76 T-HEOR Y .or 
*< a cloud, it is then capable of receiving and abforbing a 
“ much greater quantity, as there is room for each parti= 
“cle to have an electric atmofphere. Thus water in its 
“‘ rarefied ftate, or in the form of a cloud, will be in a 
“ negative ftate of electricity ; it will have lefs than its. 
“ natural quantity, that is, lefs than it is naturally capable 
“ of attraCting and abforbing in that ftate*.” 
The foregoing paflages I have copied verbatim from 
that celebrated eleCtrician, as I purpofe in the courfe of this. 
eflay to avail myfelf of his idea of the fponge, in order to 
illuftrate a different theory of thunder clouds, which I now 
beg leave, though with difiidence of my own judgment, 
and with all due deference to that of fo great a man, to 
fubftitute in the room of the foregoing ; which I muft con- 
fefs at firft fight carries great appearance of probability 
with it, and is highly corroborated by the curious and 
beautiful experiment the doctor made with the filver cann,. 
brafs chain, and lock of cottonT. 
But in reading dodtor Priefley’s hiftory of eletricity,, 
fome thoughts of fignior Beccaria occurred, which fatish- 
ed me that this hypothefis, however ingenious and plau- 
fible, was infufficient for the purpofe of accounting for the. 
rife and phenomena of thunder ftorms, the frequent ex- 
tent and violence of which feem to require a more general 
caufe than that hinted above, to fupply them with fuficient 
quantities of ele&tric matter. 
*“* Confidering the vaft quantity of ele€tric fire that ap- 
“pears in the moft fimple thunder ftorms (fays doctor 
“ Prieftly t) fignior Beccaria thinks it impoffible that any 
“ cloud, or number of clouds, fhould ever contain it all, 
“ fo as either to difcharge or receive it. Befides, during 
« the progrefs and increafe of the ftorm, though the light- 
“ening frequently ftruck to the earth, the fame clouds 
were 
* Franklin’s Letters, page 119. 
+ Page 121. 
} Pricitley’s Hiftory of HleGricity, page 325. 
