A Letter from John Fuller, Esq; jun. F. R. S. to Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. Late President of the Royal Society, concerning the Same Meteor, in Sussex

to drop, there arose a Smoke which continued ascending for 20 Minutes (as another Gentleman and I observed by our Watches); and at length formed into a Cloud, which assumed different Colours. XXXIII. A Letter from John Fuller, Esq; jun. F.R.S. to Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. late President of the Royal Society, concerning the same Meteor, in Sussex. Honoured SIR, Yesterday in the Afternoon, between Twelve and One o’Clock, all this Part of the Country was alarmed with a most terrible Clap of Thunder, as it is generally imagined. The Sound came from the North, where the Weather appeared very black and dark all the Morning. The Sound was double, as if Two very large Cannons had been discharged at the Distance of about a Second from one another: Most People thought, just at the first hearing, that it was the Discharge of Cannons, till by the rolling and echoing of the Sound afterwards, they were convinced it was not. Our Neighbours thought some Powder-mills had been blown up; and I look upon them to be no bad Judges in such kind of Blasts, having been more than once alarmed with them, by the Powder-mills in the Neighbourhood. I have it by Report, that a Countryman, at Work in the Fields about Seven Miles North of us, saw a Flash of Lightning Before he heard the Noise, but I cannot answer for the Truth of it: It is very easy to imagine, that Fancy and Fear in in a poor Countryman upon such an uncommon Occasion, might conjure up the Idea of Lightning. If it was Thunder and Lightning, the Effects of it must be very terrible somewhere; for it gave the same Report, and shook all the Houses just in the same Manner, that were above 20 Miles distant from one another North and South; which I think is an Argument, that it was more general than Thunder can possibly be. I should be glad to know whether or no it was perceived in London. I am, Honoured SIR, Rosehill, Dec. 12. 1741. Your most dutifull Grandson. J. Fuller. XXXIV. A Letter from the Reverend Mr. William Gosling, Minor Canon of the Cathedral Church of Canterbury, to Mr. Peter Collinson, F.R.S. concerning the same Meteor, in Kent. Canterbury, Sunday, Dec. 13. 1741. Dear SIR, On Friday last the 11th Instant, about One in the Afternoon, I found my House violently shaken for some Seconds of Time, as if several loaded Carriages had been driving against my Walls; and heard a Noise, which at first my Family took for Thunder, but of an uncommon Sound. For my own part, (as I thought Thunder which would shake