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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29281-8.txt b/29281-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7493229 --- /dev/null +++ b/29281-8.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: ISO-8859-1 + +*** 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 phænomenon. + +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 phænomenon 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 phænomenon 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 _Potidæa_. + +_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 æra), +in words that exactly convey an idea of just such a phænomenon, 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 æra. + +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_ phænomenon 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 phænomena, 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 _Abbé 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 phænomenon 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 phænomena; 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'Académie 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 phænomena:--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° in length, was of a duskish red, burst +in the atmosphere, when the head was about 7° 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 Abbé _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 29281-8.txt or 29281-8.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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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: ISO-8859-1 + +*** 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.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<h2>REMARKS</h2> +<h4 style="margin-top: -1em;">CONCERNING</h4> +<h1 style="margin-top: -.75em;">STONES</h1> +<h3 style="margin-top: -1em;">SAID TO HAVE FALLEN FROM THE CLOUDS, BOTH<br /> +IN THESE DAYS,<br /> +AND IN ANTIENT TIMES.</h3> + +<div class="microspace"> </div> +<h3><small>BY</small><br /> +EDWARD KING, ESQ. F. R. S. AND F. A. S.</h3> + +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<div class="microspace"> </div> +<div class="poem"> +Res ubi plurimum proficere, et valere possunt, collocari debent.<br /> +<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 18em;">Cicero de Orat. 37.</span> +</div> + +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<div class="microspace"> </div> +<h3><span class="u">LONDON:</span></h3> +<h4 style="margin-top: -.5em;">PRINTED FOR G. NICOL, BOOKSELLER TO HIS MAJESTY,<br /> +PALL-MALL.<br /> +1796.</h4> + +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<div class="image border2" style="width: 600px; height: 247px;"> +<a name="ifrontis" id="ifrontis"></a><img src="images/ifrontis.jpg" width="600" height="247" alt="F.1. F.3. F.2." title="" /> +<span class="captionl" style="margin-left: 5em;">F.1.</span><span class="captionr" style="margin-right: 5em;">F.2.</span> +<span class="caption">F.3.</span> +</div> +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<div class="minispace"> </div> + + + +<div class="blockquote"><p><i>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.</i></p></div> + +<p><span class="dropcap">H</span><span class="upper">aving</span> received this last winter, from Sir Charles Blagden,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +some very curious <i>manuscript</i> 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 <i>Abbate Ambrose +Soldani</i>, 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 <i>soon</i> 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +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 +phænomenon.</p> + +<p>It may be of some use, and afford satisfaction to several curious +persons, to find the whole here compressed in so small a +compass.</p> + +<p>And, as I shall add my own conclusions without reserve; +because the whole of the phænomenon 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.</p> + +<p>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 <i>similar events</i> having happened, in the early ages of +antiquity.</p> + +<p>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 <i>less</i> velocity +than usual.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> + +<p>And its original height, from a variety of circumstances put +together, seems to have been much above the common region +of the clouds.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Signior <i>Andrew Montauli</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>This curious observer gives an account also, of a stone,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Two ladies being at <i>Cozone</i>, about 20 miles from <i>Siena</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Many others, of a similar kind, were in the possession of different +persons at Siena.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> + +<p>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 <i>Cozone</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>On minute examination, the Professor found the stones were +composed of blackish <i>crystals</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>The conclusion which Professor Soldani evidently forms, is; +<i>that the stones were generated in the air, by a combination of +mineral substances, which had risen somewhere or other</i>, <span class="smcap">as exhalations</span>,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +<i>from the earth</i>: but, as he seems to think, <i>not from</i> +Vesuvius.