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diff --git a/29281.txt b/29281.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2de9aff --- /dev/null +++ b/29281.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1449 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Remarks Concerning Stones Said to Have +Fallen from the Clouds, Both in These Days, and in Antient Times, by Edward King + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Remarks Concerning Stones Said to Have Fallen from the Clouds, Both in These Days, and in Antient Times + +Author: Edward King + +Release Date: July 1, 2009 [EBook #29281] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMARKS CONCERNING STONES *** + + + + +Produced by Meredith Bach and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + REMARKS + CONCERNING + STONES + SAID TO HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CLOUDS, BOTH + IN THESE DAYS, + AND IN ANTIENT TIMES. + + BY + EDWARD KING, ESQ. F. R. S. AND F. A. S. + + + Res ubi plurimum proficere, et valere possunt, collocari debent. + Cicero de Orat. 37. + + + LONDON: + PRINTED FOR G. NICOL, BOOKSELLER TO HIS MAJESTY, + PALL-MALL. + 1796. + + + + +[Illustration: F.1. F.3. F.2.] + + + + + _An Attempt to account for the Production of a Shower of Stones, + that fell in Tuscany, on the 16th of June, 1794; and to shew that + there are Traces of similar Events having taken place, in the + highest Ages of Antiquity. In the course of which Detail is also + inserted, an Account of an extraordinary Hail-stone, that fell, with + many others, in Cornwall, on the 20th of October, 1791._ + + +Having received this last winter, from Sir Charles Blagden, some very +curious _manuscript_ accounts, concerning a surprising shower of stones; +which is said, on the testimony of several persons, to have fallen in +Tuscany, on the 16th of June, 1794;--and having also perused, with much +attention, a very interesting pamphlet, written in Italian, by _Abbate +Ambrose Soldani_, Professor of mathematics, in the University of Siena, +containing an extraordinary and full detail of such facts as could be +collected relating to this shower; the whole has appeared to me to +afford such an ample field for philosophical contemplation, and also for +the illustration of antient historic facts; that (leaving the whole to +rest upon such testimony as the learned Professor has already collected +together; and to be supported by such further corroboration, as I am +informed is likely _soon_ to arrive in England,) I cannot but think it +doing some service to the cause of literature, and science, to give to +the world, in the earliest instance, a short abridgement of the +substance of the whole of the information; expressed in the most concise +and plainest language, in which it is possible for me to convey a full +and exact idea of the phaenomenon. + +It may be of some use, and afford satisfaction to several curious +persons, to find the whole here compressed in so small a compass. + +And, as I shall add my own conclusions without reserve; because the +whole of the phaenomenon tends greatly to confirm some ideas which I had +previously been led to form, many years ago, concerning the +consolidation of certain species of stone; it may open a door for +further curious investigation. + +And it may at least amuse, if not instruct; whilst I add a short detail +of uncommon facts, recorded in antient history, and tending to shew +clearly, that we are not without precedents of _similar events_ having +happened, in the early ages of antiquity. + +On the 16th of June, 1794, a tremendous cloud was seen in Tuscany, near +Siena, and Radacofani; coming from the north, about seven o'clock in the +evening;--sending forth sparks, like rockets;--throwing out smoke like a +furnace;--rendering violent explosions, and blasts, more like those of +cannon, and of numerous muskets, than like thunder;--and casting down to +the ground hot stones:--whilst the lightning that issued from the cloud +was remarkably red; and moved with _less_ velocity than usual. + +The cloud appeared of different shapes; to persons in different +situations; and remained suspended a long time: but every where was +plainly seen to be burning, and smoking like a furnace. + +And its original height, from a variety of circumstances put together, +seems to have been much above the common region of the clouds. + +The testimony, concerning the falling of the stones from it, appears to +be almost unquestionable:--and is, evidently, from different persons, +who had no communication with each other. + +For first; the fall of four stones is precisely ascertained: one of +which was of an irregular figure, with a point like that of a +diamond;--weighed five pounds and an half;--and had a vitriolic +smell.--And another weighed three pounds and an half;--was black on the +outside, as if from smoke;--and, internally, seemed composed of matter +of the colour of ashes;--in which were perceived small spots of metals, +of gold and silver. + +And, besides these, Professor Soldani of Siena, was shewn about fifteen +others: the surfaces of which were glazed black, like a sort of +varnish;--resisted acids;--and were too hard to be scratched with the +point of a penknife. + +Signior _Andrew Montauli_, who saw the cloud, as he was travelling, +described it as appearing much above the common region of the clouds; +and as being clearly discerned to be on fire;--and becoming white, by +degrees; not only where it had a communication, by a sort of stream of +smoke and lightning, with a neighbouring similar cloud: but also, at +last, in two-third parts of its whole mass, which was originally black. +And yet he took notice, that it was not affected by the rays of the sun, +though they shone full on its lower parts.--And he could discern as it +were the bason of a fiery furnace, in the cloud, having a whirling +motion. + +This curious observer gives an account also, of a stone, which he was +assured fell from the cloud, at the feet of a farmer; and was dug out of +the ground, into which it had penetrated.--And he says, that it was +about five inches long, and four broad; nearly square; and polished: +black on the surface, as if smoked; but within, like a sort of +sand-stone, with various small particles of iron, and bright metallic +stars. + +Other stones are described by him; which were said to have fallen at the +same time: were triangular; and terminated in a sort of (pyramidal) or +conical figure.