The most tremendous convulsions of nature, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, if they do not happen so frequently as to drive away the inhabitants, or to destroy their spirit of industry, have but a trifling effect on the average population of any state.
Naples, and the country under Vesuvius, are still very populous, notwithstanding the repeated eruptions of that mountain.

And Lisbon and Lima are now, probably, nearly in the same state with regard to population as they were before the last earthquakes..