The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1772-12-10

| cords whatever can tace, WHICH happoned
mere on the grit ultimo a, night. 8. "a
g II began about dufk, at north, and rag
ed very violently tiiI ten O'clock Then enc
fued fuddrn and unexpected interval,
which LATED about an hoah Mean while
The wind was Uniting round 70 the South
Welt point, from whence il returned with
redoubled fury and continued 10 until near
three o'clock in the morning. Good God |
whsthorror and deffrusiion--.i is mpofible
for me to delcribe--or you to form any idea
of it, Ii leemed as if total dlllolusioa of
nature was taxing place. The roaring of
she Tea and wind--6ery meteors flying abou,
in the air--the prodigious glare of almoit
perpetual lightning 1.-The cralh of the falling
houles and the car piercing fkriekSof the
diifrefed, WHARF fuficient to Arike afonifh-
ment ieto angels. A great part OF the
buildings throughout the ifand are evelled
to the ground .almoR all the ref. very much
fharterrd- :. ieveral perfons killed and numbers
utterly ruined -whole families running about
the fsreets unknowing where to find place
of fhelter--the Gck expoled to the keennels OF
water and air. without bed to lie upon or
dry covering to their bodies and our har-
bours entirely bare. In . word, mifery, in
all its mott hideous ihapes fpread over the
face of the country A Rrong fmell Of gun.
powder added fomewhat TO the tefrors Of the
night and il was oblerved that the rain
was furprilngly falt. Indeed the water is
70 brackiih and 70 full of lulphur THAI there
is hardly any drinking it.
| "My reflections and feelings on this
| frightful and melancholy location, are fet
| forth in the following ieIf-d,fcourfe. 4 %
"WheTe now, oh. vile worm, is all thy
boafied fortituds and reloution (what is
become of thy arrogance and Ielf Efficiency I
.-why doif thou trembIe and fand aghait
how humble how helpless how contemp-
tble you now appear. And for why the
iarine Of elements 1.-The difcord of clouds
Oh ! impotent preiumptuous fool ! how
| durR thou offend that omnipotence whole
nod alone were fufficient to quell the dc.
ftrueion that hovers over thee or cruih thee
into atoms fee thy wretched hslpleE fate,
and learn to know thyiet. Learn to know
thyfelf. Learn to know thy beit fuppo.r.: !
Defpife thyfelf, and adore thy God. How
fweet,- how unutterably fweet were now
the voice of an approving confidence Their
couldff thou fay--hence ye idle alarms -whi
do think ! what have TO fear pleaf.
ing calm fufPencs a fhcrt repole from ca.
larigy TO end in eternal blfs i..let the earth
| rend let the planets forfake their courfe--le
the Sun be extingullled and the heavens
buiR afSnder- yet what have ! TO dread
my taft can never be btoken--in onnlpo
i tence rulted.
| " He who gave the winds to blow, ana
the lgh!nings TO rage--even him have ] al.
ways loved and lcrved- his precep;s have
obferved--his commandments have obeyeC
land his perfeefions have | adoted. HI
will fnatch me from ruin-.he will exalt ms
10 the fellowlhip of angels and israphs
and TO lhe fulnefs of never ending Joys
:" But alas how different, how deplora
bic, how gloomy the profpeGi- death comes
rufhing on in triumph, yelled in mantle o.
tsnfOd darkness. His unrelen,ing fey,he
pointed and ready for the froke.On hi
right hand tits deffruaiOn, hurting the wind
and belcbiog forth flames y. Calamity on hi
left threatening famine dileale and diltrefs o
all kinds -And oh ! thou wretch, look Oil
! little further; Zee the gulf Of eteinal infer,
open there maya thou fhOt.ly plunge: th'
I juR reward Of thy vileneis.- Alas whiihe
can't thou Ay where hide ythyfelt I tho'
cana not callruPOn thy God ,--thy life ha
been continual warfare with him9
Haiku ruin and confuiion on ever,
| fide. - lis thy turn next but one fflort mo