</p> + +<p>The names of many persons, besides those already referred +to, are mentioned; who were eye witnesses to the fall of the +stones. And several <i>depositions</i> were made, <i>in a regular juridical +manner</i>, to ascertain the truth of the facts.</p> + +<p>The space of ground, within which the stones fell, was from +three to four miles.</p> + +<p>The falling of them, was <i>the very day after</i> the great eruption +of Vesuvius.</p> + +<p>And the distance of the place, from Vesuvius, could not be +less than two hundred miles, and seems to have been more.</p> + +<p>Vesuvius is situated <i>to the south</i> of the spot: and the cloud +came <i>from the north</i>; about thirteen, or at most eighteen hours, +after the eruption.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <i>two</i> very different operations +of those elements, which the wisdom, and omnipotent hand of +God, has ordained, and created.</p> + +<p>The one, by means of fire:—and the other, by means of +water.</p> + +<p>And, of each sort, there are two subdivisions.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + +<p>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 <i>gradually</i>.</p> + +<p>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 <i>attraction</i>, +become crystallized.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <i>attraction</i> +of those parts, <i>instantly</i> crystallize.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Instances of which, we seem to have, in some granites, on +the one hand;—and in some sorts of limestones on the +other.</p> + +<p>To this I must add also; that there appear further, to have +been some stones formed <i>by a sort of precipitation</i>: much in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +same manner as <i>Grew</i> describes<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> the kernels, and stones of +fruit to have been hardened.</p> + +<p>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 <i>continually inclosing</i>, which could not be +<i>antediluvian</i>; but must have been recent.</p> + +<p>To these short premises, I must beg leave to add; that in +two papers formerly printed in the Philosophical Transactions,<a name="FNanchor_B_2" id="FNanchor_B_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_2" class="fnanchor">[B]</a> +I endeavoured, by some very remarkable instances, to +prove, that iron, wherever it comes into combination with +any substances that are tending to consolidation, <i>hastens the +process exceedingly</i>;—and also renders the hardness of the body +much greater.</p> + +<p>And I have also endeavoured, elsewhere,<a name="FNanchor_C_3" id="FNanchor_C_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_C_3" class="fnanchor">[C]</a> to shew, in consequence +of conclusions deduced from experiments of the most +unquestionable authority, that <i>air</i>, in its various shapes and +modifications, is indeed <i>itself</i> 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.</p> + +<p>From all these premises then, it was impossible for me not +to be led to conclude; that we have, in this august phænomenon +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.</p> + +<p>It is well known; that pyrites, which are composed of iron, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span>and sulphur, and other adventitious matter, when laid in +heaps, and moistened, will take fire.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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: <i>but did not harden the clayey +ashes so rapidly as the metallic particles crystallized</i>; and, +therefore, gave an opportunity for <i>impressions to be made</i> on +the surfaces of some of the stones, as they fell, by means of +the impinging of the others.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> + +<p>For, if we examine Sir William Hamilton's account of the +very eruption in question,<a name="FNanchor_D_4" id="FNanchor_D_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_D_4" class="fnanchor">[D]</a> we shall find, that he had reason +to conclude, that the <i>pine-like</i> 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 <i>two hundred miles</i>;<a name="FNanchor_E_5" id="FNanchor_E_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_E_5" class="fnanchor">[E]</a> 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 <i>isosceles</i> 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 <i>Siena</i> in Tuscany, northward; and then brought +back, by a contrary current of wind, in the direction in which +they fell.</p> + +<p>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.<a name="FNanchor_F_6" id="FNanchor_F_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_F_6" class="fnanchor">[F]</a></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>That ashes, and sand, and pyritical and sulphureous dust, +mixed with metallic particles from volcanoes; fit for the in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span>stantaneous +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.