affords all the Evidence, the most scrupulous
can reasonably desire. Possibly there might be some Fever of
extraordinary Malignity in _Marseilles_, such as is commonly called
_Pestilential_, before the Arrival of these Goods: But no such Fever has
any indisputable Right to the Title of _Pestilence_, as I have before
shewn. On the contrary, these two, the real _Pestilence_, and such
_Pestilential Fevers_, must carefully be distinguished, if we design to
avoid all Mistakes in reasoning upon these Subjects.

SOME such Fever of uncommon Malignity, I say, might perhaps be in
_Marseilles_ before the Arrival of these Goods. There might likewise
perhaps be an Instance or two of _Fevers_ attended with _Eruptions_,
bearing some Resemblance to those of the _Plague_: for such I my self
have sometimes seen here in _London_. But it is not conceivable, that
there should be any Appearance of the true _Plague_ before that time:
for it was full six Weeks from the time of the Sailor's Death, which had
given the Alarm, and raised a general Attention, before the Magistrates
received Information of any one's dying of the _Plague_ in the City.
And I believe it was never known, that the _Plague_, being once broke
out, gave so long a Truce in hot Weather.

THE _Plague_, which has this present Year almost depopulated _Messina_,
affords a _third_ Instance of the same kind. By an authentic Relation of
it, published here[53] we are informed, that a _Genoese_ Vessel from the
_Levant_, arrived at that City; and upon notice given that a Sailor, who
had touched some Cases of _Cotton Stuffs_ bought up at _Patrasso_ in the
_Morea_, where the Distemper then raged, was dead of the Plague, in the
Voyage; the Ship was put under _Quarantaine_: during which time the
_Cotton Stuffs_ were privately landed. The Master and some Sailors
dying three days after, the Vessel was burnt. These Goods lay for some
time concealed, but were soon after publickly sold: upon which the
Disease immediately broke out in that _Quarter_ where they were opened;
and afterwards was spread through the whole City.

I think it not improper, for the fuller Confirmation of the present
Point, to give a Relation communicated to me by a Person of
unquestionable Credit, of the like Effect from Goods, in respect to the
_Small-Pox_; which Distemper is frequently carried in the Nature of the
_Plague_ both to the _East_ and _West-Indies_ from these Countries, and
was once carried from the _East-I