The 8th of _September_ 1601 was a very calm day but cloudy: And the _Smyrna_ merchants observe the earthquakes there happen in calm, still weather. The remarkable clearness and calmness of the morning was observed in that of _Oxford_ 17th of _September_ 1683, and the air continued so for five or six days after: Therefore we may infer, that it is not impossible, what has been abundantly related, that some foreigners from _Italy_ here in _England_, some from the _West-Indies_ (in both which countries earthquakes are more frequent than with us) did seem to apprehend our first earthquakes from the apparent temper of the weather; and observations of this kind are as old as _Aristotle_. It is observed in _Jamaica_, when the air is extraordinary calm, an earthquake is always apprehended. We had lately read at the Royal Society, a very curious discourse, from Mr. _Franklin_ of _Philadelphia_, concerning thundergusts, lightning, the northern lights, and meteors. All which he rightly solves from the doctrine of electricity. For, if a cloud raised from the sea, which is a non-electric, happens to touch a cloud raised from exhalations of the land, when electrified, it must immediately cause thunder and lightning. The electrical fire flowing from the touch of perhaps a thousand miles compass of clouds, makes that appearance, which we call lightning. The snap which we hear in our electrical experiments, when re-echoed from cloud to cloud, the extent of the firmament, makes that affrightning sound of thunder. From the same principle I infer, that, if a non-electric cloud discharges its contents upon any part of the earth, when in a high electrified state, an earthquake must necessarily ensue. The ship made upon the contact of many miles compass of solid earth is that horrible uncouth noise, which we hear upon an earthquake; and the shock is the earthquake itself. In the relation received from _Portsmouth_, and the _Isle of Wight_, concerning the last shock there, on the 18th of _March_, the writer observes, the Day was warm and serene; but, upon a gentle shower falling in the evening, the earthquake came. Here we have reason to apprehend the electrified state of the earth, and the touch of the non-electric: which caused the earthquake. The learned Dr. _Childrey_ observes, treating on this subject, that earthquakes happen upon rain; a sudden shower of rain in the time of a great drought.