighbourhood,
who pofitivcly aflerted it to be true ; but all faid it
was not lb ftrong as that which happened afterwards;
nor could any one fay he was awaked by it: On
the contrary, all thofe, who felt it, faid they were
awake before it happen’d. As for myfelf, I did not
perceive it, being afleep; and therefore I fhould be
inclined to think the Motion to be infufficient to
difturb a Beeping Perfon ; for I am eaftly difturb’d.

There is a llrong Report of a trembling Motion
being felt at two on Friday Morning following,
which lafted not long, and another at four the
fame Morning which lafted feveral Minutes, with-
out any Noife. I met Counfellor William Swin -
burn , of Devonfhire-flreet , who told me, that Mr.
Love , an eminent Apothecary at Weftminjler , de-
clared to him, thathe had Occafion to be up thatNight,
and was very fenfible of thofe trembling Motions
both times j and I have been fince inform’d, that one
Mrs. Marshal of Queen s-Square felt the Motion
M m m m 2 about

[ 636 ]

about two that Morning, but was not fenfible of
the other.

I a!fo made fome Inquiries concerning the Extent
of the Shock of Thrrfday Morning, and was in-
form’d by John Woljfe Efq; a great Studier of Na-
ture, that he wrote to his Gardener at his Houfe at
Hafely -Court near Tedford in Oxfordfnre about it,
with Orders to go to Henley upon Thames , and
inquire whether it was felt there, and he wrote
back Word, that the Market-People who came there
from twenty Miles round knew nothing of it. I
was alfo informed by Mr. Sherwood of this Society ,
that it was not felt at Horn-Church , a Gentleman
having fent his Servant on purpofe to know ; nor
any further that Way than Ilford. It was alfo felt
at Stanmorey but not at IVatfordy five Miles fur-
ther.

I was Yefterday in the City, and a Gentleman faid,
the Fifh in his Ponds were remarkably difturbed
by the Shock, and that many of them leaped quite
out of the Water upon the Bank; and while he was
relating this, another came in, who faid, the fame
happen’d in a Pond of his, and in that of another
Gentleman in his Neighbourhood at the fame time.
I am, Sir, with great Refped,

Thursday, March 15. four mojl humble Servant ,
174.9-50.

J. Parfons*

XXL

[ 637 3

XXI.

An Account from James Barrow Efq;F.R.S. of
what Mr . Boyfield told him concerning the
late Earthquake .

Friday, March 16, 1749.

-Read March 22-l\ /IfR. Jofiah Eo} field, of Gravel-
I/49’ XyX Eane, near St. George’s, fields,
Southwark , told me, that at the Time of the Earth-
quake, on Thurfday Morning the 8th inftant, he
was not far from his Canal, and that it was a clear
ftill Morning; the Air (as he expreifed it) as dear
as a Bell, with not a Breath of Wind ftirring. As
clear as a Bell, except that fmali Hazihefs which
there almoft always is in the Morning-Air.

He heard, he faid, a great Noife like Thunder;
which he at firft took to be the Report of Ship-
Guns; and immediately after the Ground fhook and
trembled under him, and he heard his Men fay.
Look at the Fijh. The Sound came from the South-
Eaft, and moved to the Weft or North-Weft, over
Wefiminfier : It went off rattling like ten thoufand
Cannon ; and he thought that lEeftminfter- Abbey ,
and all that Part of the Town was coming down.
The Sound preceded the Motion, and was ended
before the Motion cealed.

He went, he fays, nearer to the Canal, and faw
the Water much difturbed ; but he did not himfelf
actually fee the Fifh leap out of the Water : How-
ever, fome of his Men, whofe Account he can de-
pend upon,faw feveral Roach leap up, and law the_F'ifh

in

[ 638 ]

in general fhoot away in all Sorts of Dlredions, and
feem to fhift for themfelves, as if they were frighted
and alarmed at what had happened.

XXII.

Obfervations on the Earthquake , March 8.
1749. by C. Mortimer, M.D. Secr.R. S,

Devonfbire-ftreet , near Queers -Square.
Head March 22. /^\N Thurfday Morning, March 8.

175°‘ \^/ 1749. I awaked a little after Five}

I open’d my Curtains, and obferved the Sky hazy : I
drank aDraught of W ater, and, looking, on my Watch,
found it to be but half an Hour pad y; and there-
fore was going to lie down again in my Bed ; when,
leaning upon my right Elbow, I firfl: felt a Shock,
as if the whole Houfe was violently pufhed from
the NW to the S E and then, with equal Force,
pufhed back again from S E to NW between
which Shocks I heard a dull Noifej as if fomething
heavy, but foft, rolled to and-fro’ in the Garret over
my Head. I faw the Cornice and Ceiling of the
Room fenfibly move, and then perceived a third
and fourth Shock, fo flow as to give me Time to
refled what might be the Event} and then a fifth and
fixth, which I own began to frighten me } the
Strokes feeming to be exceeding ftrongi not at all
like a quaking or tremulous Motion, but like a forcible
Shoving backwards and forwards; much refembling
the Rocking of a Coach, when eroding the Rutts, or
giving Way to another Carriage. My Son, who lay
in the next Room called out in themidft of it to know

1 what

[ 639 ]

what was the Matter? faying, the Wainfcct Par-
tition between the 2 Rooms feCm’d as if rending
afundcr. The Whole feem’d to have lafted about 3
Seconds. I find that a Poft, which fupports the
above-mentioned Partition clofe to the Door-cafe,
has given way a little; the Paint being frefh-
crack’d ; and a Crack in a Wall upon the Stairs is
grown fomething wider. The Door between the
two Rooms, which fhuts with a Fall-Latch, that
was unlatch’d by the firft Earthquake, and flapp’d
to and fro’ three or four times, was not unlatch’d
by this laft , which I think is an Argument, that by
the rirft the Houle was lifted up, and that it was
not fo by the laft, but only rock’d from Side to
Side.

I am credibly informed of a Pannel of Wainfcot
in the City being wrenched out of the Groove, and
not returning into it again.

XXIII.

The Rev. H. Miles, D. D. & F.R.S. to the
Prefid ent, containing fome additional Ob-
fervations to his former Account* *.

SIR,

'Read March 22. "¥"T having been commonly reported,
I that there was much Lightning on
the Morning, and about the Time when the Earth-
quake happened on the 8th of this Inftant, I was
induced to get what Information I could of the
Truth of it, in this Neighbourhood. If you fhalL

jndge

* See this Tranf. and 6zg,

[ 640 ]

judge the Refult of my Inquiry may be fatisfa&ory
to any of this honourable Society , I fubmit it to ba
communicated j and am

Tooting, March 22, Tour and the Royal Society’.?

1749-50. '

PERSON who went into an open Cart at 4 o'

Clock that Morning at Mitcham , for London ,
faw no Appearance of Lightning at all. Several
other Perfons, who were abroad, going to Work,
fome time before the Earthquake happen’d, declare
that they faw none ; nor were they fenfible of any
Noife, or Motion in the Earth.

I got Inquiry to be made of the Watchmen, who
belong to the Callico Printers, and watch all Night
in the Grounds, and received this Anfwer from one,
that he neither faw any Lightning, nor heard any
Noife, and had no Perception of an Earthquake;
and from another, who watched in other Grounds,
a Mile or more diftant from the firft-mention’d,
that he faw no Lightning all that Night 5 but fays,
that he heard an unufual Noife about the Time in
which the Earthquake is laid to have happen’d ;
but this it feems was not lo remarkable as to have
caufed him to take notice of it to any one, had he
not afterwards been told there was an Earthquake.

moft obedient and
mo ft humble Servant ,

H. Miles.

I have

[ 6+I ]

I have, befides this, made Inquiry of various Pcr-
fons, and cannot meet with one, who did Ice any
Lightning, or who heard others fay that they had
feen it.

eP. S. I am credibly informed, that a Gentleman’s
Servant at JVandfworth was watering his Maher’s
Horfe by the River-Side, at the time when the
Earthquake happened, who found the Water 10
much agitated on a hidden, that the Horfe ftartcd
back, and would not drink.

XXIV.

The Rev. W. Stukely M. D. R R S to the
Prelident, on the Caufes ^Earthquakes *.

Read March 22’TIJHEN fo great and unufual a
U 49* V V Rhanomenon as an Earthquake,
and that repeated, happens among us, it will natu-
rally excite a ferious Kefk&ion in every one that is
capable of thinking j and we cannot help conftder-
ing it in a philofophical as well as religious View.
Any Mind will take the Alarm, when we perceive
a Motion that aflfedts the Earth, that bears the
who.e City of London , and fome xMiles round j and
at the fame time, whilft it gives us fo fenfibie a
Shake, lb gently lets us down again, without Da-
mage to any Buildings, and without a Lite loll.

In the Works of Nature and Providence there
are no Degrees of Great and Little: Companions
are incompatible ; neverthelefs we ourfelvcs are

N n n n more

* This Paper is published ieparately by the Author, in a Pam-
phlet, at Londovy 1750. tn 8 vo.

[ 642 ]

more affected with what feems great, in our own
Apprehenfions ; but an Omnipotent Power
admits of no Diftinttionsj and whilft prodigi-
ous Effects are produc’d from Caufcs impercep-
tible, it rightly claims our ferious Attention, as
well as Wonder i nor need we lofe Sight of the
theological Purpofe of thefe amazing Alarms,
whilft we endeavour to find out the Philofophy of
them.

Permit me, then, to throw in my Thoughts on
the Caufe of Earthquakes. I did not enter into the
common Notion of Struggles between fubterrancous
Winds, or Fires, Vapours, or Waters, that heav’d
up the Ground, Eke animal Convulfionss but I
always thought it was an electrical Shock, exa&ly
of the fame Nature as thofc, now become very fa-
miliar, in electrical Experiments.

When we reflect on the unufual Winter now
paft, beyond what occurs to any one’s Memory,
that it has been dry and warm to an extraordinary
Degree, the Wind generally South and South-Weft,
and that without Rain, we may, with much Rca-
fon imagine, that the Earth has been in a State of
Ele&ricity, ready for that particular Vibration
wherein Electricity confifts.

And that it has been fo, we may further con-
clude from the extraordinary For wardnefs of Vege-
tation, from the Frequency of the Northern Lights,
and cfpecially of that called Aurora aujiralis , which
are with us infrequent, and twice repeated, juft be-
fore the Earthquakes (being of fuch Colours as we
had never feen before), and removed Southward,
quite contrary to thofe common with us.

Add

[ 643 ]

Add to this, that feme Foreigners among us,
from Italy, and thofe Parts, where Earthquakes are
frequent, obferving thefe Lights, and the particular
Temper of the Air, did actually forefee the Event
of an Earthquake. All thefe Matters concur, in
fhewing, that the Earth was in a State of Electricity,
beyond what has ever been in our Memory. -

Admitting this, there is nothing wanting, to pro:
duce the wonderful Effcdt of an Earthquake, but
the Touch of any non-eledtric Body 5 and that mult
necelfarily be had ab extra, from the Region of the
Air, or Atmofpherei

We had lately a very pretty Difcourfe read here,
from Mr. Franklyn of ^Philadelphia *, concerning
Thundcrgufts, Lignts, and like Meteors. He well
folves them by the Touch of Clouds, rais’d from
the Sea (which are Non-electrics), and of Clouds
rais'd from Exhalations of the Land (which are elec-
trify \1) : That little Snap, which we hear, in our
eledrical Experiments, when produc’d by a thoufand
Miles Compafs of Clouds, and that re-echoed from
Cloud to Cloud, the Extent of the Firmament,
makes that Thunder, which affrightens us.

From the fame Principle I infer, that, if a non-
eledric Cloud difeharges its Contents, upon any
Part of the Earth, when in a high-eledrify’d State,
an Earthquake muff necellarily enfue. As a Shock
of the electric Tube in the human Bo'dy, fo the
Shock of many Miles Compafs of folid Earth, nuift
needs be an Earthquake 5 and that Snap, from the
Contad, be the horrible uncouth Noife thereof,

N n n n 2 I have

* Read Nov. 1 6, 1749. pubiifh’d with enher Traits on Electri-
city, by Mr. Peter Collinjon F. R. S. ~Limdon 1750. %vo.

/

c 644 1

I have been informed, by thofe who were up,
and abroad, the preceding Night, and early in the
Morning, that Corufcations in the Air were ex-
tremely frequent (which confirms us in the Notion
of the Eatth’s being then in an cledrify’d State) and
that, a little before the Earthquake, a large and
black Cloud fuddenly cover'd the Hemifphere ;
which probably occafion’d the Shock, by Difcharge
of a Shower.

It may be faid, That, if this were the Cafe,
Earthquakes would happen much oftener than we
find them. It may be anfwer’d. That they pro-
bably do, much oftener than obferv’d : But flight
ones; becaufe of the Earth’s bein ^ flight ly electri-
fied. And fuch a Winter as this has not been
known before 5 to which we attribute the prefent
Earthquake.

The Rcafon is obvious, why Earthquakes are not
fo frequent with us, and the Northern Regions in
general, as in Italy , and more Southern Climes;
and a due Confidcration of it confirms our Reafoning.
All Electricity requires great Thrynefs and IVarmth ;
and 1 dnubt nor but Earthquakes, of a fmall Degree,
have and do frequently happen. And many Peo-
ple now recoiled, that they have been lhaken in
their Beds ; tho’ they took no notice o' it then,
having had no Experience of an Earthquake?

Ad that we have laid upon the Subj'd receives
great Strength from this Particular, That Water
Rrengthcns and conveys the Force of Eledricry.
From whence we may account for that Obfcrva-
tion, that the moll dreadful Effeds of Earthquakes
are always felt in maritime Towns j as Tort-Royal

in

[ 645 ]

in Jamaica , Lima in Lent, MeJJina in Sicily, foe.
And here , we find plainly, that the Shock went
along the River, both upwards and downwards, far-
ther than by Land j like the Bottle of Water held
in the Hand, in electrical Experiments.

We argue the fame from the Sicknefles, Pains
in the Joints and Back, rheumatic, hyfteric, nervous
Cafes, Hcad-ach, Colics, and the like ; which
many People, efpecially of the weaker Conftitutions,
felt, for more than one Day after: Juft as after
Electrification.

But from hence it is highly worthy of Remark,
that the Finger of Providence is notorioufiy
difcernible herein ;

of Him,

Who guides the Thunder, and dir eels the Storm.

Tho’ it operates by natural Caufes, yet it is that
which gives them their Deftination. For, tho' the
Coafts of the Sea are molt liable to, and fufceptiblc
of this mighty Shock, which we call an Earth-
quake ; yet the chaftening Rod is directed to
Towns and Cities , where are Inhabitants, the Ob-
jects of its Monition j not to bare Cliffs , and an
uninhabited Beach. And there cannot be a more
direct Proof, that Earthquakes are divine Judgments,
than this Obfervation : For, in all antient Hiftory,
Earthquakes are ever found in great Cities. A. CD.

1 7, no lefs than 12 flourifhing Cities in Afia minor
were deftroy’d in one Night. In A. D. 14 f6. at
Naples , 40,000 People perifhed by an Earthquake.
In 1 53 1 . in the City of Lisbon, 1400 Houfes were
thrown down.

We

[ 646 ]

We fee and admire the Effects of ElcClricitv,
and its ftupendous Properties, every Day ; which
Teems as it were an animating Soul to Matter.
The Antients had a Notion that the Earth was a
great Animal; probably from fome Obfervations of
Electricity ; but certainly, when in our Days we feel
thefe unufual and extraordinary Convulftons of Na-
ture, it is a Leffon to us, to do our Duty toward
that Great Being, who, by a Drop of Water can
produce Effects fo prodigious.

March d- William Stukely.

1749-50. j

XXV.

ExtraEi of a Letter to Mr. J- Ellicott F.R.S.
concerning cm Earthquake at Portfmouth,
March 18. 1749-50.

Read March 22.T^Y a Letter I had from Mr. Oakes
J749- |j at Fortf mouth, dated the 19th in-
ftant, he gives me an Account of the Inhabitants
being alarm’d with a fevere Shock of an Earthquake
on Sunday the 1 8th at Six o1 Clock in the Evening ;
and that it was felt Wronger at the Common , which
is about three Quarters of a Mile diftant.

XXVI.

[ 6+7 ]

XXVI.

"Ext raft of a Letter from Portfmouth; com-
municated by Daniel Wray Efq\ F. R. R
concernmg the fame .

March 19, 1749.’

Read March Z2-'\7"E ST E RDAY, about a Quarter be-
1 749- fore Six in the Evening, a flight

Shock of an Earthquake was felt here. I don't find
it was genera], as many People felt nothing of it.
It was felt fenfibly at Mr. Carters and Mr. Taylors j
lo that it is fomething more than Fancy.

CP, S. Since writing the above, I am told the Shock
was very violently felt in the IJle of Wight
Yefterday.

XXVII.

7 he Rev. Wm. Cooper D.D. Dean ofD ur-
ham, to the President, of the Earthquake
on March 8. and of the luminous Arch,
February 16. 1749.

g J Grojvenor's- Street, March 2251749;

Read March 29.^f IT THILST I was in the Country, I
1 749- yy made as much Inquiry into the
Progrefs and Extent of the Earthquake Northward
as 1 was able j but could colled very little worth
your Notice.

It was felt very fenfibly at Northaw , and at Gub-
bins , the Seat of Sir feremy Sambrooke in that
Neighbourhood, whofe Houfe was fhaken very

much.

[6+8]

much. At a Farm, three Quarters of a Mile NE
of Hatfield-, it was felt by the Farmer and his Fa-
mily, but not perceived by the Inhabitants of Hat-
field itfelf.

In like manner at Hertin fordbury , a Village a
fmall Mile Weft of Hertford , the Shock was felt
diftin&Iy; but not obferved by any of the Inha-
bitants of Hertford.

At my own Houfe at \ Panfh'anger , two Miles
Weft of the above-mentioned Town, the Noife
was heard twice, at the Interval of about half a
Minute, refembling the Rumbling of a Cart thro’
the Streets ; but no Shock felt either within or
without-doors.

This Circumftance of the Noife being heard
without any fenfible Tremor or Heavings of the
Earth, makes me imagine, that the Force of the
Vapour was fpent before it reached that Place ; and
thereabouts may be reckon'd the Northern Limit of
the Earthquake at leaft, I have not heard of any
Places more to the North that were affected by it.
It is no wonder, in a Shock fo fudden and alarm-
ing, that very few fatisfa&ory Obfervarions are made,
either as to the Nature of the Shock, the Dire&ion of
the Tremor, the Time it was felt, or its Duration 5 of
none of which can I give you any Particulars. I ftiould
not have troubled you with thefe I have collected, but
for my Promife ; and that I thought that one Obfer-
vation, made at my Houfe, in lome degree fixed the
Extent of the Shock to be limited thereabouts} and
might not therefore prove quite an immaterial one.

1 cannot help mentioning a luminous Arch, which
appear’d Feb. 1 6. about 9 at Night. It had Arfiurus

in

[ 649 ]

in its Eaftern Limit, which was then low in the
Horizon, and extended to the bright Star in the
right Shoulder of Orion , then bearing S W. It was
exceedingly bright, regular, and well-defirfid, and
about the Breadth of the Rainbow 5 which it re-
fembled in every thing, but its Variety of Colours.
It continued thus for almoft 20' Minutes, declining
gently Southward, and then gradually feparated and
difappear'd. I am,

SIR ,

Tour very affectionate Friend and Servant ,

W. Cowper.

xxvur.

FxtraEt of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Tay-
lor, Vicar 0/Portfmouth, to Mr. Roderick,
concerning an Earthquake^// there y March
18. 1749-50.

Portfmoutb, March 25". 1750.

Read March 29. ir SHALL give you fome Parti-

1 75°' culars with regard to the Earth-

quake, which was felt here on Sunday the 18th
in Rant.

The firft Part of the preceding Week was fine
Weather. IVedneJday Night it became damp and
cold, and continued fo all Thurjday , with Mills.
Friday was a fine Day, Saturday damp and cloudy ;
Sunday Morning fine. Juft before 6 in the Evening
we had fome large Drops of Rain, and a Thunder-

O o 00 Cloud

[ 650 ]

Cloud palled to the SE juft as the Earthquake
happened.

The firft thing perceived was a Shock, like the
fudden Stop of a Body in Motion ; a kind of jar-
ring. This was fucceedcd immediately by a gentle
Motion, nearly in the Direction between Eaft and
Weft; which made 3 or 4 flow and deliberate Vi-
brations. Thofe who fat facing the Eaft or Weft
were moved backward and forward; and thofe who
faced to the North or South were moved ftdeways.
The Whole was attended with a Noife like that of
Thunder at a very great Diftance. It lafted, as I judge
by different Accounts, about 4 or 5 Seconds.

I do not hear of any Explofion. The Safhes and
Door in my Chamber fhook, as in a Blaft of Wind
a little ftronger than ordinary. Several, who were
on the Battlements of the Church, felt it more
violent, and. heard the Bell-Frames and Floor fhake
and crack. Few On the Ground, or in Motion,
were fenfible of it.

It was felt at Havant , 7 or 8 Miles to the Eaft,
and at Fitchfield , 7 Miles to the Weft.

It pafled to, or from* the IJle of Wight, where it
affeded the Ground-Floor, as much as rhe Cham-
bers here. It ran along the Coaft between Eaft and
Weft; but 1 have not heard that it was perceived
at Sea, or went far inland.

I am informed it has been felt at Guernfey and
Jerfy, fo that if it moved horizontally, it muft
be a confiderable Depth under-ground ; the Sound-
ings from hence to thofe Iflands being, in fome
Places, 47 or 70 Fathoms : So that I flatter myfelf,
that the fmall Rcfiftance which it can meet with
d. at

' [ 6Si ]

at Sea is fb difproportionate to what it mud en-
counter under fo many more Fathoms of Earth,
that a more violent Return will rather open and
difcharge itfelf there, than do us any confiderable
Mifchief at Land.

XXIX. •

Extract of a better from Mr. Benj. Ccoke
F. R. S. to Mr. Peter Collinfon, F. R. S.
of a Shock of an Earthquake felt in the Ille
of Wight, March 19. 1749-50.

- ' . . . , . / r

Ijle of Wight, March 26, 1750.

Read March 29-T") E S I D E S the Shock, which hap-
1750 D pen’d here about 6 in the Evening
on the 1 8th Inltant, as has been mention’d in the
public Prints from many neighbouring Places, there
was another, which was felt by forne betwixt 3
and 4 o’ Clock next Morning: But whether this
latter was as extenfive as the former, I cannot yet
learn. . ... • Lv

In the Evening Shock, a Gentleman of my Ac-
quaintance was fitting alone in his Parlour by the
Fire with the Doors fhut 5 the Spaniel Dog, which
lay as it were afleep before him, was fo terrified at
the unufual Motion, that he ran round the Room
in the greateft Fright and Confufion, as endeavour-
ing to find a Way of Efcape.

O o o o 2

XXX,

a

[ 652 ]

xxx.

Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman at
Southampton to Jofiah Colebrooke, Apo-
thecary, F. R. S, of the Shocks felt in thofe
Parts j March 18 and ig. 1749-50.

March 19. 1740.

Read March 29 TT T£ have had nothing of an Earth-

VV quake in thefe Parts till laft
Sunday Evening, when they had it all over the
Jfle of Wight. My Son wrote me the following
Account of it, which is dated at Newport, on Mon-
day the 19th:

“ Laft Night, juft at 6 o’ Clock, as my Aunt
“ and I were fitting together, we felt an Earth-
quake, and a terrible one I think. At firft we
<e heard a fmal-1 Noife, which we fuppofed was a
“ Chariot j and, as the Noife grew louder, the
“ Houfe began to fhake; till at laft the Noife grew
<f fo loud, and the Houfe fhook fo much, that we
“ expected it would fall down. I believe it con-
“ tinued near a Minute 5 and it was a great Mercy
“ we were not all confirmed. I confefs I was
“ dreadfully frighten’d. W e had nothing fell down
<c from the Shelves in our Houfe ; but both our
“ Neighbours had Things thrown down from their
“ Shelves. I heard a Man fay there was another
u Shock this Morning between Three and Four of
“ the Clock, but we felt nothing of that. I bc-
“ lieve it was felt all over the Ifland ; for here is
“ a Man in Town who felt it at St, Helens, .”

Ycfterday

[ 653 3

Ycfterday I heard they had a little of it at Portf-
mouth and Lymington: And a Servant-Maid in this
Town fays, file felt her Chair fhakc 5 and the Windows
fhook, and the Wainlcot crack’d, juft at the fame
time : But I neither feit it, nor can find any body
befidcs that did.

XXXI.

A Letter from Mr. Peter Newcome F. R. S>
to the Prelident, concerning the fame Shock
being felt at Hackney, near London.

Read March
1750.

I

SIR ,

BEG Leave to give you fome Ac-
count of what was felt in our Houle
at Hackney , on Sunday the 18th, a little alter 6 o’
Clock ill the Evening 5 as we have received Ac-
counts of the Shock of an Earthquake being felt at
Bath , Portf mouth , and fome other Places on that
Day.

My Coufin Peter Newcome was fitting in his
Chamber on the upper Floor of the Houle, look-
ing towards the Fire, when he plainly perceiv’d the
Hearth of his Chimney to be moved ■, and imme-
diately felt the Chamber rock three or four times
from Weft to Eaft; but heard no Nolle, as at the
time of that Shock felt on the 8th.

Being much furprifed, he was running down-
ftairs, and there met with one of the Maid-Seryams,
who was running in a great Flight out of another

Room

[ 6s+]

Room on the fame Floor 5 and, before they could
fpeak, a young Gentleman, of about iy Years old,
came out of a Clofet juft by, and they all at one
Moment asked each other if what they had felt was
not another Earthquake.

In a Chamber on the Floor below, M after Hadley >
Son to the late Mr. Hadley of this Society , was in
his Bed, being ill of a Cold ; he felt the Bed move
upwards fo (enfibly, that he imagin’d fomebody had
got under it out of Wantonnds, and was lifting it
lip ; and actually got out to look under the Bed.

The fame was felt by another Servant, on the
upper Floor, at the other End of the Houfc; and
by another young Gentleman underneath in that
Part alfo. The reft of the Family, being all toge-
ther below- flairs, felt nothing of it. I am,

SIR,

Hackney, March 29. Tour moll obedient Servant ,

1750.

’ 4 t ‘ • * -

P. Newcome.

xxxir.

[ 65S ]

XXXII.

A Letter from James Burrow Ffquirey
F. R. S. to Peter Daval Ffq\ Seer. R. S.
concerning the fame Earthquake being felt
at Eaft Sheen, near Richmond Park in
Surrey.

Dear Sir ,

March 30. 1750.

Read April j.
175°.

I A M very much obliged to you for the
Opportunity of perilling thofe Papers,
which I intended and ought to have come and
heard read. If I had been prefent, I would have
(in fome meafure) confirmed Mr. Newcome’s Ac-
count of what was perceived in his Houfe at Hack -
ney , by a fimilar Tefiimony from Eaji Sheen near
Richmond Rark in Surrey. It depends indeed up-
on the Perception of a lingle Perfon ; whereas his
is verified by the Senfations of fix different ones;
but it is exactly parallel, as to the being felt abovc-
ftairs, but not below.

On Sunday the i8;h inftant, at a very little after
6 in the Afternoon, as Mifs Lethieullier was fitting
in her Drefiing-Room up two Pair of Stairs, front-
ing to the South, with a Book before her, fhe felt
fuch a Shock of an Earthquake, as fhe apprehended,
that fhe immediately ran down i aits, frighted ; and
finding Mr. Lethieullier her Father, and another Per-
fon, fitting together in the Parlour, asked them, “ if
“ they had not felt another Shock of an Earthquake/'

But,

[ 656 3

But, finding that neither they, nor any one elfe, had
perceived any thing like it, fhe neither faid or
thought any more of it; fufpe&ing it might be only
a fudden Guft of Wind, or fome other accidental
Caufe.