</p> + +<p>On the 26th of December, 1631, Captain <i>Badily</i>, being in +the Gulph of Volo, in the Archipelago, riding at anchor, about +ten o'clock at night, it began to rain <i>sand</i> and <i>ashes</i>; 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 +<i>Badily's</i> ship was;<a name="FNanchor_G_7" id="FNanchor_G_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_G_7" class="fnanchor">[G]</a> but, as it appeared afterwards, was extended +so widely to other parts, that ships coming from <i>St. +John d'Acre</i> to that port, being at the distance of <i>one hundred +leagues</i> 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.</p> + +<p>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.<a name="FNanchor_H_8" id="FNanchor_H_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_H_8" class="fnanchor">[H]</a></p> + +<p>In October, 1762, at <i>Detroit</i>, 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 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span>drops, sulphur and dirt; which rendered white paper black, +and when burned fizzed like wet gunpowder:<a name="FNanchor_I_9" id="FNanchor_I_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_I_9" class="fnanchor">[I]</a> 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.</p> + +<p>Condamine says, the ashes of the volcano of <i>Sangay</i>, in +South America, sometimes pass over the provinces of Maca, +and Quito; and are even carried as far as Guayaquil.<a name="FNanchor_J_10" id="FNanchor_J_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_J_10" class="fnanchor">[J]</a></p> + +<p>And Hooke says,<a name="FNanchor_K_11" id="FNanchor_K_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_K_11" class="fnanchor">[K]</a> 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 <i>Mindanao</i>, +an hundred miles off, all the land was covered with +ashes a foot thick.</p> + +<p>And now, I must add; that such kind of <i>falling of stones +from the clouds</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>In the Acts of the holy Apostles, we read, that the chief magistrate, +at <i>Ephesus</i>, begun his harangue to the people, by +saying, "Ye men of Ephesus, <i>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</i> <span class="smcap">image</span> <i>which fell down from +Jupiter</i>?" (or rather, as the original Greek has it) "<i>of</i> <span class="smcap">that</span><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +<i>which fell down from Jupiter</i>?" And the learned <i>Greaves</i> +leads us to conclude this image of Diana to have been nothing +but <i>a conical, or pyramidal stone</i>, that fell from the clouds. For +he tells us,<a name="FNanchor_L_12" id="FNanchor_L_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_L_12" class="fnanchor">[L]</a> on unquestionable authorities, that many others +of the images of heathen deities were merely such.</p> + +<p>Herodian expressly declares,<a name="FNanchor_M_13" id="FNanchor_M_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_M_13" class="fnanchor">[M]</a> that the Phœ]nicians had no +statue of the sun, polished by hand, to express an image; but +only had a certain <i>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</i>.</p> + +<p>So Tacitus says,<a name="FNanchor_N_14" id="FNanchor_N_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_N_14" class="fnanchor">[N]</a> that at Cyprus, <i>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</i>. And it is to +be remarked, that <i>Maximus Tyrius</i> (who perhaps was a more +accurate mathematician,) says, the stone was <i>pyramidal</i>.</p> + +<p>And in Corinth, we are told by <i>Pausanias</i>,<a name="FNanchor_O_15" id="FNanchor_O_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_O_15" class="fnanchor">[O]</a> that the images +both of <i>Jupiter Melichius</i>, and of <i>Diana</i>, 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.</p> + +<p><i>Clemens Alexandrinus</i> was so well acquainted with these +facts, that he even concludes<a name="FNanchor_P_16" id="FNanchor_P_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_P_16" class="fnanchor">[P]</a> the worship of such stones to +have been the first, and earliest idolatry, in the world.</p> + +<p>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 ac<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span>counted +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 <i>Diana</i>, actually did fall, in +the earliest ages, from the clouds; in the same manner as +these pyramidal stones fell, in 1794, in Tuscany.</p> + +<p><i>Plutarch</i>, it is well known, mentions<a name="FNanchor_Q_17" id="FNanchor_Q_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_Q_17" class="fnanchor">[Q]</a> a stone which formerly +fell from the clouds, in <i>Thrace</i>, and which <i>Anaxagoras</i> +fancied<a name="FNanchor_R_18" id="FNanchor_R_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_R_18" class="fnanchor">[R]</a> to have fallen from the sun.</p> + +<p>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 <i>Soldani's</i> 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.</p> + +<p>Pliny,<a name="FNanchor_S_19" id="FNanchor_S_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_S_19" class="fnanchor">[S]</a> 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 +<i>another</i> of a moderate size, which fell in <i>Abydos</i>, and was become +an object of idolatrous worship in that place; as was +still <i>another</i>, of the same sort, at <i>Potidæa</i>.