--And others were so small as to weigh not more than an +ounce. + +Professor Soldani saw another stone, said to have fallen from the cloud, +which had the figure of a parallelopiped, blunted at the angles; and was +as it were varnished, on the outside, with a black crust; and quite +unlike any stones whatever of the soil of the country where it had +fallen. + +Two ladies being at _Cozone_, about 20 miles from _Siena_, saw a number +of stones fall, with a great noise, in a neighbouring meadow: one of +which, being soon after taken up by a young woman, burnt her hand: +another burnt a countryman's hat: and a third was said to strike off the +branch of a mulberry tree; and to cause the tree to wither. + +Another stone, of about two ounces weight, fell near a girl watching +sheep; a young person, whose veracity it is said could not be +doubted.--This stone, the Professor tells us, is also a parallelopiped, +with the angles rounded; and its internal substance is like that of the +others; only with more metallic spots; especially when viewed with a +magnifying glass: and the black external crust appears to be minutely +crystallized. + +Many others, of a similar kind, were in the possession of different +persons at Siena. + +And besides the falling of these from the cloud, there is described to +have been a fall of sand; seen by keepers of cattle near _Cozone_, +together with the falling of what appeared like squibs; and which proved +afterwards to be stones, of the sort just described, weighing two or +three ounces:--and some only a quarter of an ounce. + +Amongst other stones that fell; was one weighing two pounds, and two +ounces; which was also an oblong parallelopiped, with blunted angles, +(as they are called, but which I think meant plainly prismatical +terminations, and are said to have been about an inch in height;) and +this was most remarkable for having, a small circle, or sort of belt +round it, in one part; wherein the black crust appeared more smooth; and +shining like glass; as if that part had suffered a greater degree of +heat than the rest. + +Another, also, was no less remarkable, for having many rounded cavities +on its surface: as if the stone had been struck with small balls, whilst +it was forming; and before it was hardened; which left their +impressions.--And some appearances, of the same kind, were found on one +of the four surfaces of another stone, in the possession of Soldani. + +On minute examination, the Professor found the stones were composed of +blackish _crystals_, of different kinds; with metallic or pyritical +spots, all united together by a kind of consolidated ashes.--And, on +polishing them, they appeared to have a ground of a dark ash colour; +intermixed with cubical blackish crystals, and shining pyritical specks, +of a silver and gold colour. + +The conclusion which Professor Soldani evidently forms, is; _that the +stones were generated in the air, by a combination of mineral +substances, which had risen somewhere or other_, AS EXHALATIONS, _from +the earth_: but, as he seems to think, _not from_ Vesuvius. + +The names of many persons, besides those already referred to, are +mentioned; who were eye witnesses to the fall of the stones. And several +_depositions_ were made, _in a regular juridical manner_, to ascertain +the truth of the facts. + +The space of ground, within which the stones fell, was from three to +four miles. + +The falling of them, was _the very day after_ the great eruption of +Vesuvius. + +And the distance of the place, from Vesuvius, could not be less than two +hundred miles, and seems to have been more. + +Vesuvius is situated _to the south_ of the spot: and the cloud came +_from the north_; about thirteen, or at most eighteen hours, after the +eruption. + +Now, putting all these circumstances together, I cannot but venture to +form a conclusion, somewhat different from Professor Soldani's; though +perfectly agreeing with his general principles. + +From a course of observations, and inquiries, which I have been led to +pursue, for a great many years: tending to elucidate the history of +extraneous fossils, and of the deluge; I have long been convinced, that +stones in general, and strata of rocks, of all kinds, have been formed +by _two_ very different operations of those elements, which the wisdom, +and omnipotent hand of God, has ordained, and created. + +The one, by means of fire:--and the other, by means of water. + +And, of each sort, there are two subdivisions. + +Of the stones, and rocks, formed by fire;--there are some, (besides +lavas,) whose component parts, having been previously fused, and in a +melted state, did merely cool, and harden _gradually_. + +And there are others; whose component parts, having been fused, and in a +melted state, and having so become completely liquid; did instantly, by +the operation of the powers of _attraction_, become crystallized. + +And, in like manner; of stones, and of strata of rocks, formed by means +of water;--there are some, which having had their component parts +brought together, in a fluid state; did then merely become gradually +settled; and by the power of attraction, and the mixture of crystalline +particles, were hardened by degrees. + +And there are others: which, having had their component parts, in like +manner, brought together by water, did yet, on account of the peculiar +nature, and more powerful _attraction_ of those parts, _instantly_ +crystallize. + +And both of stones, and of strata of rocks, formed by fire; and of +stones, and of strata of rocks formed by means of water; there are some +such, as have been slowly consolidated by the first kind of operation; +namely by the gradual cooling or settling of the substances; which yet +do contain imbedded in them, crystals formed by the latter kind of +operation. + +Instances of which, we seem to have, in some granites, on the one +hand;--and in some sorts of limestones on the other. + +To this I must add also; that there appear further, to have been some +stones formed _by a sort of precipitation_: much in the same manner as +_Grew_ describes[A] the kernels, and stones of fruit to have been +hardened. + +And I have met with many instances, wherein it appears unquestionably, +that all these kind of processes in nature are going on continually: and +that extraneous substances are actually inclosed, and _continually +inclosing_, which could not be _antediluvian_; but must have been +recent. + +To these short premises, I must beg leave to add; that in two papers +formerly printed in the Philosophical Transactions,[B] I endeavoured, by +some very remarkable instances, to prove, that iron, wherever it comes +into combination with any substances that are tending to consolidation, +_hastens the process exceedingly_;--and also renders the hardness of the +body much greater. + +And I have