Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman at Southampton to Josiah Colebrooke, Apothecary, F. R. S. of the Shocks Felt in Those Parts, March 18 and 19. 1749-50

XXX. Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman at Southampton to Josiah Colebrooke, Apothecary, F. R. S. of the Shocks felt in those Parts, March 18 and 19. 1749-50. March 19, 1749. Read March 29, 1750. We have had nothing of an Earthquake in these Parts till last Sunday Evening, when they had it all over the Isle of Wight. My Son wrote me the following Account of it, which is dated at Newport, on Monday the 19th: "Last Night, just at 6 o'Clock, as my Aunt and I were sitting together, we felt an Earthquake, and a terrible one I think. At first we heard a small Noise, which we supposed was a Chariot; and, as the Noise grew louder, the House began to shake; till at last the Noise grew so loud, and the House shook so much, that we expected it would fall down. I believe it continued near a Minute; and it was a great Mercy we were not all consumed. I confess I was dreadfully frighten'd. We had nothing fell down from the Shelves in our House; but both our Neighbours had Things thrown down from their Shelves. I heard a Man say there was another Shock this Morning between Three and Four of the Clock, but we felt nothing of that. I believe it was felt all over the Island; for here is a Man in Town who felt it at St. Helen's." Yesterday Yesterday I heard they had a little of it at Portsmouth and Lymington: And a Servant-Maid in this Town says, she felt her Chair shake; and the Windows shook, and the Wainscot crack'd, just at the same time: But I neither felt it, nor can find any body besides that did. XXXI. A Letter from Mr. Peter Newcome F. R. S. to the President, concerning the same Shock being felt at Hackney, near London. SIR, Read March 29. I BEG Leave to give you some Account of what was felt in our House at Hackney, on Sunday the 18th, a little after 6 o'Clock in the Evening; as we have received Accounts of the Shock of an Earthquake being felt at Bath, Portsmouth, and some other Places on that Day. My Cousin Peter Newcome was sitting in his Chamber on the upper Floor of the House, looking towards the Fire, when he plainly perceiv'd the Hearth of his Chimney to be moved; and immediately felt the Chamber rock three or four times from West to East but heard no Noise, as at the time of that Shock felt on the 8th. Being much surprised, he was running downstairs, and there met with one of the Maid-Servants, who was running in a great Fright out of another Room.