TRUE and PARTICULAR HISTORY OF EARTHQUAKES. CONTAINING A Relation of that dreadful EARTHQUAKE Accurately defcribing The dreadful Devaftations that have been made by thofe Extracted from Authors of the most unexceptionable Credit and By P HILO THE US. LONDON: Printed for the AUTHOR, and Sold by the Bookfellers in PREFACE. W HEN the Almighty, to punish the Wickedness of Men, is pleafed ta fend forth his Judgments in the Earth, he gives Commiffion to fome one or other of his Creatures to execute bis Purpofe. At his Command, the Wind fhall agitate the Sea fo violently as to bury whole Navies in its Deep; or on Land fhall work up a Storm that shall destroy the Fruits, throw down the talleft Trees, or level the noblest Buildings with the Ground. If he pleases, the Air, which conveys Life and Breath to Man, fhall be the Vehicle of Difeafes, Peftilence and Death. By his Permiffion, the Clouds fhall pour down fuch an Abundance of Water, that a whole Country, with all its Inhabitants, whether of the Brute or Human Kind, together with the Increase of the Earth, fhall be fwept away with a Flood. If he wills that Fire fhall be the Minister of his Wrath, what dreadful Conflagrations are kindled up in an Inftant, and what terrible Ruin follows every Step it proceeds! Even the most Simple Creatures, to our Apprehenfion, have been A 2 made made the Inftruments of bis Vengeance, to punish a People that have obftinately perfifted in their Rebellion against Him. Flies, Lice, Frogs, Locufts, &c. have taught a proud Tyrant Humility; and Pharaoh is recorded as an Example to all fucceeding Ages, of the Facility with which Omnipotence can punish proud Offenders, and of the Bafenefs and Corruption of the Heart of Man, who would impute to any Cause, rather than bis own incorrigible Difobedience, thofe peculiar Judgments which are manifeftly the Finger of God, to correct him for, or reclaim him from, bis Wickedness. But of all the Judgments with which the Supreme Governor of the World has thought fit to afflict the Sons of Men, furely none are so afonishing, fo amazingly terrible as EARTHQUAKES; which give little or no Warning of their Approach, nor fcarce a Moment's Time for the wretched Inhabitants to lift up their Eyes to Heaven, and recommend themselves to God, but are, in an Inftant, either fwallow'd up alive in the Openings of the Earth, or buried under the Ruins of their own Houfes. But I fhall refer the Reader, for a farther Defcription of fuch dreadful Scenes, to the enfuing Sheets, where his Curiofity will be amply gratified, and his very Soul affrighted with the most horrible Defolations that it is peffible for the Imagination to conceive, and beyond the Power of Eloquence to defcribe. But |