On reading the Accounts in the public Papers of
a real Shock of an Earthquake being felt at Portf-
month , at the Ifle of Wight , and at other Places,
exa&ly at the fame time, her Father, and the Gen-
tlewoman who was in the Parlour with him, began
to doubt whether the young Lady’s Apprehenfion
was not founded upon fome what more than mere
Fancy or Imagination; and Mr. Newcome' s Ac-
count feems to render it probable that fhe felt a
real Motion.

Whether it was, or was nor, I don’t pretend
to determine; and fliould fcarce have mention’d it,
if it had not fo exadly coincided with what Mr.
Newcome has communicated. I have no doubt
of the Fact above rehear fed ; having been allured of
it by all the three Perfons before fpoken of, who firft
mention’d it in an accidental Converfation upon the
Subject, and afterwards (on being particularly inter-
rogated) pofitively and exprefly attefted it. I am,

‘Dear Sir ,

Tour moji humble Servant ,

James Burrow.

XXXIII.

[ 657 ]

XXXIII.

Ihe Rev. Wm. Stukeley M. D. F. R. S. to
the Prefident, concerning the Caufes of
Earthquakes §.

the Inquiries of the Royal Society , none would
more fcnfibly afifeef the Minds of contemplative
Pcrfons than that of an Earthquake ; efpccially to
us in this Country, where they fo feldom happen.

When I had the Honour laft Thnrfday * to lay my
Thoughts upon it before the Society , I found that
fome worthy Members had not fully enter’d into
my Way of Reafoning; nor with that Serioufnefs
fo awful a Subject requir’d: Therefore I judg’d it
necefiary to treat upon it in a more diffuftve man-
ner; and with fome further Confiderations relating
to that Argument.

Among the numerous Accounts received here,
and Obfervations upon the Manner of it, 1 judg'd it
became the Society to inquire into the Caufe of
fo extraordinary a Motion, of which we could not
have form’d a proper Idea, had we not repeatedly
both feen and felt it.

The Notions of the Antients are fufficiently
known ; nor have the Moderns any-way improv'd
upon them, any further than by fome chymical
Mixtures. The vulgar Opinion goes no deeper
than fome Caverns, not far below the Surface of
the Earth ; wherein are ingender’d Vapours, Ex-

MONG all the Appearances of
Nature, which are the Subjects of

P p p p

§ This Paper is printed by the Author in a Pamphlet in 8 vo.
London, 1750. * See this Tranf. p, 641.

[ 658 ]

plofions, Fermentations, and Fires from inflammable
Minerals, that caufe thefe Convulfions of the Sur-
face.

I {hall nor pretend to deny, that there may be
fuch Vapours, Fermentations, Rarefactions, and in-
flammable Subflances, and actual Fires, in the Bowels
of the Earth, and that there may be fome Caverns
under-ground, as well as we find lome few above-
ground, Tool's Hole , Okey Hole , and the like, in
mountainous Countries. \Ve know there arc hot
Springs running continually, and Vnlcano’s fre-
quently belching out Flames and Smoke; and to
thefe, moft probably, fome fmaller Earthquakes are
owing.

But thefe Matters are very rare, much rarer than
Earthquakes, both as to Time and Place. Vefwmus
in Italy , and in that Part of it abounding with
Mines of Sulphur; z^/Etna in Sicily ; fome on the
great Andes Mountains in America , and the like.
The Scarcity of them, in my Opinion, is fo far
from being a Proof of the general cavernous State
of the Earth, that it ftrongly proves the contrary.

How many thoufand Acres of Coal-Mines, Stone-
Pits, and the like, do they daily work in England,
and have done for Ages ? I have been myfelf ioo
Yards deep in a Salt-Rock. I have walked half a
Mile lengthwife, direCtly into the Earth, and un-
der the Bed of the Ocean : But we never hear, from
the many Hundreds of Thoufands of Workmen in
this kind, of the cavernous State of the Earth.

On the contrary, by their hard Labour they con-
fefs it far otherwife. Nor have we any Rcafon, in
England, to believe there are great Mines of Sulphur,

and

[ 6S9 3

and inflammable Minerals : Nor, if there were, could
they burn, and caufe Convulfions of the Earth, un-
lefs there were proper Cavities, and Conveyances
of Air ; as in Coal-Pits, when fet on fire.

But even from thefc Coal-Pits, when fired, do
we ever find any thing like an Earthquake produc’d ?
Nor did we obferve, in thefe two laft Earthquakes,
any Fire, Vapour, Smoke, or Smell; or any kind
of Eruption in the leafl, in fo great a Struggle of
the Superfice, as affeded a Circle of 30 Miles in
Diameter.

Indeed this Confldcration alone, of the Extent of
this Surface, is fufficient to overthrow any Suppo-
lition of Earthquakes being chiefly owing to fubter-
rancous Vapours. For it cannot poffibly be ima-
gined, that fuch can have fo immenfe a Force, as
to ad upon that Compafs inflantaneoufly, all at once,
and never break Ground, fo as to be dtfcoverable to
Sight or Smell. Many Accounts we have of a little
Fire-ball burfling in the Air, at a great Diftance,
and inflantly propagating a fulphureous Smell all
around it for Miles.

If the Motion of a Superficies of 30 Miles Dia-
meter was owing to Fumes and Vapours, we ought
rcafonably to find forne great Difcharge of them,
like a Coal-Pit fired : The Operation of it ought to
be Hours and Days in Continuance, not infiantane-
ous : And the Evaporation of fuch a Quantity of
inflammable Matter requires a long time to evacuate
itfelf.

There is another Argument, which, in my Opi-
nion, utterly overthrows thefc Suppofltions ; and
that is, a due Conflderation of Springs. If we would

Pp p p 2 form

[ 6(>° ]

form any tolerable Idea of the Nature of Springs
and Fountains perpetually flowing, and that (gene-
rally fpeaking) from the Creation of the World,
we rauft needs conceive, that God Almighty
has laid their Pipes and Canals in the Earth, like
as he has planted the Veins, Arteries, and Glands,
in an animal Body ; and that like wife they arc more
and more ramify ’d, as they nearer approach the out-
ward Shell of the Earth.

The Workmen in Coal-Mines, and the like, ne-
ver fail to meet with the Veins of Springs every-
where : They that dig for Wells feldom fail of
finding Water every-wherc. The Colliers are ob-
liged to drain, at very great and continual Expence.
A Circumfiance not very favourable to fubterranc-
ous Fires.

Now it is apparent enough, that the Hypothe-
fls of Vapours, and fubterraneous Fermentations,
Explofions, and Eruptions, being the Caufe of
Earthquakes, mull abfolutely ruin the whole Syftern
of Springs and Fountains, where-ever it has once
been. But this is quite contrary to Fact j even
where an Earthquake has been repeatedly ; for In-
flance, from home.

On IVedneJday , Jpril 6. iy8o. about 6 in the
Evening, juft iuch another Earthquake was felt in
London , and around it, as thefe two we have fecn.
Another, exactly fimilar, in 1692. In all thefe 4 no
Houfes thrown down, nor any Springs difturb’d there-
by : No fenfible Eruptions or Smells.

Thefe Confiderations I apply only to this little
inconfiderable Space of a Circle of 30 Miles Dia-
meter. But what is that to the Appearance of fome

Earthquakes

[ 661 ]

Earthquakes we read of in Hiftory ? In the Year of our
Lord 1 7. no lefs than 13 great and noble Cities of
AJia minor were deftroy'd in one Night. The Fad
is fo notorious, that fomc Perfons here prefent have
feen a vaft Block of white Marble, now handing
rear Naples / being the Pedefhl of a Colofs Statue
of Tiber us the E nperor, having carv'd on it, in
BaJJo re! evo, the Genius's of all thofe Cities, with
their Names,- which were rebuilt by that Emperor.

Without going fo far, we may fee another Evi-
dence of it, a Coin of that Emperor {truck upon ir,
with this Infcription,

CIVITATIBUS ASIAE RESTITVTIS.

I have one of them in large Brafs, which was
found at Colchejier.

The Compafs of this Earthquake may be rec-
kon’d to take up 300 Miles in Diameter. How can
we poffibly conceive the Action of any fubterra-
neous Vapours to produce fuch an Effcd, as inftan-
taneouOy to demolifh all thefe Cities ? And that fuch
an Accident fhould never happen after? How comes
it to pafs, that the whole Country of AJia minor
was not at the fame time deflroy’d, its Mountains
renverfed, its Fountains and Springs broken up,
and ruin'd for ever, and irs Rivers difannull’d ?
Inftead whereof, we find nothing fuffer’d, but thofe
Cities j no kind of Alteration in the Surface of the
Country, which remains the fame to this Day.

From thefe Conftderations therefore, I cannot
perfuade rnyfelf eafily to enter into the Opinion of
Earthquakes generally arifing from pent-up Vapours

and

[ 662 ]

and Eruption?. I know there are many Grange
Relations of Effe&s of fubterraneous Fires, told by
Authors that deal pretty much in the Marvellous,
and whofe Minds were prepoflefled with thofe vul-
gar Notions. My Conceptions of the Matter are
deriv’d from the more general Appearances, and
what we have leen and felt ourfclves.

After we have treated this Argument in a fuper-
ficialView, we muft go a little deeper. If we would
confidcr things like Philofophers, let us propofe to
ourfelves this Problem j

JVLere is the Tower to be plac’d that is requir’d
to move a Surface of Earth 30 Miles in E)ia-
meter ?

To anfwer this, confult the Engineers, and thofe
that make Mines in the Sieges of Towns. They
will acquaint us, that the EfFetfl of Mines is pro-
duc’d in Form of an inverted Cone: And that a
Diameter of 30 Miles in Bafe, will require an Axis
of 1 y or 20 Miles to operate upon that Bafe, lb as
to (hake it, at lead. So that the Vapours, and what-
ever Power we propofe to operate upon that Bafe,
according to the foregoing Hypothcfis, in order to
form the Appearance of an Earthquake, mud be 1 y
or 20 Miles deep in the Earth.

But what Mind can conceive, that any natural
Power is able to move an inverted Cone of folid
Earth, whofe Bafe is 30 Miles in Diameter, and
Axis 20? Or, was it poilible, would not the whole
Texture of that Body be quite didurbM and fhat-
ter’d } efpecially in regard to its Springs and Foun-
tains ? But nothing like this is ever found to be the
Confcquence of an Earthquake, tho' fatal to Cities.

Apply

[ 663 ]

Apply this Reafoning to the Earthquake of Ajia
minor ; and this vigorous Principle mu ft lie at kaft
200 Miles deep in the Ground. Enough to ftiew
the Abfurdi;y of it. A Cone of 300 Miles Diame-
ter at Bafe, and 200 Miles Axis; 1 dare be bold to
fay, that all the Gunpowder made fince its Inven-
tion, put together, would not be able to move ir.
How much Ids would pent-up Vapours ?

And, could it be admitted as a thing poflible,
will any one be perfuaded, that fuch a fubterrane-
ous Tumult, of fo vaft an Extent, will be no-ways
injurious to the internal Syftem of Springs and Fonn-
tains? We may as well imagine, that we may ftab
a Man 100 times, and never touch a Vein or Artery.

In an Age when Ele&ricity has been fo much
our Entertainment, and our Amazement j when we
are become fo well acquainted with its ftupendous
Powers and Properties, its Velocity, and inftanta-
neous Operation, thro’ any given Diftances; when
we fee, upon a Touch, or an Approach, between
an Eleftric and a Non-elc&ric, what a wonderful
Vibration is produced, what a Snap it gives, how a
lambent Flame breaks forth, how violent a Shock;
is it to be wonder'd at, that hither we turn our
Thoughts, for a Solution of the prodigious Appear-
ance of an Earthquake?

Ic is every body’s Obfervation, that there never
was a Winter like the paft, for Warmth and Dri-
nefs, Thunder and Lightning very uncommon then ;
for Corufcations in the Air, juftiy thought to be
ele&rical; efpecially for that call’d Aurora aujiralis ;
the Wind continually South and South- weft, and
that without Rain, which is unufual. This State

of

[ 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 :

[ 665 ]

Rain. A fudden Temped of Rain, in the Time of
a great Drought.

At the fame time that the Force of Ele&ricity in
Solids is as the Quantity of Matter, we fee mod
evidently, that Water is equally forcible in firength-
cning and conducting it, and that in proportion to
its Quantity : Which very much judifies my Obfer-
vation, that mod frequent Earthquakes have fallen
upon maritime Places. And I find the fame Obfer-
vation is made before me by Acojta and ‘ Dolittle ,
who wrote on that in 1692. and others. In the
dreadful. Catadrophc of * Tort-royal , it is notorious,
that its Violence was chiefly near the Sea: And
even in thofe fo lately felt by us, they were fenfibly
more violent toward the River, than further from
it. And in that Earthquake in England, in 1692.
(which was very much like that we are treating of)
there were no Houles thrown down, nor Pcrfons
kill'd 5 but it reach’d more particularly Sandwich,

' Deal r \ Dover , Sheer nefs , Tort [month, and the ma-
ritime Parts of Holland , Flanders , and Normandy.

In this tnat happen'd lad Sunday at 6 in the Even-
ing at Bath , it was felt particularly at T or tf mouth,
the whole Ifle of Wight, and Jerfty.

If we look into antic nt Hidory, we find, in the
197th Year before Chrifi, an Earthquake fhook ter-
ribly the Ifle of Rhodes , damag’d many Cities, and r
fome were fwallow’d up.

17 Years before Chrifi, many Cities in the Ifle of
Cyprus were dedroy'd.

6 Years before Chrifi, the Ifle of Coos was mod
vehemently afflicted.

Q.q q q

During

[ 666 J

During the T eloponnefian War among the Greeks,
the Hie of Delos was afflidted, and the mod beau-
tiful Temple of Apollo thrown down.

Soon alter, the City of Lacedasmon was totally
deftroy'd.

A. D. 75?. three Cities in Cyprus were over-
thrown.

A.D. 182. the City of Smyrna was ruin’d.

Conjiantinople has often Buffer'd ; particularly in
iyo9. 13000 People overwhelm'd.

A. D. 14 y6. in the City of Naples 40000 Peo-
ple were deftroy'd.

In 1 53 1. at Lisbon , 1400 Houfes were thrown
down, and near as many fhatter’d.

In the Time of Valens the Emperor, a terrible
Earthquake happen’d in Crete , whereby 100 Cities
were deftroy'd.

But Inftances enough, to (hew what I aim'd at,
that maritime Places are moft fubjeefc : Which is no
contemptible Argument in Favour of Electricity j
when both the Solid of the Earth, and the Quan-
tity of the Water, concur to make the Shock ex-
actly, as in common electrical Experiments.

The Gardener in the Temple Garden obferv'd the
Sound to roll from the Water-fide toward Temple-
Bar, before the ceafing of the Nodding of the Houfes >
juft as the electrical Snap precedes the Shock. Others,
that write upon Earthquakes, commonly obferve,
that the Noife precedes the Shock. But it is obvious
ft muft be quire the contrary, did the ConculTlon
depend on a fubterranecus Eruption.

We may well enough expefr, that burfting Va-
pours, and fubterraneous Explofions, fhould difperfe

every

l

[ 667 ]

every thing that happen'd in their Way into the
Air: But, in my Apprehenfion, it is not pofli-
ble for us to imagine any thing to produce fuch a
Vibration as we felt, but Electricity.

Several People felt Pains in their Joints, Rheuma-
tifm, Sicknefs, Head-ach, Pain in their Back, Colic,
hyftcric and nervous Difordcrs, for the whole Day
after, and longer (efpecially weak Conftitutions),
exactly as upon Electrification ; and to fome it has
p rov’d fatal.

Upon this Principle alone can we account for the
Fifhcs leaping out of the Ponds ; or a fort of Thump
felt at the Bottom of a Boat. Nay, we are told of
Earthquakes felt at Sea, far diftant from Land : Which
are cafi!y folv'd by an ele&rical Shock imprefs’d
upon the Water: But we cannot eafily fee Vapours
and Fires refiding at the Bottom of the Ocean.

From electrical Vibration alone can we account
for that Obfervation of Springs and Fountains be-
ing no-ways damaged after an Earthquake. I doubt
not but they run more plentifully at that time; juft
as the Blood circulates quicker upon Electrification.

From Electrification only can we account for this
Particular. The Walls of IVeftminfler-Hall are of
no mean Tkicknefs ; yet thofe that fat with their
Backs to it, during the Shock, all relate that it
feem’d to pufh toward them with great Force. So
in that of 1692. at "Deal, thp Wall of the Caftle,
which is of an extraordinary Thickncfs and Strength,
fhook fo much, that the People living in it expected
it would have fallen on their Heads.

For thus the Force of the electrical Shock is pro-
portionate to the Quantity of the Solid. And were

Q.q q q 2 Fumes

[ 668 ]

Fumes and lambent Flames fecn to iflfue out of the
gaping Ground on thefc Difafters, as Relations tell
us, wc juftly may pronounce them to be purely the
Effect of EleCtricity.

It mud be accounted no inconfiderable Argument
in Favour of our Hypothecs, that the Northern
Regions of the World are little fubjeCt to Earth-
quakes, in comparison of the Southern j where the
Warmth and Drinefs of the Air, fo ncccffary in
Electricity, is common. Notwithftanding that we
have a Vulcano in Iceland, yet we hear not of Earth-
quakes frequent in that Latitude of the Globe.

But whether our Conjectures upon this important
Affair be well founded or no, it certainly becomes
a Chriftian Philofopher, whilft he is invefligating.
material Caufes, to look up to the moral Ufe of
them ; for, in reality, every thing in the whole
World was ultimately made for that Purpofe. And
of all the great and public Calamities which affeCt
us Mortals, Earthquakes claim the firft Title to the
Name of Warnings and judgments ; none fo proper
to threaten, or to execute Vengeance i Nor has any
other thofe annexed Terrors, fo much of the un-
nfual, the unavoidable, and the horrible Apprehen-
fion of being crufh’d to Death, or buried alive.

I cannot but infill upon my former Obfervation
to be juft, that Earthquakes proclaim themfelves
to Mankind in this Light ; becaufe peculiarly di-
rected to great Cities and maritime 5 abounding with
Wealth and Luxury. It would be childifh to make
a long Recital of Particulars from Hiftory ; for had
we no other fort of Notices of Earthquakes ? Look
upon thofe two Shocks we have felt. We own,

that

[ 669 ]

that Hatnfie ad- Heath, and Finchley -Common, and
Kennmgt on Common, may have been affe&cd with
it ; yet it is notorious, that London was the Centre j
the Place to which the Finger of God was pointed.

XXXIV.

Some Confederations on the Caufees of Earth-
quakes. By the Rev . Stephen Hales,
D. D. and R R. S.

Rtad April 5- \ S the late Earthquakes in London ,

I/5° i. jL anc* borne other Parts of England,
have roufed the Attention of Mankind, to conlider
the Caufes of them, both in a religious and natural
View : And as in a religious View they have been
conlidered by theBifhop of London , in his excellent
Letter to the Clergy and People of London , which
has been received with general Approbation : So I
(hall here give a fhort Account of what feems to
me to be a probable natural Caufe of them.

But I muff firft obviate an Obje&ion of fome ferious
well-meaning People, who are apt to be offended
at any Attempts to give a natural Account of Earth-
quakes 5 which, but rarely happening in thefe more
northern Parts, are apt to be looked upon as the more
miraculous. But it ought to be conftdered, that the
ordinary Courfe of Nature is as much carried on by
the Divine Agency, as the extraordinary and mira-
culous Events. God fometimes changes the Order
of Nature, with Delign to chaftife Man for his Dis-
obedience

[ 670 ]

obedience and Follies j natural Evils being graciouny
defigned by him as moral Goods : All Events are
under his Direction, and fulfil his Will.

On the other hand, there are fome who make
light of Earthquakes, becaufe they arc capable of
being accounted for by natural Caufes. But the
Hand of God is not to be overlooked in thcl'e
things, under whofe Government all natural Agents
ad ; efpecially fuch rare and unufual Events as Earth-
quakes. God ules all Creatures to be the Inflruments
of his Will: Natural and moral Agents are all under
his Diredion. When he inflids a Famine on a Na-
tion, it is not the Id's the Hand of God, becaufe we
know the natural Caufes of it, viz. great Drought,
and unkindly Seafons : Fire and Hail , Snow and
Vapour , and ft or my Wind , fulfil his Word , Pfal.
cxlviii. 8. Infedious Air, peftilential Difeafes, and
Earthquakes, however occasioned by natural Caufes,
are under the Divine Influence. He not only or-
ders and direds the Operations of Nature, but alfo
influences the Adions of moral Agents, turning, as
he pleafes, the Hearts of the Governors of the Na-
tions, fo as frequently to chaftize Mankind by that
fevere Scourge, and great Difgrace of human Na-
ture, War. Earthquakes are not therefore (lightly to
be regarded, becaufe we think we can give a pro-
bable natural Account of them ; neither ought we,
on that Account, to encourage ourfelves to go
carelefly on in wicked Courfes. If national Judg-
ments do not overtake us, yet it cannot be long be-
fore we (hall come into the Punifhment of our future
State: And tho Si-n'ence again]} an evil Work is
?tot fpeedily executed 3 tho a Sinner do Evil an hun-

[ 67! ]

dred times , and his ‘Days be prolonged ; yet purely
I know it jhall not be well with the JVicked. Ecclcf.
viii. 1 1, 12, 13.

It may not be improper, on this Occafion, to men-
tion another conftant and uninterrupted Plague, in
which, of late Years, we have been, and are like to
continue Sufferers, in common with many other
Nations. A Plague, of all others the greaceft that
ever befel unhappy Man ; it being by far the rnoft
deftruttive, not only of the Lives, but alfo of the
Morals, of Mankind 5 both a natural and a moral
Evil : I mean fermented diftilled Spirituous Liquors
of all Denominations. Did God Almighty deftroy
as many by Earthquakes as are yearly deftroyed by
diflilled Spirituous Liquors, which is probably about a
Million of Perfons in a Year all over the World ; how
great a Terror and Confternation would it caufe every
where! But, alas! with what Unconcernednefs, with
what Calmnefs, and even Complacency, is this enor-
mous both natural and moral Evil received, and evert
foflered, among us; infomuch that it is now become,
by a juft Judgment, the Curfe and the Punifhment of
the World, even thegreateft that ever befel unhappy
Man ! Notwithftanding which, this inchanting Siren
fo bewitches and infatuates the Nations, that it
fpreads its baleful Influence far and wide, making
yearly farther and farther Devaluations, both of the
Lives and Morals of Mankind, and even debafing.
the Breed of Man.

As to the Affair of Earthquakes, particularly that
which happened at h.ondon the 8th of March laft,
about 20 Minutes before 6 in the Morning ; I be-
ing then awake in Bed, on a Ground-floor, rear the

Church

[ 672 ]

Church of St. Martins in the Fields , very fenfibly
felt the Bed heave, and confequently the Earth mult
heave too. There was a hollow, obfcure, rufhing
Noile in the Houfe, which ended in a loud Explo-
fion up in the Air, like that of a fmall Cannon :
The whole Duration, from the Beginning to the
End of the Earthquake, feemed to be about 4 Se-
conds of Time. The Soldiers who were upon Duty
in *5V. James's Park , and others who were then up,
faw a blackilh Cloud, with confiderable Lightning,
juft before the Earthquake began; it was allb very
calm Weather.

In the'Hiftory of Earthquakes it is obferved, that
they generally begin in calm Weather, with a black
Cloud. And when the Air is dear, juft before an
Earthquake, yet there are then often Signs of Plenty
of inflammable fulphureous Matter in the Air; tuch
as Ignes Fatui or Jack- a- Lanterns, and the Me-
teors called falling Stars.

Now, I have fhewn many Years flnee, in the Ap-
pendix to my Statical EJJays, Experiment 3. Page
280. the Effect that the Mixture of a pure and ful-
phureous Air have on each other; viz. by turning
the Mouth downwards, into a Pan of Water, of a
Glafs Vefiel of a Capacity fufficient ro hold about
two Quarts, with a Neck about twenty Inches long,
and two Inches wide. Then, by putting under ir,
in a proper Glafs Veflel, with a long narrow Neck,
a Mixture of Flqna fortis , and powdered Pyrites,
viz. the Stone with which Vitriol is made, there
will be a brisk Ferment, which will fill the Giaf^
with redifh fulphureous Fumes ; which, by generating
more Air than they deftroy, will caufe the Water,

with

[ &73 ]

with which the whole Neck of the Glafs Veflel was
filled, to fublide confiderably. When the redifh
fulphureous Air in the upper Part of the Glafs is clear,
by Handing two or three Hours, if then the Mouth
of the inverted Glafs is lifted our of the Water, fo
as to let the Water in the Neck of the Glafs fall out ;
which, luppofing it to be a Pint, then an equal Quan-
tity of frdh Air will rufh in at the Mouth of the
Neck of the Veflel, which mud immediately be im-
merfed in the Water : And upon the Mixture of
the frefh Air with the then clear fulphureous Air,
there will inftantly arife a violent Agitation between
the two Airs, and they will become, from tranfpa-
rent and clear, a redifh turbid Fume, of the Colour
of thofe Vapours which were feen feveral Evenings
before the late Earthquakes : During which EfFcrvcf-
cence, a Quantity of Air, nearly equal to what
frdh Air was let in, will be deftroyed ; which is
evident by the riling up of the Water in the Neck of
the Glals, almoft as high as before. And if, after
the Eftervefcencc of the mixed Airs is over, and be-
come clear again, frefh Air be admitted, as before,
they will again grow reddifh and turbid, and deftroy
the new admitted Air as before ; and this after fe-
veral repeated Admiffions of frefh Air : But after
every Readmiflion of frefh Air the Quantity deftroyed
will be lefs and lefs, till no more will be deftroyed.
And it is the fame after Handing feveral Weeks, pro-
vided, in the mean time, too much frefh Air had
not been admitted. Now, I found the Sum total
of the frefh Air thus deftroyed to be nearly equal to
the firft Quantity of fulphureous Air in the inverted
Glafs.

R r r r

Since

Since we have in this Experiment a full Proof of
the brisk Agitation and Effervefcencc which arifes
from the Mixture of frefh Air with Air that is im-
pregnated with fulphureous Vapours, which arife
from feveral mineral Subftanccs, cfpecially from the
‘Pyrites, which abounds in many Parts of the Earth ;
may we not with good Reafon conclude, that the
irkfome Heat, which we feel in what is called a
dole fultry Temperature of the Air, is occalioned
by the inteftine Motion between the Air and the
fulphureous Vapours, which are exhaled from the
Earth? Which EfFervcfcence ceafes, as foon as the
Vapours are equably and uniformly mixed in the
Air; as happens alio in the Effervefcences and Fer-
ments of other Liquors. The common Obfervation
therefore, that Lightning cools the Air, feems to be
founded on good Reafon s that being the utmoft
and laft Effort of this EfFervcfcence.

May we not hence alfo, with good Probability,
conclude, that the firft Kindling of Lightning is ef-
fected by the fudden Mixture of the pure ferene
Air above the Clouds, with the fulphureous Va-
pours, which are fometimes raifed in Plenty, im-
mediately below the Clouds? The mod dreadful
Thunders being ufually when the Air is very black
with Clouds ; it rarely thundering without Clouds :
Clouds ferving, in this Cafe, like the above-men*
tion’d inverted Glaffes, as a Partition between the
pure and fulphureous Airs: Which mud therefore,
upon their fudden Admixture thro1 the Interfaces
of’ the Clouds, make (like the two Airs in the Glafs)
a more violent EfFervcfcence, than if thofe Airs had,
without the Intervention of the Clouds, more gra-
dually

[ 675 ]

dually intermixed, by the conftant more gradual
Afcent of the warmer fulphurcous Vapours from the
Earth, and Defcent of the cold ferene Air from
above. And tho’ there was no luminous Flafh of
Light in the Glafs, yet, when fuch fudden Effer-
vefcence arifes, among a vaft Quantity of fuch Va-
pours in the open Expanfe of Air, it may, not im-
probably, acquire fo rapid a Velocity, as to kindle
the fulphurcous Vapours, and thereby become lu-
minous.