also endeavoured, elsewhere,[C] to shew, in consequence of +conclusions deduced from experiments of the most unquestionable +authority, that _air_, in its various shapes and modifications, is +indeed _itself_ the great consolidating fluid, out of which solid bodies +are composed; and by means of which the various attractions take place, +which form all the hard bodies, and visible substances upon earth. + +From all these premises then, it was impossible for me not to be led to +conclude; that we have, in this august phaenomenon of the fall of stones +from the clouds, in Tuscany, an obvious proof, as it were before our +eyes, of the combined operation of those very powers, and processes, to +which I have been alluding. + +It is well known; that pyrites, which are composed of iron, and +sulphur, and other adventitious matter, when laid in heaps, and +moistened, will take fire. + +It is also well known, that a mixture of pyrites of almost any kind, +beaten small, and mixed with iron filings and water, when buried in the +ground will take fire; and produce a sort of artificial volcano. And, +surely then, wherever a vast quantity of such kind of matter should at +any time become mixed together, as flying dust, or ashes; and be by any +means condensed together, or compressed, the same effect might be +produced, even in the atmosphere and air. + +Instead, therefore, of having recourse to the supposition, of the cloud +in Tuscany having been produced by any other kind of exhalations from +the earth; we may venture to believe, that an immense cloud of ashes, +mixed with pyritical dust, and with numerous particles of iron, having +been projected from Vesuvius to a most prodigious height, became +afterwards condensed in its descent;--took fire, both of itself, as well +as by means of the electric fluid it contained;--produced many +explosions;--melted the pyritical, and metallic, and argillaceous +particles, of which the ashes were composed;--and, by this means, had a +sudden crystallization, and consolidation of those particles taken +place, which formed the stones of various sizes, that fell to the +ground: _but did not harden the clayey ashes so rapidly as the metallic +particles crystallized_; and, therefore, gave an opportunity for +_impressions to be made_ on the surfaces of some of the stones, as they +fell, by means of the impinging of the others. + +Nor does it appear to me, to be any solid objection to this conclusion, +either that Vesuvius was so far distant; or that the cloud came from the +north. + +For, if we examine Sir William Hamilton's account of the very eruption +in question,[D] we shall find, that he had reason to conclude, that the +_pine-like_ cloud of ashes projected from Vesuvius, at one part of the +time during this eruption, was twenty-five or thirty miles in height; +and, if to this conclusion we add, not only that some ashes actually +were carried to a greater distance than _two hundred miles_;[E] but +that, when any substance is at a vast height in the atmosphere, a very +small variation of the direction of its course, causes a most prodigious +variation in the extent of the range of ground where it shall fall; +(just as the least variation in the angle, at the vertex of an +_isosceles_ triangle, causes a very great alteration in the extent of +its base;) we may easily perceive, not only the possibility, but the +probability, that the ashes in question, projected to so vast an height, +were first carried even beyond _Siena_ in Tuscany, northward; and then +brought back, by a contrary current of wind, in the direction in which +they fell. + +Sir William Hamilton himself formed somewhat this sort of conclusion, on +receiving the first intimation of this shower of stones from the Earl of +Bristol.[F] + +I cannot therefore but allow my own conclusion to carry conviction with +it to my own mind; and to send it forth into the world; as a ground, at +least, for speculation, and reflection, to the minds of others. + +That ashes, and sand, and pyritical and sulphureous dust, mixed with +metallic particles from volcanoes; fit for the instantaneous +crystallization, and consolidation of such bodies as we have been +describing, are often actually floating in the atmosphere, at incredible +distances from volcanoes, and more frequently than the world are at all +aware of, is manifest from several well attested facts. + +On the 26th of December, 1631, Captain _Badily_, being in the Gulph of +Volo, in the Archipelago, riding at anchor, about ten o'clock at night, +it began to rain _sand_ and _ashes_; and continued to do so till two +o'clock the next morning. The ashes lay about two inches thick on the +deck: so that they cast them overboard just as they had done snow the +day before. There was no wind stirring, when the ashes fell: and yet +this extraordinary shower was not confined merely to the place where +_Badily's_ ship was;[G] but, as it appeared afterwards, was extended so +widely to other parts, that ships coming from _St. John d'Acre_ to that +port, being at the distance of _one hundred leagues_ from thence, were +covered with the same sort of ashes. And no possible account could be +given of them, except that they might come from Vesuvius. + +On the 23d of October, 1755, a ship belonging to a merchant of Leith, +bound for Charles Town, in Carolina, being betwixt Shetland and Iceland, +and about twenty-five leagues distant from the former, and therefore +about three hundred miles from the latter, a shower of dust fell in the +night upon the decks.[H] + +In October, 1762, at _Detroit_, in America, was a most surprising +darkness, from day-break till four in the afternoon, during which time +some rain falling, brought down, with the drops, sulphur and dirt; +which rendered white paper black, and when burned fizzed like wet +gunpowder:[I] and whence such matter could originally be brought, +appeared to be past all conjecture, unless it came so far off as from +the volcano in Guadaloupe. + +Condamine says, the ashes of the volcano of _Sangay_, in South America, +sometimes pass over the provinces of Maca, and Quito; and are even +carried as far as Guayaquil.