236 DISSERrJTlON on the 



flames arofe all around him, which, daiting to the gold lace 

 border, run along it, and up that of the bed, to the very lop. 



Whilst his Highnefs was fliowing me his experiment, 

 Prince Orloff, who had been making many different trials of 

 liis perfonal elecftricity, fince the day I faw him at his toilet, 

 came into the roon\ with a fable muff in his hand, and fhowed 

 us, that, by only whirling it five or -fix times round his head in 

 the air, he could eledlrify himfelf fo ftrongly, as to fend out 

 fparks from all the uncovered parts of his body ; another proof 

 that the fimple frii5lion of air againft hair could produce elec- 

 tricity. Similar experiments were repeated in many houfes of 

 the city, whilfl the ftrong froft prevailed ; which fliows, that 

 the uncommon difpofition of bodies to eledlricity, during the 

 period treated of, was general. 



These curious phenomena have appeared from time to time 

 fince that epoch, particularly during the fevere cold which has 

 prevailed for thefe four weeks pad. A few days ago, a lady of 

 my acquaintance informed me, that, on having her head 

 combed, not only her hair (bowed the ordinary figns of elec- 

 tricity, but that, after the comb had been drawn through, it 

 buflied out in a mofl furprifing manner, by the mutual repul- 

 fion of the hairs, and occafioned, on rifing upon her head, a 

 moft fingular and difagreeable fenfation, which would cer- 

 tainly have frightened her terribly, if flie had not inflantly 

 guefled the caufe. 



It muft not, however, be taken for granted, that thefe ap- 

 pearances are quite common here, or that they appear every 

 winter, although we never fail to have 24° and tipwards of 

 cold, by Reaumur's fcale. No ; to render thefe effedls very 

 remarkable, a great cold inufl: have continued feveral weeks 

 without abating, as I fliall explain in the feqviel. 



1 SHALL here likewife account for a curious fadl mentioned 

 above, which muft have drawn the attention of the reader, viz, 

 that Prince Orloff became eledrified whilft fitting at his 



toilet. 



