236 DISSERTATION on the 



flames arofe all around him, which, darting to the gold lace 

 border, run along it, and up that of the bed, to the very top. 



Whilst his Highnefs was mowing me his experiment, 

 Prince Orloff, who had been making many different trials of 

 his perfonal electricity, frnce the day I faw him at his toilet, 

 came into the room with a fable muff in his hand, and fhowed 

 us, that, by only whirling it five or -fix times round his head in 

 the air, he could electrify himfelf fo ftrongly, as to fend out 

 fparks from all the uncovered parts of his body ; another proof 

 that the fimple friction of air againft hair could produce elec- 

 tricity. Similar experiments were repeated in many houfes of 

 the city, whilft the ftrong froft prevailed ; which (hows, that 

 the uncommon difpofition of bodies to electricity, during the 

 period treated of, was general. 



These curious phenomena have appeared from time to time 

 fince that epoch, particularly during the fevere cold which has 

 prevailed for thefe four weeks pad. A few days ago, a lady of 

 my acquaintance informed me, that, on having her head 

 combed, not only her hair fhowed the ordinary figns of elec- 

 tricity, but that, after the comb had been drawn through, it 

 bufhed out in a moil furprifing manner, by the mutual repul- 

 fion of the hairs, and occafioned, on riling upon her head, a 

 moft lingular and difagreeable fenfation, which would cer- 

 tainly have frightened her terribly, if fhe had not inftantly 

 gueffed the caufe. 



It muft not, however, be taken for granted, that thefe ap- 

 pearances are quite common here, or that they appear every 

 winter, although we never fail to have 24 ° and upwards of 

 cold, by Reaumur's fcale. No ; to render thefe effects very 

 remarkable, a great cold muft have continued feveral weeks 

 without abating, as I (hall explain in the fequel. 



I shall here likewife account for a curious fact mentioned 

 above, which muft have drawn the attention of the reader, viz. 

 that Prince Orloff became electrified whilft fitting at his 



toilet, 