And ftnee, from the EfFe&s that Lightning is ob-
ferved to have on the Lunss of Animals, which it
often kills, by deftroying the Air’s Elafticity in
them, as alfo from its burfting Windows outwards,
by deftroying the Air’s Elafticity on the Outfide of
thofe Windows : Since, I fay, it is hence probable, that,
the fulphurcous Pumes do deftroy a great Quantity
ofclafticAir; it Ihould therefore caufe great Com-
motions and Concufllons in the Air, when the Air
rulhes into thofe evacuated Places 5 which it muft
ncceflarily do with great Velocity.

Dr. Tapinhas calculated the Velocity with which
Air rufnes into an exhaufted Receiver, when driven
by the whole Prdfure of the Atmofphere, to be at
the Rate of 1305" Feet in a Second of Time; which
is at the Rate of 889 Miles in an Hour : Which is
near 18 times a greater Velocity than that of the
ftrongeft Storms; which is eftimated to be at the
Rate of yo Miles in an Hour *. : * .

Hence

* Phil. Tranf. n. 184, p. 195. LowthorpV Abridgment of Phil.
Tranf. Vol.I. p. 586.

Rrrr %

[ 676 ]

Hence, we fee that an outrageous Hurricane may
be cauled, by deftroying a fmall Proportion of the
Elafticity of the Air of any Place, in refpeft to the
Whole. No Wonder then that fuch violent Com-
motions of the Air fhould produce Hurricanes and
Thunder-Showers; cfpecially in the warmer Cli-
mates; where both the fulphureous and watry Va-
pours, being rais'd much higher* and in greater
Plenty, caufe more violent Effects.

Monfieur cte Buffon , in his Natural Hiftory and
Theory of the Earth, mentions black dark Clouds
in the Air near the tempeftuous Cape of Good Hope,
and alfo in the Ocean of Guiney , which are called
by the Sailors the Ox’s Eye which are often the
Forerunners of terrible Storms and Hurricanes.
Whence it is to be fufpe&ed, that they are large
Collections of fulphureous Vapours; which, by de-
ftroying fuddenly a great Quantity of the elaftic Air,,
caufe the ambient Air to rufh with great Violence
into that Vacuity, thereby producing Tempefts and
Hurricanes. And off the Coaft of Guiney they have
fometimes three or four of thefe Hurricanes in a
Day ; the Forerunners of which are thefe black ful-
phurcous Clouds, with a ferene clear Air, and calm
Sea; which on a fudden turns tempeftuous, on the
Explofion of thefe fulphureous Clouds. And in
Jamaica they never have an Earthquake when there
is a Wind to difperfe the fulphureous Vapours.

In the like manner we find, in the late Earth-
quakes at London , and in the Accounts of many
other Earthquakes, that, before they happen, there
is ufually a calm Air, with a black fulphureous
Cloud : Which Cloud would probably be difperfed

like

[ 677 3

like a Fog, were there a Wind : Which Difpcrfion
would prevent the Earthquake; which is probably
caus'd by the explofive Lightning of this fulphureous
Cloud ; being both nearer the Earth than common
Lightnings ; and alfo at a time when fulphureous
Vapours are rifing from the Earth in greater Quan-
tity than ufual; which is often occafion'd by a long
Series of hot and dry Weather. In which com-
bined Circumftances, the afcending fulphureous Va-
pours in the Earth may probably take Fire, and
thereby caufe an Earth-Lightning; which is at firft
kindled at the Surface, and not at great Depths, as
has been thought: And the Explofton of this Light-
ning is the immediate Caufe of an Earthquake.

It is in the like manner that thole Meteors,
which are called falling Stars, are fuppofed to be
kindled into a Flame at the upper Part of a ful-
phureous Train, which is kindled downwards into
a Flame, in the fame manner as a frefh-blown out
Candle is inftantly lighted from another Candle held
over it at a Diftance, in the fulphureous inflammable
Smoke of it.

I am fenfible that it may feem improbable, that
the afcending fulphureous Vapours in the Earth
fhould thus be kindled ; but, fince they are conti-
nually afcending thro' the Pores of the Earth, more
or lefs, for many good and ufeful Purpofes, it is plain
there is Room for them to pafs. Befides, as Monf.
de Buffon remarks, Naturalifts have obferved per-
pendicular and oblique Clefts, in all Kinds of Layers
of Earth, not only among Rocks, but alfo among all
Kinds of Earth, that have not been removed, as is ob-
fervable wherever the Earth is open to any Depth. Now

thefe

[ 678 ]

thefe Clefts are caufed by the drying of the feveral ho-
rizontal Layers of the Earth } and will alfo be con-
fulerably the wider in long dry hot Seafons, which
are ufually the preparatory Forerunners of Earth-
quakes, and the Exploiton of the fulphureous Va-
pours may probably widen them more.

It is very obiervable, in the Opinion of Borelli,m<l
other Naturaiifts, that Volcano’s begin firft to kindle
near the Surface or Top of the Mountains, and not in
the Caverns in the lower Parts of the Mountains.
Monf. de Buffon fays, that Earthquakes are mod fre-
quent where there are Volcano’s '■> fulphureous Mat-
ter abounding mod there: But that, tho’ they con-
tinue burning long, yet they are not very extenfivc.
But that the other Sort of Earthquakes, which are
not caufed by a Volcano , extend often to a great Di-
ftancc. Thefe are much longer Eaft and Weft, than
broad North and South; and fhake a Zone of Earth
with different Degrees of Force in different Parts of
their Courfe; viz. in proportion to the different
Quantities of explofive fulphureous Matter in differ-
ent Places. Thefe kind of Earthquakes are obferved
to be progreflive, and to take Time to extend to the
great Diftances fometimes of fome Thoufands of
Miles. They are an inftantaneous Explofton in every
Place, near the Surface of the Earth ; and therefore do
not produce Mountains and Elands, as Volcano’s
fometimes do.

The Earthquake in London , Marche, was thought
to move from Eaftward to Weftward. M. Buffon
mentions an Earthquake at Smyrna , in the Year
1688. which moved from Weft to Eaft; viz. be-
caufe the firft Kindling probably began on the
Weftern Side; and in the Earthquake at London on

[ 679 ]

the Eaftern Side. And accordingly it was obferved,
that the rcddifh Bows in the Air, which appeared
feveral Days before that Earthquake, arofe in the
Eaft:, and proceeded Weftward. It was obferved,
after the Earthquake at Smyrna , that the Caftle-
YValls, which run from Eaft to Weft, were thrown
down; but thofe from North to South ftood; and
that the Houfes on Rocks ftood better than thofe
on the Earth.

M. de Bnffon relates, that the Vibrations of the
Earth, in Earthquakes, have commonly been from
North to South ; as appears by the Motion of the
Lamps in Churches: Which makes it probable, that,
tho' the Progrefs of the Earthquake at Smyrna was
from Weft to Eaft, yet the Vibrations of the Earth
might be from North to South ; and thereby occalion
the Falling of the Caftle-Walls, which run from Eaft
to Weft, but not thofe which run from North to South.
A probable Argument, that, as the freed: Paflage, fo
the greateft Explofions were made in the Clefts of
the Earth which run Eaft and Weft; which would
make the Vibrations North and South.

It was obferved, that the Waters turned foul the
Day before an Earthquake at Bologna in Italy :
And I was informed, that the Water of fome Wells
in London turned foul at the time of the Earth-
quakes. Which was probably occafiond by the
Afcent of great Plenty of fulphureous Vapours thro’
the Earth.

As to the hollow rumbling Noife, which is ufually
heard in Earthquakes, it feems not improbable, that
it may be occasion'd by the great Agitation that the
eleftrical ethereal Fluid is put into by fo great a Shock
of a large Mals of Earth. For, if the like Motion of

a fmali

[ 68o ]

a fmall revolving glafs Globe can excite it to the
Velocity of Lightning, and that with a Force fuf-
ficient to kill Animals, how much greater Agita-
tion may it probably be excited to, by the explofivc
Force of an Earthquake !

The Explofion of a Cannon in St. James's
\ 'Park is obferved to elcCtrify the Glafs of the Win-
dows of the Treafitry. And what makes it ftill
more probable, is, the Analogy that there is be-
tween them in other refpeCts. For, as the electri-
cal Flafh rufhes, with the Velocity of Lightning,
along the mod folid Bodies, as Iron, <&c. and as I
have feen it run only on the irregular Gilding of
Leather; fo fuch folid Bodies are obferved to be the
Conductors of aereal Lightning, which rends Oaks
in Pieces, and has been known to run along and
melt an iron Bell- Wire on two Sides of a Room,
<&c. And accordingly it was obferved, in the great
Earthquake in 'Jamaica , that the mod tremendous
Roaring was in the rocky Mountains. And in the
late Earthquake of March 8. in London , the loudeft
Explofions were thought to be heard near fuch large
Stone Buildings as Churches, with lofty Steeples and
Spires.

I, who lay in Duke^s- Court, near St. Martini
Church, and was awake all the Time of the Earth-
quake, plainly heard a loud Explofion up in the Air,
like that of a fmall Cannon : Which made me con-
jecture, that the Noife was owing to the Rufhing
off, and hidden Expanfion, of rhe eleCtrical Fluid, at
the Top of St. Martini Spire ; where all the eleCtrical
Effluvia, which afeended up along the larger Body
ot the Tower, being by Attraction ftrongly con-
denfed, and accelerated at the Point of the Weather-
cock,

[ 68i ]

cock, as they rufhed off, made fo much the louder
expanfivc Explofion.

XXXV.

The PrefidentV Report of the Account given
him by Tho. Burrat, of Kenfington, con-
cerning the Earthquake on March 8. laft
faft.

Read April 26.
1750.

O

N Tuefday the 24th of this pre-
fers April 1750. Mr. Thomas
Burrat , of Kenjington , a Husbandman, and Bailiff
to the Right Honourable Henry Fox Efq; of Hol-
land Houfe , gave me the following Account :

That, being early about his Bulinefs in the Grounds
about a Quarter of a Mile from the faid Houfe, on
Thurfddy the 8th Day of March lad, as he was go-
ing to tell his Sheep (which he does every Morn-
ing, and which were then lying down on a dry
Hoping Piece of Ground), he heard, as he thoughr,
about a Quarter after Five a Clock, a Noife, much
like Thunder at a Diftance ; which coming, to his
Apprehenfion, from the Nohh-Weft, continued fome
fmall time, growing louder as it came nearer him,
and gave a Crack (fo he exprcfTed himfelf) over his
Head ; and then went off in the fame manner it
came on towards the South-Eaft.

He faid, that the Sky was, to his thinking, quite
clear, and without any Cloud ; and that he faw
neither Lightning, nor any Appearance of Fire 5 but
that, immediately after the Crack, he found the

S f f f Ground

[ 682 ]

Ground to fhake under him; and that he even faw
it move where he was (tho’ as dry and found a Spot
as any he knows) like a Quagmire or Quickfand
infomuch that he could not help being apprehenfive,
that it would have opened, and taken him in.

He fays, that the Sheep he was beginning to tell
all darted up at once, as frighted, and prefently be-
gan to run, as if purfued by fomewhat they were
apprehenfive of. He (aid further, that he took no-
tice, that fevcral Crows, which were at Rood upon
fomc Trees not far off, all at the fame Indant dew
away, making the fame Noife they condantly make
when they are affrighted at the Difcovery of a Bird
of Prey, or any other Enemy; and that the Trees
thcmfelvcs very fenfibly trembled and fhook.

The Noife he heard began a fenfible time before
the Shake of the Earth; and he judges that the
whole Matter laded better than a Minute.

He hid expreffed himfelf about the Direction of
the Noife he heard in the Manner jud above re-
lated ; and, being asked again concerning that Par-
ticular, he explained himfelf by faying, that, to his
thinking, it came on from between Hillington and
Harrow on the Hill , and went off over Deptford:
Which may be obferved to be very agreeable to
his other Defcription.

Mr. Bird , the eminent Mathematical Indrumcnt-
maker in the Strand , told me a To the fame Day,
that he heard, at his Houle, a Noife, like the Dif-
charge of a Cannon at l'ome Didancc, jud before
the Earthquake j and that his Bed, in which he then
was, was very fenfibly rocked from light to left
twice : And that he is well allured the Feet of the

3 Bed

[ 683 ]

Bed were a&ually lifted up from the Floor, during
the Motion j as he was very fenfible, by the Noife
they made when they came to the Floor again, 4
tinvs in all, twice to his right Hand, and as often
to nis left Hand.

XXXVI.

ExtraSl of a Letter fro?n Chefler, concern-
ing an Earthquake felt there April 2.
1750. communicated by Robert Paul Efq\

F. R. S.

Read May 3. 'j" CAN’T help informing you (as it is
JL a M. tter of Concern to every one)
that, on Monday Night laft, about io o’ Clock,
we felt in this City a Shock of an Earthquake. It
was fenfibly felt by all or mod of the Inhabitants.
A rew ’Bricks were fhook off a Chimney in Foreji -
Jtreet ; feveral Houfe -bells were rung 5 the Centinel
at the Caftle was fhook off his Seat in the Centry-
box ; the Houles ah over the Town were fhaken,
and the People terribly frighten'd and alarm’d. It
has been felt for lome Miles round the Town, par-
ticularly at Barn-Hill , where the Houfes were
greatly fhaken. We are in great Fears of another
more violent.

S Iff 2

XXXVIIo

[ 68+ ]

XXXVII.

A Letter from the Rev. Stephen Hales D D.
SP F. R. S. to the Prehdent, ferving to
inclofe a Letter to him from Walter Bow-
man Ffq\ concerning an Earthquake felt
at Eaft Molefey in Surry, on March 14.
1749-50.

5* / Ry Teddingtox, April n. 1750.

Read May 3.T HAVE here inclofed a Letter from my
17 5°' X Neighbour Mr. Bowman, at Molefey ,
near Hampton-Court 5 whofe Veracity and Abili-
ties to make the proper Obfervations, I can depend
on. I well remember the extraordinary Rcdnefs,
ere. in the Sky the Evening before, which he
mentions. The Shock which he felt in a Chair,
was, as I guefs, in Italy 5 he having travelled much
abroad. I am,

SIR ,

Tour obliged humble Servant ,

Stephen Hales.

Reverend Sir , Molefey, April 8. 1750.

BEING informed that you have made fome
Obfervations on the late Earthquakes, as of late
I have not been at leifure to wait on you, I take
this Opportunity of informing you, that the third

Shock

t 685 1

Shock in thefe Parts is part fome Weeks ago: So
that the fearful Expe&ations, which have unmann’d
the daftardly Londoners , have no other Foundation
than this, that, in all Events, Englijhmen arc (till
after the Fair.

The Author of Nature, for our Sins, may
alarm us with a fourth, and four hundred more, if
His Wifdom pleafes; but, as to a third, fo little
do our guilty Confciences, or vifionary iMonitors,
know of the Matter, that Providence has prevented
the Fears of the one, and antedated the Predictions
of the other. For, without any regular Connexion
with the Moon, it happen’d about 7 Days after the
fecond Shock, on the 14th of March, I believe, be-
fore 4 o’ Clock in the Morning ; when full awake,
I felt my Houfe, for a Second or two, fhake, like
a Spaniel juft come out of Water. My Bell on the
Stair-cafe rung only one Twitch. I rofe, look’d
out, and faw the Moon fhine bright, without one
Cloud, or one Breath of Wind; and, finding none
of my Servants difturb’d, I return’d to found and
quiet Sleep.

It was exactly of the fame Nature with the fe-
cond Shock, a Shudder of the Houfe from Top to
Bottom^ fo that I neither miftook the one nor the
other for an Explofion of Mr. Normans Horfe-
Powder-Miils, wherein, you know, he never works
above 40 Pounds at a time. Here I felt nothing
like an Exploiion, but a Concuftion, which any Man
may conceive, from his Hand fhaking a Bed upon
Carters, if we may compare great things to Email.
Nor can I deferibe the fecond Shock, felt alfo in
Bed, compared with this third, other wife than by

the

[ 686 ]

the Shudder of a Horfe after fwimming, more ftrong
than that of a Dog ; while the fame Bell founded
all in Confufion, as if it had been pack’d and tofs’d
in a Hamper.

The 13th of March, in the Evening abQut Sun-
fet, the Sky was dreadfully charged with a deep
Purple mixed with Red, which, from the Weft,
tinged the Clouds by the Sourh quite to the Eaft ;
and was fucceeded by a clear effulgent Crimfon or
Pink-Colour, luminous, as deep, as ever Eye pierced
into the azure Blue.

I neither have met with, nor heard of, any Per-
fon, who felt this ftcond Shake which I have de-
feribed. But, if any Memorials are to be preferved
of thefe feveral Shocks, all which I have felt moft
diftinttly, 1 think this ought not to be forgot ; be-
caufe I do not apprehend it to have been ftrong
enough to have waked any Perfon, nor to alarm
even any one awake in Bed. And as for thofe who
were up, and on foot, I do not think they could
have perceived it, if 1 may judge by fuch a one,
which I once felt by a ftngle Start of my Chair,
without knowing what it was, till I compar'd Notes
with my more experienc’d Neighbours.

To conclude, this ought not to exempt us from
Fear, but to awaken ourTruft in Providence ; ftnee
Nature works, and few perceive it ; and when fhe
works, whom fhe has a Mind to favc are fafe, and
thofe fhe intends to deftroy cannot efcape. Within our-
fel-ves we find Strength or Weaknels to bear her ex-
traordinary Touches; but to fly from them, even
an Immortal cannot 5 fince her Hand reaches over

all

[ 687 ]

all the vifible and invifible World. Reverend Sir,
I am.

Tour fincere Friend , and
moji obedient Servant ,

Walter Bowman.

XXXVIli.

AbJlraB of a Letter front Mr. Pennant to
Rich. Holford Lfq\ Mafier in Chancery,
of an Earthquake felt in Flintshire, on
April 2. 1750.

Downing ^ near Holywell in FlintJJjire , April 3. 1 750,
Read May 10.T AST Night we were greatly alarm'd
I749‘ Jj j with a violent Shock of an Earth-

quake between 10 and no’ Clock. I, who was
in Bed, wras frequently moved up and down; and
the Bed, having Cafters, was removed fome fmall
Space from its proper Situation.

* During the Shock, a great Noife was heard in
the Air; and, fome Nights before. Lights were feen
in the Sky ; fuch as were previous to the Earthquake
in Town.

Thanks to Providence, no further Mifchief has
happen’d, than the Terror this unufual Fhanome
non occafion’d in our Family.

This Place is about two Miles from the Sea.

XXXIX.

[ 688 3

XXXIX.

The Poftfcript of a Letter frotn Mr. Nath.
Downe to the Hon. Mr. Greenville, con-
cernmg an Earthquake felt at Bridport, on
March 18. 1749-50.

SIR , Bridport , March U). 1749.

Read May 10. ’\T £ S T E R. D A Y Morning the Sun
I/5°‘ X fhone very bright; which, between
11 and 12, was wirh thick dark Clouds foobfcured,
as render'd it darker than common. Soon after, a
violent Clap of Thunder, and a heavy Shower of
Hail, fucceedea : After which it grew again fcrene ;
and in the Evening about 6, a Shock of an Earth-
quake was felt in this Town, and the neigbouring
Villages, with (thro' Mercy) no other Damage than
a great Surprize to all who felt it. I am,

SIR ,

Tour mofi obedient , and

'very humble Servant,
Nath. Downe.

XL.

[ 689 ]

XL.

Mr. Henry Baker F. R. S. to the Prefident,
concerning an Earthquake felt at Win-
bourn in Dorfetfliire, May 4. 1749. and
of another at Taunton in Somerfetfhire,

July 1. 174-7.

SIR,

Read May 17. $ the two remarkable Shocks of

\ an Earthquake, lately felt at Lon-
don, may probably excite a Curiofity of knowing
what of the fame kind has happen'd in other Parts
of the Kingdom within thefe few Years, I wrote,
about a Week ago, to a Sifter of my Wife, who
lives at W mbourne in Dorfetfhire, defiring her to
fend me the beft Account fhe could collect, of an
Earthquake, which, in one of her Letters fome
Months ago, fhe had mention’d to have felt herfelf
at that Place, in the Month of May laft Year 5 and
the Subftance of her Anfwer is as follows :

She fays, that, on the 4th Day of May 1749.
about 10 o’ Clock in the Morning, fhe was hand-
ing; at one of the Windows in her Chamber, her
Son (a Boy about 9 Years old) was fitting on a
Bed in the Middle of the Room, and her Sifter
was in another Chamber two Rooms from her, all
on the fame Floor j when they heard a fudden
Blow (fo fhe exprefies it) that feem’d to be very
near, which fhook the Houfe fo much, that the
Windows rattled, and the Floor fhook very much.

T 1 1 1 and

C 690 ]

and frighted her to fuch a Degree, that fhe cried
out, Lord have Mercy upon me, what is that? Sup-
pofing it had been a Burft of Thunder. Then look-
ing out, the Sky was very clear, without any Cloud"
near at hand ^ but there fecmed to be a heavy
Cloud hovering at a Diftancc, whence fhe and her
Sifter imagined the Shock came 5 for they had then
no Thought of an Earthquake.

There, was, fhe fays, but one Blow, with a Noife
very loud, like the Difcharge of a Cannon; which
made her fend to inquire if there were any Powder-
Mills in that Part of the Country, but was aflured
there were none. Her Husband (Mr. Boftori) was
then at a Place called Cafhmoor , on the London
Road, 6 Miles from Blandford, and about 8 from
Winbourne , where he heard it in much the fame
manner. Their next Neighbour was at the fame
time 12 Miles diftant, and heard it there j and every
body Paid it was an Earthquake.

It was heard at Shapeck , about 4 Miles- from
JVinbonrne j and at a Place called Eaflbrook, about
half a Mile from Winbourne , the People fay it threw
the Pewter off the Shelves. She fays, I may depend
upon it as a Truth, that it was heard 20 Miles round
IVinbouryie > and adds, that People were very much
frighted, but no Harm was done.,

I had, Sir, the Honour, two Years ago, to lay
before you an Account of an Earthquake felt at
Tounton in Somerfetfhire, and for 40 Miles in Length
as well as Breadth, on the ift Day of July, in the
Year 1747. which was communicated to me by the
Rev. Mr. John ForJter> who happen'd at that time

to

[ 69i ]

to be there by Accident. It was like wife by mere
Accident I came to the Knowlege of what I have
juft now been describing : Which induces me to
imagine, that Shocks of this kind may poftibly hap-
pen more frequently than is commonly fuppofed,
tho’wehear nothing ofthem: For, in Country Places,
People arc fo little attentive to fuch Matters, that,
unlcfs fome considerable Mifchief be done, they
mind them very little at the time, and, as foon as
over, think no more about them.

I have the Honour to be, with all poftible Refped,

SIR,

Catberine-fireet , May io. Tour mo ft obedient Servant ,
1750. J

H. Baker.

XLI.

Part of a Pet ter from M. de Reaumur
F. R. S. to the Prefident, concerning an
Earthquake felt in France, October 1 1,
1749.

Tar is, April 23. 1750.

Read May 17. Saturday , the nth of October

I75°* V_y I749- about 7 in the Evening,
there was an Earthquake in France , which, accord-
ing to my own Inquiries, reached one Way above
60 Leagues in Extent, from our Coaft of Foictou
beyond Luyon, as far as the Neighbourhood of Blois.

T 1 1 1 2 I was

[ 692 ]

I was then at my own Houfe at Reaumur, and fitting
in a Clofct on the Ground-Floor, where 1 had only
t notice of it by a Noife like to the Rattling of a
Coach over a rough uneven Pavement, which feem’d
to grow ftronger, as at different Fits, for about a
Minute and a half. I went out of my Clofct to in-
quire what others might have felt, as I had not been
at ail fhocked myfelf, in other Parts of the Houfe ;
and I met with home Ladies juft come in a Fright
from the Apartments up one Pair of Stairs 5 and a
learned Father of the Oratoire that was with me,
and was juft then run down, upon its fhaking, from
a Turret, on the Top of the Houfe, the Motion of
which had very much furprifed him.

In the Village fevcral People alfo felt the Shake;
but others, that happened to be employed, were
not fenfible of it. I was informed, that, in fome
other Villages and Country-Towns, it was more
confiderable than where I was ; but I did not hear
that it did any-where any Mifchief worth {peak-
ing of. •

XLII.

Sthe Rev . Mr. Wm. Barlow to the Prefident,
concerning a Shock of a?i Earthquake felt
at Plymouth, about One 0 Clock in the
Morning , between the %th and nth of Feb,

I749-50-

SIR,

IT is proper to obferve, that the follow-
ing Relations are not made by mean,
ignorant, or fanciful People, but by Perfons of good

2 Scnfe,

Read May 24
17S°*

[ 693 1

Scufe, whole Veracity is unqucftionable, andwfiofe
Judgment in this Cafe is, I chink, rational and juft. •

Wm. Barlow*

The Earthquake at London was on Thurfday , Fe-
bruary 8. about Noon.

The Declaration of the Hon. Philip Vanbrugh Efqy
Commifioner of His 'Majefy’s Dock-Tar d near
Plimouth, Devon..

THAT, in the Night, betwixt Thurfday the 8th
Day of February 1749. and the Day follow-
ing, towards One o’ Clock, as he was reading in
Bed, he was fenfibly affected by a fudden Shake :
That, looking about, he obferved, betwixt the Foot-
Curtains, which were partly open, fome Drawings
which hung on the Wall, alfo the Side-Curtains, in
a trembling Motion : That it immediately brought
into his Mind the Earthquake in Jamaica in 1692*
which fevcral Years ago had been, at Jamaica, par-
ticularly deferibed to him, by a Perlon who was in
the Ifland at the time of that Earthquake.

March 12. 1749.

Ph. Vanbrugh,

The Declaration of Mrs. Vanbrugh, Sifter of the
Commiffioner , li-z iny in the fame Houfe.

THAT, the Night above- mention'd, at what Hour
fhe cannot fay, fhe was greatly furprifed by an
unufual Motion of her Bed 5 which immediately

brought

1 694 ]

brought to her Thoughts the Shock of an Earth-
quake flie tele feveral Years before, to which in her
Mind (he refembled the prefent Shake.

March 12. 1749.

Vidor ia Vanbrugh.

The <rDcclardtio7i of Mrs. Slade, ^Daughter of Mr.
Slade, Mafler- Shipwright of His Majefty's Dock-
Tar d, Devon.

THAT, in the Night abovc-mention’d, towards
One o’ Clock, fhe perceiv’d a fenfible Motion
of her Bed, and (there being a Light in the Room)
law the Curtains fhake. This fhe thought to be oc-
cafion'd by the Wind (which fhe then heard blow
(Long), fuppofing the Safh not tto be clofe down :
Accordingly fhe rofe, and went to the Windows,
but found the Safhes intirely clofe.

March 12. 1749.

Elizabeth Slade.

N. B. Both the Cemmiflioner and the Ladies be-
lieve there was only a ftngle Shake. Mifs Slades
Houfe joins the Commi (Loners.

On account of the dead Time of the Night
in which it happen’d, not many People would be
lenfible of the Motion : Of thofe who were, mod
would naturally attribute it to the high Wind,
which then blew ; and a Month being pafs’d be-
fore any Inquiry has been made, it is not to be
wonder’d at that, but few recollect any thing con-
-ccrning it.

The

[ 695 ]

The Commiffloncr, by rcafon of frequent Returns
of the Gout, docs not fleep up-ftairs, but in a very
Email Room behind the Houfe, joining to the
Houfe, and communicating by a Door with one
of the back Parlours. This Building is fo low
(being only a Ground -floor, without any Room;
over it), and is fo skreen'd by higher Buildings,
that hardly any Wind can affect it,* efpecially the
Wind which blew that Night 5 as the Body of the
Commiflioner’s Houfe was betwixt that and the
Stroke of the Wind.