[J] + +And Hooke says,[K] that on occasion of a great explosion from a volcano, +in the island of Ternata, in the East Indies, there followed so great a +darkness, that the inhabitants could not see each other the next day: +and he justly leads us to infer what an immense quantity of ashes must, +by this means, have been showered down somewhere on the sea; because at +_Mindanao_, an hundred miles off, all the land was covered with ashes a +foot thick. + +And now, I must add; that such kind of _falling of stones from the +clouds_, as has been described to have happened in Tuscany, seems to +have happened also in very remote ages, of which we are not without +sufficient testimony; and such as well deserves to be allowed and +considered, on the present occasion; although the knowledge of the facts +was, at first, in days of ignorance and gross darkness, soon perverted +to the very worst purposes. + +In the Acts of the holy Apostles, we read, that the chief magistrate, at +_Ephesus_, begun his harangue to the people, by saying, "Ye men of +Ephesus, _what man is there that knoweth not how that the City of the +Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the_ IMAGE +_which fell down from Jupiter_?" (or rather, as the original Greek has +it) "_of_ THAT _which fell down from Jupiter_?" And the learned +_Greaves_ leads us to conclude this image of Diana to have been nothing +but _a conical, or pyramidal stone_, that fell from the clouds. For he +tells us,[L] on unquestionable authorities, that many others of the +images of heathen deities were merely such. + +Herodian expressly declares,[M] that the Phoenicians had no statue of +the sun, polished by hand, to express an image; but only had a certain +_great stone, circular below, and ending with a sharpness above, in the +figure of a cone, of black colour. And they report it to have fallen +from heaven, and to be the image of the sun_. + +So Tacitus says,[N] that at Cyprus, _the image of Venus was not of human +shape; but a figure rising continually round, from a larger bottom to a +small top, in conical fashion_. And it is to be remarked, that _Maximus +Tyrius_ (who perhaps was a more accurate mathematician,) says, the stone +was _pyramidal_. + +And in Corinth, we are told by _Pausanias_,[O] that the images both of +_Jupiter Melichius_, and of _Diana_, were made (if made at all by hand) +with little or no art. The former being represented by a pyramid, the +latter by a column. + +_Clemens Alexandrinus_ was so well acquainted with these facts, that he +even concludes[P] the worship of such stones to have been the first, and +earliest idolatry, in the world. + +It is hard to conceive how mankind should ever have been led to so +accursed an abomination, as the worship of stocks, and stones, at all: +but, as far as any thing so horrid is to be accounted for, there is no +way so likely of rendering a possible account; as that of concluding, +that some of these pyramidal stones, at least, like the image of +_Diana_, actually did fall, in the earliest ages, from the clouds; in +the same manner as these pyramidal stones fell, in 1794, in Tuscany. + +_Plutarch_, it is well known, mentions[Q] a stone which formerly fell +from the clouds, in _Thrace_, and which _Anaxagoras_ fancied[R] to have +fallen from the sun. + +And it is very remarkable, that the old writer, from whom Plutarch had +his account, described the cloud, from which this stone was said to +fall, in a manner (if we only make some allowance for a little +exaggeration in barbarous ages,) very similar to _Soldani's_ account of +the cloud in Tuscany.--It hovered about for a long time; seemed to throw +out splinters, which flew about, like wandering stars, before they fell; +and at last it cast down to the earth a stone of extraordinary size. + +Pliny,[S] who tells us that not only the remembrance of this event, but +that the stone itself was preserved to his days, says, it was of a dark +burnt colour. And though he does indeed speak of it as being of an +extravagant weight and size, in which circumstance perhaps he was +misled: yet he mentions _another_ of a moderate size, which fell in +_Abydos_, and was become an object of idolatrous worship in that place; +as was still _another_, of the same sort, at _Potidaea_. + +_Livy_, who like _Herodotus_, has been oftentimes censured as too +credulous, and as a relater of falsehoods, for preserving traditions of +_an extraordinary kind_; which, after all, in ages of more enlarged +information, have proved to have been founded in truth; describes[T] a +fall of stones to have happened on mount _Alba_, during the reign of +_Tullus Hostilius_, (that is about 652 years before the Christian aera), +in words that exactly convey an idea of just such a phaenomenon, as this +which has so lately been observed in Tuscany. + +He says, the senate were told, that _lapidibus pluisse_, it had rained +stones. And, when they doubted of the fact; and sent to inquire; they +were assured that stones had actually fallen; and had fallen just as +hail does, which is concreted in a storm.[U] + +He mentions also shortly another shower of stones,[V] A. C. 202, and +still a third,[W] which must have happened about the year 194 before the +Christian aera. + +Such are the records of antient history. And in Holy Writ also a +remembrance of similar events is preserved. + +For when the royal Psalmist says,[X] "_The Lord also thundered out of +heaven, and the Highest gave his thunder: hail-stones_, AND COALS OF +FIRE,"--the latter expression, in consistency with common sense, and +conformably to the right meaning of language, cannot but allude to some +_such_ phaenomenon as we have been describing. And especially, as in the +cautious translation of the seventy, a Greek word is used, which +decidedly means _real hard substances made red hot_; and not mere +appearances of fire or flame. + +Whilst therefore, with the same sacred writer,[Y] we should be led to +consider all these powerful operations, as the works of God; _Who +casteth forth his ice like morsels_;[Z] and should be led to consider +"_fire and hail, snow and vapours, wind and storm as fulfilling his +word_;"[AA] we should also be led to perceive, that the objections to +Holy Writ, founded on a supposed _impossibility_ of the truth of what is +written in the book of _Joshua_,[BB] concerning the stones that fell +from heaven, on the army of the Canaanites; are only founded in +ignorance, and error. + +And much more should we be led to do so; when, to these observations, +and testimonies, concerning showers of hot burning stones, is added the +consideration; that within the short period of our own lives, incredibly +large _real hail-stones_, formed of consolidated ice;--_of ice +consolidated in the atmosphere_, have fallen both in France, and in +England. + +In France, on the 13th of July in the year 1788;--of which it is well +known there has been a printed account: and concerning which it is said, +and has been confirmed, on good authority, that some of the stones +weighed three pounds: whilst others have been said to weigh even five +pounds. + +And in England, on the 20th of October, 1791, in Cornwall. + +Of one