cjo fatal effc&s ofLi^htmn^ 



AccorcUiig to the theory^ which I believe Is now ^erverally 

 eceived, the eaft and fouth eaft wind haying taken from the 

 tmofphere, a portion of the elecflrical matter, the particles of 

 apour, which had been feparated by it, approached nearer 

 idi other, and appeared in clouds. As the region of the at- 



fphere, in wliich the clonds were thus formed, had been 



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deprived of electrical matter, by the moid ibuth eaft wvid, 

 the eledlricity of the clouds formed in that portion of the at- 

 mofphere, muft have htc^mgaiive, until fupplied with the 

 fluid, from fome other quarter. The* cloud whicH we are now 

 conlidering, I had obferved with more than common 

 from my houfe. It was fmall^ but appeared very much con- 



denfed by tKe a£lioi\ of oppofite winds, 



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The men who were on the ifland fay, there had been no rain 



r • *■ 



or thunder from the time o£ their landing ; the fatal c/i7fi was 

 the ^r/} difcharge. As a portion of the eledrical matter had 



i r - 



been taken off, before and at the time when the cloud w^as 



forming, and the clap which killed the man was thejrfi^ there 



is reafon to think the charge went from the fpot on the ifland, 



where he Hood, to the cloud, and fo reftored the tquilibrium, 



'Some circumflantial evidence, that the elecflricity of the earth 



vi3.s pojithe, perhaps may be gathered from the burlting open 



of the canvafs trowfers, the tearing of the hat, and the breach 



in the man s head. The eledrical fluid pafTing from the earth 



diredly under the man, tore afundcr the dry linen trowfers, 



which were open at the bottom, and tight at the top. The 



hat alfo, being of wool, and dry, was a bad condudor. It 



gave-fome obftruaion to the palling fluid, and was therefore 



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torn 



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