found to breath a new life as it were, as well as London appear a new City, delivered from that, which alone renders it one of the most pernicious and insupportable abodes in the World, as subjecting her Inhabitants to so infamous an Aer, otherwise sweet and very healthful: For, (as we said) the Culinary fires (and which charking would greatly reform) contribute little, or nothing in comparison to these foul mouth'd Issues, and Curles of Smoake which (as the Poet has it)Virgil. do Cælum subtexere fumo, and draw a sable Curtain over Heaven. Let any man observe it, upon a Sunday, or such time as these Spiracles cease, that the Fires are generally extinguished, and he shall sensibly conclude, by the clearnesse of the Skie, and universal serenity of the Aer about it, that all the Chimnies in London, do not darken and poyson it so much, as one or two of those Tunnels of Smoake; and, that, because the most imperceptible transpirations, which they send forth, are ventilated, and dispersed with the least breath which is stirring: Whereas the Columns and Clowds of Smoake, which are belched forth from the sooty Throates of those Works, are so thick and plentiful, that rushing out with great impetuosity, they are capable even to resist the fiercest winds, and being extremely surcharg'd with a fuliginous Body, fall down upon the City, before they can be dissipated, as the more thin and weak is; so as two or three of these Pliny.fumid vortices, are able to whirle it about the whole City, rendring it in a few Moments like the Picture of Troy sacked by the Greeks, or the approches of Mount-Hecla.
I propose therefore, that by an Act of this present Parliament, this infernal Nuisance be reformed; enjoyning, that all those Works be removed five or six miles distant from London below the River of Thames; I say, five or six Miles, or at the least so far as to stand behind that Promontory jetting out, and and securing Greenwich[1] from the pestilent Aer of Plumstead-Marshes: because, being placed at any lesser Interval beneath the City, it would not only prodigiously infect that his Majesties Royal Seat (and as Barclay calls it) pervetusta Regum Britannicorum domus; but during our nine Months Etesians (for so we may justly name our tedious Western-winds) utterly darken and confound one of the most princely, and magnificent[2] Prospects