</p> + +<p><i>Livy</i>, who like <i>Herodotus</i>, has been oftentimes censured as +too credulous, and as a relater of falsehoods, for preserving traditions +of <i>an extraordinary kind</i>; which, after all, in ages of +more enlarged information, have proved to have been founded +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span>in truth; describes<a name="FNanchor_T_20" id="FNanchor_T_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_T_20" class="fnanchor">[T]</a> a fall of stones to have happened on +mount <i>Alba</i>, during the reign of <i>Tullus Hostilius</i>, (that is +about 652 years before the Christian æra), in words that exactly +convey an idea of just such a phænomenon, as this which +has so lately been observed in Tuscany.</p> + +<p>He says, the senate were told, that <i>lapidibus pluisse</i>, 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.<a name="FNanchor_U_21" id="FNanchor_U_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_U_21" class="fnanchor">[U]</a></p> + +<p>He mentions also shortly another shower of stones,<a name="FNanchor_V_22" id="FNanchor_V_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_V_22" class="fnanchor">[V]</a> A. C. +202, and still a third,<a name="FNanchor_W_23" id="FNanchor_W_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_W_23" class="fnanchor">[W]</a> which must have happened about the +year 194 before the Christian æra.</p> + +<p>Such are the records of antient history. And in Holy Writ +also a remembrance of similar events is preserved.</p> + +<p>For when the royal Psalmist says,<a name="FNanchor_X_24" id="FNanchor_X_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_X_24" class="fnanchor">[X]</a> "<i>The Lord also thundered +out of heaven, and the Highest gave his thunder: hail-stones</i>, +<span class="smcap">and coals of fire</span>,"—the latter expression, in consistency +with common sense, and conformably to the right +meaning of language, cannot but allude to some <i>such</i> phænomenon +as we have been describing. And especially, as in the +cautious translation of the seventy, a Greek word is used, +which decidedly means <i>real hard substances made red hot</i>; and +not mere appearances of fire or flame.</p> + +<p>Whilst therefore, with the same sacred writer,<a name="FNanchor_Y_25" id="FNanchor_Y_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_Y_25" class="fnanchor">[Y]</a> we should +be led to consider all these powerful operations, as the works +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span>of God; <i>Who casteth forth his ice like morsels</i>;<a name="FNanchor_Z_26" id="FNanchor_Z_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_Z_26" class="fnanchor">[Z]</a> and should be +led to consider "<i>fire and hail, snow and vapours, wind and storm +as fulfilling his word</i>;"<a name="FNanchor_AA_27" id="FNanchor_AA_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_AA_27" class="fnanchor">[AA]</a> we should also be led to perceive, that +the objections to Holy Writ, founded on a supposed <i>impossibility</i> +of the truth of what is written in the book of <i>Joshua</i>,<a name="FNanchor_BB_28" id="FNanchor_BB_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_BB_28" class="fnanchor">[BB]</a> +concerning the stones that fell from heaven, on the army of +the Canaanites; are only founded in ignorance, and error.</p> + +<p>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 <i>real hail-stones</i>, formed +of consolidated ice;—<i>of ice consolidated in the atmosphere</i>, +have fallen both in France, and in England.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>And in England, on the 20th of October, 1791, in Cornwall.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>This stone fell, with thousands of others of the same kind, +near <i>Menabilly</i>, the seat of <i>Philip Rashleigh</i>, 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 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p><a href="#ifrontis">Fig. 1,</a> is a representation of the flat bottom of the stone.</p> + +<p>Fig. 2, is a representation of the top of the stone.</p> + +<p>And fig. 3, shews the whole solid appearance sideways.</p> + +<p>Whilst Mr. Rashleigh was taking the measures, it melted +so fast, that he could not, in the end, take the <i>exact weight</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>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.<a name="FNanchor_CC_29" id="FNanchor_CC_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_CC_29" class="fnanchor">[CC]</a>—And computing according to this standard, +I make the exact weight of the hail-stone to have been +295 grains.</p> + +<p>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 <i>almost instantaneously</i>, out of rain +suddenly condensed, which was mingled with the common hail.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <i>Gresham college</i>, which were seen and +examined by the celebrated <i>Dr. Hooke</i>; and were some of +them not less than two inches over, and others three inches.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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, <i>positively affirmed</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +the very strange fact that is affirmed to have happened the last +year, near <i>the Wold Cottage</i> in Yorkshire.