[ 144 I 



for they; in the general, diverged fo much, that I: 

 found it very difficult to have in readinefs a fmali 

 tube of glafs, or wax fufficiently excited to affect 

 them. 



It has fometimes happened : that the balls of the 

 tin tube, &c. perfectly at reft, have, in confequence 

 of a flam of lightning, fuddenly repelled each other, 

 and immediately after clofed. As this circumstance 

 has frequently happened, when the air was in a 

 damp ftate, I have fometimes imagined that the 

 equilibrium between the earth and lower clouds had 

 been quickly reftored, on receiving the electricity of 

 the higher ones; and, at other times, have fuppofed 

 that it might be owing to the lateral effect of the 

 explofion. 



If two or more perfons, at a fufficient diftance. 

 from each other, would correfpond, by fignals, viz. 

 a red flag for pojitive, and- a blue one for negative 

 electricity, we mould probably obtain, in due time, 

 more fatisfactory certainty with regard to the electricity 

 of the clouds, thunder, &c. than has hitherto been, 

 given, or is, perhaps, poffible for any one man to 

 acquire, without the aid of wires or chains, produced, 

 from different apparatuses, placed at different: 

 diftances from each other.. 



Mr. 