The Dock is about two Miles Weft front Plymouth r
and about 220 almoft Weft from London ..

xliii.

A Letter from Mr. Ph. Warburton to the.
Prehdent, ferving to inclofe an ExtraEl of
a Letter fro?n the Rev. Mr. John Seddon,
t?/' Warrington in Lancafhire, to Mr. Jo,
Phil pot, in Chefter, concerning an Earth**
quake, April 2. 1750.

Dear Sir, Grange in Chejhire , June ID. 175a

Read June 14. /■ J ' HE inclofed Extradistheonly writ-
,75°‘ A ten Account of the late Earthquake
which I can obtain from any of the Naturaliftsin this
Country: And as I have converted with feveral in-
telligent Perfons who perceived it, the inclofed Ex-
trad correfponds very exactly with their Sentiments
apd Oblcivations upon it, I have now in my Cuf-

[ 696 ]

tody the original Letter from Mr. Seddon to Mr.
Rhilpot i and fhall not part with it without your
Direction.

1 am, Sir, with the greateft Refpect,

Tour mo ft humble Servant,

Ph. Warburton. *

JLxtracl of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. J. Seddon,
of Warrington in Lancafhire, to Mr. John Philpot
in Chcfter, dated Warrington, May 10. lyyo.

THE late Earthquake happen’d the 2d of April,
at 10 at Night, as nearly as can be determin’d j
if any thing, rather after than before. I was at Li-
verpool at that time, where the Shock was not fo
fenlible as at fome other Places ,• and yet a Perfon
in Company with us that had lived in Jamaica a
great Number of Years, and well acquainted with
Motions of this kind, having felt eleven in one
Night, declared it to be the fmarteft he ever felt.
The Duration of the Motion was cvery-wherc ex-
tremely fhorr,not exceeding, as nearly as 1 can guefs,

2 or 3 Seconds of Time.

As to the Nature of the Motion, as far as I can judge
of it myfelf, and from the Obfervations of others, it
feems to have been of the horizontal kind, proceed-
ing in an undulating manner from North-Weft to
South-Eaft. I was in a fitting Pofture, and the Mo-
tion I felt was like that of a Veflel falling from the
Top of a Wave, and riling again upon the next.
Mr. Breckell Ot Liverpool , and others that 1 have
convers’d with upon the Subject, reprefent it in the
fame Way,

It

[ 697 ]

It Is, I think, nniverfally agreed, -that an uncom-
mon Noife attended the Shock, a Nolfe that much
refembled diftant Thunder, or a hollow rumbling
Wind: Some Perfons alfo fay, that they perceived a
fultry fulphureous Smell, much about the Time of the
Shock ; tho’ that Day and Evening were remarkably
cold ; and whether this was real, or only imaginary*
I cannot determine.

The Shock was felt as far North as Lancajler ,
and as far to the South as V/rexani , and the adja-
cent Parts 5 in all, about 70 Miles N and S. It was
felt as far as Stockport and Altringham , to the Eafl,
and quite into Flintshire on the Weft ; that' is, about
30 or 40 Miles Eaft and Weft.

The Shock was not fo great, or of fo long Con-
tinuance, as to do any material Damage. I think I
heard of a large China Jar falling from a Chimney-
Piece in a Gentleman’s Houfe, of a Piece of Marble
roared againft a Wall falling and breaking, and two
or three trifling Inftances of that kind. There is
only one thing further that I would mention upon
the Occafion : As foon as I felt the Shock, I was
immediately apprehenfive what it was, and went .out
to fee whether there was any thing remarkable; in
the Atmofphere. I then obferv’d a very uncom-
mon Appearance 5 viz. an infinite Number of.Rays,
proceeding from all Parts of the Heavens, converged
to one Point > no luminous Body appeared at all.
The Rays were at firft of a bright Yellow ; after-
wards they became blood-red. This Thtenomenon
was not fat from our Zenith * It continued about
20 Minutes, and then difappeared.

U u u u

The

[ 698 3

The enfuing Night was very florrny 5 a large Quan-
tity of Hail fell about Two in the Morning 5 and the
Barometer was extremely low.

Thofe are the principal Circumftances that I am
acquainted with, relating to the late Earthquake. I
depend upon your Candour and Goodnefs to excufe
the loofe manner in which they are thrown to-
gether*

XL1 V.

Mr. Henry Baker F. R. S. to the Prefid ent,.
containing an ExtraSi of a Letter from
Mr. W. A-rderon F. R. S. concerning an
Explofion in the Air, heard at Norwich,
June 7. 1750.

Read June
17 So.

«5-

SIR ,

MR- Arderonwtitcs me Word from
Norwich , that, on Thurfday laft,
the 7th inftant, as he and a Friend were walking to
take the Air, a little to the Weft ward of that City,
they heard, about 7 o’ Clock in the Evening, a kind
of hollow Noife, as loud as that of a large Cannon.
Which Noife was once repeated nigh the fame Place
as an Echo, and then continued dying as it were
away for about half a Minute.

They faw no Lightning, nor any Clouds, except
a few thin whitifh ones in the Weftern Horizon.

It was heard, he fays, by great Numbers of Peo-

notwithftanding the
continual

pie in the City of Norwich,

[ 699 ]

continual Noifc and Hurry there: He likewife re-
ceived Accounts of it from Swanthorpe, 6 Milas
S W ; and from Racka , 4 Miles N E of that City,
agreeing with the above Defcription.

He has not heard that any Pcrfon obferved any Tre-
mor of the Earth ; and confefles his own Surprize
was fo great, he does not know whether there was
or not.

Mr. JVtlfon , a Gentleman who was with him,
thought the Noifemuch refembled the Fall of a great
Building; and a Gentleman at Norwich deferibed
it like a large Weight falling down upon a Cham-
ber floor over his Head.

I received the above Account laft Monday 5 and
as this Year has been productive of many unufual
Rhtenomena, I hope you will excufe my laying this
before you amongft the reft. I am,

SIR,

Cdtherine-Street ,

June 14. 1750.

Tour moji obedient Servant ,

\ » x ' ’ ^ ’ *

$

H. Baker,

Uuuu 2.

XLV.

i 700 ]

XLV.

An Account of Part of a Roof of a Pot-
houfe at Lambeth being flung down by the
Earthquake, March 8. 1 749-50. com*

municated by Mr. Wm. Jackfon, P otter ,
to C, Mortimer, M.D. Seer. R. S.

Read June 21. A T a Pot-houfe belonging to Mr.

Oad in Gravel-Lane , a large Part
of the Roof, containing near two Square, . was in,-
tirely thrown down by the lalt Earthquake,. March
8. 17 fo. and feveral Fifhermen, then at Work,
imagined a Porpoife, or fome other- large Fifh, had ;
rifen under their Boat.

XLVI.

Ext raff of Letter a from Dr. Mackenzie
to Dr. Mead F. R. S. concerning Earth-
quakes at Smyrna.

Read July 5.
175°.

Conftaiitinoplv, May 23 . 1 7 50.

IObferve, Sir, in Mr. Touchit’s Journal,
that a certain ingenious Gentleman
would not allow the laft Shock of an Earthquake
in London to be an Earthquake, becaufe it was not
central j but rather calls it an Airquake, becaufe it
was lateral. 1 have felt many Shocks, fince I have
been in this Country j particularly in Smyrna 1739.

when.

[ 70 1 ]

when, after the great Shock upon the 24th of Marcht
there were fome Shocks every Day for a Month; fo
that few or none went into Houfes before the latter
End of April : When I had time enough to obferve
their Motion, which was regularly periodic, or about
the fame Hour every Day. But I muft differ from
this unknown Gentleman's Opinion fo far as to fay,
that every one of thofe Shocks was lateral, moving
from the South to the North ; and, as near as I could
judge, the Motions formed acute Angles, fomewhat
rcfcmbling the Motion of Lightning.

XLVII.

Part of a Letter from William Folkes, Efq\,
F. R. S. to his Brother the Prelident, con--
cer ning a Shock of an Earthquake felt at
Newton in Northamptonlhire, on Sunday, .
September 30. 1750.

25. N Sunday laft, rather before One, .

an Earthquake here. The Noife, to the beft of my
Jud gment, continued near a Minute ; but was not
fo loud as either of thofe I heard at London . Seve-
ral of the Congregation perceived the Ground trem-
ble; but I cannot fay I did. It is faid to have been
more violent in feveral Places in the Neighbourhood
than here j but this I much queftion, Aifo the Day

Mordach Mackenzie,

Dear Brother .

whilft we were at Church, we had

)wens

[ 702 ]

'I went thro* Stamford to Grantham, in my Way to
Torkfhire , an Earthquake was felt in both thofe
Places : So that I have been within the Knowlege of
no lefs than Four of thefe Shocks of Nature in Eight
Months time; but, thank God, none of them at-
tended with any ill Confequences, any farther than
furnilhing Room for melancholy Reflections upon
fuch a difagreeablc Alteration in our Climate, which
had been generally thought before tolerably free

from this Calamity.

Believe me to be, with mod fmcere Love and
Efteem,

Dear Brother ,

Tour moft faithful ,

and obedient humble Servant,

W. Folkes.

* « • » . , r V s ^

XLVIII.

f * f #-v T V

Part of a better from Janies Burrow, Efq\
F. R. S. to the Prefident, concernmg an
Earthquake felt near Bury St. Edmund’s
in Suffolk, and another at Narborough in
Leicefterfhire, on the 30//6 of September,
1750.

Bury St. Edmund’s, 2d Ocfcober, 1750.

Dear Sir ,

ReadOR. 25. H I S Morning I have been making
I75°‘ ^ aVifit at Lord Cornwallis’s, at Cul-

ford ; which, i fuppofe, I need not tell you, is about
four Miles from Bury in Suffolk. Lady Cornwallis

(whofc

C 7°3 ]

(whofe Judgment and Accuracy are fuperior to all
Doubt or Exception, and her Veracity ftill more fo),
affined me. That on Sunday lad, about One o’Clock,
as fhc was fitting and reading in her Dr e (ling- room
at Culford, fhe fuddenly felt and faw her Chair and
Perfon move backwards and forwards 5 fo that die
fearched and examined whether any Dog had got
under her Feet and Chair, or any one entered her
Chamber unperceived ; but found herfelf abfolutely
alone in the Room : Whereupon fhe tried, whether,
by laying her Hand or Elbow upon the Table, fhe
could repeat the fame Motion, or any thing like it ;
but could not. She added, that fhe felt herfelf a
good deal furprifed at this extraordinary Senfation,
at the Inftant of perceiving it : But neither then, nor
afterwards, had the lead Imagination about an Earth-
quake; till, upon coming down to Dinner, fhe was
asked by Mils Charlotte Cornwallis , her Second
Daughter, a yonng Lady grown up, “ Whether fhe
<c had not felt the Earthquake?” Mifs Charlotte
agreed to the Time ; and was herfelf alfo fitting and
reading in her own Drefling-room, which was one
Pair of Stairs higher than her Ladyfhip’s, yet on the
fame Side of the Houfe. However, it was alfo felt
by Mifs Charlotte Cornwallis’s Maid-Servant, whofe
Chamber was in a different Part of the Houfe, and
diftant from cither of the Ladies Apartments ; and
who was fo alarmed at it, as to leave her Room, and
come into her young Lady’s, to fee what was the
Matter. No one elfe in the Houfe perceived it.
But Lady Cornwallis fays, that, as far as fhe can
learn, they were all upon their Feet; none being
fitting, except the three already mentioned.

The

[ 7°+ ]

The Houfe ftands alone in the Park : And Lady
Cornwallis had declined making any Inquiry amongft
the Inhabitants of the adjacent Village; partly, for
fear of alarming them with Apprehcnfions of Dan-
ger, of which they would be very fufceptible from
the Name of an Earthquake ; and partly from the
little Hopes fhc could have of procuring any tolerably
accurate Account of the Tad from fuch Reporters.

As you have been fo careful and exad in collcd-
ing the fevera.Hi'ftories of thofe various Shocks, which
have been felt in diverfe Parts of the Kingdom within
thefe nine Months iaft paft, it will not be unaccept-
able, I hope, to furnifh you with this Supplement to
them ; efpecially as none of the former have (as
far as I remember) affeded thefe Parts.

P. S.

Great Finborough-Hall, near Stowmarket, Suffolk,
Sunday, jth Odober, 1750.

e. "Dear Sir ,

On our Return hither to Mr. Wollajloris , we
found a Letter from a worthy Friend of Mr. fVolla-
Jloris and mine, Mr. Metcalfe , a Clergyman of Re-
putation, Scnfe, and Fortune ; who refides at Leice-
Jler , and has two Livings near that Place ; one at
Mar boro ugh, the other at : Tilton : Out of which
I will tranferibe a Paragraph, which will ferve to
confirm Lady Cornwallis’s Relation.

<£ Ycftcrday [It is dated Leicefler , Off. 1. i7fo.],
tc about Noon, we were all greatly alarmed with a
“ very great Shock of an Earthquake. I was in the

Pulpit at Narborough j where the whole Church
c‘ fhook with fuch Violence, that the Congregation

“ expeded

C 7°5 ]

<£ expected that'the Roof was falling In, and run
4‘ out of the Church immediately, leaving the poo^
“ Parfon to fhift for himfelf. I flood my Ground ;
*£ and, by calling to them, and alluring them there
“ was no Harm, prevail'd on them to return, and
“ make an End of the Duty: But it was with Fear
“ and Trembling. It was felt pretty much at Lei-
u cefter } but how much further, I have not heard/'.
Since the Receipt of the above Letter, I have
read, in the public News-papers, an Account of its
having been alfpfelt at Northampton about the fame
-time. t :

So that no Doubt can remain of the Shock which
Lady Cornwallis perceived at Culford , having been
a real Earthquake,

XLIX.

A Letter from the Rev. Mr. John Nixon,
F. R. S. to Mr. John Ward, F. R. S. and
Rhet. Prof. Greiham . ferving to accompany
two Letters ; one from Sir Thomas Cave,
Bart, and another frojn the Minijler of
Wefton with Sutton in Northamptonshire;
concerning the Earthquake on Sept. 30.
1750.

Dear Sir Higham, near Towcefter, North3tnp-

lonfhire, 0&. 8. 1750.

Rear}, oa. 25, ’ir Beg leave to fend you fome Memoirs
relating to the. Earthquake, which
happened in thefe Parts on Sunday Se'nnight, viz.

X x x x Sep

[ 706 ]

September 30. the one is a Letter from Sir Thomas
Cave , Baronet, of Stanford near Lutterworth in
Leicejlerjhire , a Gentleman of good Senfe, and un-
queftionable Veracity. The other is a Paragraph
taken from the Northampton Mercury of this Day.
As for my own Part, being engaged at Church in a
very folemn Part of our Worfhip, I only remember
to have heard a loud Explofion, like that of Thun-
der ; but my Neighbours affiir’d me, they perceiv’d
the Windows to {hake and jar. I believe it was
more violent in other Parts of our County, and the
Counties adjacent j but I am cautious of tranfmit-
ting any Accounts, but fuch as I think may be de-
pended upon. My Compliments to all Friends con-
clude me,

SIR ,

Tour moji obedient , &c.

J. Nixon.

'Dear Sir , Stanford- Hall, ott. 5. 1750.

1AM much obliged to you for your kind Partici-
pation in my prefent Concern, which, I thank
God, is, within thefe few Days, much diminifh’d 5
my Wife being now better.

We were amazed at half an Hour after 12 on
Sunday by a violent Shock of an Earthquake while
we were at Church ; it lafted between 3 and 4
Minutes, and was attended with a prodigious roll-
ing Noife, louder than all the Thunder I ever heard
in my Life, was it colledled into one Exploiion.

Thank

[ 7°7 3

Thank God, no Damage accrued to any of us, be-
yond the Confufion it occafion'd. I am

Jour mofi humble Servant , .

Tho. Cave.

Northampton , OR. 8..

ON Sunday the goth of laft Month, about three
Quarters after 12 at Noon, a Shock of. an
Earthquake was felt in this Town, and in the Coun-
try round us for many Miles; but was not thought
to be fo violent as thofc which happened at Lon-
don at the Beginning of the Year. People who were
fitting in the Churches, or in their Houfes, were
moft fenfible of it, but thofe who were walking
were not fo much affeded ,• and many confidcr'd it
at firft only as the Noife of a fudden Guftof Wind*
or the remote Running of a Coach or Chair. We
don't hear of any Damage done thereby.

The following is a Letter from the Reverend the
Minifter of Wefton with Sutton, in the County
a/' Northampton, dated Od. 2. 1750.

1 ■ ^ Jl.j VC V . ,• ‘ : - ' '

ON Sunday the 30th of September laft, at AJh-
ley , in this Neighbourhood, about a Quarter
betore One o' Clock, whilft they were finging after
Sermon, the whole Congregation was flung into
the utmoft Confternation, by a very terrible Shock
of an Earthquake; the Singers could fcarce per-
fuade themfelves to finifh their Anthem. The Read-

Xxxx 2 ing-Desk

[ 7°8 ]

ing-Desk Hands juft by the Singing-Pew •, and I
really thought that Part of the Church betwixt the
Chancel and the Pillar next to it would have funk'
into the Earth, with a loud and dreadful Noife
from a fort of fubterraneous Explofion, or whatever
the Learned and Curious will term it. After that
awful Noife, and fomething far exceeding a com-
mon Tremor, it kept rolling on feemingly from
North to South, with an hollow Rumbling, like
Thunder at a Diftance. This uncommon Shock, I
find, upon Inquiry, was felt in all the neighbour-
ing Towns in Leicejterfhire, as well as in this County;
and very likely we fhall hear that many Parrs of the
Ifiand were affected by it.

May the Inhabitants, at leaft, from the highcft to
the loweft, look upon thefc as fo many tremendous
Warnings, as the fure Indexes of God’s Difpleafure
with the Degeneracy, the Luxury, the Prophanenefs,
and unhappy Divifions of the Nation. To pretend
to flee for Safety and Protection from the City to
the Country, or from one Part of the Country to
another, is degrading Chriftianity to Heathenifm ;
and, with the Syrians, to think that the God we
ferve is a God of the Hills, and not of the Plain. I
cannot therefore but juftly wonder at thofe who can
feel the Bowels of the Earth in Convulfions, and
Nature rending in Pieces, and the God of Nature
at the fame time not rever’d by the mod lading
Ads of Worfhip and Obedience! To fuch I would
only beg Leave to relate a Story I have met with,
and fhall leave the Application to themfelves ; which
may very eaftly be done ; tho’ originally introduc’d.

[ 7og ]

if I remember right, to convince them of the Folly
of Atheifm.

A certain Hermit, who had fequefter’d himfclf
from the Hurry and Buftnefs of the World, and
lived a retired and abftemious Life, was met one
Day by two Cardinals, in all the Grandeur and pom-
pous Shew of a glittering Equipage: They accofted
the poor Man after this or the like manner: ‘ Father,
1 why fhould you emaciate your Body, by denying
‘ yourfelf thofe Refrefhilients that others enjoy, and

* relifh fo fweetly ? And why fhould you abandon the
‘ Splendor of a Court, or bid adieu to the Pleafures

* that fo plentifully furround us? If there fhould be
4 neither a God, nor a Future State, to reward you
‘ for thefe Severities, how can you avoid the im-
4 puration of Folly and Dotage, in thus defpifing
4 prefent Satisfactions for an imaginary Nothing?’
To which the honeft Hermit immediately reply’d,

4 But, Sirs, fuppofe there fhould be a God, and a Fi>
4 ture State, to punifh you, will not the Imputation
4 of Folly return upon your own Heads, for running
4 that defperate Rifque of being miferable to Eter-

* nity, for Baking down your Thoughts to this pre-
4 fent World, and valuing nothing but the empty
4 and Ihort-liv’d Pleafures that you are now glcry-

* ing in?’ Which Anfwcr carry 'd fuch a plain
Conviction with it, that the Cardinals turn’d from
him forrowful and dejeCtcd.

L.

[ 7l° ]

L.

A Letter from the fa?ne to the Pr. R. S. con'
t ciining further Particulars of the fa?ne
Earthquake.

Read oa. 2j.rpHE kind Fayour of your laft: dc-
I75°’ JL viands my Acknowledgments to be
made in a lx i ter Manner than the continual Avo-
cations in which I have been of late engaged will
enable me to do but I am perfuaded the Deficiency
of my Account of the Earthquake, which was i'ome
time ago felt in thefe Parts, will be abundantly fup-
plicd by that, which my worthy Friend the Rev. Dr.
Doddridge tells me by Letter this Morning he has
tranfmitted to you by the Hands of Mr. Baker.

As to the Extent of this Phenomenon, with rc-
fpcdl to the South and South-Weft (of which alone
1 am at prefent capable of giving you any Informa-
tion) it feems not to have reach’d much further than
To\x,cefier : For it was not perceiv’d at Stony -Strat-
ford, S Miles South of that Place on the London
Road j nor at Newport-pagnel in Buckingham]}) ire,
lomewhat more to the Eaft of that Town.

I fpent the Week before laft at Mr. B/encozv’s,
at Mar ft on St. Laurence in the South- Weft Angle
of our County; and found that it had not been per-
ceiv’d there, nor in the other Towns on the Bor-
ders of Oxfordjhire.

We went from thence to Mr. H Ibeche s oiFarn-
borough, 8 Miles Weft ward of Mar (ton, on the
Coniines of IParwickjhire, where we could hear

nothing

[ 71 1 ]

nothing of it; tho’ it was felt at Stockton and
Leamington, Vihages lying more to the North in
the fame County, about 6 Miles from Warwick.

It did not reach IVarwick , but pjfs'd on to Rug-
by, and from rhence enter'd Leicefferjhire. I lately
fern Mr. IVard a Letter*, which I received from Sir
Ti.omas Cave , Baronet, at Stanford , on the Bor-
ders of that County ; whereby it appears, that the
Shock and Explolion were felt in a very furpriling
Manner there.

JVm. H anbury Efq; of Kelmarfk , in the Road from
Northampton to Market- Har borough, told me laft
Week, that it was felt fo violently there, that the
Minifter and the Congregation went out of the
Church; the Roof of which feem’d to be disjointed,
and ready to fall : And his Lady, who was at home,
leaning forwards to read, was fhaken out of her
Chair upon the Floor. I hear that feveral repeated
Vibrations of the Shock were perceived at Peter-
borough j the Particulars of which I expert foon from
a Gentleman who lives in that Place.

In Anfwer to your fecond Query, I find different
Accounts given by different Pcrfons. Sir Thomas
Samwell , Baronet, at Br addon, 3 Miles Weft of
Towcefier, being in his Garden with two of his
Servants, heard nothing of the Explolion. Some of
my Neighbours tell me they perceived it. Mr.
Brookes , our Clerk of the Peace, informs me, that he
was walking abroad, at a confidcrablc Diftance from
any Buildings, at a Place call'd Oakly , 3 Miles from
Kettering, and there heard the Noife as of a riling
ruftling Wind, during the Time that he walk'd 20
or 30 Yards.

The

* See p. 706.

[ 712 ]

The Difference of thefe Accounts may, in my
Opinion, be reconcil’d, by fuppefing, that the Ex-
plofion might have been heard abroad in fuch Places
where it was more violent ; and not in others where
it was lefs fo.

As for any thing (I prefume you meant lambent
Flame, Vapour, &c.) being perceiv’d on the Sur-
face of the Ground, before or during the Earthquake,
nothing of this kind has as yet been mention’d to
me from any Quarter.

I find there has been a Report of a Meteor, like a
Ball of Fire, appearing in the Morning before the
Shock was felt; but it is, by the judicious Part of
the World, rank’d among the other Mirabilia ufu-
ally invented upon thefe Occafions to amufe the
Vulgar. I am, Sir,

Tour mo ft obedient , 5c c.

J. Nixon.

LI.

A Letter from the Rev. P. Doddridge D.D.
to Mr. Henry Baker F, R. S. containing
fome Account of the late Earthquake felt at
Northampton.

tCorihmnpton , OSicber 1 7. 1750.

Read oa. 25. f 1 " A H E Shock of an Earthquake lately
' ' )0 A felt hcre> which has been fo much
talked of, and in fome public Papers magnified far
beyond the Truth, happened on Sunday the 30th of

September ,

[ 7*3 ]

September , about 20 Minutes after 12 at Noon.
Our Mercury ftrangely fixed it at a Quarter before
One ; which is fo palpable a Miftakc, and contrary
to the certain Knowlege of fo many Hundreds of
People, that I could not but be furprifed to fee it.

The Effefls here were by no means fo confider-
able as were reprefented, efpecially at London. I
was at that time in Company with a pretty large
Number of Friends, juft returned from divine Wor-
fhip, and hardly fet down in the Parlour 5 but no
one of us felt any thing of it; and if we heard any
Noifc, did not diftinguifh it from a Coach: But
fome Gentlemen, who were retired into their Stu-
dies up two Pair of Stairs, plainly felt it 5 yet they
were not the twelfth Part of the Pcrfohs then in
my Houfe, who all, whether on the Ground, or firft
Floor, were quite infenfibleofit. However, it is certain
that a great Number of Perfons in different Parts of
the Town, perceived themfeives lifted up by it, as
they were in their Houfes, tho’ hardly any in the
Streets took Notice of it. Thofe that accurately
obferved it, deferibe it as fomething horizontal ra-
ther than perpendicular. A Lady of my Acquaint-
ance (landing with her Face to the South -Weft,
plainly felt her Heels lifted up, and was thrown fo
much on her Toes, that (he was in Danger of fall-
ing : And it was obferved, that fornc Cafements were
moved outward, as if an Attempt had been made
to force them open, and the Clattering of Safhes
was as. when a ftrong Wind blows againft them.

In the long Street that runs from- South to North,
it was obferved, that the Shock was felt more on
the Eaftern than the Weftern Side of the Way 5 and I

Y y y y think

[-74 i

think the whole Eaftern Part of the Town was rnoft
affe&ed. Dr. Stonehoufe , who lives in that Part of
it, felt it with great Violence, as if a loaded Wag-
gon had run ftrongly agairift the gable End of his
Houfe : And tho’ the V ails are remarkably thick,
he was greatly alarm'd with an Apprchenfion that
they would have fallen.

What further confirms this Pvcmark of the hori-
zontal, or at lead oblique Direction of the Impulfe
is, that a Cradle was rock’d by ir. In the Houfe of
Mr. Teoman, where our little philosophical Society
meets, it threw down a Board from the Tefter of
a Bed j yet Mr. Teoman himfelf did not feel ir.

There was a Report, that in Abingt on- Street fomc
Chimnies were thrown down; and this brought
Numbers of People from different Parts of the Town,
to Purvey the Suppos’d Ruins,- but it only Served to
illufirate the Uncertainty of Rumour. However, it
was true that a few Bricks were thrown down from
a Chimney in College-Lane .

It is very certain, that all who felt the Shock
heard a hollow rufhing Node; which, So far as I
can learn. Seemed to come in a Direction from the
South-Weft to the Norrh-Eaft. In Rooms where
Several PerSons were together, Some were ftrongly
fenfible of it, while others felt nothing at all : And
{ceteris paribus ) I think it was felt more fenfibly
by thole above than thofe below, and by Such as
were fitting, (landing, or leaning, rather than walk-
ing.

A lumbering kind of NoiSe was heard by Some in
lower Apartments, as if Some one over their Heads
had fallen down on a Sudden, with a dead Weight;

and

'[ 7iS ]

and fome thought they heard fuch a Noife in the
Floor beneath 5 fome thought the Quivering of the
Ground continued longer than others apprehended ;
But I have met with none who in this refped were
fo accurate in their Obfervations, as my ingenious
Friend Mr. Shippley, who afllircs me that he felt
four didind Concuflions (the fecond and third of
which were much more violent than the firft and
lad) all within 3 or at mod 4 Seconds.

As far as 1 can learn from the mod diligent In-
quiry I can make, the Tremulation of the Ground
extended itfelf at lead 60 Miles in Length from South
to North, and from Wed to Ead about ay, or at
moft 30.