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Afterwards he went to the place, in company with others; +who had witnessed part of the phænomena, and dug the stone +up from the place, where it was buried about twenty-one +inches deep.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Such is the account.—I affirm nothing.—Neither do I pretend +either absolutely to believe: or to disbelieve.—I have not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +an opportunity to examine the whole of the evidence.—But it +may be examined: and so I leave it to be.</p> + +<p>This, however, I will say: that <i>first</i> 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 <i>properly</i> of a <i>granite kind</i>, as described in the printed paper; +but a sort of <i>grit stone</i>; 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 <i>pyrites</i>).—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 <i>such</i> +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.</p> + +<p>Whether, therefore, it might, or might not, possibly be the +effect of ashes flung out from <i>Heckla</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>I wish to be understood to preserve mere records, the full authority +for which, deserves to be investigated more and more.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> + +<p>For one is recorded to have fallen in <i>Alsace</i>, in the midst of a +storm of hail, November 29th, A. D. 1630;<a name="FNanchor_DD_30" id="FNanchor_DD_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_DD_30" class="fnanchor">[DD]</a> which is said to +be preserved in the great church of <i>Anxissem</i>: 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.</p> + +<p>And another is said to be still preserved at Vienna.</p> + +<p>This last is described by <i>Abbé Stutz</i>, Assistant in the Imperial +cabinet of curiosities at Vienna, in a book printed in German, +at <i>Leipsyc</i>, in 1790: entitled <i>Bergbaukimde</i> (or <i>the Science of +Mining</i>.)</p> + +<p>After describing two other stones, said to have fallen from +the clouds: one in the <i>Eichstedt</i> country in Germany; and +another in the <i>Bechin</i> circle, in Bohemia, in July, 1753; concerning +the <i>real</i> falling of which he had expressed some +doubts; he proceeds to describe the falling of two, (whereof +this was one,) not far from <i>Agram</i>, the capital of <i>Croatia</i>, in +Hungary; which caused him to change his opinion; and to +believe, that the falling of such stones from heaven, was very +possible.</p> + +<p>His words, fairly translated,<a name="FNanchor_EE_31" id="FNanchor_EE_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_EE_31" class="fnanchor">[EE]</a> 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 <i>many mouths have been distorted with scoffing laughter</i>. +If, in the <i>Eichstedt</i> specimen, the effects of fire appear <i>tolerably</i> +evident; they are, in this, not to be mistaken.—Its +surface is full of spherical impressions, like the mass of iron, +which the celebrated <i>Pallas</i> found on the Jenisei river; except +that here the impressions are larger, and less deep; and it +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span>wants both the yellow glass, which fills up the hollows of the +<i>Siberian</i> iron; and the <i>sand stone</i>, which is found in the +<i>Eichstedt</i> specimen; the whole mass being solid, compact, and +black, like hammered iron."</p> + +<p>And his words in the end of the narrative are,</p> + +<p>"There is a great step from the disbelief of tales, to the +finding out the true cause of a phænomenon 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 <i>so incredible</i>; if +various new writings, on electricity, and thunder, had not +fortunately, at that time come into my hands; concerning +remarkable experiments of reviving <i>metallic calces</i> 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?"</p> + +<p>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 <i>Wolfgang Kukulyewich, Spiritual vicar of Francis +Baron Clobuschiczky, Bishop of Agram</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>According to their accounts; about six o'clock, in the afternoon +of the day just mentioned, there was seen towards the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +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 <i>two chains</i> 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 <i>Michael Koturnass</i>; on the fall of which to +the ground a still greater noise was heard; and a shock perceived, +something like an earthquake.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The other piece, which fell in a meadow, was also dug up; +and weighed sixteen pounds.</p> + +<p>And it is fairly observed, that the unadorned manner in which +the whole account from <i>Agram</i> 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 <i>Eichstedt</i> stone; +makes it at least very probable, that there was indeed something +real, and worth notice, in the account.</p> + +<p>The <i>Eichstedt</i> 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.