ouses founded, and asceticism became the order of the
day, until the dreaded year was completed without the accompaniment
of the supernatural horrors so generally feared; the world soon
relapsed into forgetfulness, and went on as before. Very many
prophecies have since been promulgated; and in defiance of such
repeated failures are still occasionally indulged in by persons from
whom better things might be expected. Richard Brothers, in the last
century, and more than one reverend gentleman in the present one,
have been bold enough to fix an exact time for the event: but it has
passed as quietly as the thousandth anniversary noted above.

[193] One of the most effective prophecies against London, and which
frightened for the time a very large number of its inhabitants, was
that given out in the spring of 1750, after a slight shock of an
earthquake was felt in London, and it was prophesied that another
should occur which would destroy the town and all its inhabitants.
All the roads were thronged with persons flying to the country a day
or two before the threatened event; and they were all unmercifully
ridiculed when the day passed over quietly. Walpole in one of his
amusing letters speaks of a party who went "to an inn ten miles out
of town, where they are to play at brag till five in the morning,
and then come back--I suppose, to look for the bones of their
husbands and families under the rubbish!" Jokers who were out late
amused themselves by bawling in the watchmen's voice, "Past four
o'clock, and a dreadful earthquake!" A pamphlet purporting to be "a
full and true account" of this earthquake which never happened, was
"printed for Tim Tremor, in Fleet-street, 1750," and made the
vehicle for much personal satire. Thus it is stated that the
"Commissioners of Westminster-bridge have ordered this calamity to
be entered in their books, as a glorious excuse for the next sinking
pier;" and that the town received some comfort upon hearing that
"the Inns of Court were all sunk, and several orders were given that
no one should assist in bringing any one lawyer above ground."

[194] An eye-witness of the great fire of London has noted the
difficulty of obtaining effective assistance in endeavouring to stay
its progress, owing to the superstition which seized many persons,
because a prophecy of Mo