It did not affed either Newport -pagnel, or Tow-
cejier , to the South; but was felt very near the lat-
ter, and at lead 6 Miles South of this Place, and
all the Way between that and Nottingham , and a
little beyond it Eaftward ; it fcarce reached Higham-
Ferrers , and was not felt at Coventry , and but very
feeble within y or 6 Miles to the Ead of it: But its
greateft Violence feemed to have been fpent on
the Villages of Creaton , Cottesbrook , Kilmarfh,
Maidwell , Evefton, and fome other lmall Towns
within 4 or y Miles of Market -Har borough, modly
between us and that Place.

At Creaton , a Friend of mine was fo moved, as
he fat at Dinner, that his Elbow druck againd the
Wall, tho’ he fat at fome Diftance from it; the
Roof of the Houfe gave a great Crack ; and in a
neighbouring Houfe a brafs Kettle was thrown
down, as in another a Plate of Pewter was.

Yyyy 2

At

[■ 7l6 ]

At Cottesbrock , Kilmarjh , and- JVefton , the Con-
gregations, which were not yet came out of their
relpedive Churches, were all exceedingly terrified;
fome fhricked outj others quitted the Place; and the
worthy Clergyman at JVtjlon with Suttcn near
Harborough, fays, in a Letter publtfhedin our Mer-
cury, dated the 2d .inftant, ‘ that, as they were fing-
* jng after Sermon (he adds, a Quarter before One)
1 the whole Congregation were; -thrown into the
‘ utmoft Confternation, fo that the Singers could
‘ hardly prevail on thcmfdves tofinifh the Anthem.’
He adds, ‘ that he thought that Part of the Church
‘ betwixt the Chancel and the Pillar next to ir,
‘ would have funk into the Earth and that it was
‘ attended with a loud and dreadful Noife, from a
5 fort of fubtcrrancous Explollon/

At Mai dwell, Mr. Scawen , leaning upon a large
Marble Chimney-Piece, was violently fhaken; and
in the neighbouring Parifh of Kilmarjh, Mrs. H an-
bury, who was then reading by her Firc-fidc, her
Chair being tilted forward, was thrown down on
her Hands and Knees; and the whole Parifh at
Church were fo alarm’d, that they broke up the
Aflembly, and ran out into the Church-yard; but
the Miuifter perfuaded fome of them to return, and
difmiflcd them (as 1 am told) with an extempore
Prayer proper to the Occafion.

Some ftrange Stories have been told of much
more violent Effe&s produced el few here ; particularly
that a Chafin was open’d at a Garden at j Daventryj
but I can find no real Foundation for them.

No Building, that I can learn, has any-vvhere been
thrown down ; but I am very credibly informed,

that

[ 7*7 ]

that a Beam in the new Toll houfe near Harborough
was fplit by the Shock: and one tragical Effect is
certain 5 I mean, that Mrs. Adcock, Wife to the
chief Gentleman in Loddington, who had been de-
liver’d of her firfl Child a few Days before, and was
in a very fine Way, was fo alarmed with the Acci-
dent, that (lie expired within a few Hours, to the
great Grief of all that knew her.

I was furprifed to fee how little the Inhabitants
of Northampton were imprefied with this awful
(tho’ by no means fupernatural) Event : The Sound
of luch a Shock was, in a manner, grown familiar
to their Ears, by what they had heard from Lon-
don, and other Places. Many did not themfelves
perceive it ; others found it very gentle i and in a
very few Hours it feem’d to have affeded them no
more than a Shower of Rain.

I obferve, that moft Accounts from the Northern
Parts date the Shock later than we felt it here ; but
that may perhaps be accounted for by the Difference
of Clocks j but where they were mod exadly ad-
jufted, all agree pretty well as to the Time. I find
alfo, that the Degree of the Shock was very differ-
ent in nearly contiguous Places. Thus at Eajton -
Maudit it was hardly felt at all j but at Cattle -
Afhby was very violent. It was fcnfibly perceived at
Lord Lomfrel’ s, and not at all at Towcefier , tho’
within half a Mile of it 5 and, generally fpeaking,
the higher Places were moft affeded, tho’ in fome
it was quite otherwife.

It had been calm c'oudy Weather for feveral Days
before j and what little Wind there was to be per-
ceived was generally North- Weft. The Height of

the

[ 7i 8 ]

the Barometer was as follows, on and about this
remarkable Day 5 viz.

Thurfday , Sept. 27.

29— 9 S

Friday , Sept. 28.

29 — 9

Saturday , Sept. 29.

29 — 88

Sunday , Sept. 30.

29—79

Monday , Oft. 1.

29 — 68

Tnefday , Oft. 2.

29 — 80

JVednefday , Oft. 3.

29—83

The Morning on which this Phenomenon hap-
pened was remarkably calm ; but quickly after the
Shock the Wind role, and Clouds which had co-
vered the Heavens for feveral Days, were pretty
much difperfed. On Monday , and on Tuejday and
JVednefday , the Sun fhone clearly all Day long.
There was a Report, that, on the Morning of that
Sunday , about 4, o’ Clock, a Ball of Fire was feen ;
but 1 could not trace it to any Certainty. On Mon-
day Night the Sky in the Eaft was as red as Blood;
and, on Tuejday Night, we had abfolutely the finert
Aurora Borealis that I remember to have feen ; of
which I fhall add a fhort Account, by way of Poft-
feript, when I have added a mifcellaneous Circurn-
ftahee or two to thofe I have mentioned concerning
the Earthquake.

I am told, that, in fome Places, two Shocks were
felt, nearly at the fame time, and within a few Se-
conds of each other. This is faid to have been the
Cafe at . Nofely in Leiceflerjhire , which (lands very
high j and at Telvertoft in this County. But I have
received the moll certain Account of this from Hill-
Morton. Mr. Pool> who keeps the Turnpike there,

and

A

[ 719 ]

and is remarkably curious, for a Man in his Sphere
of Life, informs me, that he felt himfelf moved, as
he fat in his Chair, in fuch a manner, that he thought
fomebody had been at the Door 5 or (if I under-
hand him right) as if fomerhing had fallen againft it:
And when he came to the Door, about two or three
Seconds after, he felt a Motion that he certainly
knew to be an Earthquake.

I do not hear of any thing fecn in or upon the
Ground j unlefs the Cafe of a good Woman at IVel -
den may be counted an Exception ; who fays, that,
while (he was fhaken by it, fhe faw the Ground move
around her.

Mr. Sca-'jaen is very confident, that he heard that
rufhing Noifc (fo generally fpoken of by all who
oblervcd any thing cxtraoi dinary) not only before,
but after the Shock ; and that he could by both trace
the Direction mentioned above.

I {hall only add, that a very worthy Lady of this
Town (Niece, as I remember, to Sir Hans Sloane')
obferved, that, juft before the Shock, her Birds
drooped remarkably, and hid their Heads under their
Wings : A Circumftance which is often obferved in
Italy , and other Places where thefe Phenomena
are frequent.

Thefe are the mod material Circumftances I have
yet had an Opportunity of collecting ; and if any
thing elfe, which feems at all worthy of Notice,
fhould occur, 1 fhali be very ready to impart it.

p. S. The principal Circumftances attending the
Aurora Borealis mention’d above, were as fol-
lows ;

On

C 72° ]

On Tuefday , the Second of this Month, as I was
walking home from a neighbouring Village, be-
tween Six and Seven in the Evening, the Sky
being remarkably clear, and the Moon then fhine-
ing with delightful Luftre, I happened to turn,
and obferve in the North- Eaft a pretty large Cloud,
nearly in the Form of a Globe; which Teemed
firft of a whitifh, then of a very luminous Ap-
pearance. It Teem’d connected with a Cloud,
which was dark, and Tomewhat bluifh, which
Tpread itfeif (almoft like a vaft Beam of a Build-
ing) from the North-Eaft to the North-Wed. At
each End it was a little bent towards the Hori-
zon; but by far the greater Part was in a hori-
zontal Pofition, and Teemed to occupy the North-
ern Part of the Heaven, from the Altitude of 10
to about if Degrees. The Cloud I firft men-
tion’d Toon appear’d like a Globe of lucid Fire,
much brighter than the Moon; and fhot Corufca-
tions, Tometimcs in a perpendicular Dire&ion, but
much more towards the dark horizontal Beam, if
I may be allow’d To to dcTcribe it (thro’ which, by
the way, I could not then diTcern any Stars). Thro’
this the Light darted from North-Eaft to North-
Weft; fo that at length it feem’d all in a Blaze j
and from it there (hot up Tevcral luminous Pil-
lars, perpendicular to the Horizon, and directed
towards the Zenith. They were of very unequal
Lengths, and fome of them appear’d in a conical
rather than a cylindrical Form. As thofe to the
Weft brightened, thofe firft raifed disappeared; till
at length all the horizontal Tradt of Light va-
nifhed, and Tome long truncated Pillars, often

varying

[ 7il 1

varying their Length, remained in the Wed j
often rifing almoft to the Zenith, but generally
feeming to hang between 30 and 70 Degrees, fo
tar as I could conjc&urc. When 'his beautiful
Appearance ccafid, the Sky appeared reddifh in
the Eaft; what before conftituted the lucid Globe,
teemed refolved into light Clouds, of various
Forms j and that Part of the Horizon looked
much as it docs in a Summer’s Morning, when
the Sun is within a few Minutes of its rifing,
and tinges the Clouds of a light Red. But all
this feemed to difperfe in a few Minutes, about
Seven ; and I neither faw nor heard of any thing
remarkable.

LII.

An Account of the Earthquake which happen'd
about a Quarter before One d Clock , on
Sunday, September 30. 1750. by Mr.
— ~ Steward to the Earl of Cardigan.

DctMj Oct. 2. 17 50.

Read Oft. 25.lT FT the Morning there was a gentle
wefterly Wind, fomething cool; but
for fome time before the Earthquake happen’d, it
was quite calm and clofe, and much warmer. The
Air was very dry, and filled with Clouds that had
no Motion, but prevented the Sun’s appearing (I
think) all Day. The Noife that preceded the Earth-
quake was, for a few Seconds, like the rumbling

Z z z z of

r 722 ]

of a Coach upon a Bridge, or Thunder at a Diftance,
when there were two confiderable Explofions very
near one another, which gave the great Shock * and
after that the Noife continued as before for about
half a Minute, the Earth trembling all the while ;
but I don't find any body perceived any fulphurcous
Smell.

The Direction of the Earthquake was from Weft
to Eaft; as was very eafily difeerned by every body
that was out of Door, as I was, and took notice of
the Noife.

It is probable it began in Derbyshire, or fome
of the Counties to the Weft of that (for I am in-
formed it was felt as much at Derby as here, and at
all Places between) j and pafied off the Ifland thro’
Line olnjh ire, and Part of Cambridgejhire.

The Breadth from North to South I imagine to
be 4.0 or 50 Miles 5 of which much the greateft
Part lay North of this Place.

The Force of the Shock was chiefly, if not in-
tirely, lateral; and fo confiderable, as that feveral
People, who were fitting in Chairs, carched at the
Walls, Tables, and fuch things as flood next them,
expecting they fhould be thrown down: Buildings
of all Kinds were fhaken greatly j and the Beds,
Chairs, and fuch things as flood above-flairs were
difplaced, and rocked about very much: Windows
were fhaken as if they would have been broken;
and in feveral Places Pewter upon Shelves in Kit-
chens thrown upon the Floor.

At feveral Churches, where divine Service was
not fin filled, both in this County, Rutland , and
LeiceJlerJhjre , the People were fo alarmed, that

they

C 723 3

they ran out, fearing the Churches would fall on
their Heads; and fome were fo terrified, they fwooned
away.

At Stonton , fome of the Piaiftcring of the Church
was fhaken down ; which moll terribly frightened
the People that were in it, and obliged them to

run out. I have not heard of any Damage

being done by it more than fome Chimnics thrown
down, but nobody hurt by them.

CP. S. <rDeene Hands clofe to the Road which
leads from Northampton to Stamford j it is
about 2y Miles from the former, and 10 from
the latter.

LIII.

ExtraSl of a Letter from Mr . Henry Green
to Mr. James Ayfchough, Optician , in
Ludgate-Street, relatmg to the Earthquake
felt Sept. 30. 1750.

Read 0£t. 25.
175°.

A'

Rolleficn in Lticefierjhire, OS}. 22. 1750.

S I have R com enough,! may as well
give you fome little Account of
the Earthquake which happen’d in this and the
neighbouring Counties, on Sunday the goth of laft
Month, about half an Hour paft 12 at Noon.

The firft Shock appear’d to us, at our Houfe, as if
a large Stack of Chimnies had fallen through the
Roof upon the Chamber floor over our Heads
(which at firft we took to be the Cafe, but in ’a

Z z z z 2 very

[ 724 ]

very few Seconds recollected what It was). This was
fuccccdcd by a prodigious rolling Noife, as if the
whole Houle was falling upon us, which we ex-
pected it would do, before we could get out of it.
When we were our, we could not help looking be-
hind us, to lee if any thing was fallen ; but found
all fafe. W e could perceive the Floor, &c. to fluke
very fcnfibly 5 and a Walking flick, that flood in
one Corner of the Parlour, was thrown down : It
alfo fhook down feveral large Stones from off an
Heap that lay in the Yard.

A Gentleman, who was walking from his own
Houfe to dine with us, happened to lay his Hand
upon a Gate, to open it, juft after the firft Noife,
and found the Gate-Pofts, &c. to Ihake and totter
about as if they were falling. In a great many
Places Service was not ended at Church ; and in
fome the whole Congregation ran out, and happy they
that could get out firft. A Gentleman of Fortune
near Leicejter , narrowly efcaped being killed by
one of his own Chimnies 5 which fell fo near him,
that fome of the Bricks grazed upon his Shoulder.

By what I can hear, it reached 30 or 40 Miles
from us each Way 5 and I fanfy we were not far
from the Center of it.

As near as I can judge, it lafted about 20 Se-
conds at leaft; but its Duration and Appearance was
different to People in different Places.

LIV.

[ 7^5 ]

LIV.

Extracts of Letters from Maurice Johnfon,
Efq\ P reft dent of the Gentlemens Society
at Spalding, and from John Green Efq\
Secretary of the fame , to Emanuel Men-
dez da Coda, Efq\ F.R.S. concerning an
Earthquake felt on Aug. 23. 1750.

Ex trait of a Letter from Maurice Johnfon, Efy,
to Emanuel Mendez da Coda, F. R. S. dated at
Spalding in Lincolnlhire, z^th Augud 175-0.

Read Nov. i. /\N Thurfday the 23d Indant, the Air
I75°‘ mild and calm, no Wind (lining,

the Sun fhining bright, at about 45- Minutes pad 6
o' Clock in the Morning, a Shock of an Earthquake
was fenfibly felt here, and hereabout, attended
with a loud Noife, and Crack (as fome call it) : This
was perceived both Southward, and Northwardly,
for fome Seconds. A Gentleman from Newark in
Nottinghamshire , N. E. of us about 30 Miles, fays
it was alfo felt there.

Extrait, concerning the fame Earthquake , from a
Letter of Dr. John Green, of the faid Place .

TH E Earthquake was fenfibly felt through the
whole County of Lincolnjhire , which is above 70
Miles j but mod drongly on the Coad. The Weather
had been for fome Days before mild and calm : An

Aurora

[ 726 ]

Aurora Borealis appeared vertically, Pnooting Rays
of' all Colours around, which turned to a very deep
red Colour.

LV.

Part of a Letter from the Rev. Henry Miles,
D. D. F. R. S. to Mr. H. Baker, F. R. S.
concerning the Earthquake felt on Sept.
3°. 1 750.

Tooting , Otlober 30. 1750.

Read Nov. j. M Wdrthy Friend, the Rev. Mr. Daniel
Goodrich , who liverh at Gundle in
Northamptonshire , has fent me an Account of the
Earthquake felt in that and the neighbouring Coun-
ties, on Sept. 30th, at 12 -f at Noon.

He informs me, that he was then at Uppingham in
Rutlandfhire , fitting in a Room intent on writing
and thinking, when he was furprifed with a Sound
very thong and awful; which, at the firtl Moment,
made him think of the rattling of a Coach upon the
Pavement : But this Apprchenfion was immediately
corrected by fomewhat very different in the Sound,
and raifed in him an Idea of the cradling of a falling
Houfc. He felt bimfclf in a very fhaking way : The
Table at which he fat fhivered, and the Windows of
the Room jarred : But he did not think of an Earth-
quake, till the People of the Houfc came into the
Room, and toid him what had happened. Some
Slates were fhaken off the Houfcs, and in one Houfc
the Hammer of a Clock (truck the Bell: Some
Chimnies were thrown down; many talked of a

fenfible

C 727 ]

fenfible Heaving of the Ground : But, he fays, he is
credibly informed, that, in one Houle in that County,
the Mud Floor was cracked not a little in three or
Four Places. In one Houfe, in the Town of Upping-
ham, where two Men and a Woman were lining,
upon the Approach of the Sound (tho’ they had no
Thought ot an Earthquake), the Men could hardly
draw their Breath in the Houfe ; but were immediate-
ly obliged to go out for frefh Air; but the Woman
felt no Diforder. My Friend adds, that attentive
Obfervcrs apprehended the Sound to have moved
from the N. to the S. or from N.W. to S. E. and
that himfelf had the fame Apprehcnfion ; and that,
according to his prefent Intelligence, the whole Shock
was felt in the Counties of Northampton , Leicefier,
Nottingham, Rutland, and Lincoln , affecting a Trad
of the County of about 60 Miles in Length, and as
much in Breadth. I have given you the Account in
his own Words, with very fmall Variation.

LVI.

A Letter from the Rev Mr. John Nixon,
F. R. S. to the Prelident, Jerving to ac -
company a Letter from Mr. William
Smith to Mr. Nixon, giving a very par-
ticular Account of the Earthquake felt on
Sept. 30. 1750.

SIR Higham , November 8.

Read Nov. 1 5 • r’TT"“' H 1 S waits upon you with a Letter
I have juft received from Peter-
borough. I hope the Veracity of my Correfpondenr,

who

[ 72R 1

who is Reglfter of the Place above-mentioned, and
a Gentleman of good Crcdh will atone for fome
Defeds in the Form of his Account.

Since I had the Honour to write to you lad, I
have met with two Gentlemen in my Neighbour-
hood, one of them a Clergyman, who affured me,
that, about 6 or 7 o’ Clock on the Morning before
the late Earthquake, they both faw a Bail of Fire
in the Air, refembling the Meteor commonly called
a falling Star; only with this Difference, that this
Phenomenon, after running fome Space, burft into
feveral dreaming Rays, confiding of Sparks of Fire,
in the manner of a Sky-rocket. I am,

SIR,

[ Tour moft obedient humble Servant ,

J. Nixon.

Reverend Sir.

I Received your Favour of the 1 6th current; and
the following Account of the late Earthquake,
as it was varioufly felt here, is an Anfwcr thereto ;
which (as I could gather it from others, and colled
of myfelf ) pleafe to take as follows :

Some little time after Morning Service at the
Cathedral Church was over, as near as I can guefs
about 25 or 30 Minutes pad Noon, as I was in my
Garden with two Friends, it being exceedingly calm,
the Sky fomewhat covered with light mottled Clouds,
I took Notice of a hollow odd Noife, and at fird
judged it to be a Coach under the Monadery
' ” " Walls;

[ 729 3

Walls; but foon found it was other wife ; and all
of us then judg'd it to be Thunder at a Diftance, but
pretty loud, and of a hollow Report. I was then
40 Yards at lead from my own Houfe, and about
half that Diftance from Mr. Archdeacon Browne’s,
and not any Buildings to the South of us. I heard
the Noiic of the Explofion at lead two Minutes after
I took Notice of it. Its Courfe, as I could plainly
cbftinguifh, was from N.E. to S. W. or thereabouts.
We felt no fort of Shake, nor did my Wife or Fa-
mily in the Houfe. My next Neighbour to the
South of me, and his Family, being at Dinner, felt
the Shock after the Noife had partly palfed, and were
fallible what it was; but not very much, and but
for a fhort Space of Time.

A Perfon of very good Reputation, who lives in
the Minjltr-Chfe , was then in a Chamber, heard
the Noife, fufpefted the Caufe (it being Sunday ,
and no Carr about), immediately threw up the Safh,
and obferved, as the Noife of the Explofion decrcafed,
the Shock came on : The Tables, Chairs, &c. in the
Chamber (book; the Windows clattered: He very
fenfibly felt the Shock, which he affirms laded a Ma-
nure at lead: ; only, when it fird fhook, it was with
the greater Violence, and dwindled away by little
and little, till 'twas gone, in the fame manner as
went the Noife. The People below were all af-

fefted by it; but not fo much, or fo long. One

other Perfon rn a narrow Street in the Town, fitting in
a low Room, with a Brick Floor, heard the Noife, but
judged it to be an odd Lumber above Stairs, or fome
Carriages coming on (as mod People fird thought
who were within Doors) ; and prclently the Floor

5 A under

f 73° ]

under his Chair heaved, and continued in a fur*
prifing Agitation for one Minute. He was very much
alarmed, and ran into the Street, where a great
Number of People inflantly appeared 5 fome to
fee if any Coaches or Carriages were coming,
others to get away, expefting their Houfes were
tumbling; and others finding fome what extraordi-
nary had happened, but at that Inftant did not know
what, and came to fee, &c. The Perfon who felt-
the Ground heave was fo frighted, that he became
fick thereupon. At Longthorpe, a Mile Weft of
us, the Clergyman who did Duty there was juft
then fat down to Dinner with Sir Francis St.John,
Bart, and his Daughter, when a rumbling Noife was
heard, particularly in the Chimney. Sir Francis ex-
posed the fame was on Fire, got up to fee ; which
fuddenly ecafed, and immediately was fucceeded by
a Concuftion of the Ground. 1 had this from the
Clergyman, who tells me further, that he felt it fo
fenfibly, that he was obliged to relinquifh his Chair,
and, when upon his Legs, to lay his Hands on the
Table to fuppoit himlelf. Mifs St. John was in
like manner aflfe&ed. Sir Francis only heard the
Noife, which he compared (and, for what I know,
very properly) to the Explolicn of a Cannon at a
Diftance, not being in the lcaft fenfible of any Mo-
tion under Foot, altho’ the Diftance between the
Parties was very inconfiderable. The Sideboard,
with the clattering of Glades, &c. they thought was
tumbling : They were fo furprifcd, that he doth not
remember how long the trembling continued. A
Perfon in the fame Village affirms, thar, being fitting,
he was fuddenly lifted twice or thrice on the Ground,

as

C ni ]

as with a Spring, and drop’d again. Many People

felt it there in various Shapes. At Cajlor, a Mile

and Half ftili farther Weft, one Mr. Serjeant fays,
that, looking out of a Window a conftdcrable Height,
he found the Houfe reel more than once, and then

come into its Place again with a Jolt. Many very

odd Inftances we have of it. Some heard the Node,
and felt not the Shock; others felt it, and did not
hear the Noife. I am informed it was felt at Bojlon ,
which lies about 30 Miles near North of us; and it
was felt a few M:lcs to the South : So that its Extent
here, from N W. to SE. or thereabouts, fee ms to

be about 40 Miles. Upon the Whole, I find, the

higher one was, as farther from the Centre, the more
the Shock was felt; that it was local; tire Sound of
the Explofion was heard as well abroad as in the
Houles, tho’ People differently fituated judged dif- v
ferently what the Sound was ; that not any Smoke,
Vapour, or Flame, appeared on the Surface, as I

have heard. I am

Tour tnoft obedient Servant,

Wm. Smith.

Lvir.

Tloe Philofophy of Earthquakes ; by the Rev.
William Stukeley, M.D. F R.S. &c. in
a Tetter to Martin Folkes, Efq\ LL. D.
and Prefident of the Royal Society, c Wc.

Ktad Dec. 6. M I N C E I had the Honour to lay be-
17 s°' fore the Society, in the Spring, my

Thoughts upon Earthquakes, we have had many

y A 2 Oppor-

[ 732 ]

Opportunities of refle&ing on that moft awful, and
hitherto unufual, Appearance. The Year 1750. may
rather be called the Year of Earthquakes, than o( Ju-
bilee. For, fince they began with us at London, as far
as I can learn, they have appeared in many Parts of Eu-
rope, AJia , Africa , and America , and have likewife
revifited many Counties in our Ifland : At length,
on 30th of laft: September, taken their Leave ( as
we hope) with much the mold extenfivc Shock we
have feen in our Days.

It may well be expetted, that thefe frequent Viftts,
in themfelves fo very extraordinary, to us fo rare,
and that in one Year, fhould keep up our Attention ;
and, as to my own Part, induce one to refledl on
what I before offered concerning them, and be a fuf-
ficient Apology for the prefent Paper.

We have been acquainted, by thofe that remem-
ber it, that in the Earthquake of November 1703.
which happen'd in LincoJnfnre , the Weather was
calm, dole, gloomy, warm, and dry, in a Degree
highly unufual at that Seafon : And thus it has been
with us all the Year: And from the numerous Ac?
counts we have received at the Royal Society , in the
Beginning and End of the Year, where any Mention
is made of the Weather, they agree in the like Par-
ticular : Which is consentaneous to what I remarked
as the conftant Forerunner of Earthquakes, and what
prepares the Earth's Surface to receive the eledtrical
Stroke .

In my laft we had a Paper read at the Royal So-
ciety, concerning the firft Earthquake felt by us at
London on 8th February. A Shepherd belonging to
Mr. Secretary Fox at Kenfmgton , the Sky being per-
fectly

[ 73 3 1

fe&ly ferene and clear, was much furprifed with a very
extraordinary Noife in the Air, rolling over his
Head, as of Cannon clofe by: He likewife thought
that it came from the North-weft, and went to the
South-eaft; a Motion quite contrary to what muft
have been the Cafe, if it were really of Cannon.
This Noife pafs’d rulhing by him; and inftantly he
law the Ground, a dry and folid Spot, wave under
him, like the Face of the River. The tall Trees
of the Avenue, where he was, nodded their Tops
very fenfibly, and quaver’d. The Flock of Sheep
immediately took Fright, and ran away all together,
as if the Dogs had purfued them. A great Rookery
in the Place were equally alarmed; and, after an
univerfal Clangor, flew away, as if chafed by
Hawks.

I was likewife informed, that, in the fame Earth-
quake, a great Parcel of Hens and Chickens, kept
at that time in Gray s-Inn Lane , upon the Shock,
ran to the Rooft affrighted : And the like was ob-
i'erved of Pigeons. And in our Account of the laft
Earthquake from Northampton , it is remarked, that
the Birds in Cages put their Heads under their Wings,
as to hide themfelves.

June 2i. at the Loyal Society , Mr. Jackfon ,
Potter at Lambeth , gave an Account of fome Boats
and Loiters, in the River at that time; the People
in them feemed to feel as if a Porpoife, or fome
great Fifli, had heav’d and thump’d at the Bottom
of the Loiters. . This is fometimes the Cafe of Ships
at Sea; which feems evidently owing to an ele&ri-
cal Impreflion on the Water.

In

f 734 }

In the Evening Toft, June 23: 'we had a Para-
graph from Venice, that a terrible Earthquake had
lately been felt in the lile o iCerigo\ a little rocky
Jfle. It threw down a great Number of Houles,
and above 2000 Inhabitants were buried in the
Ruins. , ■ 1 ,

Another Earthquake about that time happen’d in
Switzerland , which fplit a vail rocky Mountain,
and an old Caftle-Wall, of an immenfe Thick nefs.

But, fince then, thefe wonderful Movements have
Balked round the Globe; and again been lately felt
in our own Ifland, to the Terror only of many thou-
sand People ; befides thofe that appear’d in the
We Bern Parts, in the more early Time of the Year.