<a name="FNanchor_FF_32" id="FNanchor_FF_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_FF_32" class="fnanchor">[FF]</a></p> + +<p>And I must now add that there is a record;<a name="FNanchor_GG_33" id="FNanchor_GG_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_GG_33" class="fnanchor">[GG]</a> that stones, to +the number of some hundreds, did once fall in the neighbourhood +of a place called <i>Abdua</i>; 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>In a very singular tract, published in 1794, at Riga, by Dr. +<i>Chladni</i>, concerning the supposed origin of the mass of iron +found by Dr. Pallas in Siberia; which the Tartars still affirm +to be <i>an holy thing</i>, and, <i>to have fallen from heaven</i>; and concerning +what have been supposed, by him, to be similar phænomena; +some circumstances are also mentioned, which it +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span>would be an unjust omission not to take notice of shortly, on +the present occasion.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>On the 21st of May, 1676, a fire ball was seen to come from +Dalmatia,<a name="FNanchor_HH_34" id="FNanchor_HH_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_HH_34" class="fnanchor">[HH]</a> 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; <i>and the pieces are +said to have fallen into the sea</i>, 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.</p> + +<p><i>Avicenna</i> mentions, (Averrhoes, lib. 2do Meteor. cap. 2.) +that he had seen at Cordova, in Spain, a sulphureous stone that +had fallen from heaven.</p> + +<p>In <i>Spangenberg</i>'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.</p> + +<p>The well known, and celebrated <i>Cardan</i>, in his book, <i>De Varietate +Rerum</i>, lib. 14. cap. 72. tells us, that he himself, in +the year 1510, had seen one hundred and twenty stones fall +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span>from heaven; among which one weighed one hundred and +twenty; and another sixty pounds. That they were mostly +of an <i>iron colour</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>And <i>Julius Scaliger</i> (in his book <i>De Subtilitate Exerc.</i> p. +333.) affirms, that he had in his possession a piece of iron (as +he calls it,) which had fallen from heaven in <i>Savoy</i>.</p> + +<p><i>Wolf</i> (in <i>Lection. Memorab.</i> Tom. II. p. 911.) mentions a +great triangular stone, described by <i>Sebastian Brandt</i>, (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.</p> + +<p><i>Muschenbroek</i>,<a name="FNanchor_II_35" id="FNanchor_II_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_II_35" class="fnanchor">[II]</a> 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.</p> + +<p><i>Chladni</i> also mentions another instance (from <i>Nic. Huknanfii</i> +Hist. Hungar. lib. 20. fol. 394.) of five stones, said to have +fallen from heaven at <i>Miscoz</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>He adds, (from <i>John Binbard</i>'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 <i>Thuringia</i>, with a clap +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>He adds, also, that in the 31st Essay of the Breslau Collections, +p. 44, is found an account by Dr. <i>Rost</i>; that on the 22d +of June, 1723, about two o'clock in the afternoon, in the +country of Pleskowicz, some miles from <i>Reichstadt</i>, 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.</p> + +<p>And I shall conclude all <i>Chladni</i>'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 <i>newest</i> accounts of this kind, extracted from +the <i>Histoire de l'Académie des Sciences</i>, 1769, p. 20.</p> + +<p>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 +<i>Maine</i>, <i>Artois</i>, and <i>Cotentin</i>: 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +three were covered with an hard ferruginous coat: and, on chemical +investigation, they were found to contain iron, and sulphur.<a name="FNanchor_JJ_36" id="FNanchor_JJ_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_JJ_36" class="fnanchor">[JJ]</a></p> + +<p>Considering, then, all these facts so positively affirmed, concerning +these various, most curious phænomena:—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.<a name="FNanchor_KK_37" id="FNanchor_KK_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_KK_37" class="fnanchor">[KK]</a></p> + +<p>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;<a name="FNanchor_LL_38" id="FNanchor_LL_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_LL_38" class="fnanchor">[LL]</a> the tail, which appeared about 8° in length, +was of a duskish red, burst in the atmosphere, when the head +was about 7° 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.</p> + +<p>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 <i>to break off</i>, 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, <i>the form of the entire +figure of the body, quite black, was seen to go still forwards in +the air</i>.<a name="FNanchor_MM_39" id="FNanchor_MM_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_MM_39" class="fnanchor">[MM]</a> <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +By some persons, also, an hissing noise<a name="FNanchor_NN_40" id="FNanchor_NN_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_NN_40" class="fnanchor">[NN]</a> was apprehended +to be heard.</p> + +<p>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 <i>a solid substance</i>; but fairly adds,<a name="FNanchor_OO_41" id="FNanchor_OO_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_OO_41" class="fnanchor">[OO]</a> +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.