fone late fiery Mefeors. rn 23% 
fluid being more divided im more refifting air. But as thofe 
maiies of clectricity, which move where there. is fearcely any 
refiftance, fo gerieraliy afle& the direGtion of the magnetic me- 
ridian, the ideas which have been entertained of fome analogy 
between thefe two obfcure powers of nature, feem not alto- 
gether without foundation *. 
If the foregoing conjectures be juft, diftin& regions are: 
allotted to the eleC@trical phenomena of our atmofphere.. Here- 
below we have thunder and lightning, from the unequal diftri- 
bution of the electric fluid ‘among the clouds y in the loftier re-- 
gions, whither the clouds never reach, we have the various: 
gradations of falling ftars; tul beyond the limits of our cre- 
pufcular atmofphere the fiuid is put into motion in fufficient: 
* Tt appears to me more rational to refolve this analogy intoa power of electri-- 
City to influence magnetifm, than into a fuppofed fimilarity of two fluids; as the: 
former can be made evident by our artificial experiments, but there is no proof 
of the latter. When fire-balls, therefore, are faid to affe&t: the magnetic meri-- 
dian, I do not mean that they are drawn in that direction becaufe it is the line of 
magnetifm, but rather that the magnetic poles of the earth are thrown into their- 
prefent pofition,. by the accumulation and aétion of that very electricity upon 
which the fire-balls depend. Should a change be produced by any caufe in the. 
place of this accumulation, or the ftate of its motion, it is not improbable, that 
the main polarity would be given to other portions of the earth, whence a varia-- 
tion in the pointing of the compafs would neceffanily enfues, Af Dr..FRANKLIN’s | 
hypothefis be admitted, afcribing the eleGtrical ftate of the polar atmofphere - to» 
the cruft of ice (a bad conduétor) in thofe regions, it follows, that fhould ice: 
form or be colleSted in. one part moré than in another, the atmofphere there- 
would become more highly electrical, and, in fo far as the magnetifm is given by- 
electricity, the adjoining portion of the earth would acquire a ftronger polarity,. 
Now it is certainly worthy of remark, that fince our firft northern navigations, , 
the coaft of Weft Greenland and its furrounding feas have become~ gradually - 
More and more inacceffible on account of ice, and that the magnetic. needle.all: 
this time has been conftantly changing its variation to the weflward.. 
mafies: 
