1811.

GLOOMY CLOSE OF THIS YEAR.

855

part of the heavens, and passing across our hemisphere, disappeared at the south, toward the end of the year. This created a feeling of alarm in the minds of very many, of the less enlightened at least, who looked upon it as an ominous forerunner of dire misfortunes to come.

This alarm, where it existed, was increased on the 17th of September, on which day there was an annular eclipse of the sun, which lasted from about twelve until half past three o'clock, and afforded a solemnly grand and impressive sight. The day was remarkably serene, and the sky cloudless, so that the contrast between the brightness before and the almost twilight darkness, during the height of the eclipse, was peculiarly striking.

Next came a circumstance, which, though it affected none but the most ignorant and superstitious, had yet its force, in fostering the gloomy apprehensions that were already existing. About the 1st of October, an impostor named Hughes, who had been imprisoned in south-west Virginia, on a charge of larceny, pretended, while in confinement, to have been entranced, and in that supernatural state to have had a revelation, foretelling the destruction of one-third of mankind, which was to take place on the 4th of June, 1812. The idea having been taken up by a certain ingenious and visionary young lawyer, was dressed up by him in the shape of a seemingly plausible story, and published in pamphlet form, adorned with sundry yankee pictures of horrible sights, portraying the dire calamity. It found an immense circulation, especially in the south-west.

Soon after, (ou the 7th of November,) was fought the battle of Tippecanoe, which had brought grief and distress into almost every family of the West, as there were but few who had not some relative or intimate friend among the gallant slain or wounded; and on the loth and 16th of December followed the extraordinary earthquake, already desciibed.

Added to all these, was, on the 24th or 26th of December, the burning of the theatre at Richmond, Virginia, which took place while the house was filled with an audience of most respectable citizens. The flames spread with such terrific rapidity, that tbe people had not time to escape, and some seventy persons lost their lives   some being burnt, and others crushed to death in the escaping crowd. The accident was so heart-rending, and excited such a lively interest, that it served to throw a shade of grief, for a time, over the whole country.

In addition to these circumstances, tho unmistakable evidence