</p> + +<p>Perhaps, in the preceding accounts, we have such evidence, +<i>now</i> fairly collected together; at least in a certain degree.</p> + +<p>I take all the facts, just as I find them affirmed. I have +preserved a faithful and an honest record.</p> + +<p>For the sake of possible philosophical use;—let the philosophical, +and curious just preserve these facts in remembrance.</p> + +<p>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 <i>the usual +course of nature</i>; 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 <i>fiat of the Almighty</i>.</p> + +<p>Let no man scoff; lest he drives away the means of real information.—And +let all men <i>watch</i>, for the increase of science.—</p> + +<p>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, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span>to what he has actually done: ever bearing in mind those +words of the holy Psalmist.<a name="FNanchor_PP_42" id="FNanchor_PP_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_PP_42" class="fnanchor">[PP]</a></p> + +<p>"<i>The works of The Lord are great: sought out of all them +that have pleasure therein.</i></p> + +<p>"<i>The Lord hath so done his marvellous works, that they ought +to be had in remembrance.</i>"</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>POSTSCRIPT.</h2> + +<p style="margin-top: 2em;">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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + + + +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<div class="minispace"> </div> +<div class="border"> +<h2>FOOTNOTES:</h2> +<br /> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> In his Anatomy of Plants, p. 41-184.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B_2" id="Footnote_B_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_2"><span class="label">[B]</span></a> Vol. LXIII. p. 241—and Vol. +LXIX. p. 35.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C_3" id="Footnote_C_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C_3"><span class="label">[C]</span></a> In the Morsels of Criticism, p. 103.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_D_4" id="Footnote_D_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_D_4"><span class="label">[D]</span></a> In the Philos. Trans. for 1795, p. 91, 92.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_E_5" id="Footnote_E_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_E_5"><span class="label">[E]</span></a> This is mentioned by Sir William Hamilton himself, p. 105.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_F_6" id="Footnote_F_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_F_6"><span class="label">[F]</span></a> See Philos. Trans. for 1795, p. 104, 105.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_G_7" id="Footnote_G_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_G_7"><span class="label">[G]</span></a> See Lowthorp's Abridgement of the Philos. Trans. Vol. II. p. 143.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_H_8" id="Footnote_H_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_H_8"><span class="label">[H]</span></a> Philos. Trans. Vol. XLIX. p. 510.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_I_9" id="Footnote_I_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_I_9"><span class="label">[I]</span></a> Philos. Trans. Vol. LIII. p. 54.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_J_10" id="Footnote_J_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_J_10"><span class="label">[J]</span></a> Condamine's Journal, p. 57.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_K_11" id="Footnote_K_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_K_11"><span class="label">[K]</span></a> In his Experiments, p. 35.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_L_12" id="Footnote_L_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_L_12"><span class="label">[L]</span></a> Pyramidographia, Vol. I. 89-91.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_M_13" id="Footnote_M_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_M_13"><span class="label">[M]</span></a> Lib. 5.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_N_14" id="Footnote_N_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_N_14"><span class="label">[N]</span></a> Lib. 2.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_O_15" id="Footnote_O_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_O_15"><span class="label">[O]</span></a> In his Corinthiaca.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_P_16" id="Footnote_P_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_P_16"><span class="label">[P]</span></a> Clem. Alex. lib. 1.—Stromatum.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_Q_17" id="Footnote_Q_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_Q_17"><span class="label">[Q]</span></a> In Vita Lysandri.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_R_18" id="Footnote_R_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_R_18"><span class="label">[R]</span></a> Diogenes in Anaxag.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_S_19" id="Footnote_S_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_S_19"><span class="label">[S]</span></a> Historia Nat. lib. 2. cap. 59.