132 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



A building thus guarded, will not be 

 damaged by lightning, nor any perfon or 

 thing therein killed, hurt, or fet on fire. 

 For, either the esplolion will be prevent- 

 ed by the operation of the point ; or, if 

 not prevented, then the whole quan- 

 tity of lightning exploded near the houfe, 

 whether p^iiTing from the cloud to the 

 earth, or from the earth to the cloud, will 

 be conveyed in the rods. And though 

 the iron be croc ked round the corner of 

 the building, or make ever fo many turns 

 between the upper and lower rod, the 

 the lightning will follow it, and be gui- 

 ded by it, without affedling the building. 

 I omit the philofophical reafons and expe- 

 riments on which this practice is found- 

 ed ; for they are many, and would make 

 a book. Befides they are already known 

 lo mofl of the learned throughout Eu- 

 rope. In the American Britifh colonies, 

 many houfes have been, fince the year 

 1752, guarded by thefe principles. Three 

 fads have only come to my knowledge of 

 the effecls of lightning on fuch houfes, 

 which 1 (hall here give you. 



The 