of the hail-stones of this latter, minor storm, I have had an +opportunity of obtaining, by the favour of a friend, an exact model in +glass; whereof I now add an engraving. + +This stone fell, with thousands of others of the same kind, near +_Menabilly_, the seat of _Philip Rashleigh_, Esq.; well known for his +science, and attention to whatever is curious; who having great copper +works, and many ingenious miners, and workmen, on his estate, and +directly under his eye; caused it to be instantly picked up: and having +then, himself, first traced both its top, and bottom, upon paper; and +having measured its thickness in every part, with a pair of compasses; +caused a very exact mould to be formed: and afterwards, in that mould, +had this model cast in glass: wherein, also, the appearances of the +imbedded, common, small, roundish hail-stones, are seen transparently; +just as they appeared in the great hail-stone itself originally. + +Fig. 1, is a representation of the flat bottom of the stone. + +Fig. 2, is a representation of the top of the stone. + +And fig. 3, shews the whole solid appearance sideways. + +Whilst Mr. Rashleigh was taking the measures, it melted so fast, that he +could not, in the end, take the _exact weight_, as he fully intended to +have done. But as this model in glass weighs exactly 1 ounce, 16 +pennyweights, 23 grains, we may fairly conclude, that the hail-stone +itself weighed much above half an ounce. + +For it is well known, that the specific gravity of common glass, of +which sort this model is made, is to that of water, as 2.620 to 1.000. +And the specific gravity of common water, is to ice, as 8 to 7.[CC]--And +computing according to this standard, I make the exact weight of the +hail-stone to have been 295 grains. + +From the singular manner in which the small, prior, common hail-stones +appear to have been imbedded in this larger one, whilst they were +falling to the earth; there is reason to be convinced, that it was +formed in the atmosphere, by a sudden extraordinary congelation _almost +instantaneously_, out of rain suddenly condensed, which was mingled with +the common hail. + +And it was very remarkable, that its dissolution, and melting, also, was +much more rapid than that of the common small white hail-stones: as was +the case, in like manner, with the other numerous large ones. + +Perhaps it ought to be here added:--that on the 18th of May, in the year +1680, some hail-stones are recorded to have fallen in London, near +_Gresham college_, which were seen and examined by the celebrated _Dr. +Hooke_; and were some of them not less than two inches over, and others +three inches. + +This which fell in Cornwall was only about one inch and three quarters +long; an inch, or in some parts an inch and a quarter broad; and between +half an inch, and three quarters of an inch thick. And its weight was +near an ounce.--How much more tremendous then were those others, that +have been described as having fallen in France?--the accounts of some of +them may very probably have been exaggerated: but the reality was +nevertheless as wonderful, surely, as any thing related concerning the +ages of antiquity. + +A proneness to credulity is ever blameable. And it is very possible, +that sometimes, in a very wonderful narration, a jest may be intended to +be palmed upon the world, instead of any elucidation of truth.--But +facts, _positively affirmed_, should be hearkened to with patience: and, +at least, so far recorded, as to give an opportunity of verifying +whether similar events do afterwards happen; and of comparing such +events one with another. + +To what has been said, therefore, concerning the fall of stones in +Tuscany, and concerning these strange showers of hail, in France, and in +England, it might perhaps too justly be deemed an unwarrantable +omission, on this occasion, not to mention the very strange fact that +is affirmed to have happened the last year, near _the Wold Cottage_ in +Yorkshire. + +I leave the fact to rest on the support of the testimonies referred to +in the printed paper, which is in so many persons' hands; and that is +given to those who have the curiosity to examine the stone itself, now +exhibiting in London;--and shall only relate the substance of the +account shortly, as it is given to us. + +In the afternoon of the 13th of December, 1795, near the Wold Cottage, +noises were heard in the air, by various persons, like the report of a +pistol; or of guns at a distance at sea; though there was neither any +thunder or lightning at the time:--two distinct concussions of the earth +were said to be perceived:--and an hissing noise, was also affirmed to +be heard by other persons, as of something passing through the air;--and +a labouring man plainly saw (as we are told) that something was so +passing; and beheld a stone, as it seemed, at last, (about ten yards, or +thirty feet, distant from the ground) descending, and striking into the +ground, which flew up all about him: and in falling, sparks of fire, +seemed to fly from it. + +Afterwards he went to the place, in company with others; who had +witnessed part of the phaenomena, and dug the stone up from the place, +where it was buried about twenty-one inches deep. + +It smelt, (as it is said,) very strongly of sulphur, when it was dug up: +and was even warm, and smoked:--it was found to be thirty inches in +length, and twenty-eight and a half inches in breadth. And it weighed +fifty-six pounds. + +Such is the account.--I affirm nothing.--Neither do I pretend either +absolutely to believe: or to disbelieve.--I have not an opportunity to +examine the whole of the evidence.--But it may be examined: and so I +leave it to be. + +This, however, I will say: that _first_ I saw a fragment of this stone; +which had come into the hands of Sir Charles Blagden, from the Duke of +Leeds: and afterwards I saw the stone itself.--That it plainly had a +dark, black crust; with several concave impressions on the outside, +which must have been made before it was quite hardened; just like what +is related concerning the crusts of those stones that fell in +Italy.--That its substance was not _properly_ of a _granite kind_, as +described in the printed paper; but a sort of _grit stone_; composed +(somewhat like the stones said to have fallen in Italy) of sand and +ashes.--That it contained very many particles, obviously of the +appearance of gold, and silver, and iron; (or rather more truly of +_pyrites_).