PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 131 



For, if they were only hooked together, 

 and fo touched each other but in points, 

 the lightning, in paffing through them, 

 might melt and break them where they 

 join. The lead will alio prevent the 

 weakening of the joints by raft. To 

 prevent the fhaking of this rod by the 

 wind, you may fecure it by a few fla- 

 pies to the building, till it comes down 

 within ten feet of the ground, and thence 

 carry it off to your ground-rod ; near to 

 which fhould be planted a poft, to fupport 

 the iron condudlor above the heads of 

 people walking under it. If the building 

 be large and long, as an hundred feet or 

 upwards, it may not be amifs to eredl a 

 pointed rod at each end, and form a com- 

 munication by an iron rod between them. 

 If there be a well near the houfe, fo that 

 you can by fuch a rod form a communi- 

 cation from your top-rod to the water, it 

 is rather better to do fo than to ufe the 

 ground-rod above mentioned. It may al- 

 fo be proper to paint the iron, to render it 

 more durable, by preferving it from 

 ruft. 



A- 



