too P^emarh on Ughtnwg Rods:. 



Columbian Centinelj i itli Augufl, 1798. Mr. B aid win Ha s very 

 loiig^ncl defervedly Keld a high rank in tlie fcientlfic part of 

 ibciety ; and no one, I prerume, has a Iiiglier opinion of hlni 

 as a man and a philofoplicr, thanmyfelf ; and it is with diffi- 

 dence r obferve, that in my opinion, he has erred in his phi^ 

 lantlu'opic Intentions of rendering eleiftrical conduclors more 

 beneficial to mankind. As they have been ufed, they cer- 

 tainly have not afforded complete protecflion ; but from what 

 caufe they have failed, remains to be determined. 



From a variety of experiments, which I have m.ade on the 



Hibjedl, I am led to conceive of the matter relating both to the 



c^ndatflors, and the formation ox Jlrata of the clouds, in a dif- 

 ferent point of view from Mr. Baldwin. 



In xSiQ iirfl place, I conceive heat to be the moft ilibtle of all 



.J 



fluids ; and of courfe tlie grand primtim mobile ) that heat has 

 the power of diilbl ving or liquifying air ; the air of dillblving 



r 



water (the fame as water has of difTolving fait or fugar) in 



fuch manner as to tender it invifible to humian' fighf ; 

 therefore thfe greater the quantity of heat operating oh the air, 



the larger the quantity of water that air Will diiTolve and ren- 

 der invifible. But apply any thing cold in contad: with this 

 VvMrm air, thus filled with watery particles, and the air within 

 the fphere of the cold body, will immediately let fall the wa- 

 tcr. Of this, v/c have daily proofs in warm weather, when 

 We bring in^o a room, Vvdiere the air is in the abovementioned 



^ - ... 



Hate, a velTel filled with cold water, a cold flone, ol' any fab- 

 flan ce 



,r 