I received a Lcjtter from my Friend Maurice
Johnfon Efq; the Founder and Secretary of the Li-
terary Society of Spalding , which has now fubftlled
thefe 40 Years. Fie acquaints me, that, on Thurf-
day the 23d of s. fotguft la!!, an Earthquake was very
ienfibly felt there, about 7 o’ Clock in the Morning,
throughout the whole Town and Neighbourhood,
and many Miles round j but chiefly Spread North-
ward and Southward. He fays, that, for a Fort-
night before, the Weather had been lercne, mild,
and calm ; and one Evening there was a deep-red
Aurora auflralis, covering the Cope of Heaven,
very terrible to behold. This fame Shock was felt
at . Grantham , Stamford, and Milton by ‘Peterbo-
rough; and generally at all the intermediate Places.

Since then, I had a Letter from Mr. Alderman
Taylor , of Stamford, giving an Account of another
Earthquake, that happen’d there, on Sunday , Sept ,
30 at 36 Minutes after 120’ Clock at Noon. He

deferibes

[ 73:5 ]

dcfcribcs it thus: 4 They were fuddchl'y furprifu'd
‘ with an- uncommon Noife in the Air, like the

* rolling of large Carriages in the Street, tor about
1 20 Seconds. At. the fame Infant they felt a

* great Shake, or Snap (as he calls it) infornuch
c that it fcnfibly fhook a Punch-bowl, which was
c in his Parlour, and made -Jt ring. He fays, it was

* perceived of moft of the People of . Stamford,
‘ who generally ran out of their Houfes. At Cke-
1 ham , the chief Town in Rutland, the Congregar
‘ tion ran out of the Church. Ail the Towns

* round Stamford were fenhble of if, and at W-

1 terborough, down to Wisbich * ^ ' '

Thus far the Alderman. But we have had marly
Advices from all Hands, at the firft and fecond MceC
ings of the Royal Society., for the Winter ^Sealon*
with further Particulars relating to this great Com
cuflion : That it was felt at the fame rime at

Rugby in Warwickjhire, and reach’d to Warwick ’-, at
Lutterworth in Lckeferfhire ; at -Leicefer, -and
round about. They ddcribe it, that the Houfes
totter’d, and feem’d to heave up and down, tho’
it lafted but a few Seconds, it was attended with
a rufhing Noife, as if the Houfes -were falling ; and
People were univ.erfaliy fo affrighted as to run out ;
imagining that their own, or Neighbours Houfes,
were tumbling on their Heads. In the Villages
around, the People, being at divine Service, were
much alarm’d, both with the Noife, which ex-
ceeded all the Thunder they had ever heard, be-
yond Compare; and with the great Shock accom-
panying, which was like fomewhat that rufh’d againft
the Church- Walls and Roof; fome thinking the
: Pillars

[ 736 ]

Pillars crack’d; many, that the Beams of the Roof
were disjointed; and all, that the Whole was tail-
ing ; and happy were they that could get out firft.
A few Slates, ..Tiles, and Parts of Chimnies, fell
from tome Houfes ; Pewter, Glafies, and Brafs, fell
from Shelves; a Clock-Bell fometimes ftruck ; Win-
dows univerfally rattled ; and the like Circumftances
of Tremor.

The fame extended itfelf to Coventry, "Darby ,
Nottingham, Newark ; then came Eaft ward to Har-
borough, Towcejfer , Northampton , Rowell, Ket-
tering, Wellingborough , Oundle in Northampton -
Jhire, Uppingham , Okeham in Rutland, Stamford,
Bourn, Grant ham, Spalding, Bojlon, and to Lincoln,
in Lincolnfhire ; Holbech , and all Holland, in that
County ; Peterborough , Wisbech in the iQe of Ely,
together with all the intermediate and adjacent Places.
Then it palled over the whole Breadth of Ely-Fen ,
and reached to Bury in Suffolk, and the Country
thereabouts; of which we had Notice from Lady
Cornwallis : An Extent from Warwick to Bury of
about ioo Miles in Length ; and, generally fpeak-
ing, 40 Miles in Breadth. And this vaft Space was
pervaded by this amazing Motion, as far as we can
get any Satisfaction, in the fame Infant of Time.

In regard to Circumftances, they were pretty fimi-
lar throughout. At Northampton, a Gentlewoman,
fitting in her Chair, relates, that fhe and her Chair
were twice fcnfibly lifted up, and fetdown again. A
Stack of Chimnies were thrown down in College-
lane ; a Place retaining the Memory of afortof LJni-
verftty once beginning at Northampton. The Win-
dows of Houfes rattled throughout the whole Town }

but

[ 737 1

but no Mifchief’done : In general, frightful, and ini-
nocuous.

They fanfied there the Motion of it, as they ex-
prefs it, to be Ealhvard. In Streets that run North
and South, the Houfcs on the Eaft Side of the Way
were mod affedted: And Dr. Stonehoufc’s Dwelling,
the ftrongeft in the Town, was moft fenfibly fhaken.
So it was likewife obferved, that Churches were
moft fubjedt to its Violence. They thought too that
the Motion feem’d rather horizontal, or lateral, than
upward. Some counted the Pulfes diftindlly, to the
Number of four: That the fecond and third Pulfc
were ftronger than the firft and fourth.

From ail thefe various Accounts, there was no
fulphurcous Smell, or Eruption ; no Fiflures in the
Ground perceiv’d: Yet feveral People were lick up-
on it 5 infinite Numbers terribly affrighted; and as
foon forgot the Imprefiion of it, or talk’d of it in
a merry Strain, as commonly with us. at London.
So little are the Vulgar affedted, without fomething
very fenfible, and fo foon is the Senfe of it worn
out ! 7 '

It was more evidently perceiv'd by People (land-
ing i moft, by thofe that were fitting;, leaft, by fuch
as were walking; and in upper Stotiesoof Houfes
more than in lower, or in Cellars. Some, coming
down flairs, were in Danger of being thrown for-
wards: Several fitting in Chairs, and hearing the
hollow thundering Noife, and thinking it was a
Coach pafling by, when they attempted to get up,
to fee what it was, they were thrown back again
into their Chair. Some heard the Wainfcot crackle.
A Lady, fitting by the Fire, with her Chair leaning

y B forwards.

[ 738 1

forwards, was thrown dcfwri oil her Hand's and
Knees.

It was particularly remarked (as before obferved),
that Birds in Cages werd fenfihly- affrighted, thrust-
ing their Heads under their Wings. Mrs. Alii*
cock , of >Lodd:ngtonj a Lady in Childbed, was fo
effected, that it caufed her Death. Some People
felt fueh a Hidden Shortncfe of Breath, that they were
forced t6 go out into the Oden Air, it fo affected
the pulmonary Nerves. Many were taken with
Head-achs.

Thefe a e, in general, the Obfervations made at
the time of thefe Earthquakes ; when We recollcdted
ourfclves, after the Suddcnncfs and Affright. Give
me Leave to make the following Re marks.

I. As far as we can poffibly learn, where no one
can be prepar'd at different Places, by Time-keepers,
this' mighty Conculiion was felt precisely at the
fomev IViftan* of -Tiiruh being- about half an Hour
S^ter 12 at Noon. This, I presume, cannot be ac-
counted for by any natural Power, but that of an
electrical Vibration 5 which, we know, acts infran-
taneoufly. fi ;■ ■ -

’■2. Let ud cefledt on the vaft Extent of this Trem-
bling, ioo-AliEts in Length, • 4b in Breadth, which
amounts to 4000. LpHre; Miles in Surface. That this
fhould'ba^put-mto-fuch an-Agitation in one- Mo-
ment, is fucli a Prodigy, as we fhould never be-
lieve^ or conceive, -did we not know it to be Fadt*
ffom out -own Strifes. But, if vve feek fora Solu-
tion of it, we Clarinet think any natural Power is
equal to it, but that of Electricity ; which acknow*
leges no fcnfible Tranfition of Time, no Bounds.

a , 3. We

[ 739 ]

3- \Ve obfervc, the vulgar Solution of fubterra-
ncous Eruptions receives no Countenance from afl
that was fecn or felt during thefe Earthquakes: It
would be very hard to imagine how any fitch thing
could fo fuddenly and inftantaneoufly operate -thro’
this vaft Space, and that in fo fimtkr and tender a
manner, over the Whole, thro' fo great a Variety
as well as Extent of Countin’, as to do no Mifehief.'

A philofophical Inquirer iii ' North amptcnjbire, .
w ho had his Eye particularly cn this Point, takes
notice there were not any FifTures in the Ground,
any I’ulphureous Smells, or Eruptions, arsy-wh'ere per-
cciv’d, fo as to favour internal Convulfions of th'c
Earth yet we leant, from a Letter,’ at Uppingham
in Rutland, that a Plaifter Floor became crack'd
thereby. Thele kind of Floors are frequent in this
Country; what we cali Stucco in London ; and it
gives us a good Notion of the uuJuhtory Vibration
produc'd by an Earthquake ; which fome have com-
pared to that of a mufical String ; others, to that
of a Dog, or a Hoi fe, {baking themfelves whemthey
come out. of the Water.

4. The former Earthquake, that happened at
Grantham, Spalding , Stamford (which Towns lie in
a Triangle) took up a Space which may in grofs
be accounted a Circle of 20 Miles in Diameter;
the Centre of which is that great Morals called cDeep-
ing-Fen. This comprehends 14 Adilesof that 20 in
Diameter ; and where, probably, the elc&rical Impref-
fon was firft made. Much the major Part of Deep-
ing Fen is under Water in the Winter; underneath
is a perfect Bog : Now it is very obvious how little
favourable fuch Ground is for fubterraneous Fires.

Ia the fecond Earthquake, not only this Coun-

f B 2 ' uy

[ 74° ]

try was affeded again, but likcwifc a much larger
Space of the fame fort of fenny Ground, rather
worfe than the former: All ‘ Doningt on-Fen , ’Deep-
ing-Fen, Croy land Fen, Thorney-Feny JVhitlefea-
Len, Bedford-Level , and the whole Extent of Ely -
Fen , under various Denominations. This Country,
under the Turf, abounds with fubterrancous Tim-
ber of all kinds; Eir, Oak, and Brulh-wood;
Stags Horns : Now-and-then they find a Quantity
of Hazel-nuts, crouded together on a Heap: I have
fome of them. This is a Matter common to all
boggy Ground over the whole Globe. They are
the Ruins of the antediluvian World, walk’d down
from the high Country, where they grew, here
lodg’d, and by time overgrown with the prefent
Turf. They that feek for any other Solution of
this Affair, than the univerfal Noackian Deluge,
want to account for a general Effed by a partial
Caufe; and fhut their Eyes, both to the plainHifiory
of this Matter, and to the infinite notorious De-
monftrations of it from fofiil Appearances.

5. All this Country, tho’ underneath it is a watry
Bog, yet, through this whole Summer, and au-
tumnal Seafon (as they can have no natural Springs
in fuch a Level) the Drought has been fo great on
the Superficies, that the Inhabitants were obliged
every Day to drive their Cattle feveral Miles, for wa-
tering. This fhews how fit the dry Surface was for
an eledrical Vibration; and wc learn from hence
this important Particular, that it reaches but very
little below the Earth’s Surface.

hlr.JohnJjM, in another Letter which he wrote to
me concerning the fecond Earthquake, obferved at
Spalding, fays, upon this Occafion, he was obliged

to

[ 74i ]

to fconr his Canal, and deepen it ; that they came
to a white Quickfand, which afforded to ail the
Neighbourhood excellent Water in Plenty,

In the gravelly Soil of London , and where the
two Shocks were felt by us, in the Beginning of
the Year, we know , there is not an Houfe in the
whole Extent of this vaft City, and all around it, but
a Spring of Water is ready, upon digging a Well:
Whence we have much Rcafon to believe, that the
internal Parts of the Earth are like a Sponge foak’d in
Water; fothatthe only dry Part of it isthe Superficies;
which is the Object, and the Subject, of that electric
Vibration, wherein (according to my Sentiments)
an Earthquake confifts.

This fhews the Miftake of the Antients; who,
fancying that Earthquakes proceeded from fubterra-
neous Eruptions, built their prodigious Temple of
Diana of Ephefus upon a boggy Ground, to pre-
vent fuch a Difafter.

6. Earthquakes are truly moft violent in a rocky
Country ; becaufe the Shock is proportionate to the
Solidity of the Matter ele&rify'd: So that Rocks,
old Caftle-Walls, and flrong Buildings, are moft ob-
noxious to the Concuftion. The Ille of Cerigo was
more liabie, and more rudely handled by the late
Earthquake; both becaufe it was an Ifle, and be-
caufe it was rocky. So we muff fay of the late
Earthquake in Switzerland , that fplit the Moun-
tain and the old Caftle-Wall. Whence Mr. John-
fon , in his fecond Letter, fays, it crack'd a very
flrong brick Houfe in Gosberton by Spalding. Dr.
Doddridge obferves, from Northampton , that Dr.
Stenehoufe s Dwelling, being a very flrong one,

was

[ 742 ]

was mod fenfibly fhaken. And, throughout the
whole Extent of this great Earthquake, we find both
the Noife, the Shock, and the Terror, was greateft
at the Churches, whofe Walls and Bulk made more
Refinance than Houfes: And, generally fpeaking,
the Churches throughout this whole Extent have
very fair and large Towers, and very many remark-
able Spires of good Stone.

This fame Vibiation, imprefs’d on the Water,
meeting- with the Solid of the Bottom of Ships and
Loiters, gives that Thump fe.t thereon. Yet, of the
Millions of ordinary Houles, over which it palled,
not one fed : A Confidcration which fufficicncly
points out to us what fort of a Morion this was not ;
what fort of a Morion it was; and whence deriv’d :
Not a Convulfion of the Bowels of the Earth, but
an uniform Vibration of its Surface, aptly thought
like that of a mufical String 5 or what we put a
Drinking-glafs into, by rubbing one’s Finger over
the Edge; which yet, brought to a certain Pitch,
breaks the Glaf> j undoubtedly an electric Repulficn
of Parts.

7. We find, from all Accounts antient and mo-
dern, that the Weather preceding thefe Shocks was
mild, warm, dry, ftrene, clear, frofly : What no-
torioufly favours all our electrical Experiments. We
very well know, that, generally, all laft Winter,
Spring, Summer, and Autumn, have been remark-
ably of rh s kind of Weather; more fo than has
been obfaved in our Memory ; and have had all
thole ILcquilitcs, Appearances, and Preparations,
that notoriously caufe Electricity, that promote it,
or that arc the EifcCts of it.

8. We

[ 743 ]

8. We find the blood red aujlralis Aurora pre-
ceding at Spalding , as with us at London. This
Year has been more remarkable than any tor Fire-
balls, Thunder, Lightning, and Corufcations, alr
moft throughout all England. Fire-balls more than
one were Teen in Rutland and Lincolujhire , and
particularly obRrved. All thefe kinds of Meteors
are rightly judged to proceed from a State of Elec-
tricity in the Earth and Atmosphere.

9 Mr. Jfoktifon, in both his Letters to me on
the fi.ft and fecond Earthquakes at Spalding , re-
marks particularly of their EtFeds being moftiy
lpread to the North and South, and efpecially felt
on the Sea-coaft. We may obferve that fuch is the
Direction of Spalding River, which both conducts
and (Lengthens the electric Vibration ; conveying
it along the Sea-fhore, thence up Bojlon Chanel, and
io up Bojlon River to Lincoln j as we difeern, by
catting our Eye upon a Map.

We obierve further, that the main of this fecond
Earthquake dilplay’d its Effects along and between
the two Rfvers Welland and Avon j and that from
their very Origins down to their Fail into the Sea. It
likewife reached the River Wit ham , which directed,
the electric Stream that Way too to Lincoln : For
-which Rcafon, as there meeting the fame coming
from Bojlon, the Shock was moft fenfbly felt. It
reached likewife to the Trent at Nottingham , which
convey’d it to Newark.

The firft electrical Stroke feems to have been
made on the high Ground above Davcntry in North -
amptonflire, where the Roman Camps arc, made
by Ojiorius die Proprietor. From thence it dc-
: feended

[ 744 ]

fcended chiefly Eaftward, and along the River Wel-
land, from Harborough to Stamford , Spalding , and
the Sea; and along the River Avon, or Nen , to
Northampton Peterborough, and Wisbech to the
Sea. It fpread itfelf ail over the vaft Level of the
Ifle of Ely, further’d by very many Canals and
Rivers, natural and artificial, made for Drainage.
It was ftill conduded Eaftward, up Mildenhall River
in Suffolk, to Bury, and the Parts adjacent. All this
Affair, duly confider’d, is a Confirmation ot the Doc-
trine I advanced on this Subjcd.

io. I apprehend it was not the Noife in the
Air, as of many Cannon let off at once, pre-
ceding the Earthquake, that fo much affrighted
People, or affected the Sheep, the Rookery at Ken-
Jington , the Hen and Chickens in Gray s-Inn- Lane,
and the Pigeons : It could not be barely the fuperficial
Movement of the Earth that difturbed them all at
once: I judge it to be the Effed of Eledriciry,
fomewhat like what caufes Sea-Sicknefs ; fuch a
fort of Motion as we are not accuftomed to. So
the Earthquake affeds all thofe of weak Nerves, or
that have nervous Complaints, obnoxious toHyftcrics,
Colics, rheumatic Pains in their Joints. Several
Women were feiz’d with violent Head-achs, before
both the Shocks we felt in London . It was this that
affeded the People with a Shortnefs of Breath. This
made the Dog lun whining about the Room, Peek-
ing to get out : This made the Fifties leap up in the
Pond at Southwark ; like as the Experiment of elec-
trifying the Fifties; it makes them fick : And this
caufes the Birds in Cages to hide their Heads under
their Wings, becaufe they cannot fly away: Wkich

is

[ 7+5 3

is commonly obfcrved of them in Italy, and Coun-
tries where Earthquakes are more frequent.

ii. I obfcrve,the Shepherd of Kenfington thought
the Motion of the Earthquake, and the Sound, were
from North-weft to South-caft. On the contrary,
.Mr. ByfiAd, the Scarlet-dyer in Southwark, thought
the Noifc came from the River bclow-bridge, and
went toward Wejlmtnfter j where it rattled fo, that
he did not doubt but that the Abbey-Church was
beaten down.

Dr. Bar fons took Pains to find out the Way of the
Motion of the Earthquake, from the different Pofi-
tion of the Beds ; but, from the contradi&ory Anfwers
given, he could obtain no Satisfaction, as to that
Point. All this, and what was obferv'dfrom North-
ampton, of the Motion being thought by fome to
be upward and downward, by others, rather hori-
zontal or lateral , the counting the Pulfes, and the
like, only points out to us the prodigious Celerity,
and the vibratory Species of the Motion of an Earth-
quake ; but far, very far, is this from being owing to
the tumultuous Ebullition, the irregular Hurry of
fubterraneous Explofions.

12. How the Atmofphere 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 im-
mediately produces it, we cannot fay s any more
than we can define what is the Caufe of Magnet-
ifm, or of Gravitation, or how mnfcular Motion is
perform'd, or a thoufand other Secrets in Nature.

We feem to know, that the Author of Nature
has difleminated ethereal Fire thro' all Matter 5 by

y C which

[ 746 ]

which thefe great Operations are brought about.
This is the fubtil Fluid of Sir Ifaac Newton, per-
vading all things 5 the occult Fire diffufed thro' the
Univcrfe, according to Marfilins Ficinus, the Fla-
tonic Plnlofopher, in the ‘Timceus of his Matter.
And the Flatomfls infift on an occult Fire patting
thro’ and agitating all Subftance by its vigorous and
expan live Motion.

Before them, Hippocrates writes in the fame
Scnfe, I. de <viclus rati one , that this Fire moves all
in all. This ethereal Fire is one of the four Ele-
ments of the Ancients : It lies latent, and difperfed
thro’ all the other three, and quiefeent; till col-
l.cled in a Qua tity, that overbalances the circum-
jacent; like the Air crouded into a Tempeft; or
till it is excited by any proper Motion. 1

This Fire gives Elatticits , and Elafticity, or Vi-
bration, is the Mother of Electr ciry. This Fire is in
Water, and betrays itfelf to our Senfes in fait Wa-
ter. Many a time, \vh nlha\e palled rh Lincoln-
fliire Wafhcs, in the Night-time, the Horfe has leem’d
to tread in liquid Flames. The fame Appearance oft
at the Keel of a Ship.

The Operation of the ethereal Fire is various,
nay infinite, according to its Quantity, and De-
gree of Incitement, Progrefs, Hindrance, or Fur-
therance. One Degree keeps Water fluid, fays the
learned Bifhop of Cloyne : Another turns it into
elaltic Air : And Air itfelf feems nothing elfc but
Vapours and Exhalations render’d elaftic, by this
Fire.

This fame Fire permeates and dwells in all Bo-
dies, even Diamond, Flint, and Steel. Its Particles

- attradf

[ 74-7 ']

artratt with the greateft Force, when approximated.
Again, when united, they fly afund.cr with the
greattft Celerity. All this according to the Laws
preferibed by the Sovereign Architect. This is
the Life and Soul of Aclion, and Reaction, in the
Univerfe. Thus has the Great Author provided
againft the native Sluggifhnefs of Matter! Light, or
Fire, in Animals, is what we cail the animal Spirits 5
and is the Author of Life and Motion. But we know
not the immediate Mode of mufcular Motion, any
more than how, in inanimate Matter, it caules the
Vibrations of an Earthquake..

Of this Fire the excellent A lanilius thus writes,
who lived in the Time of Auguftus , Ajlronom. I.

Sunt autem cunffiis permifti partibus ignes ,

Qui gravidas habitant f abric antes fulmina nub ex,
Et penetrant terras , <zyEtnamque imitanlur
Olympo ,

Et calidas reddunt ipfis in fontibns itndas ,

Ac filice in duro> viridique in cortice , Jedem
Inveniunt j cum ftlva fibi collifa crematur.
Jgnibus ujque adeo natura eft omnis abundans l

Which may thus be englifhed ;

Fire, univerfal Nature traverfes ;

It makes the Thunderbolt in tumid Clouds >

In dire Volcano s penetrates the Earth ;

And fends the boiling Water from its Springs :
In hardeft Flint, and fofteft Wood, it dwells *
Which, by Collifion, fhews itfelf in Flame.

With Fire fo pregnant is all Nature found 1

jC 2

[ 748 ]

13. The great Queftion then with us, is, how the
Surface of the Earth is put into that vibratory and
electric State by Heat and Drinefs? We mud needs
acquit the Internal of the Earth from the Charge
of thefe fuperficial Concuflions. How is the ethereal
Eire crouded together, or excited, fo as to caufe
them ; feeing, in our ordinary electrical Experiments,
we make ufe of Fridion ?

But that Fridion alone does not excite Electricity,
we know, from the obvious Experiment of Flint
and Steel ; where the Suddennefs of the Stroke, and
Hardnefs of the Matter does it. Another Method
of exciting it, is the letting off a Number of great
Guns i which fo crouds the ethereal Fire together,
as to electrify glafs Windows} obferved by my
Friend the Reverend Dr. Stephen Hales. The Au-
rora borealis , aujlralisy all kind of Corufcation, Me-
teors, Lightning, Thunder, Fireballs, are the Ef-
feds, and may reciprocally be the Caufe, of Eledri-
city } but how, in particular, we know nor.

Come we to the animal World, we muft needs
afTert, that all Motion, voluntary and involuntary,
Generation, even Life itfelf, all the Operations of
the vegetable Kingdom, and an Infinity more of Na-
ture's Works, are owing to the Adivicy of this elec-
tric Fire} the very Soul of the material World.
And, in my Opinion, it is this alone that folves the
famous Qucftion, fo much agitated with the Writers
in Medicine, about the Heat of the Blood. How
thefe, how Earthquakes, are begun and propagated,
we are yet to feek.

We may readily enough prefume, that the Con-
tad between the Eledric and the Non-eledric,

which

[ 749 ] ' V.

whiclv giv.csr the Snap, anti the Shock, mu(l',.cojiic
ikjra. without-,; .from the ‘^tmoifHefe* \r pexhaps "by
-forue- Meteor, that erduds the ethefe'flTire together,
caiift's all Accenfion in. the ’Air, iii the Point of Con-
tact, on the Earth's Surface j perhaps another time
by a Shower cf Rain. We may as readily conclude,
that, tho’ the original Stroke comes from the At-
mofphere, yet the Atmofphere has no further Con-
cern in it : No aereal Power, or Change therein,
can propagate itfelf fo inftantaneoufly over fo vaft a
Surface as 4000 Miles fquate: Therefore the impe-
tuous rufhing Noife in the Air, accompanying the
Shock, is the EfFeft, not theCaufe.

But furely there is not a Heart of Flefh that is not
affedted with fo ftupendous a Concuflion. Let a Man
eftimate his own Power with that which caufes an
Earthquake, and he will be perfuaded that fome-
what more than ordinary is intended by fo rare and
wonderful a Motion. ,

That great Genius Hippocrates makes the Whole
of the Animal Oeconomy to be adminiftred by what
we call Nature ; and Nature alone, fays he, fuffices
for all things to Animals : She knows herfelf, and
what is necefiary for them.

Can we deny then that ue here means a confcious
and intelligent Nature, that prclides over, and diretts
all things 5 moves the ethereal Spirit, or Fire, that
moves all things; a divine Neceffity, but a volun-
tary Agent, who gives the commanding Nod to
what we commonly call Nature; the chief Inftru-
ment in the moft important Operations of the vaft
Machine, as well as in the ordinary ones? And this
leads us.

14.

[ 75° ]

14. Laftly, in regard to the Ipiritual Ute we ought
to make of thefe extraordinary Phenomena, or of
our Inquiries about them I fhall firft obferve, thar
we find abroad, feveral of thefe Earthquakes this
Year have been very fatal. In the hft we read of
at Phihppoli in Thrace , the whole City was deftroy’d,
and above 4000 Inhabitants kill’d. At home, where
above half a Score feparate Concuffions have been
felt, there has not been one Houfc thrown down,
one Life loft. This ought to infpire us with a very
ferious Refledion about them. 2. We may obferve,
that if we did but read the Works of Hippocrates ,
Plato , and his Followers, of Tully, Galen , and the
like ethic Writers of Antiquity, whilft we ftudy and
try the AfFedions of Matter, we ihould improve in
Philofophy, properly fpeaking ; we fhould lift up
our Minds from thefe earthly Wonders, and difeern
the celeftial Monitions they prefent to us.

The original Meaning of the Word Philofophy
was rightly applied to moral Wifdom : We, who
have improv’d both, fhould join them both toge-
gether. By this means we gather the Truth of the
higheft and mod excellent Philofophy, to be found
in thofe Volumes of firft Antiquity, which we call
facred; and wc fhould adore that divine Light which
they hold forth to us 5 efpecially in a Country where
the Principles of true Religion are open and undif-
guifed ; where the eftablilh’d Profeilion of it is ra-
tional, noble, and lovely s worthy of the moral Go-
vernor of the World.

W. Stukely.

PHILOSOPHICAL

TRANSACTIONS,

GIVING SOME

ACCOUNT

O F T H E

omulo / l

Prefent Undertakings, Studies, and Labours,

s . , n \ .* s

O F T H E

INGENIOUS.

IN MANY

Confiderable Parts of the WORLD.

VOL. XLVI. For the Years 174.9 and 175-0.

LONDON:

Primed for C. Davis, Printer to the Royal
Society, over-againft Gray’s- Inn-Gate in Holbourn.

M. DCC. L 11.

\

-a* *>'

V.>i

1 %

THIS XLVI Volume of the Philofiphical
PranfaSliom concludes thofe publifh’d by the
l#e Cromwell Mortimer , M. D. Secretary of the Royal
Society , the laft Number being printed offjutf be-
fore his Death on the /tli of January 17 y 2.

A N

INDEX

TO THE

Forty-fixth VOLUME

O F T H E

Philofophical Tranfaclions,

For the Years 1749, and 1750.

f ■ A.

ARJlrafls of feveral Obfervations of Aurora Borcales ,
n. 495, p. 4 99 -505-

Acceleration of the Moon, by Rev. Mr. Richard Dun-
t homey n . 492, p. 162.

