The Description of an Aurora Borealis Mention'd in the Foregoing Letter

IV. The Description of an Aurora Borealis mention'd in the foregoing Letter. My LORD, About Seven 'o Clock at Night I was told that the Meteor call'd by our Sailors, Merry Dancers, was visible, and very bright. Having seen several before, but had no opportunity of being particular in my Observation, I went out into the open Air, clear of Houses, that I might have a better view all round the Horizon; from whose Northern part arose several Streams of Light, as if from behind a black Cloud. They were very many, and I believe, there was no possibility of numbering them, their Motion being so quick, shooting upwards to the Zenith with a Motion not be follow'd by the Eye. They had also another Motion which seemed to be side-ways, their higher Ends terminating sometimes in a sharp Point, sometimes in two or three Points; they appeared from the North-West to North-East; but were brightest in the North. Their Colour was pale like that of Jupiter through a Telescope, but not near so bright. Most of 'em reach'd the Zenith, where mixing with one another, they whisk'd round and form'd an Appearance like the curling Flame of a Glass-House-Fire; they had a very irregular Motion, sometimes turning inwards, sometimes outwards, like the Pendulum-Spring of a Watch. This circular Light was the brightest, and seem'd to occupy near ten Degrees of the highest part of the Hemisphere: Several Strokes of Light seem'd to dart from it to the South; but but died before they got any considerable distance. In the West, I saw two small long Clouds, which interposed betwixt me and the light Streams; which I saw a- bove the Clouds, and betwixt them, which convinc'd me that this Light (whatever it be) is far above them. I have drawn a Scheme of the whole Horizon, as it appear'd to me. (See the Figure.) That bright Star is Jupiter, whose Place then was 17° in Aries, and was about South-West, I guess about 20° high. Some of the brightest Stars in Taurus, Orion, and Aries ap- pear'd South and South East; but I have not placed those but by guess. In this state I left it: But was told by one that saw it after Ten o' Clock, that the whirling Light in the Zenith appeared of several Co- lours, as, blue, green, yellow, and reddish. But that I did not see. I am, &c. V. A Letter from the Reverend Mr. Edmund Barrel, Rector of Sutton near Dartford in Kent, to Sir Hans Sloane, Baronet, concern- ing a Shock of an Earthquake felt in that Neighbourhood, &c. SIR, Sutton, Aug. 11th, 1727. I had an Information brought to me Yesterday, on purpose to be communicated to your Society; 'twas, that the Earthquake was felt very sensibly at a Farm on a Hill called Skeat-Hill, which is at the West End of Lullingstone-Park, belonging to Percival Hart, Esq;