--That there were also several small rusty specks; probably +from decomposed pyrites;--and some striated marks;--that it does not +effervesce with acids;--and that, as far as I have ever seen, or known, +or have been able to obtain any information, no _such_ stone has ever +been found, before this time, in Yorkshire; or in any part of England. +Nor can I easily conceive that such a species of stone could be formed, +by art, to impose upon the public. + +Whether, therefore, it might, or might not, possibly be the effect of +ashes flung out from _Heckla_, and wafted to England; like those flung +out from Vesuvius, and (as I am disposed to believe) wafted to Tuscany, +I have nothing to affirm. + +I wish to be understood to preserve mere records, the full authority for +which, deserves to be investigated more and more. + +Having, nevertheless, gone so far as to say thus much; I ought to add, +that the memorial of such sort of large stones having fallen from the +clouds is still preserved also in Germany. + +For one is recorded to have fallen in _Alsace_, in the midst of a storm +of hail, November 29th, A. D. 1630;[DD] which is said to be preserved in +the great church of _Anxissem_: and to be like a large dark sort of +flint-stone; having its surface operated upon by fire: and to be of very +many pounds weight. + +And another is said to be still preserved at Vienna. + +This last is described by _Abbe Stutz_, Assistant in the Imperial +cabinet of curiosities at Vienna, in a book printed in German, at +_Leipsyc_, in 1790: entitled _Bergbaukimde_ (or _the Science of +Mining_.) + +After describing two other stones, said to have fallen from the clouds: +one in the _Eichstedt_ country in Germany; and another in the _Bechin_ +circle, in Bohemia, in July, 1753; concerning the _real_ falling of +which he had expressed some doubts; he proceeds to describe the falling +of two, (whereof this was one,) not far from _Agram_, the capital of +_Croatia_, in Hungary; which caused him to change his opinion; and to +believe, that the falling of such stones from heaven, was very possible. + +His words, fairly translated,[EE] in the beginning of his narrative, +are, "These accounts put me in mind of a mass of iron, weighing +seventy-one pounds, which was sent to the imperial collection of natural +curiosities: about the origin of which _many mouths have been distorted +with scoffing laughter_. If, in the _Eichstedt_ specimen, the effects of +fire appear _tolerably_ evident; they are, in this, not to be +mistaken.--Its surface is full of spherical impressions, like the mass +of iron, which the celebrated _Pallas_ found on the Jenisei river; +except that here the impressions are larger, and less deep; and it +wants both the yellow glass, which fills up the hollows of the +_Siberian_ iron; and the _sand stone_, which is found in the _Eichstedt_ +specimen; the whole mass being solid, compact, and black, like hammered +iron." + +And his words in the end of the narrative are, + +"There is a great step from the disbelief of tales, to the finding out +the true cause of a phaenomenon which appears wonderful to us. And +probably I should have committed the fault into which we so naturally +fall, respecting things we cannot explain; and have rather denied the +whole history, than have determined to believe any thing _so +incredible_; if various new writings, on electricity, and thunder, had +not fortunately, at that time come into my hands; concerning remarkable +experiments of reviving _metallic calces_ by the electric spark. +Lightning is an electrical stroke on a large scale.--If then the +reduction of iron can be obtained, by the discharge of an electrical +machine; why should not this be accomplished as well, and with much +greater effect by the very powerful discharge of the lightning of the +clouds?" + +The substance of the account of the fall of stones, in Hungary, as given +by him, after the most accurate inquiries, is what I shall now add in +the following abridged detail; and it was verified by _Wolfgang +Kukulyewich, Spiritual vicar of Francis Baron Clobuschiczky, Bishop of +Agram_, who caused seven eye witnesses to be examined, concerning the +actual falling of these stones on the 26th of May, 1751;--which +witnesses were ready to testify all they affirmed, upon oath,--and one +of them was Mr. George Marsich, Curate, as we should call him, of the +parish. + +According to their accounts; about six o'clock, in the afternoon of the +day just mentioned, there was seen towards the east, a kind of fiery +ball; which, after it had burst into two parts, with a great report, +exceeding that of a cannon, fell from the sky, in the form, and +appearance of _two chains_ entangled in one another:--and also with a +loud noise, as of a great number of carriages rolled along. And after +this a black smoke appeared; and a part of the ball seemed to fall in an +arable field of one _Michael Koturnass_; on the fall of which to the +ground a still greater noise was heard; and a shock perceived, something +like an earthquake. + +This piece was afterwards soon dug out of the ground; which had been +particularly noted to be plain and level, and ploughed just before; but +where it was now found to have made a great fissure, or cleft, an ell +wide, whilst it singed the earth on the sides. + +The other piece, which fell in a meadow, was also dug up; and weighed +sixteen pounds. + +And it is fairly observed, that the unadorned manner in which the whole +account from _Agram_ is written; the agreement of the different +witnesses, who had no reason to accord in a lie; and the similarity of +this history to that of the _Eichstedt_ stone; makes it at least very +probable, that there was indeed something real, and worth notice, in the +account. + +The _Eichstedt_ stone (somewhat like that said to have fallen so lately +in Yorkshire) is described as having been composed of ash-grey sand +stone, with fine grains intermixed all through it, partly of real native +iron, and partly of yellowish brown ochre of iron: and as being about as +hard as building stone.--It is said not to effervesce with acids, and +evidently to consist of small particles of siliceous stone and iron.--It +had also a solid malleable coat of native iron, as was supposed, quite +free from sulphur, and about two lines thick; which quite covered its +surface; resembling a blackish glazing. And the whole mass exhibited +evident marks of having been exposed to fire. + +A plain testimony of the falling of this was affirmed to be, produced as +follows; that a labourer, at a brick-kiln, in winter, when the earth was +covered with snow, saw it fall down out of the air immediately after a +violent clap of thunder;--and that he instantly ran up to take it out of +the snow; but found he could not do so, on account of its heat; and was +obliged therefore to wait, to let it cool. That it was about half a foot +in diameter; and was entirely covered with a black coat like iron.