Adee , M. D. ( Swithin ) on the Virtues of Jcjfcp's Well
Waters, n. 495, p. 4*1.

.Agreement ot Thermometers, in London , and at Tooting,
n. 493, p. 208.

Air , Obf. of the Change of its Temperature, Nov. 22.

1748. by Dr. Milesy n. 491, p. 3.

Ammonites , or Cornua Arnmonis, .fome Vertebra, by the
fame, «. 491, p. 37.

Amphora , the Roman , n. 491, p. 70.

Ancell , an antient Weight, «. 491, />. 55.

Apotheojrsy or Beatification , an Electrical Experiment, by
Prof. .Bo/e, 494, p. 350.

Apple-trees , the EffeCts of the Mixture of their Farifia ,
n. 493, p. 20b.

5 I> Approach ,

INDEX.

- Approach , the gradual, of the Earth to the Snn, n. 493,

p. 204.

Arch) a luminous, Feb. 1$, 174 9. by Dr. Wm. Cooper ,
, »• 497) P- ^47-

Arderon (Mr. JFw.) of the Roman Camp at C aft or in
Norfolk , ». 493, p. 1 9 <5.

■ Account of a Dwarf, ». 495, p. 4 6J.

-of the hot Weather in July 1750, n. 496, p. 573.

of an Explojion in the Air, heard a t Norwich, June

7; *750> 491, P • ^98-

Arithmetical Inftrument, the Shwan-pan, by Mr. Smc-
thurjl , 491, p. 22.

an extraordinary Cafe of the Erasure of one, by
Mr. Freke , n. 494, p. 3 98.

Avoirdupois , the legal and ancient Standard Weight, n.
49 1 >/>• 54- 59-

the Ounce the fame as the Roman , ibid. p. 69.

Whence its Name, ib. p. 68.

Aurora Auftralis , feen at Chelfea , Jan. 23, 1749-50, by
John Martyn , 494, p, 319 — Feb. 16, ib. p. 345. by

the fame. — 23, 1750-51, by Dr. Henry Miles ,
ib. p. 34 6.

Borealis at Northampton , obf. by Dr. Doddridge ,

»• 497) A

Aurorje Bore ales, Abftrafls of feveral Obfervations on
them, //. 495, p. 499 — 505.

B.

(Mr. Henry) of fome Vertebra of Ammonita , or
Cornua Ammonis , //. 49 1 , p. 3 7.

of the Minutenel’s of the Seeds in fome Plants, ».

494) P- 337- .

. Abltrafts of feveral Obfervations of Aurora Bo-

reales, n. 495, p. 499— 505.

— ~ ot anEarthquake at London , Feb. 8, 1749-50, 11.497,

p. £01.— March 8, 1749-50, ib. p. 617. — at }Y inbourn
in Dorfctjbire , /htey 4, 1749, p* <589.

Ball of File in the Air, n. 497, p. 728.

Barker ,

INDEX.

Barker , Efq; ( fho .) of an extraordinary Meteor fecn in
Rutlandjhire 174?* 493, p- 248.

Barlow (Rev. Mr. IVm.) of an Earthquake at Plymouth ,
Feb. 8. 1749-50, n. 497, p. 69 2.

Barometer and Thermometer, with their Extremes, at
: Tooting , 1749, ». 4 93, p. an — in London , ib. p. 213.

— the State of them on the 8th of Feb . 1749-50, in

London , «. 497, p. <5o8. — at Looting , ib. p . ^09.

Barometronm cum aeris & tcmpejlatum mutationibus con -
ffenffus , h'. C. Holm anno , ». 492, p. 10 1.

Barrel , a Beer Meafure, «. 491, p. 55.

Barrow , Elqjf^hwm) of an Earthquake at London? March
8, 1749-50, «. 497, p. 626.— near Bury St. Edmund's in
Suffolk , &pr. 30, 17,50, p.702.

Bartram (Mr. John) Obi. on the Dragon-fly, or Libella
of F enjilvania, n. 404, />• 323. 4C0.

Bas-relief of Mithras , explained by Dr. Stukely , ». 495,
/>. 215.

Baffler, (Job.) Defcriptio lotus rnonfflnfi , n. 495, p. 479.

Beatification , an electrical Experiment, by Prof. Boffc,
». 494. p. 350.

Bees of, and their Method cfgatheringWax and Honey,
496, p. 536.

Berlin > a ho/tfr Eclipfe there Jan. 8, 1750, obf. by Mr.
Griffcbcw and Mr. X/Vr, n. 494, p. 339.

Bevis, M. D. (John) Obf. of a Lunar Eclipfe 1749, at
Mr. Graham* s in Flect-Jlreet , #. 493, p. 247- — ot the
total Eclipfe ot the Ato, Der. 2, 1750, n. 496, p. 575.

Bczoar of Rhinoceros, 492, p. 120.

X/7/j of Paper-money current among the Chineffe , n. 494,
p 330.

Birch (the Rev. Mr. Tko-) of an Earthquake at London ,
March 8, 1749-5°} »• 4 97s P- 6l5-

Blackhouffe (John) had a Calculus under his Prceputimn ,

n. 491, p. 46.

Vomit, ». 492, p. 1 35.

Bladder, a Tumour on the Infide thereof extirpated by
Joffeph Warner, n. 495, p. 414.

5 D 2 Blondsau

INDEX.

Blondeaa , Efq', ( ) Remarks on the Paintings at Her-

culaneum, n. 491, p. 1 4.

Borlace s (the Rev. Mr. W/n.) Enquiry into Spar, and
Sparry Productions, n. 493, p. 250.

Bofe (Mr. Geo. Matthias) on the Electricity of Glafs,#.
492, p. 189.

of the Apotheofis or Beatification by EleCtricity,

n. 494, p. 3 50.

de Eclip. lunar. Wtttemb. 1 9 Jan. 1750, n. 496,

V' 57°-

Bowman, Eiq; [Walter) of an Earthquake at Eaft Moulfey
in Surry, March 8, 1749-50, n. 497, p. 684.

Boyfield (Mr.) of an Earthquake at London, March 8,1749-
*5°, n. 497, p. 637. #

Boza (Mr. Claude Gros de) Reflections on the Medals or
Pcfcennius Niger, n. 495, p. 452.

Bridport , of an Earthquake there, March 18, i749“5°5
». 497, p. 6 8 8.

Burning of the Steeple at Danbury in EJJex , by Light-
ning, n. 497, p . 61 r.

Burr at ( 'Tho .) of an Earthquake at Kcnftngton , March 8,
I749“5°> »• 497^ V- 681.

Burrow, Efq \( James) of an Earthquake in London , March
8, 1749-50, from Mr. Boyfield , 77. 497 ,/z. 637. — at Eaff
Sheen in Surry, ib. p. 655.

Burton , M. D. (John) of the Extirpation of an Excref-
cence from the Womb, ». 495, p. 520.

Bury St. Edmund's in Suffolk, of an Earthquake near that
Place, iSV/tf. 30, 1750, 77. 497, p. 702.

Bujhel, the London, n. 491, f. 55. — the JVmcheJler, ibid,
p. 5 6.

of Wine, &V. 77. 491, p. 55.

C.

Cadaver apertus , &? Jl<.rnus gibbofas, per Jo. Jac. Huber ,
M. D. 77. 492, 92.

Calculus, or Stone, one between the G/dz/j and the Prapu-
tium of a Boy, 7;. 491, /z, 45.— .of a very large human,
ti.496, p. 596.

Carlsbad ,

INDEX.

Carlsbad, the hot Springs there, n. 493, p. 219.

Caflcr in Norfolk ; of the Roman Camp there, n. 492, p.
219. — the Raffia , from what Animal, «-493,/>. 217.

Cat, M. D. ( C and. Nic. le ) of a new Contrivance ot
Giaiies for Things in fpirituous Liquors, n. 491, p. 6.

of the Cure of dry Gangrenes, ib. p. 72. 80.

Operation ofLithotomy on Women, v. 492, p. 97.

Catalogue of the 50 Plants from Cbelfea Garden, for the
Year 1747, by Dr. John Wilmer, n. 494, p, 331. — for
rhe Year 1748, ib. p. 359. — for the Year 1749, n. 495.
p. 403.

Cathn (Mr. Jch:i) of a Lunar Eclipfe, June 8, 1750, n.
496, p. 523.

Cave, Bart. (oi“ Thom.) of an Earthquake at Stanford Mall
Sept. 30, 1750. n. 497, p. 70 6.

Chalmers (Mr.) of an extraordinary Fire-ball buriling
at Sea, n. 494, p. 3 66.

Chauncy (Mrs.) who had a Stone under her Tongue,
n. 491, p. 5.

Chelfea , an Aurora Aujl rails there, Jan. 20, 1749-50. feen
by John Martyn , n. 494, p. 319.

• »ofan Earthquake there, Feb- 8, 1749-50. n. 497,

p. 609. /

Cheftr , of an Earthquake there, April 2, 1750. n. 4 97,
/>. 683.

Chinefe Accompt Table, or Shwan-pan, a new one, by
Mr. Smethurjl , ». 491, p. 22.

— - ■ -have Paper Money current among them, #. 494,
p. 330. .

— their Knowlege of Geography, ib. p. 328.

Clare , Efq; ( Martin ) of an Earthquake at London , March
8, 1749-50, n. 497, p. 620.

Clarke (the Rev. Rob.) of a Boy who had a Calculus un-
der the Praputium , n. 491, p. 45.

Clove , a Weight, n. 491, p. <5(5.

Cometa vifus Pekini , 1748, 6? Hallerfein ,

494, p. 307. — Gaubil , ib. p. 3 1 <5.

Compafs Mariners, deftroy’d by the EffeSts of Lightning,
«. 492, p. in. — contrived by Gowm Knight , M. B.
»• 495, N 505.

Condamim

INDEX.

Con d amine ( Dcm. de la) de Declinations quarundam Stella -
rum Av.firalium, menfe Junto 1738. 11. 45)2, p. 139.

Congius , a Meafure of Vejpafian , *7. 491, p. 70,

Ccnjunft io Mart is & Veneris Pekini Sinar. mcnfc Mart.
1748. 0. 494, p. 314. 3 fP-

Conftellatio nova, cbf. Pekini, 29 Afo/i 1748. 494, ^.311.

Contraction cf the Orbits of Planets, by Mr. Euler, ib.
V 35<5-

Cooke (Mr, Ben].) of the Mixture ot the Farina of Apple-
trees, n. 493, p. 205. — of the Mayze or Indian Corn,
ib. p. 20 6.

• of a Child born with the ] lundice upon it, ibid.

p. 207.

of an Earthquake in the IJlc of Wight, March r ,

* 749"5o , n. 497, p.6 51.

Cooper , D. D. (Rev. Wm.) of the Earthquake on March 8,
1749-50, n. 497,. P. 64 7.

ol the luminous Arch, Feb. 16, 1749-50, ibid.

p. 648. - _

Corntfo Diamonds, an Inquiry into, n. 493, p. 251, kjc.

Cojla (Mr. Em an. de) of two beautiful Echinites, n. 492,
b I43-

Cracau , ol the Salt Mines near that Place, 493,/*. 228.

Cn/x Aufiralis , ad inveniendum horam in man noclu, u.
492, p. 141.

Cryfials , or Spars, found in the Cornijh Mines, //. 493,
p. 251, &A

Qr/e, or Golden Number, Remarks upon, by the Earl of
Macclesfield , /;. 495, p. 418.

D.

Danbury in E/7?x, its Steeple burnt by Lightning, n. 497,
p. 6 1 1. — the Church is enter’d by the Detil, or Frier,
ib. p. 6 a.

Daval, Efq; (Peter) of an extraordinary Rainbow, July
15, 1748, n. 493, p. 193.

Day , a very cold, in June \p1\9. n. 493, p. 208. — a very
hot in July 1749. ibid.

Deen in Northamptonshire, of an Earthquake there, Sept.
30, 1750, n. 497, p. 721.

Dcfiriptio

INDEX.

Dtfcriptio foetus fine ullo fexus fgno , n. 495, p. 4 79.

Defer iptton of a Mariners CompaJ's, contrived by Gowin
Knight , />. 505-512.

of a by Dr. Mortimer , ib. p. 518.

Diamonds, Ccrntjh , an Enquiry into, 0. 493, p. 251, &Y.

true, of their Properties, ib. p. 271.

Dimenfcns oi a Dwarf, and of a Child, by David Erf
kine Bakert n. 495, p. 467.

Dobbs , Efq; (Arthur) of Bees, and their Method of ga-
thering Wax and Honey, n. 496, p. 53 6.

Doddridge, D. D. (Rev. P.) of an Earthquake at North-
ampton, n. 497, p. 712.

Dog , a mad, lites an Horfe, n . 495, p. 474.

Downe ( Mr. Nath. )oi nn Earthquake at Bridporty March
18, 1749-50. 0. 497, p. 68S.

Dragon Fly, Obfervations thereon, by Mr. John Bartram ,
»• 494> P- 3 2 3-

Dudley Foflil, deferibed by Dr. Lyttelton , 0. 496, p. 599.

■■ by Dr. C. Mortimer , ib. p. 6 00.

Dunthorne ( Rev. Mr. Richard ) Acceleration of the
Moon, 0. 492, p. 1 52.

Dwarf an Account of one, by Mr. Jffo. Arderony n.

4S>5> P ■ ¥7-

E.

Earith in Huntingdonjhire , of a Lunar Eclipfe, Z)er. 1 2,
1749. obi. by Mr. Wm. Eijlob jun. 0. 493, p. 280.

Earth , her gradual Approach to the Sun, ib. p. 204.

Earthquake at London , F<?£. 8, 1749-50, by Mr. H. Baker,
0. 497, p* <5oi.— by Gowin Knight , *£. p. 603.-— by
Freeman , Eiq; ib. p. 605. — at Eltham in P>0f, by IF0?.
Fauquir , /'£• p. 606. — at Tooting , by the Rev. Dr.
Miles, ib. p. <507.— at Chelfea , by Dr. John Martyn ,
p. 609. — at Harwich, by Mr. Trembley, ib. p. 610.
at Alder sbrtok, by Smart Lelhueilher, E(q} p. 613.
at Plymouth , by Rev. Mr. JP70. Barlow, ib. p. 69 2.

— — - — at London, March 8, 1749-50. by Martin Folks,
Eiq; Pr. P. d1. «. 497. p. 613.— -by Rev. Mr. Birch,
ib. p. 615. — by Air. Henry Baker , ib. p. 6 17. — by Dr.

Layarh,

INDEX.

Layard. ib. p. 6i\. — by Mr. Roger Pickering, ib. p.
6 11. — by Robert Sbaw, ib. p. 616. — by Mich. Ruffel ,

Elq*, ib. p. 631.* — by Dr. Parfons , ib. p. <533 by

Mr. Boyjicld, ib. p. 637. — by Dr. Mortimer, ib. p. 638.
and by Rev. Dr. Cooper , ib. p. <547.

Earthquake At footing, March 8, 1749-50, by Dr. Miles ,
n . 497, p. 6 19. 618. 639. — at Kenfmgton Gravel-Pits,
by Martin Clare, E q; ib. p. 620. — at Chelfea, by Dr.
Martyn , ib. p. 6 30. — at Portfmouth, March 18, by Mr.
Elhcott , ibid. p. 6y6. by Dan. Wray, Elq; ibid. p. 647 ;
and by the Rev. Mr. Eaylor, ib. p. <549.. — in the Ijle
of Wight, March 19. by Mr. Ren). Cooke , ib. p. 6 51. —
at Southampton, and thofe Parts, March 18 and 19, by
Jo/iah Colebrooke, ib. p- 6 52. — at Hackney near London,
ADr clo 18, by Mr. Peter Newcome, ib. p. 6 53. — at Eaji
Sheen in Surry, March 18, by fames Burrow , Elq: ib.
p. 65 5. • — at Kenfmgton , by Eho. Burr at, ib. p. 681. —
at Chefter, April 1, by Robert Paul, Efq; ib. p. 6 83. —
at Eaji Moulfey , March 14, by Walter Bowman, Elq;
ib. p. 6 84. — in Flintjhire , April 1, by Mr. Pennant , ib.
p. 687. — at Bridpcri, March 18, by Mr. Nath. Downe,
- ib. p. <588. — at Wmbourn in Dorfetjhire, May 4, 1749,
by Mr. Henry Baker , ib. p. 689.— in France, Odob. 1 1,
1749, by M. de Reaumur, ib. p. 691. — at Warrington
in Lancajhire, April 2, by Mr. Ph. War burton, ib. p.
696. — at Newton in North amptonjhire. Sept . 30. by Wm.
Folkes, Efq; ib. p. 701 — near Bury St. Edmund's in
Suffolk , and at Narbcrough in LeiceJlerf)nrc,Scpt. 30, by
James Burrow , Efq; ib. p. 702. 704. — in Northampton -
Jhire, Sept. 30, by Rev. Mr .JobnNixon, ib. p. 705. 710.
by Tho. Cave, ib. p. 7c 6. by the Rev. Minifter of
Wejlon with Sutton, ib. p. 707. by the Rev. Dr. Dod-
dridge, ib. p. 712. by Mr. , ib. p.711', and by

Mr. Wm. Smith , ib. p. 727. — in Leicejlcrjhire, Styt. 30,
by Mr. Henry Green, ib. p. 723.— -in Lincolnjhire, Aug.
23, by Maurice Johnfon, Efq; and Dr. John Green,
ib. p. 725.

Earthquakes

INDEX.

Earthquakes fhappen ufually in the Spring and Autumn,
ft. 4 97, p. 6 24, 6 2j.

. the Caufes of, by Mr. Stukely , /A 641—

<546. 657. and by Dr. Steph. Hales , ib* 669.

. at Smyrna , by Dr. Mackenzie , ft. 45)7, p. 700.

■- — — the Philofophy of, by Dr. JEw. Stukely , ;£/</,

f.73^^c.

Eafler, the Method of finding the Time of; by the Earl
of Macclesfield , n. 495, p. 425.

Ecbinites , two beautiful, by Mr. Enian . /fc Cojla, ft. 492,
143.

Eclipfe of the A/ooft, Dec. 12, 1749. obf. at Mr, Graham's
in Fleet 'Jlreet, by Bevis , M. D. and Mr. James

Short , «. 493, f. 247. — at Erith in Huntingdonjhire , by
Mr. JEot. Eljlob jun. iA p. 28c.— at Rome , by Mr.
Chrijloph. Maire , ft. 474, /?. 322.

- total of the .Moft, £)«•. 2. 1750. obf. by Dr. Mr

and Mr. James Short , ft. 496, p. 575.

— - of the Jan. 8, 1750. obf. at by Mr.

Chrijloph. Maire , ft. 494, p. 322.-21 Berlin, by Mr.
Grifchow jun. and Mr. ifrer, /'£. 7>. 339. — in Surry-
Jlreet in the Strand , by Mr .John Catlin , and Mr. y <?;;?.

ft. 496, p. 523.

Eclipfe s, obferved at Grand Cairo , ft. 492, />. 154.

Eclip/is lunaris totalis Wittembergae, 19 Junii L750. obf
per G. M. Bofe, ft. 495, p. 570.

Effervefcence of Steel accounted for, by Dr./* C<#, ft. 492.
/>. 155.

Elettrical Phenomena examined, by Abbe Nolle t, n. 494,
p. 370.

Electricity cannot make Odours pafs through Glafs, ft.
494s A 34 9*

Ellicctt (Mr. John) of Experiments made about the Af-
cent of Rockets, ft. 496, p. 578.

of an Earthquake at Portfmouth , March 18, 1749-

50. ft. 497, />. 646.

Eljlob jun. Obf. of a Lunar Eclipfe at Erith in Hunting -
donjhire-) Dec. 12, 1749, n. 493, p. 280.

5 E Eltham

INDEX.

Eltham in Kent, of an Earthquake there, Feb. 8, 1749-50.
947, p. 606.

Enter Jtons of the Satellites of Jupiter , for the Year 1751.'

by James Hodgson , n. 493, p. 282.

Epatts, Remarks upon, by the Earl of Macclesfield, n.
495, p. 401. _ # _

Ephemeris Comet £ vift Pekmi Smar. 1748, n. 494, p. 307.
Epiflola de Cadaver e aperto , £3* de Sterno gibbofo , a Jo. Jac.

Hubero , M. D. «. 492, 7). 92.

Ejuanrial Telefeope, a Defcription of one, by Mr. Jam .
iS#or?, «. 493, p. 242.

Euler, P. M. {Leonard ) of the gradual Approach of the
Earth to the Sun, n. 493 , p. 304.

■ of the Contraction of the Orbits of the Planets,

394? A 3*6.

Examination of certain Pkienorncna in Electricity, n. 494,
p. 368.

Experimcnta ad refpirationem pertinentia j per Alb. Haller ,
M. P. n. 494, p. 325.

Experiments on Subftances refilling PutrefaClion, by Dr.
Pringle , n. 495, p. 480. 525. 550. — About the Afcent
of Rockets, by Sam. de Cofia , and others, n. 496. p.478.
Explofion in the Air, heard at Norwich , June 7, 1750, by
Mr. IV. Arderon , n. 497, p. 69 8.

Extirpating of a Tumour in the Bladder, by Mr. Jofiph
Warner , n. 495, p. 417. — of an Excrefcence irom the
Womb, by Dr. John Burton, ib. p. 520.

F.

Fabric <e morbofa in cadavcribus repertw hijlcri<£ aliqtue , ab
Alb. Ha.lhrc , n. 49 2, />. 1 72.

Farina of Apple-trees, the EffeCts of the Mixture of, ft.
493, p. 205.

Fauquier , Elq; ( William ) of an Earthquake at Eltham in
Kent, Feb. 8, 1749-50, n. 497, p. 605.

Feit , turned inwards in the Birth, brought to rights, ».
493, 240.

Fermentation ol Steel accounted for, ». 492, p. 18 5.

ivr<r-

INDEX.

Fire-ball, an extraordinary, burning at Sea; obf. by Mr*
Chalmers , n. 494, p. 566.

Fire-wood, of the green Mould thereon, n. 494, p. 324.

Fifth leap out of the W.itcr, n. 497, p. 6 37.

Fhntjhtre , ol'an Earthquake there, April 2, 1750, n . 497,
/a 687.

Foetus in utero differently affe&ed by the Small-Pox, n.
493>P-23>

- — monftroji Defcriptic, per Jch. I after, n. 495, p. 479.

Folkes, Efq; (Martin) Pr. R. S. ol'an Earthquake at Lon-
don, March 8. 17451-50, n. 497, p. <513.

— ■ ■ (ftVm.) of an Earthquake at Newton in Northampton-
J hire , Sept. 30, 1750, ib. p. 701.

Forceps for the Extirpation of Tumours too remote from
the Surgeons Fingers; by Dr. leCat , n. 491, p. 80.

• for extrafiing Stones, and other foreign Bodies,

where the common are of no Ufe, ib. p. 84.

Fort River, irregular Tide there, n. 495, p. 412.

Fournaife (Mrs.) cured of a dry Gangrene , n. 491, p. 74.

FraBure of the Arm, an extraordinary Cafe of, by Mr.
John Freke , n. 494. p\ 398.

France , of an Earthquake there, OB. 11, 1749, n. 497,
p. 691.

Freeman , Efq; ( Wm ft) of a Stone under the Tongue of a
Clergyman’s Lady, n. 491, p. 5.

———of an Earthquake at London , Feb. 8, 1749- Jo, n.
497, p. 605.

Freke (Mr. ) an extraordinary Cafe of a Fra&ure of the
Arm, n. 494, p. 397.

G .

Gallon Wine, n. 491, p. J5. Ale, ib. p. 59.

Gangrenes dry, of their Cure, by Dr. le Cat , n. 49 1, p. 72.

Garcin, M. D. ( Laurence ) of the Salvador a, a new Genus
of Plants, n. 491, p. 47.

Gaubil (Rev. P. P. Anton.) de Cometa vifo Pekini, 1748.
»• 394>, V- 3l6-

— ol the Knowlege of Geography among the Chi-
nefe, 0.494, p. 327.

5 E » Glafs ,

INDEX.

Glafs, EleCtricity of, n. 492, p. 189.

admits not Odours to pafs through it by Electri-
city, k. 494, p. 349*

Glafs -drops, a Memoir on, by Dr. le Cat , n. 492, p. 17 J.

Glajfes lor prel'erving Things in Spirits, a new Invention,
n. 491, p. 6, 88.

Globes , large, prepared by Mr. John Senes , are fold by
his Widow, n. 423, p. 290,

G cry , or Beatification , by Electricity, «. 494, p. 350.

Golden Number , Remarks upon by the Earl oi Mac clef-
field , n. 495, 7). 418.

Graham s in Fleet-freet , Obf. of a Lunar Eclipfe there, -
by Dr. y. Bwj, and Mr. James Shorty 493, p. 247.

Grand Cairo , Eclipfes obferved there, 0. 492, p. 165.

G><r£ Infcription, explained by y. Ward, n. 495,^.488.

(Mr. Henry) of an Earthquake, <5epr. 30, 1750, 7/.
497, p. 7*i-

* Dr. John , of an Earthquake at Spalding in Lincoln-

(hire, Aug. 23, 1750, n. 497, p. 725.

G rife how’s, jun. (Mr.) Obf. ol a Solar Eclipfe at Berlin ,
Jan. 8, 1750, ». 404, p. 339.

H.

Hackney near London , of an Earthquake there, by Mr.

1 Peter Newcome , 0. 497, P* <553.

Hales , D. D. (Rev. Stepb.) Examination of the Strength
of the principal Purging Waters, n. 495, p. 445.

— — — on the Caufes of Earthquakes, n. 497, p.. 669.

Haller i, M. P. ( Alberti ) Fabric a morbofe in cadaver e re •
perta: hijloria aliqii<et ft. 492, p. 170.

Experimenta ad rejpirationem pertinent! a, n. 494,

p. 325.

ds viis feminis , n. 494, p. 340.

Hallerfiein ( /lugujlin .) Obf Comet ee viji Pekini, 1748. ft.
494, p. 305. . . 1 o

Halley’s (Dr.) Demonftration of the Analogy of the Lo-
garithms, Tangents, &>c. explained by Mr. John Ro -
bertfon, n. 4 96, p. 559-5<>9-

Efa/o, or Mock Sun , obf. by Mr. JP02. Arderon, 493, P.2Q3.
t ■$ 1 Harwich 9

INDEX.

Harwich , of an Earthquake there, Feb. 8, 174^-50, n. 497-,
p. 610.

Heat of the Weather in July and September , 1750, by Dr.
Baker, n. 496, p. 571. — Extraordinary in February,
1749-50, n. 497, />. 619.

Helerdm , M. D. of a very large human Calculus ,

»• 49^5 p. ')9b.

Herculaneum , Remarks on the Paintings there,' by Mr.
Blonde an, n. 491, p. 14.

Hexagonal Shape of Spars, whence, n. 493, p. 264.

Hodgjon ( Janies ) Immerlions and Emer lions oi Jupiter ,
for the Year 1751, n. 493, p. 282 — 289.

Hogshead , a Mealure, n. 491, p. 55.

Hohnannus (Sam. Chrijlian.) de Baromctrorum cum aeris
tempejiatum mutatiombus confenfu , w. 492, p. 101.

iYotfej1 and Wax, how gathered by the Bees, //. 4915, p. 536*

Horfe bit by a mad Dog, 495, p. 474.

/Ywr ofthe Day, how to find, n. 492, p. 244.

Huber us, M. D. ( Job. Jac.) de cadaver e apertc , fj? Ye Jlerno
gibbofo , //. 492, p. 92.

Hundred , a Weight, n. 491, p. 56.

Huxham , M. D. ( John) Obf. on the Northern Lights, •
feen 15 and 16, 1749-50, ». 495, 7*. 472.

Jaundice , a Child born with, n. 493, p. 207.

JeJJop’s Well Purging Water examined, n. 495, p. 447*
4U-

Imrnerjkus and Emerjions of the Satellites of Jupiter , for
the Year 1751. by James Hodgfon , tf.493, p. 282.

