Publisher's Synopsis
BY late accounts from Rotterdam, that city seems to be in a high state of philosophicalexcitement. Indeed, phenomena have there occurred of a nature so completelyunexpected-so entirely novel-so utterly at variance with preconceived opinions-as toleave no doubt on my mind that long ere this all Europe is in an uproar, all physics in aferment, all reason and astronomy together by the ears.It appears that on the― day of― (I am not positive about the date), a vast crowd of people, for purposes not specifically mentioned, were assembled in the great square of theExchange in the well-conditioned city of Rotterdam. The day was warm-unusually so forthe season-there was hardly a breath of air stirring; and the multitude were in no badhumor at being now and then besprinkled with friendly showers of momentary duration, that fell from large white masses of cloud which chequered in a fitful manner the blue vaultof the firmament. Nevertheless, about noon, a slight but remarkable agitation becameapparent in the assembly: the clattering of ten thousand tongues succeeded; and, in aninstant afterward, ten thousand faces were upturned toward the heavens, ten thousandpipes descended simultaneously from the corners of ten thousand mouths, and a shout, which could be compared to nothing but the roaring of Niagara, resounded long, loudly, and furiously, through all the environs of Rotter