[FF] + +And I must now add that there is a record;[GG] that stones, to the +number of some hundreds, did once fall in the neighbourhood of a place +called _Abdua_; which were very large and heavy;--of the colour of rusty +iron;--smooth, and hard;--and of a sulphureous smell:--and which were +observed to fall from a vehement whirlwind; that appeared (like that in +Tuscany) as an atmosphere of fire. + +Here I intended to have concluded all my observations. But a recent +publication, which I knew not of, when these sheets were written, +obliges me to add a few more pages. + +In a very singular tract, published in 1794, at Riga, by Dr. _Chladni_, +concerning the supposed origin of the mass of iron found by Dr. Pallas +in Siberia; which the Tartars still affirm to be _an holy thing_, and, +_to have fallen from heaven_; and concerning what have been supposed, by +him, to be similar phaenomena; some circumstances are also mentioned, +which it would be an unjust omission not to take notice of shortly, on +the present occasion. + +With the author's hypothesis I do not presume to interfere; but surely +his facts, which he affirms in support of his ideas, deserve much +attention; and ought to be inserted, before I conclude these +observations: and the rather, as they were adduced to maintain +conclusions very different from these now offered to the consideration +of the curious. + +On the 21st of May, 1676, a fire ball was seen to come from +Dalmatia,[HH] proceeding over the Adriatic sea; it passed obliquely over +Italy; where an hissing noise was heard; it burst SSW from Leghorn, with +a terrible report; _and the pieces are said to have fallen into the +sea_, with the same sort of noise, as when red hot iron is quenched or +extinguished in water. Its height was computed to be not less than +thirty-eight Italian miles; and it is said to have moved with immense +velocity. Its form was oblong, at least as the luminous appearance +seemed in its passage. + +_Avicenna_ mentions, (Averrhoes, lib. 2do Meteor. cap. 2.) that he had +seen at Cordova, in Spain, a sulphureous stone that had fallen from +heaven. + +In _Spangenberg_'s Chron. Saxon, an account is found, that at Magdeburg, +in A. D. 998, two great stones, fell down in a storm of thunder: one in +the town itself; the other near the Elbe, in the open country. + +The well known, and celebrated _Cardan_, in his book, _De Varietate +Rerum_, lib. 14. cap. 72. tells us, that he himself, in the year 1510, +had seen one hundred and twenty stones fall from heaven; among which +one weighed one hundred and twenty; and another sixty pounds. That they +were mostly of an _iron colour_, and very hard, and smelt of brimstone. +He remarks, moreover, that about three o'clock, a great fire was to be +seen in the heavens; and that about five o'clock the stones fell down +with a rushing noise. + +And _Julius Scaliger_ (in his book _De Subtilitate Exerc._ p. 333.) +affirms, that he had in his possession a piece of iron (as he calls it,) +which had fallen from heaven in _Savoy_. + +_Wolf_ (in _Lection. Memorab._ Tom. II. p. 911.) mentions a great +triangular stone, described by _Sebastian Brandt_, (which seems to have +been the identical stone I have already mentioned as having been +preserved in the church of Anxissem,) and which was said to have fallen +from heaven, in the year 1493, at Ensisheim or Ensheim. + +_Muschenbroek_,[II] speaking of the same stone, says, that the stone was +blackish, weighed about 300lb. and that marks of fire were to be seen +upon it; but apprehended (in which he seems to have been mistaken) that +the date of the fall was 1630. + +_Chladni_ also mentions another instance (from _Nic. Huknanfii_ Hist. +Hungar. lib. 20. fol. 394.) of five stones, said to have fallen from +heaven at _Miscoz_, in Transylvania, in a terrible thunder storm and +commotion of the air, which were as big as a man's head, very heavy, of +a pale yellow, and iron, or rusty colour; and of a strong sulphureous +smell; and that four of them were kept in the treasury room at Vienna. + +He adds, (from _John Binbard_'s Thuring. Chron. p. 193.) that on the +26th of July, 1581, between one and two o'clock in the afternoon, a +stone fell down in _Thuringia_, with a clap of thunder, which made the +earth shake; at which time a small light cloud was to be seen, the sky +being otherwise clear. It weighed 39lb.; was of a blue and brownish +colour. It gave sparks, when struck with a flint, as steel does. It had +sunk five quarters of an ell deep in the ground; so that the soil, at +the time, was struck up to twice a man's height; and the stone itself +was so hot, that no one could bear to touch it. It is said to have been +afterwards carried to Dresden. + +He adds, also, that in the 31st Essay of the Breslau Collections, p. 44, +is found an account by Dr. _Rost_; that on the 22d of June, 1723, about +two o'clock in the afternoon, in the country of Pleskowicz, some miles +from _Reichstadt_, in Bohemia, a small cloud was seen, the sky being +otherwise clear; whereupon, at one place twenty-five, at another eight, +great and small stones fell down, with a loud report, and without any +lightning being perceived. The stones appeared externally black, +internally like a metallic ore, and smelt strongly of brimstone. + +And I shall conclude all _Chladni_'s remarkable facts, in addition to +those which I had myself collected, before ever I heard of his curious +book, with a short summary of what he calls one of the _newest_ accounts +of this kind, extracted from the _Histoire de l'Academie des Sciences_, +1769, p. 20. + +It is an account of three masses, which fell down with thunder, in +provinces very distant from one another; and which were sent to the +Academy in 1769. They were sent from _Maine_, _Artois_, and _Cotentin_: +and it is affirmed, that when they fell an hissing was heard; and that +they were found hot. All three were like one another; all three were of +the same colour, and nearly of the same grain; and small metallic and +pyritical particles could be distinguished in them; and, externally, +all three were covered with an hard ferruginous coat: and, on chemical +investigation, they were found to contain iron, and sulphur.[JJ] + +Considering, then, all these facts so positively affirmed, concerning +these various, most curious phaenomena:--the explosions;--the +sparks;--the lights;--the hissing noises;--the stones seen to fall;--the +stones dug up hot, and even smoking;--and some scorching, and even +burning other bodies in their passage;--we cannot but also bring to +remembrance, what Sir John Pringle affirmed to have been observed; +concerning a fiery meteor, seen on Sunday, the 26th of November, 1758, +in several parts of England and Scotland.