6lO PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTION*. [aNNO IJOQ^ 



Some difficulties may perhaps seem to arise on a sight view of only particular 

 eases of this proposition ; but it is conceived all such must vanish, when the same 

 is thoroughly considered. For, as in two bodies t and s; if x is acted on by 

 s, so as to describe a right line, that is, if t falls directly on », no area can then 

 be described by the right line connecting t and s ; but yet, this is certainly one 

 of the cases by which s and t may possibly act upon each other. So in three 

 bodies, s, t, and p ; if p moves in the same plane with s and t, no solid can 

 then be described by the plane whose right lined sides are the lines connecting 

 p to T and s ; but yet, this must be one of the cases by which s, r, and p, may 

 possibly act on each other. 



XIII. On the Effects of Lightning on Buckland Brewer Church. By the Rev. 

 William Paxton, Rector of that Parish, p. Tg. 

 On Thursday, March 1, about 4 in the afternoon, a cloud, of a most 

 uncommon blackness, gathered in the west-north-west, and, taking its course to 

 the east-south-east, diffused a most prodigious darkness, accompanied with a very 

 copious shower of hail. It passed immediately over the church tower, remark- 

 able for the height both of its situation and structure, and, bursting with 

 incredible fury, poured forth an amazing body of fire, which threw down the 

 south-east pinnacle on the church, and entering, it seems, at the breach, shivered 

 a table on which the commandments were written, scorched and discoloured two 

 tomb-stones, broke the windows, and shattered the walls and roof to a great 

 degree. The south-east corner suffered most; where it chiefly forced its way, 

 and tore up the ground on the outside, where it found vent. There is something 

 very extraordinary in the dispersion of the stones of the pinnacle to every point 

 of the compass, and to different distances; some of which were 700 pounds 

 weight. Mr. P. picked up one that weighed almost 8 pounds, at the distance 

 of 6o perches from the church ; and doubts not but others, and perhaps larger 

 stones, were carried farther. Several of the stones, some of which were not 

 Bmall, though they appeared close and firm, yet, on a very slight impression of 

 the fingers, mouldered into powder. The explosion, on the opening of the 

 cloud, was as instantaneous as terrible, and equalled the discharge of at least 

 a hundred cannori at once. 



XIP'. Abstract from a Meteorological Register kept at the Royal Hospital, near 

 Plymouth, during the Year 1768. By fV. Farr, M. D. p. 81. 

 This is a register, for several days in each month of the year 1 768, of the 

 barometer, thermometer, and depth of rain that fell, which was 51.215 inches 

 in the whole year. 



XV. Two remarkable Auroree Boreales, observed at the Observatory of the 



