Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1726 edition. Excerpt: ... might have been perform'd by natural Causes, if you'll give the fame Credit to the Testimony of the Heathen Writers on other occasions, as you have done on this. TACITVS tells us of a light Vapour kindled on the Surface of the Earth, (not an Eruption from its Bowels) which must have the fame material Cause with Lightning, that cou'd not be quench'd by Rain, or any other Water, {Ann. xiii. 57.) And how many Examples have we of natural Fires burning in the midst of Water, and increas'd by it, from Pliny (ii. 104,106.) Aristotle, (de mirand. Histor. f. 115 3.) Callimachus, (frag. apidBentleium, p. 335.) But your own Author, D10, /. 174. gives us the most notable Instance of this kind. 'Tis of a Fire burning in the River Anas, and increas'd by Rain; to which he adds several other ridiculous and incredible Circumstances, which betray the great Credulity and Superstition of the Writer. All these Instances I have produc'd, not as parallel Miracles, but as parallel Lyes; which prove thus much at least, that the Authority of Dio deserves Very little Credit on this head, when so many other Writers of far greater Weight and Reputation have ly'd before him upon the fame occasion. I shall pals over an Observation of Seneca, (Mat. Quast. it 26.) which is of greater moment, IJbi valentior ignis (fulminum) quam'.humor est, vincit; which he illustrates by several other parallel Appearances of Nature; the truth of which we have seen confirms in our own Days. But the Instance I chiefly depend on, is a very extraordinary one, full to the purpose, which fell out in the compass of our own Memories, attested beyond all Contradiction, and first publish'd by Dr. Plot, in the Thilofofh. Transact. N clvii. p. 520. 'Tis a relation of a Clap of Thunder, ..."
