[50] Ibid.
[51] Philos. Transact. No 202.
A COROLLARY.
It having bin explained in the Beginning of this Discourse, how those Influences of the Heavens, which favour the Returns of Diseases, may likewise raise Winds at the same times; and that We feel the different Effects of These according as other Causes do concurr to the Motion of the Air; it will not be amiss, to shew in one Instance or two, how much Natural History confirms this Reasoning.
There happened on the 26th of November, 1703. a little before Midnight, a most terrible Storm of Wind, the Fury of it is still fresh in every ones Mind, which lasted above six Hours.
It is not to the present purpose to relate its History and Causes; What we observe is, That the Moon was at that time in Perigæo, and just upon the change to New. Upon both which accounts its Action in raising the Atmosphere must be great; And hence indeed the Tides which followed were also very great, and the Mercury in the Barometer, at least, in most places, fell very low.
This Influence was, without all doubt, assisted by some such other Causes of Winds, as we have mentioned; These we can't know, but may however take notice how much the manifest State of the Air contributed to this Calamity.
After a greater quantity of Rains than ordinary had fallen in the Summer and Autumn, in those places where the Storm was felt, the Winter came on much warmer than usual; so that the Liquor in a Thermometer, of which the 84th Degree notes Frost, never fell below the 100th.[52]
Hence we may very well believe, that the Atmosphere was at that time fill'd with Atoms of Salts and Sulphur, out of the Vapours raised by the Heat from the moist Earth, which being variously combined and agitated, gave that deadly force to the Motion of the Air.