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one of the most awful phenomena in ⟨the⟩ dispensation of Providence—an ⟨earthquake⟩ C. and I were sitting chatting together ⟨after⟩ supper, when we were suddenly ⟨startled⟩ by one of the most sudden and ⟨uncommon⟩ percussions I had ever felt, and which ⟨instantly⟩ suggested to us the cause. I ⟨could⟩ think of nothing that could give so ⟨good⟩ an idea of what we felt, as that of a ⟨person⟩ being on the back of a horse, when he ⟨suddenly⟩ and violently shakes himself. ⟨We⟩ flew to the street, where we found ⟨almost⟩ every inhabitant, women and ⟨children⟩ screaming, and a very ⟨considerable⟩ ⟨proportion⟩ of them naked. Many flew to ⟨the⟩ fields. and there remained for the great part of the night. Chimney-tops ⟨were⟩ thrown down or damaged in ⟨every⟩ quarter of the town. The ⟨Mason's⟩ Lodge, occupied as an hotel, was rent ⟨from⟩ top to bottom, the north stalk of the ⟨chimney⟩ partly thrown down—one of the ⟨caping⟩ stones, weighing, I should think, from ⟨fifty⟩ to sixty pounds, was thrown to the ⟨other⟩ side of the street, a distance not less ⟨than⟩ sixty feet. The spire of the steeple, ⟨which⟩ I think one of the handsomest in ⟨Scotland⟩ has been seriously injured, and must ⟨in⟩ part be taken down. The spire is an ⟨octagon⟩; and within five or six feet of ⟨the⟩ top, the angles of the octagon are ⟨turned⟩
