THE DISCHARGE OF THE CLOUD. 269 



of the two electricities,, which in their common 

 state are combined, takes place most quickly and 

 most perfectly in those of the surrounding bodies 

 which have the best conducting power, and espe- 

 cially in those which are the most intimately con- 

 nected by conductors with the earth, the grand 

 carrier and universal holder of electricity. The 

 electric spark can, it is true, start across to any of 

 the bodies around the insulated conductor ; but will 

 most surely strike that one which is nearest to it, 

 and at the same time the fittest to carry off the 

 electricity to the ground. 



These conditions belong as truly to the thunder- 

 cloud as to any other insulated conductor. When- 

 ever a heavily-charged cloud passes over the sur- 

 face of the earth, the natural electrical state of all 

 the bodies under the cloud must be deranged. 

 The contrary electricity attracted by that of the 

 cloud, and thus drawn up to the highest jutting 

 points on the earth-surface, is gradually gathered 

 together as the cloud approaches, and again gra- 

 dually retires as the cloud passes off. A person 

 exposed to this influence may not feel anything of 

 it • but if the cloud should, wdiile over him, sud- 

 denly discharge itself in an entirely different direc- 

 tion, whereupon its action on the earth must sud- 

 denly cease, he may, without being himself touched 

 by the flash, suffer a very severe and even dangerous 

 shock, from the mere return to the earth of the 



