-
Articles/Ads
Article THE COLLECTOR. ← Page 5 of 5
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Collector.
- PHILOSOPHICAL SAGACITY . A VOLCANO , was announced and described to be burning in Languedoc . This pretended volcano is known by the name of the Phosphorus of Venejan . Venejan is a village , situated at the distance of a quarter of a league from the hig h road , between St . Esprit and Bagnols . From time immemorial , at the return of springa fire was
, seen from the high road , which increased daring the summer , was graduall y extinguished in aotumn , and was visible only in the ni ght . Several persons had , at various times , directed their course from the high road , in a rig ht line towards Venejan , to verify the fatt upon the spot : but the necessity of descending into a deep valley , befo . e they could arrive at the place , occasioned them to lose sight of the
fire ; and on their arrival at Venejan no appearance was seen , in the least resembling the fire of a volcano . M . de Gerissane describes this phenomenon , and compares it to the flashing of a strong auroraborealis : he even says , that the country is volcanic . At length ,, in the course of the last four or five years , it was observed , that these ires were multiplied in the spring , and that-instead of one , thefe were three . Certain philosophers of Bagnols undertook the projedt
of examining this phenomenon more closely ; and for this purpose repaired to a' spot between the high road and Venejan , provided with torches , speaking trumpets , and every other instrument which they conceived to be necessary for making their observations . At midnig ht four or five of the party were deputed , and directed towards the fire ; and those who remained behind direfted them constantl y in their wayby means of their speaking trumpets . They at last
ar-, rived at the village , where they found three groupes of women winding silk in the middle of the street , by the light of a fire made of hemp stalks . AH the volcanic phenomena then disappeared , and the explanation of the observations made on this subject , became very simple . In the spring , the fire ivas weak , because it was fed with ¦ wood , which afforded heat and lig ht : during the summer , hemp
stalks were burned , because light only was wanted . At that time there were three fires , because the Fair of St . Esprit was near at hand , at which they sold their silk , and which , consequently , put them under the necessity of expediting their work . As these observers announced their arrival with much noise , the country people drove them back by a shower of stones , which the Don Quixotes of Natural History might have taken for a volcanic eruption .
COUNTRY ORTHOGRAPHY . THE following curious notice concerning the Land Tax was found nailed against the churqh door in , the village of Graffham , Huntingdonshire . ' Notice ts here by Given that the Commishin . ers meeting held at the George Inrat Spall , vick at Ten OCioc . kln the forenoon On
weed-, nesday- 19 th Instant June So that any Person think them Seyels . A G rived ' on any of the Taxes-May Show a Cause fefore the Comishinors at the Peale Day On weednesday next at the Place before-Memionned . 49 : June 1793 . — - '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Collector.
- PHILOSOPHICAL SAGACITY . A VOLCANO , was announced and described to be burning in Languedoc . This pretended volcano is known by the name of the Phosphorus of Venejan . Venejan is a village , situated at the distance of a quarter of a league from the hig h road , between St . Esprit and Bagnols . From time immemorial , at the return of springa fire was
, seen from the high road , which increased daring the summer , was graduall y extinguished in aotumn , and was visible only in the ni ght . Several persons had , at various times , directed their course from the high road , in a rig ht line towards Venejan , to verify the fatt upon the spot : but the necessity of descending into a deep valley , befo . e they could arrive at the place , occasioned them to lose sight of the
fire ; and on their arrival at Venejan no appearance was seen , in the least resembling the fire of a volcano . M . de Gerissane describes this phenomenon , and compares it to the flashing of a strong auroraborealis : he even says , that the country is volcanic . At length ,, in the course of the last four or five years , it was observed , that these ires were multiplied in the spring , and that-instead of one , thefe were three . Certain philosophers of Bagnols undertook the projedt
of examining this phenomenon more closely ; and for this purpose repaired to a' spot between the high road and Venejan , provided with torches , speaking trumpets , and every other instrument which they conceived to be necessary for making their observations . At midnig ht four or five of the party were deputed , and directed towards the fire ; and those who remained behind direfted them constantl y in their wayby means of their speaking trumpets . They at last
ar-, rived at the village , where they found three groupes of women winding silk in the middle of the street , by the light of a fire made of hemp stalks . AH the volcanic phenomena then disappeared , and the explanation of the observations made on this subject , became very simple . In the spring , the fire ivas weak , because it was fed with ¦ wood , which afforded heat and lig ht : during the summer , hemp
stalks were burned , because light only was wanted . At that time there were three fires , because the Fair of St . Esprit was near at hand , at which they sold their silk , and which , consequently , put them under the necessity of expediting their work . As these observers announced their arrival with much noise , the country people drove them back by a shower of stones , which the Don Quixotes of Natural History might have taken for a volcanic eruption .
COUNTRY ORTHOGRAPHY . THE following curious notice concerning the Land Tax was found nailed against the churqh door in , the village of Graffham , Huntingdonshire . ' Notice ts here by Given that the Commishin . ers meeting held at the George Inrat Spall , vick at Ten OCioc . kln the forenoon On
weed-, nesday- 19 th Instant June So that any Person think them Seyels . A G rived ' on any of the Taxes-May Show a Cause fefore the Comishinors at the Peale Day On weednesday next at the Place before-Memionned . 49 : June 1793 . — - '