136 ESSAYS AND OBSFRVATTONS 



* the iron condu6tor which he had pro- 



* vided for the fecurity of hia houfe, I 



* v?aited on him to inquire what ground 



* he might have for fuch a fufpicion. Mr 



* Weft informed me, that hi- family and 



* neighbours were all ftunned with a very 



* terrible explofion, and that the flalh and 



* crack were feen and heard atthe fame 



* inftant ; whence he concluded that the 



* lightning muft have been very near ; 



* and as no houfe in the neighbourhood 



* had fuffered by it, that it muft have paf- 



* fed through his conductor. Mr VV hite, 



* his clerk, told me, that he was fitting at 



* the time by a window about two feet 



* diftant from the condudor, leaning a- 



* gainft the brick-wall, with which it was 



* in contacfl, and that he felt a fmart fen- 



* fation like an eledric fliock in that part 



* of his body which touched the wall. 



* Mr Weft farther infoi med me, that a 



* perfon of undonlted veracity affured 



* him., that being in a door of an oppo- 



* fite houfe on the other fide of the ftieet, 



* he faw the lightning diffufed over the 



* pavement, which was then very wet with 



* rain, 



