PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. ^13 



to the flame, upon the point of the lon- 

 ger rod ; then this blunt end catched 

 the fire, and the flame upon the points of 

 the two rods continued rather ftronger, 

 than on the fingle one before, fo long as 

 I kept them in contadt, and the fires with- 

 in three or four inches of ©ne another:: 

 But, when I drew them farther afunder, 

 the flame upon the extremity of the blunt 

 rod vanifhed. This happened as often as 

 I tried it j and it is evident, that, in like 

 manner, I could have got the fire to fix 

 upon the points af a great many rods, 

 and fo have had them all flaming toge- 

 ther. Once or twice, a flafli of lightning 

 feemed to dart direcflly againd the point 

 of the rod j then the fire, as I thought, 

 expanded itfelf and united with the light- 

 ning, but it immediately began to fhine 

 again, when the lightning was pad. 



Though it rained much in time of 

 thefe obfervations, yet the fire upon the 

 ends of the rods did not go out until ic 

 became fo heavy, as if it were pouring 

 down out of funnels. 



After, 



