t92 ESSAYS ann OBSERVATIONS 
on either of the rods: but almoft immedi- 
ately when I got clear of the houfes, upon 
the open hill, the point of the longer iron 
rod took fire. In the dark, I had loft the 
tube belonging to the fhorter rod; and the 
point of it did not catch fire when the long- 
er one was kindled. Perhaps I did not wait 
long enough for a proper trial; for I foon 
touched the flame upon the long rod with 
the fharp point of the fhort one, and then 
it alfo took flame and continued burning, as 
before, without any further dependence up- 
on the longer one. 
I uevp the fhorter rod by the fharp end, 
and approached the blunt end of it to the 
flame, upon the point of the longer rod; 
then this blunt end catched the fire, and the 
flame upon the points of the two rods conti- 
nued rather {tronger, than on the fingle one 
before, fo long as I kept them in contact, 
and the fires within three or four inches of 
one another: but, when I drew them far- 
ther afunder, the flame upon the extremity 
of the blunt rod vanifhed. This happened 
as often as I tried it; and it is evident, that 
in like manner, I could have got the fire to 
fix upon the points of a great many rods, and 
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