ImpoJtumey an extraordinary in a Lady’s Stomach, 0.495,

40<?.

Improvements' of Dr. Knight's Mariners Compafs, by John
Smeaton , n. 495, p. 513; ' -

Ivcrujaiims of Spars, or Cryllals,- ». 493, f. 259.

Indian Corn, the Etied of the Mixture of its Farina. n~
■•.493, p. 205. - J v '

Iufcnption , a Roman , remarked upon by M r.John Ward ,
494, p. 293.

Infcription9

INDEX.

Infcriptictt, an antient Greek, explained by John Ward , ».
49>, p. 488.

Infetf, a petrified, defcribed by Dr. Lyttelton, 11.49$,
p. 598.

Inundation , a furprifmg in Cumberland, 1749, #.494, p.%6ll
Jovis & Veneris Congrejfus Pekini, ^<2;/. 1, 1748, 494,

A 3D*

IJJe oj Wight , of an Earthquake there, March 19,. *749-50, .
;/. 497, p. 65 r.

Italy, Travels through, by More, Efoj ,7. 495. p. 464.

K.

Kenfmgton , of an Earthquake there, March 8, 1 749-50.
0. 497. p. 68 r.

A7*\r, (M. ) of an Eclipfe of the 7L0. 8, 1750, obf. at
Berlin , n. 404. p. 339.

Kino (ion jn Jamaica, its Longitude determ'ned, n. 496,
p. 523.

Knight, M. P>.(Gowin) Remarks on the Effefls of Light-
ning, in deftroying the Polarity of a Mariners Com-
pa(s, n. 492, p. 1 1 3 .

• -Contrivance ofa Mariners Compafs, 0.495,/). 505.

His Mariners Compafs improved by John Smeatcn.

». 4^5? p. 5H-

• of an E arthquake at London, Feb. 8. 1749-50, 0.

497, p. 603.

Knowlegc ol Geography among th tChinefe, n. 494, p.328.

L.

Lacryniec Batavic<e , a Memoir on, by Dr. le Cat , ft. 492,
p • 175*

Lambeth 3 of John Fradefcaut's Garden there, by Mr. IV.
Watfon , 0.492, p. 160.

- — -Part of a Roof flung down there by an Earth-

quake, March 8, 1749-50, n. 497, p. 700.

Lateral Operation for the Stone 3 a Propofal to remove
its Defers, n. 491, p. 24.

Layard, M. D. (Daniel Peter ) of an extraordinary Im-
pojlume in a Lady's Stomach, n. 495, />. 405.

Layard ,

INDEX.

Layer'd, M. D. (Peter Daniel ) of an Earthquake at Lon-
don, March 8, 1749-50, n. 497. p. 621.

Leiceferjhire, of an Earthquake there, Sept. 30, 1750, n.
49 If p‘ 723.

Lethieullier Efq; (Smart) of the Burning of the Steeple at
Danbury , by Lightning 3 and of the Earthquake, 0.497,
p. 611.

Libel! a, or May Fly of Penfhania 3 Obf thereon, by Mr.
John Bartram , n. 494, p. 323, 40 x.

Life otpefeenuius Niger, with fome Circumftances in the
Hiftory thereof 3 by Monk de Boze , n. 495. p. 452.

Light of Rockets, at what Diftance it may be feen, n*
495, p. 578.

Lightning 3 its Effects in deftroying the Polarity of a Ma-
riners Compafs, n. 49a, p. 111.

• — burns the Steeple at Danbury in EJJex, n. 497,

p. <5ll.

Lithotomy on Women, the Operation of, by Dr. Is Cat ,
n. 492, p. 97.

Locufs, of the Damage they did in Walachia , Moldavia,
and Tranfilvanta , in 1747 and 17483. and in Hungary
and Poland in 1748, 0. 491, p. 30..

Logarithmic Tangents analogous to the Meridian Line,
n. 495, p. 559.

London, of an Earthquake there, 8, 1749-50, 0.497,
p. 601. 6 03. 605.

Longitude of Kingfcn in Jamaica determined, n. 495,
p. 523.

Luminous Arch ZeE. i5, 1749. obf. by Dr. Cooper , 0.497,
P- 547.

Tear, Remarks upon, by the Earl of Macclesfield ,
»• 495> E 4l8-

Z.00^ Eclipfis, obf. in Par aquaria, Feb. 24, $ Aug. 19,

J747, 0.491, p. 8.

Jtlh't 28, 1748, obf. Madriti , 0. 491, p. ro.

Z//0^ ££ Martis Occultatio, Pekini, Dfr. 5, 1747* 0. 493,
p. 312.

Lyttelton, LL. D. (Rev. Charles) of a non-defeript petri-
fied Infefcd, 0. 49 <5, p. 598.

3 M . Macclef-

INDEX.

M.

Macclesfield (Earl of) Remarks upon the Solar and Lu-
nar Years, &c. n. 495, p. 417—434.

Mackenzie (Mr. Murdock ) of the Tides in Orkney , n. 492,
p. 149. - v' '

— of Earthquakes at Smyrna, n. 497, p. 700.

Mairc (Mr. Chrijlopher ) Obf. of the Eelipfe of the Moon,
Dec. 23, 17493 and that of the Sun, Jan. 8, 1750, n.
494, p. 321.

Manna , the Method of gathering it near Naples , n. 495,
p. 470.

Mariners Compafs, contrived by Gowin Knight, n. 49 5,
p. 505.

propofed by Dr. Knight, improved by

J. Smeaton , n. 495, p. 513.

Mark, a Weight, n. 491, p. 6 5.

Martis £3 Luna Occultatio Pekini, Dec. 6, 1747, n. 494,

■p. 312.

Martis & Veneris Con j unci io Pekini, menfe Martio 1748.
ibid. p. 314.

Marty n, M. D. (John) of an Aurora Aujlralis, Den at
Chelfea, Jan. 23, 1749-50. n. 494, p. 319.

of an Aurora Borealis, Feb. 16, 1749-50, n. 494,

P- 34L

of an Earthquake at Chelfea, Feb. 8, 1749-50,;/.

497, //. 609. — March % , 1749-50, ib.p.6 30.

EZra of Penfthania, by Mr. JoZw Bertram, n. 494,
p. 401.

Mys*, the E feels of the Mixture of its Farina, n. 493,
p. 206.

Meafures of Capacity, of the Englijh, by Mr. Reynardfon,
n. 491, p. 54. Roman , /£. p. 70.

dry, n. 491-, p. 65.

Medals of Pefcennius Niger , Reflections on; n. 495. p.452.
Meridian of a Place, how to find, ;/. 493, p. 244.

- — Line or Sum of the Secants, analogous to Loga-

rithmic Tangents, ;/. 496, p. 559.

Meteor , an extraordinary, feen in Rutlandjhire, 1749, #.

493,//. 248. M/w,

INDEX.

Miles, D. D. (Rev. Henry) of Thermometers, and of the
Weather, n. 491, p. 1. — of feme Vertebra of Ammo-

niter, ib . p. 37 of a very cold Day, and another very

hot Day, in June ind July 1749, n. 493, p. 208. — of
the green Mould on Fire-wood, n. 494, ^.334. — of
an Aurora borealis , Jan. 23, 1750-51, ib. p. 34 6. — of
the Heat of the Weather in July and September 1750,
11. 4 96, p. 571. — of an Earthquake at. Tooting , Feb. 8,
1749-50, 0. 497, p. 607. March 8, 1749-50, *'£. p.
628. — State of the Barometer and Thermometer at
London and Tooting , Feb. 8, 1749-50, n. 497,p.6o8, 609.
of extraordinary Heat in February', and of the Earth-
quake in that Month, 1749-50, ib. p. 619. — of an
Earthquake Sept. 30, 1750, ibid. p. 72 6.

Miller (Mr. Jof.) a Catalogue of the 50 Plants from the
Apothecaries Company, for 1746, n. 491, p. 43.

Milner , Efqi {IVm.) Cafe of A/?£. Recks’ s being born with
his Feet inwards, and brought to rights, n. 493, p. 2 39.

Alines in Cornwall have or Cryjlals, n. 493, p. 250.

—--their Direftion in them. ib. p. 275.

Mithras , a Bas-relief of, found at «. 493, p. 214.

Aw, obf. at Norwich , 0. 4935 p. 203.

Molefey. See Molefey.

Money ers Pound. 0. 491, p. 67.

Monnier {fho. le ) cured of a dry Gangrene, n. 491, p, 77.

Moon , of her Acceleration 3 by the Rev. Mr. Dunthorne,
n. 492, p. i<52.

Morbus Str angular ius, by Dr. Joi?# Starr, n. 495, p.
43 <5—446.

Efq3 {Robert) Remarks in his Travels thro’ Italy,
n. 495, p. 464*

• Method ol gathering Manna near Naples , 0. 465,

p. 470.

Mortimer , M. D. {Cromwell) Cafe of a Lady, touching the
Small-Pox, 0. 493, p. 233. — Defcription of a Fifh, 0.
495, p . 518.— of a fmall flat fpheroidal Stone, 0. 496,

p. 602.*

of the green, on Fire-wood, 0.494, p. 3 3 4.

5 F " Mounfey ,

INDEX.

Moanfey , M. D. ( J antes ) of the Ru/Jia Caftor, 493,
p. 217.

Madge (Air. John) a Propofal to remove the only real
Defe£t in tne lateral Operation for the Stone, n. 491,

V • -4*

N.

Naples , the Method of gathering Manna near that Place,
«. 495, p. 47°.

Narborcitgh in Leicejlerfhire , of an Earthquake there «SVpA
30, 1750, //. 497, p. 704. __ J —

Netvcome (Mr. Peter) of an Earthquake at Hackney near
London, March 18 and 19, n. 497, p. 6 53.

Newton in North a rn p tonjhi re , of an Earthquake there 6V/>E
30, 1750. #; 497, p- 70 1. ; .•

Nixon (Rev- Mr. John) of an Earthquake Sept. 30, 1750 *
n. 497, 706. 710. 728.

Ao/Zf* (T Abbe) Examination of certain Phenomena in
Eieftricity, 0. 497, p. 368.

Norfolk , of the Roman Camp there at Ca/ldr, n. 493,

Northern Lights Feb. 15 and id,- 1749-50, obf. by Dr.

John Huxham , 495, p- 472.

Northampton , of an Earthquake there 30, 1750. by
J)r. Doddridge , 497, y. 712.

Norwich , a Efo/o, or 67/ 0 obf. there, bv Mr. Arde-

1 0.493, ^.203. — An Explolion in the Air heard

there, yz/w 7, 175c, 0. 497, p. 698.

t v. • <X c'

Obfervationes ah ait £ AJlronomica , a P. Suarez, eS. J. in
t Paraquaria habita 1747. 0.491, />. 8.

‘iwr/Te Pekini Sin. 1748, 494, p. 305 — 319.

Qbfervations on the Northern Lights Feb. 13 and 1 <5,
1749-50, by J. Huxham y n. 495, p. 472.

Obfervatory, the portable 3 or the Equatorial Telefcope,
* **493> V' 242*,

Occ.u/tatto Martis & Luna Pekini, Dec. 6, 1747. n. 494,
P5I2.

Odours do not pafs through Glafs by Ele&ricity, n. 494,
t ,p. 3 4-8. * V

3

Orbits

INDEX.

Orbits of Planets, their Contraction, 77.494, p. 356.
Orkney , of the Tides there, by Mr. Mackenzie , n. 492,
P- *49-

P.

Paintings at Herculaneum , Remarks on them, //. 491,
P- T4-

Ptfp<?r Money current among the Chinefe , 494, p. 330.

Papers , feveral, concerning a new Semi-Metal, called
Platina , w. 496, p. 584 — 596.

Par aquaria, ObJ. Afironomicce ibidem habitue, 1747. Pe)*
Jefuitas , n. 491, p. 8.

Parfons , M. D. ( James. ) of the Pi/catrix , 77. 492,

p. 126.

Pafchal Limits ( Gregorian ) fhewn by the Earl of Afoc-
clesfield, n. 495, p. 431.

Pec&, a Meafure, 491, P- 65.

Pennant (Mr.) of an Earthquake in Flintjhire , ^pr/7 2,
175c, ». 497, P- 687.

Pefcennius Niger, Reflexions on his Medals, 77.49 5, P-452.
Pbilofophy of Earthquakes, by Dr. /Piw. Stukely , 77.
497, P- 73i, €&•

P boenomena (certain) in Ele&ricity examined, by Abbe
Nollet, n. 494, p. 370—397-
P/e?r<z rf<? Mombazza, or the Rhinoceros Bezoar, 77. 492,
p. 1 19.

——de Cobra de Cabelos, or pretended Serpent -jl one, ib.

p. 121.

Pipe, or But of Wine, 77. 491, p. 55.

Planet , or .5W, to find at Noon-day, 77. 493, p. 245.
Planets , of the Contraction of their Orbits, n. 494, p. 356.
Plants , a Catalogue of the 50 from the Apothecaries Com-
pany, for the Year 1746,;?. 491, p- 43. — for the Year
1747, 77. 494, p. 331.— for the Year 1748, /'A p. 359.
— for the Year 1749, ». 495. p. 403.

Platina , a new Semi-Metal, 77. 496. p. 584.

P/rf« (Mr .Jofeph') of a fpheroidal Stone, 77. 496, p. 534.
Plymouth, of an Earthquake there, Feb. 8, 1749-50, ».
497, p. 693.

5F 2

Polarity

I N D E X.

Polarity of a Mariners Compafs deltroyed by the Effects
of Lightning, n. 492, p. 1 1 1.

Portable Obfervatory, or the Equatorial Telelcope, it.
493, V • 242-

Port [mouthy of an Earthquake there, March 18, 1749-50,
by Mr. John Ellicott , n. 497, p. 646. — by Dan. IVray ,
E% ib. p. 647. — by Mr. Taylor, ib. p. 649.

Pottle , a Mealure, n. 491, p. 65.

Pringle , M. D. (John) Experiments on Subftances refill-
ing Putrefaction, 495, p 480. 525. 550.

Purging Waters , the Strength of feveral examined, by
Dr. Stephen Hales , 7;. 495, p. 446.

Putrefablicn, what Subftances refill it, 495, p. 48a and
71. 496, p. 525. 5)0. — Whathaften and promote it, ib *

V- 55 3-

Q:

Quadrantal, a Roman Meafure. n. 491, p. 70.
garter, of London , ib. p. 65.

Queries concerning the Tides in a large Ocean, w. 492,
p. 158.

R.

Rainbow, an extraordinary, obf. July 15, 1748, by Peter
Deval , Elq; «• 493, p. 193.

Pifcatnx, by Dr. James Parfons, n. 492, p. 126.

Reaiv-nr CM. de) of an Earthquake in France , Offob. 11,
1749, n. 497, p. 69 11.

Recks’s ( Nicolas ) Cafe, touching his being born with his
Feet turned inwards, n. 493, p. 239.

Reflettions on the Medals of Pefcennius Niger, by M. le
Bcze, n. 495, p 452-

Remarks on the Effects of Lightning, in deltroying the
Polarity of a Mariners Compafs, 49^2, p. 113.

made in his Travels through Italy, by Rob. More ,

Efqj n. 495, p. 464.

Refpirationis Experiment a aliqua, per Alb. Haller, n. 494,
P- 3 25:

Reynard/ou, Efq; ( Samuel) of EngliJJo Weights, andMea-
lures of Capacity, ?/. 491, p. 54.

Rhinoceros

INDEX.

Rhinoceros Bezoar, 77. 492, p. 120.

Robert foil (Mr. John ) of the Analogy of Logarithmic
Tangents to the Meridian Line, n. 496, p. 559.

Robins (Mr. Benjamin ) Obf. on the Height to which
Rockets afcend, 492, p. 131. n. 496, p. 5 78 j and,
to what Diftance their Light may be leen, ib. p. 582.
Roman Infcription, Remarks upon, by Mr. John Ward ,

n. 494, V- 293-

Ronde CMr.) dry Gangrene ftopt, n. 491, p. 75.

Rttjjfel, Efqj ( Michael ) of an Earthquake at London ,
March 8, 1749-50, n. 497, p. 6 31.

RtiJJia Caftor, the true Sort, n. 493, p- 217.

Rutlandjhire , an extraordinary Meteor feen there, 77, 493,
p. 248.

S.

of Wool, 7/. 491, p. 66.

Salt Mines near Cracau, n. 493, p. 228.

Salvadora, a new Genus of Plants, by Dr. Garcin3 77.491,
P-41-

Sayer (Mr. J.) of Mr. Smith's Cafe ; the Coats of his Sto-
mach turned into a cartilaginous Subftance, 77.491,
P- 3°-

,<Vdde77 (Rev. Mr. of an Earthquake at Warrington

in Lancajhire , ytfpn/ 2, 1750, 497, />• 695.

Sediments found in fome particular Purging Waters, 77.
495, p. 446.

Seeds , their Minutenefs in fome Plants, 77. 494, p, 337.
Seminis 'vice, obf. per Albert Haller , n. 494, p. 340.

Semi- Metal , a new, called Platina , 77. 496, p. 584.

(Mrs.) fells large Globes, prepared by her late Huf-
band, 77. 493, P. 290.

Serpent- ft one , of the pretended, by Sir Hans Sloane3 Bart.
77. 492. p. 1 18.

Short (Mr- James) Defcription and Ufes of an Equatorial
Telefcope, 77.493, p. 242.

of an Ecliple of the Moon , obf at Mr. Graham's in.

Fleet- (lrect3 1749. 77. 493, p. 247.

Short

INDEX.

Short , of an Eclipfe of the Moon, June 8, 1750, n. 496,
p. 523. — of the total Eclipfe of the Moon, Dec. 2, 1*750,
n. 496, p. 575.

Sloane , Bart. (Sir Hans) of the pretended Serpent-ftone,
&c. n. 432, p. 1 1 8.

Small Pox differently affedt the Fcetus in utero, n. 495,
p. 236.

• appear in a Child two Days after its Birth, n.

493, p. 234.

Sweat on (John) Improvements of Dr. Knight's Mariners
Compals, m. 495, p. 5 13.

Smethurft ( Gamaliel) of a new-invented Shwan-pan , or
Chinefe Accompt-Table, n. 491, p. 22.

Smith (Mr. — ) his Cafe, the Coats of his Stomach turned
into a cartilaginous Subftance, n. 491, ;/. 39.

• (Mr. William) of an Earthquake at Peterborough ,

Sept. 30, 1750, n. 497, p . 728.

Smyrna , of an Earthquake there, by Dr. Mackenzie , 0.
497, p.700.

*Sb/*r Year, Remarks upon, by the Earl of Macclesfield ,
»• 495, V • 4*7-

Eclipfis , J*/// 14, 1748, obf Madriti, 0.491, p. 10.
Southampton , an Earthquake there, and in the Parts adja-
cent, March 18 and 19, 1749-50, «. 497, p. 652.
Spalding in L ncolnjhire , an Earthquake there, Aug. 23.
*75°, *• 497, P- 725.

«?p<zr, an Inquiry into its original State and Property, its
Fluidity, and different Appearances, by Rev. Mr. 5or-
/***, 493, p. 250, 255. 257.

Spars, or Cryftals, plain, n. 493, P. 258. Their Incru-
ftations, ib. p.2.59. their hexagonal Shape, p. 264. Size,
p. 268. Colour, p. 270. Hardneft, p. 272.

Springs , the hot at Carlsbad , ». 493, p. 219.

Stanford Halim Northamptonjhire , an Earthquake there,
i&p?. 30, i75o, «• 497, V- 7 0(5 •

.Star, or Planet, to find at Noon-day, 493, p. 245.

M. D. (John) of an Horfe bit by a mad Dog, n.

495, P- 474-

.Starr,

INDEX.

Starr, of the Morbus JfranguJatorius, n. 495, p. 43 5.

St. Johns in Cumberland , a furprifing Inundation in the
Valley thereof, 1749, n. 494. p. 363.

,5^/, the tempering accounted for, tt. 492, p. 184.

Steeple of Danbury in EJfex burnt by Lightning, tt. 497,
p. 01 1.

Stellarum quariwdam aufralium Decimal tones, mettfe Junio
1738, per Dom. de la Condaintne, n. 492, p. 139.
Sterling, a round, n. 491, p. 75.

Steward (Mr.) of an Earthquake at Deen in Northampton-
Jhirei Sept. 30, 1750, 497, p. 721 ; -

Stomach , its Coats turned into a cartilaginous Subftance,

n. 49 ij. & 39- a .. . . . '

an extraordinary Impoftume formed therein,

495, b 4°(5- . - - T ,

Stone under the Tongue of a Lady, n. 491, p. 5.

the lateral Operation for it i Mr. Madge’s Propofal

to remove the Defeats of it, h. 491, p. 24.

•TT — a Weight, j;. 491,. p. , 66.

a flat fpheroidal, by Mr. Jofeph Plait , 11.496, p. 534.

— — a fmall fla^ ipheroidaJ, by, Dr. Mortimet , n. 496,
p. 602*

Strength of feveral Purging Waters examined, by Dr,
Hales, n. 495, p • 44^-

Strut jck (NicolJ de Viis Comet arum, n. 492, p. 89 3

Stukely , M. D. (Rev. Win.) Explanation of a Bas-relief,
found at Pork, n. 493, p. 214.

t— of the Caules; pf Earthqua^es^w.^p^,

— Philofophy of Earthquakes,, 4b. ■ p+ qpi'sl

Juarez, e See. J. ( P. Bonarventura) Obfewatiories ' Afiro •

. nomicx, 1747, v- 491, p... 8- • > b

SubjJances reftfting Putrefaction, 495, p. 480. n. 496,
p. 525. 550.

Sun eclipfed 7<*»- 8, 1750, 6bf at Rpr;;/e, by Mr. Chriftopb *
¥&*& <h 494, p. 332.— at Berlin, by Mr. Gr if chow
jun. and Mr. Kies , p. 339. — by Mr. 7^0 Catlm,
and Mr. James §boyt$ n, 496, p. 523.

, ,'U'T

y . 1 . •

T. tangents

INDEX.

T.

tangents Logarithmic, analogous to the Meridian Line,
n. 496, p, 55 9.

Taunton in Somerfetjhirc , an Earthquake there, July i,
1749, ».497,P- 690.

taylor (Rev. Mr.) of an Earthquake at Portsmouth , March
18, 1749-50, n. 497, p.649.
telefcope, the Equatorial, its Ufes, 77. 493, 244, 245.

tempering of Steel accounted for, it. 492, 176.

tertian, a Wine-meafure, 77. 491, p. 55.
thermometer and Barometer , with their Extremes, at
tooting. ) 1749, 493, V • 21 1. in London , p. 213.

—the State of, on the 8th of February 1749-50, at

London , 77. 497, />. 608. at tooting , 609.

thermometers , Dr. Afr/ej of, 7/. 491, p. 1.— of Quicksilver
the beft, 2.

• their near Agreement in London and at toot-

ing, 11. 493, p. 208.

in Orkney , by Mr. Murdock Mackenzie , 77. 492,
p. 149.

-—in a large Ocean 5 Queries concerning them, ibid.

V. 158. . .

— - of an irregular in the River of Forth, by Mr. Edward
Wright , 7;. 495, 412.

tongue , a Stone under it, 77.491, />. 5/
tooting , of an Earthquake there F<?&. 8, 1749-50, 77. 497,
p. 607.

tradefcantys Garden at Lambeth , fome Account of, by
JF’. Wat foil , ?7. 492, p. 160.

travels through /ta/y, by RoF iWoT**, Efq; 77. 495, p. 464.'
£roy Pound, 77. 491, p. 57. -59. whence its Name,zJ\p. 69.
tumour on the Bladder, extirpated by Mr .Jofeph Warner,
»• 495j P- 4t4*

tumours out of the Reach of the Surgeon’s Fingers, an
Inftrument for the Extirpation of them j by Dr. le Cat,
77. 491, p. 72. 80.

tun of Wine, Oil, Honey, ib. p. 55.

Valley

INDEX.

V.

Valley of St. Johns in Cumberland , a furprifing Inunda-
tion there, 1749, n. 494, p. 363.

Veneris & Martis Conjunct to Pekini , menf. Mart. 1 748,

494 > P-314-

yjovis CongreJfusVeklnliJan. 1, 1748, ib. p. 315.-

Vefica fellica non extitit in cadavere aperto , n. 492, p. 92.
Comet arum, per Nic.Struijk , 72. 492, p. 89.

Seminis , obf per Alb. Haller , 77. 494, p. 340.

Uiloa ( Antonins de) Obferv. Eclipf. Solaris , 7*2//. 14,
Lunee, Jul. 28, 1748. Madriti , 72. 491, p. 10.

of the pr/e/0, or the black Vomit, n. 422,

/>• 1 34j 135-

W.

Waddell (Capt. John) of the Effefts of Lightning on a
Mariners Compais, n. 492, p. hi.

/Ttzrrf (John) Attempt to explain an antient Greek In-
fcription, n. 495, p. 488.

Warner (Mr. Jofepb) of a Tumour growing on the Infide
of the Bladder, n. 495, p. 414.

Warrington in Lancajhire , an Earthquake there, April 2,

i75°> »• 497j P-^95-

Water- [pout , a Meteor refembling one, 77. 493, p. 248.
Wat fon (Mr.W.) of ^0^72 Fradef cant's Garden at Lambeth 9
n. 492, p. 160.— of the Foetus in ntero being different-
ly affected by the Small Pox, n. 493, p. 235. — —of
Odours not palling thro’ Glafs, by Electricity, n. 494,
p. 348. — -of a new Semi- Metal, called Platina , 77. 496,

/• 584-

Wax and Honey , how gathered, 77.496, p. 536.

Weather , Dr. Miles , Obf of, 77. 491, p. 1.

of hoc, in and September i7?o, by Dr.

Miles, 77. 496, p. 571.

— in 7«/y 1750, by Mr. Aideron,ib. p.573.

IVeJlon with Sutton, in North araptorf hire, of an Earthquake
there, Sept. 30, 1750, 77.497, p. 707.

Weights of the Englijh , by Mr. Reynardfon, n. 491, p. 54.

Troy and Avoirdupois, their D.lference, n. 491,

5 G V- 59,

INDEX.

p. 59. of a cubic Foot of Spring Water, ib. p. 63. Apo-
thecaries, ib. p. 66. Goldfmiths, ibid.

Wey of Cheefe, n. 491, p. 66.

Wtlmer , M. D. (John) Catalogue of the 50 Plants from
Chelfea Garden, for the Year 1747, n. 494, p. 331. —
for the Year 1748, ib. p. 359.— for the Year 1749, ib.
4°3-

Winbourn in Dorfetjhire , of an Earthquake there, May 4,
1749, p. 689.

Womb , an Excrefcence from thence extirpated by Dr.

John Burton , n. 495, p. 3 20.

Women , the Operation of Lithotomy on them, by Dr. le
Cat , n. 492, p. 97.

Wray, Efq; (Daniel) of an Earthquake at Portsmouth ,
March 18, 1749-50, n. 497, ^.6 46, 647.

Wright (Mr. Edward) of an irregular Tide in the River
of Forth , 495, p. 412.

Y.

a Bas-relief of Mithras found there, n. 493 }p. 214.

FINIS.

ERRATA in Vol. XLVI. of Philof. Tranfatfions.

Tranfafl. N° 490. p. 613. 1. 10. for Walling read Shalford Farm
( adjoining to Wafng) in the Pari/h of Brimpton.

Tranfaft. N° 494. p. 293. 1. 2. for 1702. re d 1699. P. 301. 1. 29.

and p. 304. 1. 1 5.. for Rinefius read Reinefivs,

Tranfaft. N° 495. p.491. 1. 1 7. and p. 496. 1. for MAPASONIOS
read MAPAGiiNIOZ. P. 495. 1. 23. for Lithieullicr read Lethieullier.
. P. 499, Note, 1. 6. for NIKOMHAOT2 read NIKOMHAOT.

' '

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