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_T_20" id="Footnote_T_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_T_20"><span class="label">[T]</span></a> Lib. 1. Sec. 31.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_U_21" id="Footnote_U_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_U_21"><span class="label">[U]</span></a> Haud aliter quam quum grandinem venti +glomeratam in terras agunt, crebri cecidere cœlo lapides.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_V_22" id="Footnote_V_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_V_22"><span class="label">[V]</span></a> Lib. 30. Sec. 28.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_W_23" id="Footnote_W_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_W_23"><span class="label">[W]</span></a> Lib. 34. Sec. 45.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_X_24" id="Footnote_X_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_X_24"><span class="label">[X]</span></a> Psalm 18. v. 13.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_Y_25" id="Footnote_Y_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_Y_25"><span class="label">[Y]</span></a> Psalm 148. v. 8.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_Z_26" id="Footnote_Z_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_Z_26"><span class="label">[Z]</span></a> Psalm 147. v. 17.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_AA_27" id="Footnote_AA_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_AA_27"><span class="label">[AA]</span></a> Psalm 148. v. 8.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_BB_28" id="Footnote_BB_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_BB_28"><span class="label">[BB]</span></a> Joshua, ch. 10. v. 11.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_CC_29" id="Footnote_CC_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_CC_29"><span class="label">[CC]</span></a> Hooke's Experiments, p. 134.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_DD_30" id="Footnote_DD_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_DD_30"><span class="label">[DD]</span></a> Vide Gesner.—and Ans de Boot Hist. Lapidum.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_EE_31" id="Footnote_EE_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_EE_31"><span class="label">[EE]</span></a> For which translation I am obliged to Sir Charles Blagden.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_FF_32" id="Footnote_FF_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_FF_32"><span class="label">[FF]</span></a> This account, from Abbé <i>Stutz</i>, and the following from Dr. <i>Chladni</i>, I received, +translated from the German, by the favour of Sir Charles Blagden.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_GG_33" id="Footnote_GG_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_GG_33"><span class="label">[GG]</span></a> Vide Cardan <i>De Variet</i>, lib. 14. c. 72.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_HH_34" id="Footnote_HH_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_HH_34"><span class="label">[HH]</span></a> 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.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_II_35" id="Footnote_II_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_II_35"><span class="label">[II]</span></a> Essai de Physique, Tom. II. sect. 1557.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_JJ_36" id="Footnote_JJ_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_JJ_36"><span class="label">[JJ]</span></a> All these facts are to be found mentioned in Chladni's book; first at p. 8, and +then from p. 34 to 37.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_KK_37" id="Footnote_KK_37"></a><a href="#FNanchor_KK_37"><span class="label">[KK]</span></a> See the full account in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. LI. for 1759, p. 218, &c.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_LL_38" id="Footnote_LL_38"></a><a href="#FNanchor_LL_38"><span class="label">[LL]</span></a> This is according to the account sent by the Rev. Mr. Michell, Fellow of Queen's +College, Cambridge, p. 223.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_MM_39" id="Footnote_MM_39"></a><a href="#FNanchor_MM_39"><span class="label">[MM]</span></a> Ib. p. 237, 265, 269.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_NN_40" id="Footnote_NN_40"></a><a href="#FNanchor_NN_40"><span class="label">[NN]</span></a> Ib. p. 265.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_OO_41" id="Footnote_OO_41"></a><a href="#FNanchor_OO_41"><span class="label">[OO]</span></a> Ib. p. 272.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_PP_42" id="Footnote_PP_42"></a><a href="#FNanchor_PP_42"><span class="label">[PP]</span></a> Psalm III. v. 2 and 4.</p></div> +</div> +<div class="minispace"> </div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +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-h.htm or 29281-h.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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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/29281-h/images/ifrontis.jpg b/29281-h/images/ifrontis.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..843edbf --- /dev/null +++ b/29281-h/images/ifrontis.jpg 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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