witJi Files nfMen, or AmmaU. 133 



way of analysis. It will here, I trust, be understood that 1 am 

 treating this subject simply as a question of science, and that 

 whilst I indicate the place where one is least exposed, I do not 

 advise every one to go and take refuge there, since, by thus di- 

 minishing his own risk, he inevitably augments that of his neigh- 

 bour. On the 2d of August 1785, the lightning descended upon 

 a stable at Rambouillet, where there were thirty-two horses in a 

 single continuous line. Thirty were overturned by the stroke. 

 One only, hozcever^ was instantly and quite killed ; it occupied 

 one of the extremities of the line ; and another, which was very 

 severely wounded, and subsequently died, was placed at the other 

 extremity. Again, on the 2J^d of August 1 808, lightning struck 

 a house, in the village of Knonau, in Switzerland. Five chil- 

 dren were sitting upon a bench, in a room on the ground floor; 

 of these the first and the last were killed dead on the spot, 

 whilst the others experienced only a violent shock. At Fla- 

 vigny, Cote d*or, five horses were in a stable into which light- 

 ning entered. The two first, and two last perished, — the fifth, 

 in the middle, suffered no injury.* One of my friends informs 

 me, that he was told, some years ago, and within a few days of 

 the event, that in a town of Franche Comte, the lightning having 

 fallen upon a file of five horses, in the open air, killed the first 

 and the last, whilst the three others were not even wounded.t 

 When lightning encounters a bar of metal, every one knows 



* I adduce this fact, in support of tlie proposition at tlie commencement 

 of this. paragraph ; though, at the period of the event, it was supj)osed at 

 riavigny, that the whole was exphiined by the animal which escaped being- 

 Ulnd, whilst the others saw. 



t In the year 1801, the lightning fell on a windmill, at Praville, near 

 (Jhartres, set it on fire, and consumed it. At the moment, the miller was 

 walking between a horse and a mule, which were both laden with corn. The 

 two animals, struck at the same instant, were killed on the spot ; the miller 

 escaped, with being fearfully stunned, with having some ringlets of his hair 

 burnt, and with the loss of his hat. 



I have not introduced this instance into the text, because it does not ap- 

 ])car so demonstrative as the others; — because it is not self-evident that 

 lightning, with equal facility, kills all kinds of animals ; and because, on 

 the contrary, it appears to be established by certain facts, that men 

 more powerfully resist the effects of lightning, than horses and dogs. I 

 shall here adduce some of the facts upon which I base this conclusion. 



