Jenks's Portland Gazette

From the Newyork Spectator.

The intelligence from Europe furnishes remarkable evidence of the justness of the principles unfolded in the History of Pestilence, concerning the vicissitudes in the atmosphere, which are supposed to precede or accompany epidemic maladies. The failure of crops in some countries, the drought in others which has been excessively severe, the splendid celestial phenomena, which engaged the attention of the Prussian Astronomers, last winter, several earthquakes and unusual tempests, all concur to fortify the opinions advanced in that work. It is remarkable also that the order of the Epidemics in Europe has been the same as in the United States. The influenza of the winter of 1796-7, was soon followed by the plague among Cats, which was common to both continents. To this succeeded the malignant sore throat, which in some parts of England is said to have proved fatal to every third person affected. Then followed the malignant fevers in England, France, Germany and Italy, which excited every where apprehensions of the plague. Finally, the plague in Constantinople. Egypt, on the coast of Africa and in Spain. We have complete proof that this has been nearly the order of epidemics from the days of Hippocrates-it is the same as that writer has described.

Few men have leisure or patience, amidst the political turmoils of the world, to consider the operations of the elements : but in addition to the philosophical advantages of the study, the consideration of these subjects would have a beneficial effect on our moral views of creation, and the operations of the creator.-- It is even probable that the new course of investigation. to which these facts will give rise, may yet lead to a discovery of the Chymical process, by which the deleterious qualities of the atmosphere are generated.