PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 209 



Art. VL 



Cbfervations on Thunder and EkSlricityy by 

 Ebenezek. Macfait, M,D, 



'IP HE experiment propofed by DrFrank- 

 lin, to prove that lightning and the 

 eledrical fire are the fame, has often been 

 repeated with fuccefs both in England 

 and abroad ; fo that the moft noted e- 

 ledlrical experiments have been perform- 

 ed by fire drawn from the clouds. 



Dr Franklin firll difcovered, that 

 fliarp points attrad and difcharge the e-* 

 ledrical matter moft copioufly } and from 

 thence fuppofes, that a very (harp point- 

 ed rod, fixed to the extremity of the top- 

 maft of a fliip, with a wire conduded 

 down from the foot of the rod ronnd one 

 of the fhrouds, and over the fliip's fide 

 into the fea, would filently lead ofi:' the 

 eleclrical fire, and fave the Ihip from 

 thunder in hot countries ; and that, by a 

 Vol. L D d fimilar 



