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letter, when the table I was writing on began to tremble with a gentle motion, which surprised me, as I could not perceive a breath of wind stirring. Whilst I was reflecting on what could be the cause, the whole house began to shake from the very foundation, which at first I imputed to the rattling of coaches in the street; but on listening more attentively, I found it was owing to a frightful noise under ground, resembling the rumbling of distant thunder. All this passed in less than a minute. I now began to be alarmed, as it occurred to me, that the noise might possibly be the presage of an approaching earthquake.
I threw down my pen, and started upon my feet, remaining for a moment in ⟨suspense⟩, whether I should stay in the ⟨apartment⟩, or run into the street; but in an ⟨instant⟩ I was roused from my dream, being ⟨stunned⟩ with a most horrid crash, as though ⟨every⟩ edifice in the city had tumbled down ⟨at⟩ once. The house I was in shook with ⟨such⟩ violence, that the upper stories ⟨immediately⟩ fell in; and though my apartment which was on the first floor) did not ⟨immediately⟩ share the same fate, yet every ⟨thing⟩ was thrown out of its place, and it ⟨was⟩ with difficulty that I kept my feet. ⟨I⟩ expected nothing less than to be crushed ⟨to⟩ death, as the walls continued rocking to
