William Stukeley

“ 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 a house in the whole extent of this vast city, and all around it, but a spring of water is ready, upon digging a well. Whence we have much reason to believe, that the interior of the earthy is like a sponge soak’d in water. So that the only dry part is the superficies, which is the object, and the subject of that electric vibration; wherein, according to my sentiments, an earthquake consists. ”

“ We mistake the pointy and betray our ignorance in human nature, when we think, acts of parliament, laws, and executions will do it. They are very weak in comparison of the impressons of religion, and conscience: as all philosophy both natural and religious, has hitherto thought, and known. ”

“ We may readily enough presume, that the contact between the electric, and the non-electric, which gives the snap, and the shock, must come from without, from the atmosphere. Perhaps by some meteor that crouds the ethereal fire together: which then flies off with that immense force that causes the earthquake. In the point of contact on the earth’s surface, the same thing is done, perhaps, another time, by a shower of rain. Our thoughts upon this matter must needs be as immature, as they are novel. ”

“ This ethereal fire is one of the four elements of the ancients. It lies latent, and dispersed thro’ all the other three, and quiescent; till collected into a quantity, that overbalances the circumjacent; like the air crouded into a tempest: or till it is excited, by any proper motion.
This fire gives elasticity: and elasticity or vibration is the mother of electricity. We don’t so much wonder at phosphorus arising from animal substances; for this fire is in water, and betrays itself to our senses, in salt water. Many a time when I have palled the Lincolnshire washes, in the night time ”

“ Stonehouse’s dwelling being a very strong one, was most sensibly shaken. And throughout the whole compass of this great earthquake, we find, both the noise, the shock, and the terror was greatest at the churches, whose walls and bulk made more resistance than houses. And generally speaking, the churches throughout this whole extent have very fair, and large towers, and very many remarkable spires all of good stone, which no doubt quiver’d very much at top, if we could have discern’d it. ”

“ That great genius Hippocrates, makes the whole of the animal œconomy to be administred, by what we call nature. And nature alone, says he, suffices for all things, to animals: she knows herself, and what is necessary for them. ”

“ I judge it to be the effect of electricity, somewhat like what causes sea sickness; such a sort of motion, as we are not accustomed to. So the earthquake affects all those of weak nerves, or that have nervous complaints; obnoxious to hysterics, colics, rheumatick pains in their joints; several women were seized with violent head-achs, before both the shocks we felt in London. It was this that gave the people a shortness of breath, Mr. Smith from Peterborough speaks of a person that found himself very sick upon it. ”

“ I could not but see, that it was no less than a demonstration against the old notion of their cause.
6ly, Earthquakes are truly most, violent, in a rocky country: because the shock is proportionate to the solidity of the matter electrify’d. So that rocks, cliffs, quarries, old castle walls, and strong buildings, are most obnoxious to the concussion. The isle of Cerigo was more liable, and more rudely handled by the late earthquake; both because it was an isle, and because it was rocky. So we must say of the late earthquake in Switzerland, that split the mountain, and the old castle wall. ”

“ Coruscations were seen just before that extensive shock of 70 miles long felt from Lancaster to Wrexham, on april 2, last. Fire-balls more than one were seen in Rutland, and Lincolnshire: and particularly observ’d. And Mr. Smith from Peterborough writes, that a fire-ball was seen the morning of the earthquake, in the upper part of Northamptonshire. All these kind of meteors are rightly judg’d to proceed from a state of electricity in the earth and atmosphere: and how far they are actually concerned in causing earthquakes, time, and accurate observation must inform us. ”

“ And can we deny then, that he here means a conscious and intelligent nature, that presides over, and directs all things, moves the ethereal spirit or fire, that moves all things: a divine necessity, but a voluntary agent, who gives the commanding nod, to what we commonly call nature ”

“ This is the life, and soul of action, and reaction, in the universe. Thus has the great author provided against the native sluggishness of matter! light, or fire in animals, is what we call the animal spirits; and is the author of life, and motion. But we know not the immediate mode of muscular motion; any more than how, in inanimate matter, it causes the vibrations of an earthquake.
Of this fire, the excellent Manilius thus writes, who liv’d in the time of Augustus.
Astronom. I. ”

“ The first electrical stroke seems to have been made on the high ground above Daventry, in Northamptonshire; where the Roman camps are, made by P. Ostorius the proprætor. From thence it descended chiefly eastward, and along the river Welland, from Harborough to Stamford, Spalding, the sea: and along the river Avon, or Nen, to Northampton, Peterborough, Wisbech to the sea. It spread itself all over the vast level of the isle of Ely; further’d by very many canals, and rivers, natural, and artificial, made for drainage. ”

“ These are, in general, the circumstances and observations made, at the time of these earthquakes; when we recollect ourselves, after the suddeness, and fright. Give me leave to make the following remarks therefrom.
1st. As far as we can possibly learn, where no one can be prepar’d, at different places, by time keepers; this mighty concussion was felt, precisely at the same instant of time; being about half an hour after twelve at noon. This, I presume, cannot be accounted for, by any natural power, but by that of an electrical vibration; which, we know, acts instantaneously. ”

“ In the second earthquake, not only this country was affected again, but likewise a much larger space of the same sort of fenny ground, rather worse than the former: all Donnington-fen, Deeping-fen, Croyland-fen, Thorney-fen, Whitlesea-fen, Bedford level, and the whole extent of Ely-fen, under various denominations. This country, under the turf, abounds with subterraneous timber of all forts ”

“ Again, when united, they fly asunder, with the greatest force, and celerity; it resists nothing quiescent, but when put into motion, it disdains all resistance. All this is according to the laws prescrib’d by the sovereign architevt. ”