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EARTHQUAKES.

Walking the other day in the fields I noticed the earth to tremble gently beneath me, which phenomenon lead me to inquire into its cause. Earthquakes, methought have been the cause of more sorrow, grief & lamentation than any other physical phenomena of nature. Situated as we are, but a small quantum of human wretchedness arising from these sources, comes under our observation. Did we dwell in the West Indies, the south or western parts of Europe we might occasionally witness scenes of terror which fancy could not describe. The confusion which people are thrown into, who inhabit countries subject to this desolating phenomenon is the cause why more accurate and philosophical investigations, have not been made on this interesting subject. The theories of ancient philosophers generally carry with them their own refutation;—they, proceeding upon false suppositions that the earth was hollow, or filled with fire, water, or air, and that Earthquakes were produced by the breaking down of arches made by fire: or by a rarefaction of the air which caused the earth to tremble and then to burst with noise which generally accompanies Earthquakes.

Let us leave the wild and chimerical theories of ancient philosophy, and see whether from observations which have been made, immediately preceeding and following these phenomena, a rational solution can be assigned for these wonderful appearances. The brute creation, as well as man, seem to be warned of their approach, from which we may infer some change in the atmosphere: the sea is much agitated, and is covered with small bubbles; the precursors vary, however, in different countries. The effects of Earthquakes are various—they sometimes pour forth rivers of boiling water, at others belch forth fire and smoke—sometimes open the earth, swallow up cities, remove hills and mountains, plantations and villages, and give them another place on the surface of the earth. These attendant circumstances cannot be accounted for by any theories of the ancients. The causes of Earthquakes are probably two. 1st. Those of a superficial kind may have an electric origin. When a part of the earth is in a highly electrified state, the approach of a non-electric cloud will produce a sudden discharge attended with a noise like the rumbling of a thousand chariots, and frequently with an eruption of wind, of smoke, of water and of fire. The principal agent of those which are interior and more tremendous are subterranean fires. The earth abounds with subterranean caverns, canals and veins, some full of exhalations, others full of water—and some parts replete with nitre, sulphur. bitumen &c. which produce combustion. Hence it is easy to conceive the terrible effects which may be occasioned by air or water thus confined, being acted upon and greatly rarefied by fire —then it is, that cities are rocked as if contained in a balance, and thousands miserably perish in their ruins as at Calabria and Lisbon.