[KK] + +That the head, which appeared about half the diameter of the moon, was +of a bright white, like iron when almost in a melting heat;[LL] the +tail, which appeared about 8 deg. in length, was of a duskish red, burst +in the atmosphere, when the head was about 7 deg. above the horizon, and +disappeared; and in the room thereof were seen three bodies like stars, +within the compass of a little more than three degrees from the head, +which also kept descending with the head. + +That before this, in another place, near Ancram in Scotland, (where the +same meteor was seen) one-third of the tail, towards the extremity, +appeared _to break off_, and to separate into sparks, resembling +stars.--That soon after this the body of the meteor had its light +extinguished, with an explosion; but, as it seemed to the observer +there, _the form of the entire figure of the body, quite black, was +seen to go still forwards in the air_.[MM] By some persons, also, an +hissing noise[NN] was apprehended to be heard. + +Whether this might, or might not be an ignited body, of the kind we have +been describing, falling to the earth, deserves consideration. Sir John +Pringle seems to have been convinced that it was really _a solid +substance_; but fairly adds,[OO] that if such meteors had really ever +fallen to the earth, there must have been, long ago, so strong evidence +of the fact, as to leave no room to doubt. + +Perhaps, in the preceding accounts, we have such evidence, _now_ fairly +collected together; at least in a certain degree. + +I take all the facts, just as I find them affirmed. I have preserved a +faithful and an honest record. + +For the sake of possible philosophical use;--let the philosophical, and +curious just preserve these facts in remembrance. + +For the sake of philological advantage;--let the discerning weigh, and +judge. For (if such things be,) what has so often come to pass, +according to what is commonly called _the usual course of nature_; may +most undoubtedly, henceforth, without any hesitating doubts, be believed +to have been brought to pass, on an extraordinary occasion, in a still +more tremendous manner, by the immediate _fiat of the Almighty_. + +Let no man scoff; lest he drives away the means of real +information.--And let all men _watch_, for the increase of science.-- + +The wisdom and power of God are far above not only the first +apprehensions, but even the highest ideas of man. And our truest wisdom, +and best improvement of knowledge, consist in searching out, and in +attending diligently, to what he has actually done: ever bearing in +mind those words of the holy Psalmist.[PP] + +"_The works of The Lord are great: sought out of all them that have +pleasure therein._ + +"_The Lord hath so done his marvellous works, that they ought to be +had in remembrance._" + + + + +POSTSCRIPT. + + +Since these sheets were printed, I have received from Sir Charles +Blagden, a present of one of the very small stones mentioned, p. 7, that +are affirmed to have fallen in Tuscany; and which has very lately been +brought carefully from Italy. + +Its figure plainly indicates, that in the instant of its formation, +there was a strong effort towards crystallization. For it is an +irregular quadrilateral pyramid;--whose base, an imperfect kind of +square, has two of its adjoining sides about six-tenths of an inch long, +each; and the other two, each about five-tenths: whilst two of the +triangular sides of the pyramid, are about six-tenths, on every side of +each triangle, all of which are a little curved: and the other two +triangular sides, are only five-tenths on the sides where these two last +join. + +Its black crust, or coating, is such as has been described in the +preceding pages: and is also remarkable, for the appearance of a sort of +minute chequer work, formed by very fine white lines on the black +surface. + + + + +FOOTNOTES: + + +[A] In his Anatomy of Plants, p. 41-184. + +[B] Vol. LXIII. p. 241--and Vol. LXIX. p. 35. + +[C] In the Morsels of Criticism, p. 103. + +[D] In the Philos. Trans. for 1795, p. 91, 92. + +[E] This is mentioned by Sir William Hamilton himself, p. 105. + +[F] See Philos. Trans. for 1795, p. 104, 105. + +[G] See Lowthorp's Abridgement of the Philos. Trans. Vol. II. p. 143. + +[H] Philos. Trans. Vol. XLIX. p. 510. + +[I] Philos. Trans. Vol. LIII. p. 54. + +[J] Condamine's Journal, p. 57. + +[K] In his Experiments, p. 35. + +[L] Pyramidographia, Vol. I. 89-91. + +[M] Lib. 5. + +[N] Lib. 2. + +[O] In his Corinthiaca. + +[P] Clem. Alex. lib. 1.--Stromatum. + +[Q] In Vita Lysandri. + +[R] Diogenes in Anaxag. + +[S] Historia Nat. lib. 2. cap. 59. + +[T] Lib. 1. Sec. 31. + +[U] Haud aliter quam quum grandinem venti glomeratam in terras agunt, +crebri cecidere coelo lapides. + +[V] Lib. 30. Sec. 28. + +[W] Lib. 34. Sec. 45. + +[X] Psalm 18. v. 13. + +[Y] Psalm 148. v. 8. + +[Z] Psalm 147. v. 17. + +[AA] Psalm 148. v. 8. + +[BB] Joshua, ch. 10. v. 11. + +[CC] Hooke's Experiments, p. 134. + +[DD] Vide Gesner.--and Ans de Boot Hist. Lapidum. + +[EE] For which translation I am obliged to Sir Charles Blagden. + +[FF] This account, from Abbe _Stutz_, and the following from Dr. +_Chladni_, I received, translated from the German, by the favour of Sir +Charles Blagden. + +[GG] Vide Cardan _De Variet_, lib. 14. c. 72. + +[HH] An account of this stone is given by Dr. Halley in the +Philosophical Trans. No. 341. And also there is an account of it by +Montenari. + +[II] Essai de Physique, Tom. II. sect. 1557. + +[JJ] All these facts are to be found mentioned in Chladni's book; first +at p. 8, and then from p. 34 to 37. + +[KK] See the full account in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. LI. +for 1759, p. 218, &c. + +[LL] This is according to the account sent by the Rev. Mr. Michell, +Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge, p. 223. + +[MM] Ib. p. 237, 265, 269. + +[NN] Ib. p. 265. + +[OO] Ib. p. 272. + +[PP] Psalm III. v. 2 and 4. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Remarks Concerning Stones Said to Have +Fallen from the Clouds, Both in These Days, and in Antient Times, by Edward King + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REMARKS CONCERNING STONES *** + +***** This file should be named 29281.txt or 29281.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/2/8/29281/ + +Produced by Meredith Bach and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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